By Clyde Hughes
D3sports.com
Saturday’s game between Elmhurst and No. 19 Augustana will be something special to Augustana’s Matt Roe and Mike Ziefert and Elmhurst’s Eric Luna.
But Augustana and Elmhurst’s rivalry in the though College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin is only part of the story. The three were teammates at Carmel High School in Mundelein, Ill. Together, the three led Carmel to the state semifinals their senior year, according to their high school coach Andy Bitto, all playing pivotal roles. He said he moved them all up to varsity as sophomores, installed a triple option and helped turn their program around.
Now as seniors on their respective college teams, that success has followed them.
Roe and Ziefert have been standouts on Augustana’s nationally ranked team. Ziefert was a second team All-American at offensive tackle for the Vikings last year. Roe was second team All-CCIW at quarterback and Luna was a second-team All-conference selection for Elmhurst after rushing for over 1,000 yards.
“Making plays is exciting but their gift of caring draws people to them,” said Bitto in an email. “The more I coach, the more I realize that guys like Matt, Erie, and Mike force me to realize that winning and losing does not matter. If you can get your team to care about and help each other people then the wins follow.”
Roe is the man who makes the Vikings running offense go at quarterback, which is averaging 34.6 points per game, second best in the conference. Ziefert plays a big part of blasting holes and team-leading rusher Mike Guzman, who is averaging 117.5 yard per game this season. Ziefert was a preseason All-American at tackle.
Luna is again Elmhurst workhorse at running back with 564 yards and six touchdowns in seven games this season, off his totals from last year but still effective.
Luna will be trying to help Elmhurst break a two-game losing streak after starting the season 5-0.
In speaking of the special relationship particularly between Luna and Roe, Marilu Luna, Eric’s mother, said their grandfathers worked together and watched them grow in sports and life from playgrounds to college ball.
“My father, Eric’s grandfather, passed away last November,” Ms. Luna said in an e-mail. “In fact, the last game he saw was between Augustana and Elmhurst. These guys have a special relationship and bond.”
That bond will be put to the test once again as the good friends become combatants on the football field one more time.
Can’t fight this feeling, even at Homecoming
This one that came in from Monmouth assistant director of college communications Barry McNamara and I couldn’t help it but add it in. The captain of the football team and the head cheerleader got engaged at the big pep rally before the Homecoming game.
Monmouth senior defensive lineman Tyler Dihle took the stage last Friday at college’s pep rally and popped the question to Emily Eddington, captain of Monmouth’s spirit squad. Eddington said “Yes!,” although her answer was completely muffled by the roar of the crowd of nearly 1,000 people who filled the stands at Bobby Woll Memorial Field.
Statistical kudos
Granted this won’t hit everyone, but here’s what I saw from a quick glance at the NCAA individual statistics. The Midwest is well represented in numerous categories in the top 10. In passing efficiency, Midwest quarterbacks hold two of the top three spots. Rockford’s Travis Stocker’s passing efficiency rating of 188.0 (105-for-152, 21 TDs, four interceptions) is the second best in the nation followed by Monmouth’s Mitch Tanney 187.3 rating (157-for-211, 26 TDs, three interceptions).
In total offense, North Central’s Kam Kniss average of 355.1 yards per game is third best in the country. Rick Webster, of Hanover, is averaging 343.3 yards per contest, fifth best in the nation.
Webster’s favorite target, Mike Russell, is catching 9.8 passes per game, topping all receivers in Division III. Anderson’s Denny Kimmell 201.4 all-purpose yards is also third best in NCAA Division III and his rushing average of 171.6 yards per game is fourth best.
Now, this is just a sampling. I’m sure you will let me know who I missed and I’ll be glad to add them next week.
Games to Watch
Aurora (4-3, 4-1 in IBC) vs. Lakeland (6-2, 5-0 in IBC), at Sheboygan, Wis., 2 p.m.: Lakeland will try to secure a playoff berth and part of the Illini-Badger Conference title. The conference finished in a three-way tie last year with Lakeland, Aurora, and Concordia (Wis.) with Aurora moving on the represent the conference. The Muskies offense and defense have been playing well together. Offensively, they are averaging 439.1 yards in total offense, and defensively, they are giving up 208.4 yards per game, both good enough to bank them in the top 30 in the NCAA in both categories. Lakeland will have home field advantage as well.
Mount St. Joseph (6-1, 3-1 in HCAC) at Bluffton, Ohio (3-4, 2-1 in HCAC), 1:30 p.m.: Mount St. Joseph is making the most of its second game to win its second consecutive HCAC title, but will have to go on the road tobeat Bluffton, the team that soundly beat Hanover 33-19 last week. It was Hanover that gave Mount St. Joseph its only conference loss of the season earlier this month. The Lions lead Bluffton, Defiance and Anderson by one-half game. Mount St. Joseph will take on Anderson next week to help bring some clarity to the crowded HCAC title chase. Bluffton, behind the running of Ben Dodds (121.6 yards per game) has given itself a shot for a piece of the title after a slow start. A double-overtime loss to Anderson is its only conference blemish.
Monmouth (8-0, 7-0 in MWC) at Carroll (5-3, 5-2 in MWC), 2:30 p.m.: This may be the last chance for some team in the Midwest Conference to stop the Monmouth train from pulling in that the conference title station. Monmouth’s 45 points per game is the sixth-best scoring offense in the country. Defensively, Monmouth has a takeaway ratio of 1.5, 13th best in the nation. But they will have to win on the road against Carroll.
Carthage (5-2, 2-2 in CCIW) at Wheaton (5-2, 2-2 in CCIW), 1 p.m.: A couple of weeks ago, we thought (okay, I thought) this one would be for all the marbles in the CCIW. Now the two formerly nationally ranked teams are fighting for respectability and maybe an outside chance at staying in the playoff hunt. A lot of pride will be on the line in this one.
