Saturday, December 18 Division III title a family affair for PLU
Associated Press
SALEM, Va. (AP) -- With its unusual offensive formations, heavy
doses of misdirection and maybe even its hand-holding players,
Pacific Lutheran knows it will take teams a while to figure them
out when seeing them for the first time.
Rowan's Mike Warker gets pulled down by Pacific Lutheran's Tim Lax, left.
On Saturday in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, Rowan never did
adjust and the Lutes rode Chad Johnson's near-flawless play and a
defense that stifled the Profs' rushing attack to a 42-13 victory
and the NCAA Division III championship.
The title, in only the Lutes' second NCAA season, also kept
alive Rowan's dynasty of disappointment. The team from Glassboro,
N.J., has made five trips to the Stagg Bowl in the last seven
years, and has gone home empty each time.
But they never saw anything like what Pacific Lutheran offered
up.
"It's so hard to scout us because we do so many different
things," Johnson said after completing 18 of 28 passes for 276
yards, two touchdowns.
"When a team hasn't played us, it takes a while for them to
adjust to us. You feel like you can do what you want for a while,"
Johnson said.
Pacific Lutheran (13-1), which moved up from NAIA Division II
before last season, won the fourth football championship in Frosty
Westering's 28 years as coach, adding the NCAA Division III title
to NAIA crowns in 1980, '87 and '93.
Westering, 72, won his first title with son Scott playing tight
end, and got this one with his son as his offensive coordinator and
his grandson at quarterback. In the end, though, for this team,
it's all one big family.
"We have so many guys who could be THE GUY on most teams,"
Johnson said. "But they've given up their ego to be part of
something much bigger. That's neat."
Rowan (12-2) stunned longtime nemesis and Division III
powerhouse Mount Union 24-17 in overtime last weekend, but had
nothing left for the Lutes. They turned the ball over four times
and had minus 63 yards rushing, a Stagg Bowl record.
"My worst fears were realized," said Rowan coach K.C. Keeler,
adding that he was concerned about having time to prepare for the
Lutes' complex offense.
"Our defense has played well against a lot of different
offenses this season," Keeler said. "But they were giving us some
stuff we hadn't seen before."
Johnson, a former Lutes ballboy, also managed to avoid the
mistakes that fueled Rowan's defense-led run to the championship
game. The Profs forced 21 turnovers in their first four playoff
games with 15 interceptions, but had just one meaningless fumble
recovery in the final minute in the championship.
"We didn't go from a great team that beat Mount Union to a bad
team," Keeler said. "You have to give a lot of credit to what
(the Lutes) did out there."
Former University of Washington running back Anthony Hicks also
had a big day for the Lutes. The 230-pound fullback bulled his way
to 73 yards and two touchdowns, giving him a record 11 during the
Lutes' five-game run. He also caught four passes for 78 yards,
including a screen he turned into a 45-yard gain.
The Lutes, who extended to 23 their streak of games without
attempting a field goal, took a 7-0 lead just 2:07 into the game
after freshman tailback Jason Frabasile fumbled at his own 31 on
Rowan's first offensive play.
On the next play, Johnson zipped a pass into the hands of Todd
McDevitt between defensive backs and McDevitt took it into the end
zone. The pair also combined on a 13-yard TD after another turnover
early in the third quarter.
Rowan pulled even at 7-7 with 2:10 left in the first quarter on
freshman quarterback Mike Warker's 1-yard dive, but didn't score
again until it was 35-7.
The Lutes other TDs came on a 5-yard run by Kevin Lint on a
misdirection that froze the Profs defenders, and a 1-yard dive by
Johnson 1:05 before halftime.
Taman Bryant caught a Stagg Bowl record 13 passes for 141 yards
for the Profs, including a leaping 26-yard touchdown grab in the
left corner of the end zone.
