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| Neither rain, nor sleet, nor inches and inches of snow have kept UW-Whitewater and Mount Union from meeting in eight Stagg Bowls already, plus two regular-season games. D3sports.com file photo by Pat Coleman |
By Adam Turer
D3sports.com
Originally published Dec. 18, 2014, before Stagg Bowl XLII.
Everybody knows that UW-Whitewater and Mount Union are frequent Stagg Bowl participants and that any Division III football title run must go through at least one of these Purple Powers.
What many people overlook is that the seeds for this near-annual showdown were planted in the early 2000’s, when a .500 WIAC team with three playoff appearances in its history embarked on some ambitious non-conference scheduling.
In 2002, the Warhawks hosted the Purple Raiders in the regular season opener, falling 44-21 to kick off the program’s third consecutive 5-5 season. Mount Union went on to win its seventh Stagg Bowl, and its sixth in seven years. The Warhawks opened the following season by making their first and only trip to Alliance. They lost 40-17, but improved to 7-3 that season. Mount Union continued its 55-game winning streak all the way to Salem, before losing to St. John’s. Those two regular season meetings put the wheels in motion for the challenger to rise up and dethrone Division III’s established champion. That home-and-home series gave the young Warhawks a glimpse of what made Mount Union such a powerhouse. It also helped knock off some of the mystical aura surrounding the Purple Raiders.
Former Purple Raiders quarterback and assistant coach Zac Bruney: “Both schools have consistently good programs which makes them great. I got to play against UW-W in two regular season games – they had very good teams then and were in the process of becoming a great program.”
Former Warhawks defensive tackle and assistant coach Ryan Kleppe: “I just remember hearing about the tradition and they had just beat us at home by three touchdowns the previous year and were defending national champions. I was a bit overwhelmed to start and I guess it was a good gauge to see where our program was compared to the top of Division III.”
Former Warhawks tight end Pete Schmitt: “We went to Alliance my first game of my freshman year and it was an eye-opener. I think that game showed us what it would take to get to the next level. 2003 was really the measuring stick and we got to work. It came full circle when we met them in ‘05 and ‘06 in Salem.”
Former Warhawks fullback Travis Reuland: “Although the games were not close on the scoreboard, it gave us, especially the young players, a great insight on what it was going to take to become elite. By the time we played Mount Union again in 2005 and 2006, we had all the pieces in place to contend and went into both matchups fully expecting to win.”
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| Nate Kmic holds the 2005 Stagg Bowl trophy. d3photography.com file photo by Ryan Coleman |
After playing against the ultimate measuring stick of success in 2002 and 2003, the Warhawks broke through to Salem in 2005. That was the same season Mount Union returned to Salem after a one-year hiatus, and broke a two-year championship drought.
The first Warhawks to play in Salem against Mount Union entered the meeting with confidence. UW-Whitewater defeated the 2003 and 2004 Stagg Bowl champs – St. John’s and Linfield – on their path to Salem. The Warhawks were not overwhelmed by the moment, rallying from a 28-7 deficit but falling short, 35-28. Mount Union’s freshman running back Nate Kmic upstaged his junior counterpart from UW-Whitewater, Justin Beaver.
Former UW-W linebacker Jace Rindahl: Going into my freshman year, I was aware of the dominance that Mount Union had on Division III football. When we were scheduled to face the Raiders in the national championship game, we knew that we were playing the best program in the country. As my college career progressed, I think the respect I had for their program only grew. All four years we faced Mount, we knew they had NFL talent on the field so we had the utmost respect for their program.
Former Mount Union wide receiver Pierre Garçon: When you’re Mount Union, every team’s going to give you their all. It got a lot tougher deeper into the playoffs. Every week was a challenge.
Kleppe: There were a lot of moments during the course of that year that made us believe we were at UMU’s level and ready to compete. That Linfield game solidified our program as capable of competing at the highest level. Although we didn’t win the title in ’05 or ’06, I think it gave our program valuable exposure nationwide & bolstered recruiting.
