By John Regenfuss
D3sports.com

The final two pieces of the Midwest Region conference championship and playoff qualifier puzzle fell into place Saturday with the outcomes of key games in the WIAC and the CCIW. 

UW-La Crosse won its third consecutive WIAC championship and punched its ticket to the postseason for the tenth time in program history by handily defeating UW-Whitewater 35-10. The Eagles claimed the title outright thanks to UW-Stevens Point's 24-22 upset loss to UW-River Falls. 

Carthage, one of this year's biggest surprises in Division III, earned a piece of the CCIW crown by beating Elmhurst 49-14. The Redmen will share the 2004 championship with Wheaton, 39-38 winners over rival Augustana, but secures the CCIW's automatic bid to the postseason by virtue of its 39-21 victory over the Thunder earlier this season. Wheaton will also represent the conference in the playoffs after getting an at-large bid on Sunday. 

For La Crosse, Saturday's win completes an odyssey this season that saw the Eagles fly high at times and crash hard at others. Early in the year, La Crosse was highly ranked and highly touted but letdowns during its run through the WIAC threatened to derail its title and playoff hopes. But a statement victory over Whitewater last weekend put the Eagles back on course. The quarterback-receiver duo of Steve Tennies and Scott Burnoski starred in the win. Tennies completed 20 of 26 passes for 349 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Burnoski caught ten balls for 199 yards and tied a program record for touchdown receptions in a game, hauling in all four of Tennies' scoring tosses.

Carthage fooled the experts and quieted the doubters by busting into the upper echelon of the CCIW, previously only occupied by Wheaton and Augustana. In its 49-14 thrashing of Elmhurst, the Redmen got outstanding performances from running back Dante Washington and quarterback Ferni Garza. Washington, a 2003 All-American, amassed 118 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and also collected 94 yards on three receptions. Garza completed 17 of 24 passes for 265 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for a 4-yard score. On defense, cornerback Brandon Fox recorded six tackles, four for loss, two sacks, and returned an interception 53 yards for a touchdown.

For the second consecutive year, Wheaton beat rival Augustana in a meaningful season finale by a single point in the waning seconds of the game. After Garrett Granberg scored on a 5-yard run, Thunder quarterback Jeremy Chupp ran in a two-point conversion with 43 seconds remaining to provide it with the winning margin. Chupp threw for 261 yards and Granberg rushed for 115 yards, helping Wheaton secure its all-important ninth win of the season. 

With the drama associated with Wheaton all but assuring itself of a spot in the playoffs with the victory, what may get lost to history was the astounding performance of Augustana's Matt Roe. The Vikings quarterback rushed for a school-record 342 yards on 44 carries and scored three touchdowns. 

In the final installment of The Insider, Viking running back JJ McDowell tells of last Saturday's thrilling Augustana/Wheaton contest and describes how it feels to be on the losing end of a season-ending 39-38 defeat. Scroll down for more.

Prize fights
Three Midwest region rivalry games last weekend featured battles for coveted bragging rights and prized trophies.

Bridge Bowl IX: Mt. St. Joseph 32, Thomas More 0
For the first time in the nine-year history of the Bridge Bowl, Mt. St. Joseph claimed victory over Thomas More. With the win, the Lions preserved their perfect season, upped their overall record to 10-0, and maintained momentum heading into postseason play. Mike Lovell scored on runs of 35, 12, and 3 yards and Bryan Hamrock hooked up with Andy Wellendorf on scoring passes of 4 and 9 yards in leading the Lions to the historic victory. Its 10th win of the season was finally enough to nudge Mt. St. Joseph into the D3football.com Top 25 poll for the first time this season.

The Victory Bell: Hanover 24, Franklin 7
Hanover extended its Victory Bell winning streak to 11 with its victory over Franklin on Saturday. Panther running back Adam Stevenson rushed for 123 yards and one touchdown and quarterback Greg Gogel hooked up with receiver Mike Russell on a 15-yard scoring connection and for a two-point conversion in the rivalry game. Kicker Nathan Littlefield accounted for the remainder of Hanover's points, booting first-half field goals of 35 and 27 yards. Hanover finished the season with five consecutive HCAC wins. Its only league loss this season came at the hands of conference champion Mt. St. Joseph.

