Madison Ross has left more than a few defenders in the dust this season. Photo by Joe Fusco, d3photography.com

Having already established himself as one of the top Division III football players in the classroom, Madison Ross is elevating his game on the field as well.

A year ago the Austin College star was a first-team Academic All-American, and the combination of what he does on the field and off it makes him a valuable asset to a team.

“He’s what being a student-athlete in Division III is all about,” said Austin coach Loren Dawson. “He works hard, he runs smart, he’s a leader by example and he’s a player who is respected by his peers.”

Ross will tell you it isn’t easy juggling his football and academic responsibilities, but when it comes to being a leader, he embraces the opportunity.

“We have a young team and I knew I had to step up and be one of the leaders,” Ross said. “I do what I can to keep the guys focused and hungry.”

Ross is certainly focused and hungry and has helped the Kangaroos get off to one of their best starts in recent memory. A week ago, they improved to 3-1 for the first time since 1992 and they currently sit at 3-2 after a tough 35-28 loss to Southwestern.

“It’s been a little up and down for us, but we’ve played well in certain games,” Ross said. “We have a lot we can still work on. I feel like, on a personal level, I’ve played pretty well, but I know I can do better, too. I came into this year excited about our potential and we are going to work hard to meet our expectations.”

Ross has rushed for 643 yards and eight touchdowns, a little over 300 less than what he rushed for all of last season (965). He needs only one more touchdown to match his total of a year ago and he has an opportunity to become the first 1,000-yard rusher at the school since 2000.

“I focused a lot on my footwork in the offseason,” Ross said. “I’ve gotten a lot stronger, too, and I feel like I’m a better player than I was a year ago.”

Two years ago, it was a different story. Ross suffered a devastating calf injury that sidelined him for most of the year. He finished with just 69 yards and a touchdown in four games that season.

“It was one of the toughest things I’ve ever gone through,” Ross said. “It was hard going to practice and the games and not being able to be a part of it. But I felt like it made me stronger. I started taking the approach of playing every game like it’s my last.”

The Kangaroos are hopeful they can put together a winning season and Dawson said his team continues to work hard to put itself in a position to contend for the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference title.

“It’s all about continuing to make progress and getting better each week,” Dawson said. “We lost a tough game last week but we will learn from our mistakes and move forward.”

Ross is confident as well and is eager to get back to work and help get the ‘Roos back on track. No matter how the rest of the year plays out, though, he is thankful he came to Austin.

“I’ve enjoyed my whole experience here,” Ross said. “I have great teammates and I’ve made a lot of friends. I’m thankful I’m able to play college football. I have no regrets.”

Lynx continues dominance in rivalry

The Orgill Trophy will stay with Rhodes for the fourth consecutive season after the Lynx knocked off Sewanee 28-10 Saturday.

Jonathan Wiener rose to the occasion in the victory, catching eight passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns in the 84th meeting between the two rivals.

Rhodes leads 41-40-3 in the all-time series. Wiener is the top receiver on the team (16 catches, 308 yards) and his effort against the Tigers helped propel the Lynx to a 3-1 record on the year. Rhodes is 1-1 in the Southern Athletic Association and has won 13 consecutive games at home.

Pirates shine on defense

Southwestern turned in a stellar defensive effort in the second half of its game against Austin Saturday, forcing four turnovers and holding the Kangaroos to only seven points in a 35-28 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference encounter.

Justin Broussard helped pave the way, racking up nine tackles and two sacks. He also forced a fumble. Zach Cole recovered two fumbles, including one that he ran back six yards for a touchdown, highlighting a performance in which he also recorded seven tackles.

Cole and Broussard have been the anchors of Southwestern’s defense, ranking first (43) and second (29) on the team in tackles. They have combined for seven sacks, including five by Broussard and Cole leads the team in fumble recoveries (3).

Southwestern’s win snapped a two-game losing streak. The Pirates are 2-3 overall and will play Austin again on Halloween in a game that will count in the conference standings.

Wildcats win first game

Louisiana College finally won its first game of the season, handing Sul Ross State 35-28 Saturday on Homecoming day for the Wildcats. It marked the fourth time this year the Wildcats have scored at least 30-plus points in a game.

Aurren Cooksey turned in a solid effort, rushing for 97 yards and a touchdown. The score was his first of the year. Cooksey is the team’s leading rusher, churning out 429 yards.

The junior running back has picked up where he left a year ago when he led the team in rushing with nearly 500 yards (472) in his first year of varsity action.

Louisiana College (1-3 overall, 1-1 ASC)  is the two-time conference runner-up but has some work to do to be one of the top teams in the league again this year, especially with only one of its final three ASC games being at home.

Noteworthy

Berry stretched its win streak to four games with a 20-13 SAA win over Washington University on Saturday. The Vikings (4-1, 3-0) allowed their first touchdown in 12 quarters but also picked off five passes behind an aggressive defensive effort. Berry is allowing only 14.4 points per outing and will put its unbeaten league record on the line Saturday when it hits the road to square off against unbeaten Chicago (4-0, 3-0).

Jekovan Holmes caught three touchdown passes to help Texas Lutheran topple Howard Payne for its third consecutive win. Howard Payne lost its ninth consecutive game dating back to last year. Holmes, a freshman out of San Antonio, has caught a team-high nine scoring strikes while ranking second in receptions (26) and yards (374) for the Bulldogs (4-1).

Mary Hardin-Baylor broke an NCAA Division III record with 15 sacks in a game in its 59-13 win over Belhaven Saturday. The Crusaders also forced six turnovers in the opening half and held the Blazers to minus-87 yards rushing in the game as they improved to 4-0 with their 58th consecutive win in the regular season.

Contact Me

If you have a great story idea or notable accomplishments that deserve a mention in this column, feel free to reach out to me at brian.lester@d3sports.com. You can also follow on Twitter @BLester1993.