By Matt Florjancic
D3sports.com
Just one spark is needed to start a fire. In terms of athletics, a touchdown-saving tackle, big special teams play or effort and intensity to improve can give a team more energy in competition.
For the Case Western Reserve Spartans, a decision made by one player nearly five years ago proved to be the spark a struggling program needed to turn things around. During his first recruiting season as Case head coach, Greg Debeljak went back to his high school alma mater to pursue an impact player at linebacker.
As he talked with Tom Brew in the coach's office at Mentor, a suburb 28 minutes northeast of Cleveland, Debeljak knew he had a linebacker that would bolster his defense and energize his teammates.
"I told Tom, 'You come to Case, you're going to be a four-year starter and an All-American by the time you leave,' " Debeljak said. "Those things have happened and I couldn't have dreamed that we would be in the playoffs from where we began. That was certainly a reach. It couldn't have ended any better for both of us."
In the world of athletics, players and coaches have the opportunity to make their dreams come true. If players buy into the system, fill the right gaps to make plays and accept their roles, success can be achieved.
This Saturday afternoon, Case (10-0, 3-0 UAA) will compete in the NCAA playoffs for the first time in school history. They will host Widener (8-2, 7-0 MAC) at noon. Not only was the ten wins a school best, it marked the first time since 2002 that a Spartans football team finished above .500.
"We knew we had the players and talent," Brew said. "I'm going to live it up and enjoy every second of it. I'm glad we're getting the recognition now and we'll see what we can do."
After three seasons of struggling teams and another wiped out due to injury, Brew is looking forward to the team's postseason appearance.
"They were frustrating to say the least," Brew said of his previous seasons at Case. "We had a lot of injuries to some key players and we didn't have a lot of depth. We fought through it and came out on top now.
"You want to keep trying to keep pressing," added Brew. "You always want to be better then the tough times. It'll force us to get better, get stronger and faster and just work as a team also."
During his junior campaign, Brew amassed 121 total tackles, 21.5 for loss. He also had seven sacks, three pass breakups, a fumble recovery and three blocked kicks. With his performance on the field, Brew earned the University Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year award and was named to several All-America teams.
"He's the second-best defensive player I've been around in Division III," Debeljak said of Brew. "When I was at [John] Carroll, there was London Fletcher. He's just a dominant guy on the field. When he says something, our guys listen. There's just such a confidence when he's on the field from our other 10 guys."
"What really stands out is his work in the weight room," continued the fourth-year coach. "We're a four-day-a-week [program] in the offseason and he's in there seven days a week. He rarely practices for us. One day a week is pretty standard that we let him practice. Guys know 'If I want to achieve those things, I've got to put in the time.'"
For Brew, earning postseason accolades was not only a dream come true, but a validation of his hard work on and off the field.
"I wanted to have the biggest impact on a team and bring what I could play with and see if I could rise up a program," said Brew. "I always wanted to be the conference player of the year. It was a goal I set for myself and I accomplished it."
This season, Brew, a public health major, has 95 tackles, 11.5 for lost yardage. He also has a blocked kick, fumble recovery and an interception from his middle linebacker spot. In one of the biggest games ever between Washington University and Case two weeks ago, Brew tallied 15 tackles, including six solo stops.
Last season, Case lost to Washington University for the 15th straight time by a 13-6 count on the road in St. Louis. However, this year, Brew and the seniors ended the losing slide against the Bears and kept the team's playoff hopes alive.
"I think this year's team is different because we play so well together," said Brew. "We're all best friends now and we know all positions and what we need to do at all times, especially on defense."
Brew is not the only Mentor graduate on the team. He is joined by five former Cardinals on the 2007 Case squad. The friendships they developed in high school have helped the teammates form a bond which has led to success.
"I know Coach [Steve] Trivisonno very well, but when Tom committed to come here, he was a magnet," Debeljak said. "People have just so much respect for him at Mentor. When they came and talked to him, Tom really sold the academics.
"His parents and he wanted to go to the best academic school that he could go to," added Debeljak. "When guys hear him talk, they listen. Getting Tom was the key. I think every kid coming out of Mentor that has good grades is going to take a look at Case."
Debeljak and the Spartans are hoping the recruiting trip to Mentor almost five years ago will net them not just a playoff appearance, but a first-round victory against Widener.
"I told the kids the pressure was playing [Washington University of St. Louis] for the UAA title and having to win against Ohio Wesleyan to get in," Debeljak said of the impending playoff game Saturday. "I think the pressure's off. I think we can just go in and enjoy the experience, play loose and play our kind of ball. If you look at the key, if we're winning the turnover margin, I think we're going to win the game."