The Bronze Ball: Anderson 35, Manchester 7
Anderson maintained possession of the Bronze Ball trophy for the fourth consecutive year with a victory over winless Manchester. The Ravens managed only 38 yards rushing but quarterback Chris McKee's 414 passing yards and three touchdown tosses more than made up for their sub par ground performance. Ryan Alspaugh caught 11 passes for 91 yards and one touchdown and Hyman Smith had eight receptions for 135 yards and two touchdowns. The Anderson defense limited Manchester to just 174 total yards. Despite its season finale victory, Anderson's 5-5 record was its worst mark since 2000.

Swan songs
Two Midwest region coaches announced last week that they were leaving their programs at the conclusion of this season.

After 19 years at the helm of the Aurora football program, Jim Scott will be retiring following the Spartans' playoff run.

"Being a part of AU has meant an awful lot to me," Scott said. "I decided to come here 19 years ago with the idea that at the high school level, I would have had to retire much earlier. AU gave me an opportunity to continue to do what I like to do, which is coaching football. Being in the college environment has helped me grow professionally and personally. I have become a more tolerant person and am more accepting of people."

Under Scott's guidance, Aurora has made three playoff appearances, including its upcoming matchup with Wooster on Saturday, and won four IBFC championships. He compiled an impressive 102-68-3 record at the helm of the Spartan program. Since joining the Illini-Badger Conference in 1998, he led AU to a 43-6 mark. 

Dave Brown of Lawrence announced his resignation after 12 years of service to the Viking program, including six as head coach. Brown leaves Lawrence with a record of 12-48.

"This has been the most tremendous 12 years of my life at Lawrence University, and I wouldn't trade a single day of the experience I've had here," Brown said.

Brown, 43, is looking forward to pursuing other opportunities away from football and spending time with his family.

"I had to take a look at myself and evaluate what I wanted to do," Brown said. "I wanted to try some new things and see what else is out there in the world. I felt that this was a good time to wrap up the coaching and give everything I had to the football team for one last season."

His team sent him out a winner, as Lawrence defeated Macalester 35-7 Saturday in Brown's final game on the Viking sidelines. 

Notes
CCIW: Nathan Wallick of Millikin led all rushers with 220 yards and a touchdown in the Big Blue's 45-24 win over Illinois Wesleyan. ... Steve Holden ran for 128 yards two touchdowns and Tyke Spencer caught two touchdown passes to help North Central get past North Park 37-13.

HCAC: Beaver running back Ben Dodds amassed 124 rushing yards, 35 receiving yards, and two touchdowns in Bluffton's 30-0 blanking of Defiance. ... Bluffton's five wins this season are its most since 2001.

IBFC: Playoff-bound Aurora was blanked, 33-0, by Division I-AA non-scholarships opponent Valparaiso on Saturday in its season finale, mustering just 170 yards of offense, including only 12 via the pass, committing five turnovers, and surrendering 235 rushing yards to the Crusaders in the loss. ... MacMurray's Peter Ereg had 30 carries in the Highlanders' 54-20 thrashing of Blackburn, helping him set the school's single-season record with 299. ... In the same game, MacMurray receiver Anthony Ballerino caught 11 passes for 193 yards and three touchdowns, establishing new program records for catches, yards, and touchdowns in a season. 

MWC: Red Hawk quarterback Bob Faulds totaled 354 yards in leading Ripon to a 27-14 win against Knox. ... Ripon's win total has declined by one victory each season since 2000, culminating in this season's 5-5 record. ... Running back Nate Wineinger rushed for 165 yards and receiver Matt Teeters caught three touchdown passes in Grinnell's 35-19 victory over Beloit. ... .Grinnell's 6-4 record this season provides the Pioneers with just their third winning season since 1970. ... Adrell Bullock ran for 173 yards and the Lawrence defense forced five turnovers, lifting the Vikings to a 35-7 win over independent Macalester. 