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| Generally it took more than a few hands to keep Ryan Kleppe in check. Photo by Darryl Tessmann for D3sports.com |
That first Stagg Bowl team from Whitewater played loose. They knew they were the underdogs and they made a point to savor every moment of the experience. In the days leading up the game, they encountered their opponents at Thunder Valley, a laser tag arena/pizza joint in Salem. The Purple Raiders looked confident and intimidating; the Warhawks had more fun.
Kleppe: We all came in like kids in a candy store. It was such a new experience for all of us and that season was so special to have overcome the odds, win some huge games and allow UW-W to be on the national stage. To be part of the first group that got this dynasty going brings back such fun memories that I will never forget.
The Purple Raiders had faced five opponents in their first eight Stagg Bowl appearances. In 2005, UW-Whitewater was just the sixth and most recent team to meet Mount Union in Salem. The Purple Raiders expected to make it to Salem in each year and knew they would face a challenge from whichever team made it through the other side of the bracket.
Former Mount Union quarterback and Gagliardi Trophy winner Greg Micheli: My freshman year was the first year in this stretch of Stagg Bowl matchups with UW-W. At that point, they were no different than any other team we played; you didn't give it a second thought with respect to who they were in preparation for what to expect on game day.
Garçon: It’s the national championship game. You can’t take any opponent lightly. You enjoy it, but you never take it for granted. It’s another week to work and add to your legacy.
Immediately following the 2005 Stagg Bowl, Pat Coleman wrote “We haven't seen the last of Mount Union or UW-Whitewater,” with the prophetic headline “Same time next year?” Pat’s prognosis proved prescient, and the Warhawks and Purple Raiders returned for round two in 2006. Garçon scored twice and Micheli accounted for four touchdowns in a 35-16 Mount Union victory. It was Bob Berezowitz’s final game as head coach of the Warhawks.
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| Warhawks fullback Travis Reuland, left, and running back Justin Beaver. D3sports.com file photo by Pat Coleman |
Former UW-Whitewater fullback and assistant coach Travis Reuland: My most painful Stagg Bowl memory was the 2006 Stagg Bowl. We had the majority of the team back and we wanted to win a national championship for our coach in his last year. We did not play well.
Schmitt: We thought this roster – Jacobs, Beaver, Stanley, Kleppe, Raebel, Sakellaris, etc. – had the most talent to knock them off, but we fell short. [It was] really disappointing after losing in the same spot one year earlier.
Despite the two painful losses, the Warhawks program could feel the tide turning. They held their own against the preeminent Division III football program, and did it on the sport’s biggest stage. The program was riding confidence built upon playoff wins over Linfield, St. John’s, and Wesley.
Kleppe: Once we got a chance to play UMU in Salem and were having success on both sides of the ball, I think everyone in our program started believing that we belonged and got over that psychological hump that many teams fall short of playing them.
Schmitt: I think the foundation was laid in 2005. After winning 14 games, we garnered national attention and recruits begin to look at UWW as a place to go win. Backing that up in 2006 solidified our position as a top program. Winning breeds more winning and it definitely was the case here.
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| In 2007, UW-Whitewater finally got to celebrate with Walnut and Bronze. Photo by Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com |
The third time was charm for the Warhawks. Mount Union had no answer for Gagliardi Trophy winner Justin Beaver, who rushed for 249 yards and a score on Salem Stadium’s newly installed field turf. In his first season at the helm, Lance Leipold led UW-Whitewater to a 14-1 season (losing to D-II St. Cloud State) and its first national championship. The defense pitched a first-half shutout and the Warhawks built a 17-0 lead en route to a 31-21 victory.
Rindahl: Our team had grown so much throughout the duration of the season and we were playing our best football at the perfect time. Every single player on the team knew we were going to win.
