By Matt Florjancic
D3sports.com
Welcome to the Great Lakes Region column. It is my first year with D3football.com in this capacity, although I have extensive experience covering Division III sports. My first experience with small-college football started nearly five years ago when I was a high school senior in search of a college. After taking a tour of Mount Union and watching the Purple Raiders play Marietta, I had a new respect for athletes at this level.
During my time at Baldwin-Wallace, I saw some of the best football and basketball teams in the country play against the Yellow Jackets.
I looked forward to the road trips to Ada for matchups with Ohio Northern and the trip down south to Alliance for games with Mount Union. On the hardwood, I saw Baldwin-Wallace men's team take on the Wooster Fighting Scots, Wittenberg Tigers and John Carroll Blue Streaks. When I was not traveling with the men's team, I saw the Yellow Jacket women's team take on Otterbein, Wilmington and many other talented teams from the Division II and III levels.
Football has a special place in this part of the country. With the Pro Football Hall of Fame down the street from Mount Union and several professional teams in the region, the game can seem overwhelming, but we are here to celebrate football and the student-athletes that give their time, hearts and souls to it.
With the first week of Division III football set to arrive in a few days, it is time to take a look at the Top Ten games of the year involving Great Lakes area teams.
Game No. 10: Capital Crusaders at Wittenberg Tigers, Sept. 1
Life without Rocky Pentello will begin in Springfield for the Crusaders. The responsibility of replacing the Ohio Athletic Conference's career passing leader belongs to Marty Assmann. The backup to Pentello a year ago, Assmann appeared in six contests, completing 14 of 26 passes for 141 yards and one touchdown.
While the quarterback develops behind three returning offensive linemen, All-American defensive back James Starks will receive an early challenge from Wittenberg sophomore Aaron Huffman. He rushed for 287 yards on 80 carries. However, the quarterback completed 124-of-219 passes for 1,297 yards and ten touchdowns.
Last season, Capital defeated the Tigers 57-7 in the first game of the year. In the second round of the 2006 playoffs, Wittenberg lost 32-14.
Game No. 9: Thiel Tomcats at Washington and Jefferson Presidents, Oct. 6
The Tomcats lost 27-23 at home to the Presidents in 2006. Three fourth quarter scores by the Presidents, including a Tom McCafferty 26-yard touchdown reception and a pair of field goals from Kyle Sidebotham gave Washington and Jefferson the come-from-behind victory.
Thiel has its top two wide receivers back in Mark LaScola and Tim Van Horn, while the Presidents welcome junior quarterback Bobby Swallow back to the fold.
Game No. 8: Wooster Fighting Scots at John Carroll Blue Streaks, Sept. 1
The post-Rick Drushal era begins in University Heights for Wooster. A 17-point second quarter helped the Scots claim a 30-22 decision over the Blue Streaks a year ago.
Without their lynchpin at left tackle, the Scots must find an offensive lineman to clear the way for running back Dustin Sheppard and a new signal caller.
Though Wooster has some question marks on offense, the defense will be saddled with the burden of stopping two experienced quarterbacks for the Blue Streaks. Junior Mark Petruziello and sophomore Rudy Kirbus saw time under center and performed well for coach Regis Scafe.
Game No. 7: Wooster Fighting Scots at Case Western Reserve Spartans, Sept. 22
Wooster scored seven points in each of the first three quarters against the Spartans at home a season ago. The first was a blocked punt in the end zone for a score, while the second and third touchdowns were passes from Justin Schafer.
The Spartans bring back quarterback Dan Whalen, who completed 18 passes for 235 yards against the Scot defense. This will be Case's toughest test before traveling to Pittsburgh for a game with the Carnegie Mellon Tartans.
Game No. 6: Marietta Pioneers at St. John's Johnnies, Sept. 1
So, with the top-ranked Mount Union Purple Raiders on the schedule, teams may want easier non-conference games, right? Not if you're the Pioneers. They head to Collegeville, Minnesota for a match-up with one of the few teams to beat the Purple Raiders in the NCAA playoffs.
In 2006, the Johnnies went 11-2 and split the conference championship en route to the third round of the playoffs. In the process, St. John's had just four victories decided by eight points or less. For Marietta to start the season with a victory, the Pioneers need to muster more than 11.8 points-per-game opponents scored against the Johnnies last year.
Game No. 5: Washington Bears at Carnegie Mellon Tartans, Oct. 27
The University Athletic Association may very well come down to this contest with three weeks left in the regular season. Last season, Carnegie Mellon broke the seven-year losing streak against Washington.
This was a game only a true football fan could love. In St. Louis last year, the teams combined for 381 yards of total offense in a 10-7 game that was decided in overtime. With the score tied at seven since the second quarter, a 22-yard field goal was the difference in a game the Tartans used to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Game No. 4: Hope Flying Dutchmen at Adrian Bulldogs, Oct. 20
Eight points separated these two teams when they met in Holland, Michigan last season. Despite a fourth quarter touchdown reception from Chester Evans, Hope held on for the victory.
These two teams were picked to finish one-two (Hope-Adrian) in the MIAA this season and three second half Hope scores proved to be the difference. Adrian outside linebacker Aaron Kieltyka needs to anchor a defense that returns seven starters from 2006 in what will be a must-win game for the Bulldogs.
Game No. 3: Washington and Jefferson Presidents at Waynesburg Yellow Jackets, Oct. 27
The top two finishers in the PAC last season, the Yellow Jackets experienced a 30-3 setback on the road at W&J. It was 14-3 at the intermission, but a 16-point fourth quarter ended the chance of a comeback. Two of the fourth quarter scores were interceptions each returned 21 yards.
If the Yellow Jackets can hold on to the football and improve on 0-for-10 on third down, they could compete for the PAC title against the Presidents.
Game No. 2: Mount Union Purple Raiders at Ohio Northern Polar Bears, Oct. 6
Maybe the only team brave enough to schedule Mount Union as the Homecoming Game, the Polar Bears have had quite a history with the Purple Raiders. Two years ago, ONU went into Alliance and handed the Raiders their first conference loss in a decade. However, they paid for it last season with a 49-7 drumming, also in Alliance.
The Raiders are once again loaded with talent, but the Polar Bears are not lacking for experience. With a revamped offense and a young quarterback, the Polar Bears have a chance to make a statement by beating the Raiders twice in three years.
Game No. 1: Wittenberg Tigers at Wabash Little Giants, Oct. 6
Wittenberg won last season's game 19-17 at home and split the NCAC Championship with the Little Giants. Wittenberg received the conference's automatic bid to the postseason, while the Little Giants sat at home.
With the matchup being away from home for the Tigers, if they repeat a three-turnover performance, a chance at the playoffs may go up in smoke.
Enjoy the games this weekend and all year long.