WIAC: UW-Stout quarterback Nick Ohman's torrid offensive pace continued versus UW-Platteville, as he totaled 387 yards of offense in the Blue Devils' 23-13 loss. ... Platteville trigger-man Brent Nelson threw for 330 yards in the Pioneer victory. ... UW-Stevens Point quarterback Brett Borchart ran for 65 yards and passed for 307 yards but his efforts weren't enough as the Pointers fell to UW-River Falls, 24-22. ... Falcon running back John Peterlik and Nathan Anderson combined for 290 yards rushing and three touchdowns in the River Falls upset. ... Nels Fredrickson passed for 305 yards in UW-Eau Claire's 31-19 win over UW-Oshkosh to finish in third place in career passing yards in the Blugold record book.

Elsewhere: With its 37-0 shutout win over IBFC foe Greenville, Washington U. clinched the program's 12th-consecutive winning season. Washington U. receiver Brad Duesing hauled in 11 balls for 151 yards, becoming just the third player in Division III football history to amass 1,000 yards of receiving in each of his first three collegiate seasons. ... Maroon quarterback Marc Zera threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns and linebackers Matt Armbruster and Tony Insalaco each returned a turnover for a score in Chicago's 48-14 drubbing of IBFC opponent Eureka.

In addition to the seven nationally ranked Midwest region teams, just one other squad is receiving votes in the final regular season D3football.com poll: Augustana (27). ... The final top 10 Midwest region regular season rankings: 1. UW-La Crosse (6-3), 2. UW-Whitewater (7-3), 3. Carthage (9-1), 4. Wheaton (9-1), 5. UW-Eau Claire (7-3), 6. St. Norbert (9-1), 7. Mt. St. Joseph (10-0), 8. UW-Stevens Point (6-4), 9. Augustana (7-3), 10. Monmouth (9-1).

Midwest Region First Round Playoff Previews
No. 22 St. Norbert (9-1) at No. 13 UW-La Crosse (6-3) 
Roger Harring Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium, La Crosse, Wis., 12 p.m.

Playoff qualification
UW-La Crosse: Automatic qualifier as champion of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The No. 3 seed in the Linfield bracket.
St. Norbert: Automatic qualifier as champion of the Midwest Conference. The No. 5 seed in the Linfield bracket.

Team statistics

Players to watch
UW-La Crosse: QB Steve Tennies, 6-1, 195, Jr.; RB Corey Geldernick, 5-11, 200, So.; WR Scott Burnoski, 6-2, 200, Sr.; CB Steve Teeples, 6-0, 165, So.; FS Kenneth Halvorson, 5-11, 205, Jr.; LB Dustin Powell, 6-1, 245, Sr.; DE Matt Buelow, 6-3, 245, Sr.
St. Norbert: QB Ryan Hartman, 6-5, 230, Sr.; RB Casey Meehan, 5-11, 185, Jr.; LB Casey Rentmeester, 6-4, 210, Jr.; DB Tony Mendina, 5-10, 185, So.; LB Ben Creamer, 5-10, 215, Sr.

Key wins
UW-La Crosse: UW-Stevens Point, 35-14; UW-Whitewater 35-10.
St. Norbert: Monmouth, 55-19; Lake Forest, 28-13.

Analysis: UW-La Crosse and St. Norbert shared one common opponent this season, UW-Whitewater. La Crosse knocked off the Warhawks, 35-10, in its season finale while St. Norbert was whipped by Whitewater in its season opener, 41-9. What can be gleaned from this? Probably not much because St. Norbert is a better team now than it was in Week 1 and it is not nearly the lesser team than that score would indicate. However, it does provide one point of reference for comparison. 

La Crosse doesn't do one thing spectacularly but, instead, does most everything well. It is balanced on offense with Corey Geldernick headlining the La Crosse ground game and Scott Burnoski acting as the centerpiece of its passing attack. Steve Teeples and Kenneth Halvorson combine to compose a formidable duo in the Eagle secondary, but they will be tested by the big arm of St. Norbert quarterback Ryan Hartman. La Crosse's Achilles' heel may be its run defense, as it has allowed over 188 yards per game this season. Look for SNC to try to exploit that weakness by feeding the ball to its backfield workhorse, Casey Meehan. The sophomore back ranks second in the nation in scoring, averaging 15.2 points per game with 25 total touchdowns. 