"It's going to be a little crazy," Brew said of the atmosphere at Case Field Saturday afternoon. "We're just going to enjoy it and see what happens. If we keep playing our way, keep playing hard, hustle to the ball and make the right decisions, hopefully, we'll come through."
Heading out West
Oct. 27 looked like a day in which the Olivet Comets would live to regret. They suffered their first loss in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play on the road at Alma. The 13-point setback dropped the Comets to 4-4 overall and 4-1 in the conference standings.
However, instead of looking at the loss like it was the premature end to the season, Olivet rebounded with victories against defending conference champion Hope and Kalamazoo. With a little help from Adrian, who defeated Alma in Week 11, the Comets finished with a 6-1 mark in the MIAA, tying them with Hope. By virtue of a head-to-head victory at Hope on November 3rd, Olivet claimed the automatic bid and will make its first-ever appearance in the playoffs.
In the 51-0 victory over Kalamazoo, Olivet exploded for 38 points in the second quarter. Chris Smith caught the second touchdown of the game for Olivet when Willie Jones fired a pass which turned into an 85-yard score. Olivet outrushed the Hornets 303-24 and held the edge in passing yards, 224-114.
Despite converting only three of 10 chances on third down, Olivet was 3-for-4 in the red zone. They will need that kind of production inside the 20 against Central. Central gives up more yards per game (378.5) than they attain (357.3), but has yet to lose a game. Central has also thrown for 28 touchdowns against nine interceptions.
News and Notes
The Little Giants of Wabash may have cost themselves a No. 2 seed in the North Region with a 24-21 last-second loss to DePauw Saturday afternoon, but they still secured at least one home game with a 9-1 record. Prior to losing the battle for the Monon Bell, Wabash had run the table in the North Coast Athletic Conference with a perfect 7-0 slate. The Little Giants host the Mount St. Joseph Lions with the winner advancing to play either Widener at home or Case on the road.
The Washington and Jefferson Presidents (10-0) will host North Carolina Wesleyan (8-2) Saturday in the first round of the playoffs. The Presidents offer one of the best quarterback-running back combinations in Division III. With juniors Bobby Swallow and Kevin Mathews in charge of throwing and running the ball respectively, the North Carolina Wesleyan defense will be tested early and often. Wesleyan surrenders 299.5 yards per game defensively, but averages 38 points-per-game on offense.
For the fifth time in six years, the Ohio Athletic Conference earned two spots in the postseason. Capital and Mount Union will again represent the OAC in the first round Saturday afternoon. It marks the third straight year when the Crusaders and Purple Raiders made the postseason, but another rematch will take a little longer to come to fruition. Capital travels to Wisconsin-Whitewater in the North bracket and Mount Union hosts Ithaca in the first round in the East Region.
Great Lakes Region teams in the playoffs
Mount Union (OAC)-No. 1 seed in East Region at 10-0, plays host to No. 8 Ithaca (8-2)
Washington and Jefferson (PAC)-No. 1 seed in South Region at 10-0, hosts No. 8 North Carolina Wesleyan (8-2)
Case Western Reserve (UAA)-No. 2 seed in North Region at 10-0, entertains No. 8 Widener (8-2)
Wabash (NCAC)-No. 3 seed in North Region at 9-1, hosts No. 6 Mount St. Joseph (9-1)
Capital (OAC)-No. 7 seed in North Region at 8-2, travels to No. 1 Wisconsin-Whitewater (9-1)
Olivet (MIAA)-No. 8 seed in West Region at 6-4, travels to No. 1 Central (10-0)
Games of the Week
Capital Crusaders (8-2, 7-2, 2nd in OAC) at UW-Whitewater Warhawks (9-1, 7-0, 1st in WIAC), Saturday, Noon CT: These two teams have one thing in common when it comes to postseason play. Both have had the 2005 and 2006 seasons ended by the national champion, Mount Union College. Capital is depleted on offense with the losses of All-American wide receiver Derrick Alexander as well as quarterbacks Wade Bartholomew and Marty Assmann. Despite the smaller arsenal of weapons, Capital has out-gained its opponents by nearly 60 yards-per-game. The Warhawks have a strong running game behind Justin Beaver. The senior averages 164 yards-per-game and has found the end zone nine times on the ground.
Mount St. Joseph Lions (9-1, 6-1, 2nd in HCAC) at Wabash Little Giants (9-1, 7-0, 1st in NCAC), Saturday, Noon ET: The strength of Mount St. Joseph's offense lies in the running game. They have rushed for 213.9 yards per game and 26 touchdowns. However, they have a strong aerial attack as well, finding the end zone 16 times. The secondary for Wabash has given up 2,196 passing yards and ten touchdowns. However, they have registered nine interceptions this season.
