Games of Sept. 24-25, 1999
Offense
QB Danny Ragsdale, Redlands
Ragsdale set a school record with 602 yards of passing, tying for third all-time on the NCAA single game passing list against defending NAIA national champion Azusa Pacific. The senior was 35-for-57 with seven touchdowns.
OL Shawn Priem, Josh Heitsch, Craig Calkins, Kenny Warner, Matt Leighty, Alma
Team set school record with 800 yards of total offense. Unit held up in 80-85 degree heat on a day when Alma ran 106 plays (tied school record) in a no-huddle offense. Starting five played 95% of snaps, plus Warner had a reception on tipped pass and also recovered a fumble.
RB Deon Packer, Millikin
Packer rushed for three touchdowns and 138 yards before leaving in a 63-6 blowout of Blackburn. The sophomore averaged 9.9 per rush and scored on runs of 15, 16, and 3 yards.
RB Paul Smith, Gettysburg
Smith continued his multi-faceted dominance, carrying 23 times for 264 yards and scoring four touchdowns (one through the air) to lead Gettysburg past Swarthmore, 55-8. He also became the first Gettysburg player to surpass 4,000 career rushing yards (4,239).
WR Chad Hustead, Redlands
Hustead caught five touchdown passes in a wild game against Azusa Pacific, totalling 15 catches for 273 yards, including a 76-yarder for a score from Teammate of the Week Danny Ragsdale.
WR Chris Cabot, Wooster
The sophomore had six catches, but they went for 183 yards and an NCAC record-tying four touchdowns. The yards tied for the second-best single game in school history.
WR Brian Pierce, Alma
Pierce had 14 catches for 193 yards in Alma's third consecutive 46-point performance.
Defense
DL Les Strader, Washington & Jefferson
One of the few bright spots as the formerly No. 9 Presidents fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, Strader notched 14 tackles, three for loss.
DL Michael Moore, Washington & Lee
Moore was in the Centre backfield all afternoon. The senior registered seven tackles and a career-high four sacks for loss of 27 yards.
DL Jamie Sawler, Bates
The junior had five solo tackles, three and a half tackles for loss and two and a half sacks, in Bates' season-opening win. It's their first successful opener since 1990.
LB Mike Ortiz, FDU-Madison
Ortiz led a defense that allowed only 46 rushing yards, registering 12 total tackles and three and a half sacks. The senior's interception return to the 3-yard line set up the Devils' final score in a 24-3 win against Albright.
LB Lamont Gaddy, Chowan
Gaddy notched a school-record 21 tackles, including two for loss and one sack. The senior also caused a fumble and broke up a pass.
LB Dominick DeSteno, Susquehanna
DeSteno keyed the defensive effort in Susquehanna's 42-6 rout of Dickinson, recording seven tackles (five solo), including two for losses and one sack. He forced and recovered two fumbles, returning one 40 yards for a touchdown on the third play from scrimmage. His other fumble recovery set up the Susquehanna offense on the Dickinson 28.
LB Jeff Divjak, Lawrence
Divjak had 11 solo tackles and 17 assisted tackles, including one for a loss, in Lawrence's 43-14 loss to St. Norbert. That's 28 tackles on 66 rushes or completed passes.
DB Kirk Midthun, Bethel
The senior strong safety led the Bethel defense with nine tackles (six solo), one pass break-up, and two interceptions in a 41-14 win against Hamline. Midthun's first interception came with 1:58 left in the first quarter with a 42-yard return for a touchdown to give Bethel a 22-0 lead. He also ran for a two-point conversion after Bethel's first touchdown.
DB Rob Just, Augsburg
Just had two interceptions to stop consecutive St. Olaf drives, leading Augsburg's defense in a 30-27 win. In addition, Just had 10 tackles (five solo) and a pass breakup. Just's first pickoff stopped an Ole drive at the Augsburg nine-yard line early in the second quarter, and on the second play of St. Olaf's next drive, Just picked off a pass and returned it 13 yards to the St. Olaf 35-yard line, setting up a drive that produced a field goal for the Auggies.
DB Matt Lintal, Franklin & Marshall
In his first career start, the freshman finished with 10 tackles, including a game-high six solo. He also intercepted a pass at the goal line (14-yard return) in the second quarter of Franklin & Marshall's loss to Muhlenberg, for the only Diplomat takeaway of the day.
DB Antonio Broadnax, Wilmington
The sophomore had eight tackles and returned two interceptions for a total of 108 yards, one 80 yards for a touchdown in a 47-21 win against Adrian.
Special teams
ST Neal Maddox, Linfield
Maddox blocked a punt, and recovered two other blocked punts for touchdowns in Linfield's 28-19 win at Menlo. The senior defensive back also recorded a career-high eight tackles.
P Chris Epperly, Emory & Henry
The punter helped save the day in the fourth quarter with the Wasps clinging to a 17-13 against Division I-AA Davidson. Epperly nailed three beautiful punts inside the 2-yard line to keep Davidson buried in its own territory. Epperly placed two punts on Davidson's 2 and one on its 1-yard line.
K David Gaulke, UW-Oshkosh
The senior placekicker hit field goals from 25, 26 and 45 yards in a 16-14 upset win against UW-Eau Claire.