Essential for La Crosse will be to limit turnovers. In their two WIAC losses this year, the Eagles surrendered 11 turnovers, for a minus-9 turnover margin. 

St. Norbert leads the all-time series with La Crosse 13-6-1, but the two schools have not met on since a 14-12 St. Norbert win on Oct. 9, 1971.

Pick: UW-La Crosse 34, St. Norbert 20.

Aurora Spartans (6-4) at No. 6 Wooster Scots (10-0)
John P. Papp Stadium, Wooster, Ohio, 12:00 p.m.

Playoff qualification
Wooster: Automatic qualifier as champion of the North Coast Athletic Conference. The No. 2 seed in the Mount Union bracket. 
Aurora: Automatic qualifier as champion of the Illini-Badger Football Conference. The No. 7 seed in the Mount Union bracket.

Team statistics

Players to watch
Wooster: RB Tony Sutton, 5-10, 200, Sr.; WR/PK/P Richie McNally, 6-2, 200, Sr.; DE Andy Mizak, 6-1, 225, So.; DT Joe Kearney, 6-4, 305, Sr.; Brian Kight, 5-9, 180, Sr.
Aurora: RB Daniel Whalen 6-0, 210, Sr.; RB Travis Paro, 5-11, 190, Fr.; WR/PR/KR Rob Biertz, 5-11, 165, Sr.; CB Robbie Parry, 6-0, 190, Jr.; DL Josh Lane, 6-3, 235, Sr.; DL Kyle Dentino, 6-3, 220, Jr.

Key wins
Wooster: Wabash, 33-30; Wittenberg, 64-58 (OT); Ohio Wesleyan, 24-6.
Aurora: Concordia (Wis.), 24-7.

Analysis: If Aurora is to have a chance, it must do something none of Wooster's opponents have been able to do this year -- stop the nation's leader in rushing, scoring, and all-purpose yards, Tony Sutton. The senior running back's numbers are mind-boggling -- 1,875 rushing yards, 28 touchdowns, 2,221 all-purpose yards. The Spartans will counter with a defense that allowed just 15.8 points per game this season. The unit is fronted by defensive lineman Josh Lane and cornerback Robbie Parry. Lane is fourth in the nation in tackles for loss and third in sacks while Parry leads Division III in passes defended. On offense, Aurora's strength is its run game, headlined by Daniel Whalen and super-sub Travis Paro. However, the Wooster defense is allowing just over 93 yards of rushing per game, so yards may not come easy. Aurora will undoubtedly be inspired to play well in Jim Scott's final game as head coach but emotional boosts from circumstances such as this typically only take a team so far.

Pick: Wooster 37, Aurora 14.

No. 16 Carthage Redmen (9-1) at Alma Scots (8-2)
Bahlke Field, Alma, Mich., 12:00 p.m.

Playoff qualification
Carthage: Automatic qualifier as champion of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. The No. 3 seed in the Mount Union bracket. 
Alma: Automatic qualifier as champion of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The No. 6 seed in the Mount Union bracket.

Team statistics

Players to watch
Carthage: QB Ferni Garza, 6-6, 210, Sr.; RB Dante Washington, 6-0, 214, Sr.; CB Brett Barnes, 5-9, 182, Jr.; CB Brandon Fox, 6-0, 195, So.; LB Mike Pelkowski, 6-0, 210 Jr.
Alma: QB Josh Brehm, 6-2, 210, So.; RB James Edington, 5-11, 190, Sr; WR Clayton Sims, 5-7, 155, Sr.; PR/DB Justin McHugh, 5-8. 190. Sr.; DL Brad Hovinga, 6-2, 245, Sr.; DB Chad Abbey, 5-11, 190, Jr.; LB Scott Barriger, 6-0, 225, Sr.