Reuland: Mount Union was a large favorite that year and no one really gave Whitewater a chance. I was a coach that year, and watching my former teammates put it all together on the biggest stage was an amazing feeling.
Mount Union players took the loss hard. This was the first Stagg Bowl defeat for every player on the roster. It was a tough pill to swallow for the seniors, but the underclassmen were determined to reclaim what they believed was their crown atop Division III.
Micheli: The unspoken goal each year is to win the last game of the season. It's a plus when that game is also the last game of your career. The fact that my performance played a significant role in not helping a very talented senior class attain that goal was especially disappointing.
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| One of the iconic images of future NFL star Pierre Garcon as a Division III player, going airborne in the 2006 Stagg Bowl. d3photography.com photo by RC Workman |
Garçon: Losing at Mount Union doesn’t happen often. Every loss sticks with you, especially if it’s in a championship game.
UW-Whitewater was no longer the fashionable upstart challenging Mount Union’s dominance. These two teams were becoming familiar with one another.
With a 32-team playoff, however, there was no guarantee that there would be a round four. When they met again in the 2008 Stagg Bowl, each side had a better idea of what to expect. The rest of Division III was also starting to recognize that they would have to dethrone the Purple Powers if they wanted to advance to Salem.
Micheli: While you certainly respect any opponent, familiarity with their players and regard for their program's success resulted in a degree of respect greater than that of your typical opponent.
Schmitt: After the 2007 team was able to finally break through, it really took the weight off our shoulders and built a lot of confidence for future teams.
Garçon: Whitewater did a great job building their school up to be a contender.
Kleppe: I think the nation knew UW-W wasn’t going anywhere.
Four straight Stagg Bowl appearances changed the expectations of Warhawks recruits. They came to Whitewater determined to win national championships.
Leipold carried on what Berezowitz started and instilled championship expectations in Whitewater. Mount Union was no longer the team to beat in the eyes of many Warhawks. They were just the Warhawks’ biggest challenger.
Former UW-Whitewater linebacker and current assistant coach Kyle Supianoski: I knew they were a good football team, but they were just another team in the way of us winning the national championship.
Rindahl: I don’t think there was an exact moment, but when we defeated Mount in 2007, we finally realized that we belonged on the same stage as them. As Coach Leipold continued to take the program to the next level, and we were able to get back to the Stagg Bowl in 2008 with an extremely young team, you knew the future was bright and special things were about to happen.
The Purple Raiders were not ready to abdicate the throne to UW-Whitewater. A Warhawks dynasty would have to wait.
In the 2008 Stagg Bowl, Micheli connected with Cecil Shorts III seven times for 178 yards and two scores. Drew McClain’s fourth quarter pick-six gave Mount Union an insurmountable lead, and they held on for 31-26 win.
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| In 2008, Mount Union defeated UW-Whitewater. Whitewater hasn't lost to Mount Union in the four meetings since. Photo by RC Workman, d3photography.com |
Micheli: As mentioned, the unspoken goal is to win the last game of the season, and when that game is the last of your career it's even better.
That was the most recent time Mount Union defeated UW-Whitewater.
In 2009, the Warhawks began a stretch of three straight championships, matching Mount Union’s prior streaks and falling one short of Augustana’s record four straight titles from 1983-1986. The 2009 Stagg Bowl was one to remember for many reasons. A near-record 16 inches of snow in Salem forced the opening kick to be delayed by five hours. The Warhawks jumped out to a 21-7 lead behind Levell Coppage, who rushed for 111 yards and three scores on the day. Shorts had another huge game, catching ten passes for 185 yards and two scores, but three lost fumbles in the fourth quarter, some when Shorts was pressed into service at quarterback, doomed the Purple Raiders. Coppage’s touchdown run with 1:17 to play broke a tie and UW-Whitewater added a late field goal for a 38-28 win.
