Raiders To Host Blue Streaks In Playoff Final Four

Mount Union College will host John Carroll University in the Division III Playoff Semi-finals on Saturday, December 14. Kick off from Mount Union Stadium is set for noon.

John Carroll (12-1), runner up in the Ohio Athletic Conference in 2002, advanced in the playoffs with wins over Hobart (27-7), Muhlenberg (21-10) and Brockport (16-10 OT). Mount Union (12-0) advanced with victories over Wheaton (42-21) and Wabash (45-16).

Offensively, the Blue Streaks are led quarterback Tom Arth (186-of-311/.598/2,425 yds/24 TDs/5 INT), running back Ryan DeGeorge (230 att/1,144 yds/5.0 ypc/15 total TDs), wide receiver Jeff Lerner (53 rec/17.7 ypr/10 TDs), the 2002 OAC’s Ed Sherman Award winner as the conference's best receiver, and wide receiver Adam Therrien (50 rec/16.1 ypr/13 TDs).

Defensively, John Carroll is paced by middle linebacker Chris Cubero (134 hits/24 tfl/5.5 sacks), the 2002 Bill Edwards Award winner as the conference's best linebacker, outside linebacker Brian Brooke (91 hits/16 tfl), end Joe Endriolo (86 hits/21 tfl/7 sacks) and free safety Scott Greenberg (87 hits/11 pbu/4 INTs).

The Blue Streaks average 35.2 points per game and 373.8 yards per game offensively. John Carroll's allows 10.9 points per contest and 250.2 yards per game. The Streaks have 39 sacks on the year while surrendering 37. John Carroll's turnover ratio stands at +14.

Mount Union, winner of 10 consecutive playoff games and 35-7 overall, is led offensively by Gagliardi Finalist running back Dan Pugh (290 att/1,796 yds/6.2 avg/32 total TDs), quarterback Rob Adamson (115-of-191/.602/1,977 yds/24 TDs/8 INTs), wide receiver Randell Knapp (47 rec/17.6 ypr/9 TDs) and tight end Josh Liddell (35 rec/14.8 ypr/4 TDs).

Defensively, the Purple Raiders are led by end Matt Campbell (92 hits/22 tfl/11 sacks), the two-time Paul Hoernemann Award winner as the conference's best defensive lineman, outside linebacker Stan Watson (81 hits/7 tfl), end Chris Carter (68 hits/14 tfl/7 sacks) and cornerback Matt Sotcan (28 hits/17 pbu/2 INTs).

The Purple Raiders average 45.8 points per contest and 497.7 yards per game. They allow 12.8 points per game and 237.0 yards per contest. Mount Union has 32 sacks on the year while allowing 14. The Raiders have a +3 turnover ratio on the year.

The coaching match-up features John Carroll's Regis Scafe (49-44/10th year overall/33-10/4th year at JC) and Mount Union's Larry Kehres (190-17-3/17th year).

These two teams met earlier this season with Mount Union coming away with a 35-16 win on October 19, in front of a Mount Union Stadium record crowd of 8,072 fans. Mount Union leads the all-time series 15-2-2 and is 12-0-1 in the last 13 meetings dating back to John Carroll's 31-7 win in 1989.

This will be the second time these teams meet in the Division III playoffs. The Raiders came away with a 59-7 victory in the 1997 quarterfinals.

Since the Division III playoff format expanded to 28 teams in 1999, the OAC is 16-1 overall in the post-season, not including head to head match ups between OAC teams.

This week's playoff game will be broadcast live on WRMU 91.1 FM (Alliance) and WDPN 1310 AM (Alliance). The contest will also be televised via tape delay on WBNX TV55 (Cleveland) at 11 p.m. Saturday evening and on WIVM TV52 (Canton) at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

The winner of this contest will play the survivor of the St. John's, Minnesota (12-1); Trinity, Texas (13-0) game on Saturday, Dec. 21 in Salem, Virginia in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl at noon EST. That contest will be aired live on ESPN 2.