Key wins
Carthage: Lakeland, 18-14; North Central, 27-24; Wheaton, 39-21.
Alma: Aurora, 42-0; Olivet, 21-18; Hope, 47-24.

Analysis: In reality, with Carthage slotted as the No. 3 seed and Alma designated as the No. 6 seed in the Mount Union bracket, this game should be played in Kenosha, Wis., not Alma, Mich. Unfortunately, Carthage's facilities prevent it from hosting, thus the change of venue. That has to be disappointing for the Redmen but is something that I am sure they have already overcome psychologically. Hopefully, it will not be a factor, physically or environmentally on game day.

Carthage mostly relies on two elements to procure wins: its prolific rushing attack and its stout defense. At the heart of its run game is one of Division III's top backs, Dante Washington. The senior is ranked ninth in the nation in rushing (1,578 yards) and No. 12 in all-purpose yards (1,719 yards). Washington should be able to get his yards as Alma's rush defense gives up an average of 144 yards per game. The Redmen defense is probably most responsible for the team's meteoric rise in 2004. It is an opportunistic and play-making unit, ranking No. 2 in the nation in turnover margin with a plus-20 advantage. Carthage's talented cornerback tandem of Brett Barnes and Brandon Fox will need to be at the top of their game, as Alma boasts the No. 5-ranked passing offense in Division III. 

Leading that vaunted Alma passing attack is quarterback Josh Brehm. The sophomore finished in the top 15 in the nation in total offense in 2004 and has thrown 27 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions this season. His favorite target is the diminutive Clayton Sims (62 receptions, 11 touchdowns). James Edington is a solid rusher but will be fighting an uphill battle against Carthage's stanch run defense. Keep an eye on Alma punt returner Justin McHugh who averages 16.8 yards per return. He has yet to break one for a score this season but he could be a factor in the field position battle. 

With its sudden ascent to Division III elite status, Carthage is navigating in unfamiliar waters. It will be interesting to see how it deals with the success and the stress of the postseason, however with the exception of the Augustana game, it has answered the bell with a clutch performance each and every time in 2004.

Pick: Carthage 27, Alma 23.

No. 25 Mt. St. Joseph Lions (10-0) at No. 14 Wheaton Thunder (9-1)
McCully Field, Wheaton, Ill, 12:00 p.m.

Playoff qualification
Wheaton: At-large (Pool C) qualifier. The No. 4 seed in the Mount Union bracket.
Mt. St. Joseph: Automatic qualifier as champion of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The No. 5 seed in the Mount Union bracket.

Team statistics

Players to watch
Wheaton: QB Jeremy Chupp, 6-2, 189, So.; RB Garrett Granberg, 5-8, 191, Sr.; WR Brad Musso, 6-0, 204, Sr.; WR Colin Sinclair, 6-1, 189, Sr.; LB Phil Montes, 5-10, 225, Sr.; DB Todd Travis, 6-4, 201, Jr.; DB Caleb Walters, 5-10, 181, Sr.
Mt. St. Joseph: QB Bryan Hamrock, 6-4, 200, Sr.; RB Mike Lovell, 5-9, 185, So.; WR Andy Wellendorf, 6-5, 195, Jr.; DL Matt Lawless, 6-1, 230, So.; LB Andrew Ackerman, 6-5, 225, Jr.; LB Brooks Klosterman, 6-1, 215, Sr.; DL Eric Schneider, 6-2, 220, Sr.; DB Tyler Blair, 5-11, 165, Jr.

Key wins
Wheaton: Hope, 45-28; North Central, 17-7; Augustana, 39-38.
Mt. St. Joseph: Hanover, 29-10.

Analysis: Saturday's game between Wheaton and Mt. St. Joseph is, for me, the most intriguing matchup among the playoff contests involving Midwest region teams. It will feature a rare and head-to-head battle of strength versus strength. Wheaton enters rated as the No. 4 team in the nation in total offense and ninth in scoring offense. Mt. St. Joseph counters with the No. 3 ranking in Division III in rushing defense and seventh in total defense.