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| Kyle Supianoski and his senior teammates ended their careers with a win in 2009. Photo by Dan Poel, d3photography.com |
Supianoski: It was a wild experience and the fact that we won on my last college football game was truly great. It is something I dreamed about as a kid playing with my cousins in the backyard and I have never been more content as a college football player.
The 2010 game brought another heavy dose of Coppage, as he rushed 39 times for a Stagg Bowl-record 299 yards and three scores. The defenses combined for seven interceptions and it was not until Coppage’s late 75-yard touchdown dash that the outcome became clear. The Warhawks became the third team in Division III history to win consecutive titles, defeating Mount Union 31-21.
2011 was a defensive struggle, with Loussaint Minett, Kyle Wismer, and Ryan Cortez leading the Warhawks to a 13-10 victory over Mount Union. UW-Whitewater’s three-peat changed the landscape of Division III football.
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| Loussaint Minett and UW-Whitewater won a defensive battle in 2011. Photo by Ryan Tipps, D3sports.com |
Reuland: The 2009 and 2010 seasons were the true changing of the guard. Back-to-back undefeated seasons and winning three out of the last four Stagg Bowls made people start to look at Whitewater as the flagship program in Division III.
Supianoski: I thought the tide turned when we won three in a row from 2009-2011.
After those three losses, Mount Union’s seniors needed a Stagg Bowl win avoid being the first Purple Raiders without a championship since the class of 1992. They soaked in the post-game fireworks as they watched the Warhawks celebrate yet again at the stadium that was once a home away from home for Mount Union.
Former Mount Union defensive back Nick Driskill: I really took it all in while UW-W celebrated, as it carved a vivid picture that was both my most painful and motivating Stagg Bowl memory. I continually replayed that memory throughout my senior season as we went on to be crowned 2012 national champions.
That 2012 championship was satisfying, but it was not revenge against UW-Whitewater. The Warhawks missed the playoffs with an uncharacteristic three-loss season. Mount Union defeated St. Thomas 28-10 and reminded the nation that Alliance, Ohio is still Division III’s title town.
Micheli: Mount Union will continue to be the team for UW-W to beat, and vice versa. I always look forward to their match-up, and anticipate more of them in the years to come.
Garçon: Mount Union’s always the team to beat. We have 11 national championships.
Even some former Warhawks agree that until they reach Mount Union’s level of championships, the Purple Raiders are still at the top of the mountain.
Reuland: As a program, you would be hard pressed not to find many current and former players who still regard Mount Union as the team to beat if you want to be the best.
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| UW-Whitewater is once again the defending champion. Photo by Larry Radloff, d3photography.com |
On Friday night, UW-W will either close the gap to five, or Mount Union will widen its lead to seven. After throttling Mount Union 52-14 in last year’s Stagg Bowl, UW-Whitewater reasserted its dominance over Division III. The Warhawks have won five of the past seven Stagg Bowls and have won the last four tournaments they have entered. They have defeated Mount Union in the teams’ past four meetings.
Driskill: Because UW-W is the reigning national champion, I would have to say that they are currently the team to beat in Division III. Although, I have a feeling that's going to change Friday night.
These men, their teammates, and their coaches are the only ones who appreciate how challenging it is to make it to Salem. While the rest of the nation may have grown tired of the Purple Powers facing off in Salem yet again, these teams have earned it.
Mount Union head coach Vince Kehres: It’s really hard to get to this point and still be playing. I look at it as a credit to the players and coaches at each school. They have the will to prepare and grind out tough days in late November and December. We respect how hard it is to get to this point in the season. It’s a game when we play each other that’s built on mutual respect.
Driskill: Only a UMU or UW-W player or alumni truly understands what it takes to return to the Stagg Bowl year after year. From an external perspective it may appear automatic, but the internal perspective of sacrifice, consistency, and determination is what sets the two programs apart from the rest. It's not easy. That internal perspective alone is what I believe creates a mutual respect between the two.