The prolific Wheaton offense claims the most dangerous receiving duo in the country in Brad Musso and Colin Sinclair. Musso's 83 catches for 1,085 receiving yards ranks him No. 1 in the nation in receptions per game, No. 2 in total receptions, and No. 3 in receiving yards per game. Sinclair totaled 75 receptions and 12 touchdowns in 2004. The young gun slinging the ball to Musso and Sinclair, sophomore quarterback Jeremy Chupp, is an up-and-coming star in his own right. Running back Garrett Granberg provides the Wheaton offense with its rushing threat. In 2004, the senior amassed 1,225 yards and scored 13 touchdowns this year.

Mt. St. Joseph has its own productive passing combination in quarterback Bryan Hamrock and Andy Wellendorf. Hamrock tossed 18 touchdown passes against just five interceptions this season. His favorite target, Wellendorf, registered 55 receptions, 15 of them for touchdowns. Mike Lovell, an 1,100-yard plus rusher, gives the Lions an excellent ground weapon. 

For Mt. St. Joseph to slow down or stop the Wheaton offense, it will need career performances from linemen Matt Lawless and Eric Schneider and linebacker Andrew Ackerman. The trio combined for 40 tackles for loss and each player recorded six and a half sacks this year. However, the strength of the MSJC defensive unit is teamwork, so look for all 11 Lions to play a key role on Saturday. 

Pick: Wheaton 30, Mt. St. Joseph 14.

The Insider
On a weekly basis, Augustana junior wingback JJ McDowell describes his experiences from the practice field to the playing field.
I am sitting here writing my last article a lot sooner than I would have originally liked to, but there's nothing that can be done about that now. Last Saturday we suffered a loss that moved us to an overall record of 7-3 and 5-2 in conference. Coming off the field after a loss is never an easy thing to do, especially in the fashion that we faced defeat Saturday. We lost to Wheaton College in the final minute in heart-breaking fashion by a score of 39-38. With a conference title and a national playoff bid on the line we left it all on the field. 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the 2004 Augustana Viking seniors on behalf of the other Augie teammates and coaches. Within that group there are many quality football players and great people that have left their impression on me and this program. I would like to thank all of you for the memories and your courageous effort throughout the course of this year and your career.

I cannot put into words how I felt after our game Saturday. We were playing a group that admittedly has had our number the past couple years. However, we felt we put that and last week's setback behind us. It was the first time in my football career that I was playing for a conference championship. I wanted it for me, I wanted it for our seniors, and I wanted it for the coaches and the program. I can honestly say that I am proud of the way that we played and how we represented the Augustana football program. There is no doubt about that feeling and belief.

However, the outcome was not what we intended it to be. Yet again, we faced another deficit trailing at the half by a score of 24-10. Knowing our season was on the line our offense got rolling, mostly due to the outstanding effort of our quarterback Matt Roe. Roe had touchdown runs of 7, 20, and 44 and amassed an astounding 342 yards on 44 carries. Roe's valiant effort earned him the single-game rushing record for any quarterback in the history of NCAA football. Yes, that does include Divisions I, II, and III. His historic game also gave him the single game rushing record here at Augie.

With two minutes left in the fourth quarter, Roe punched in a touchdown that put us up 38-31. We had all the momentum, however the Wheaton offense found a way, as it had much of the afternoon, to score with 45 seconds remaining. Following the touchdown, they boldly went for two points, and their quarterback darted into the end zone for the conversion on a bootleg.

We obviously failed to put points on the board in the last 37 seconds of the game, and our season came to a sudden and shocking halt. Even though the outcome did not go our way, it was an honor to be a part of such a great game in such a storied rivalry. An even greater honor was playing with a group of guys and a group of coaches that I have the utmost respect for on and off the field of play. I wouldn't trade either of these groups of guys in for the world. Lastly, I would like give my thanks to the graduating senior offensive linemen: Dave (Dan) Stoltz, Jeff Purcell, Tyler Coleman, Matt Weber, and Seth Korver. They are the heart and soul of this team and it was truly an honor running behind these guys.