Aztec
Bowl

Hazuga's PAT 
block gives USA 
Aztec Bowl win
MERIDA, Mexico — Carnegie Mellon linebacker Nick Zitelli recovered a blocked punt for a first-quarter touchdown, Alibon´s Keith Debbaudt kicked a pair of field goals
and UW-Stout´s Jeff Hazuga deflected a Mexico PAT attempt with one minute left in the game to give the USA a 27-26 win against Mexico in the 2000 Aztec Bowl on Saturday.

Zitelli was voted USA Player of the Game by media in attendance.

Box score

A-8,000

First Quarter
USA -- Keith Debbaudt, Albion, 38 yd FG (3-0)

Second Quarter
USA -- Nick Zitelli, 4-yard return of blocked punt (PAT no good) (9-0)
USA -- Debbaudt, 34-yd field goal (12-0)
Mexico -- Juan Ayala, 15-yd run (PAT good), 12-7

Third Quarter
Mexico -- Carlos Altimirano 18-yd TD to Mauricio Lopez (pass failed), 13-12
USA -- Will Castleberry, Thomas More 2-yd run (Johnson 4-yd run), 20-13

Fourth Quarter
USA -- Casey Donaldson, Wittenberg, 44-yd run (PAT good), 27-13
Mexico -- Altimirano 3 yard pass to Juan Ayala (PAT good), 27-20
Mexico Altimirano, 4 yard run (PAT deflected by Jeff Hazuga, UW-Stout) 27-26

USA Statistics
Rushing
Casey Donaldson, Wittenberg 10-80 1TD; J.D. Graves, Hope 4-32; Jay Miller, Springfield 4-21; Will Castleberry, Thomas More 7-16 1 TD; Aaron Kernek, Austin 6-2; Chad Johnson, Pacific Lutheran 2-(-9).

Passing
Johnson 4-7-0 89 yds; Graves 4-8-1 84 yds

Receiving
Ryan Rausch, Wartburg 3-83; Larry Holmes, John Carroll 2-42; Jim Kostrewa, UW-La Crosse 2-28; Will Castleberry, Thomas More 1-20

First Downs
USA 8; Mexico 16

Rushing Yards
USA 132; Mexico 43

Passing Yards
USA 173; Mexico 422

Comp.-Att.-Int
USA 8-15-1, Mexico 30-54-2

Punts
USA 3-44.0; Mexico 3-25.0 1 block

Fumbles Lost
USA 0-0; Mexico 0-0

Penalty Yards
USA 165 Mexico 85

Roster announced
WACO, Texas -- The American Football Coaches Association announced the 40-man roster for the Division III All-Star Team that will represent the USA against Mexico in the 2000 Aztec Bowl in Merida, Mexico on Dec. 16.

U.S. Head Coach Ron Schipper is pleased with the look of his team. "We've got a very talented group of young men on this year's roster," Schipper said. "Because of our limited number of players it's important we have people who can help us at several positions and I think we have some very versatile athletes who can do that for us."

Schipper will be assisted by former Division III head coaches Bob Reade, Jim Hershberger, John Luckhardt, Jim Christopherson and Howie Vandersea.

The Aztec Bowl is the traditional season-ending game for Mexico's college football schedule. The game has been played 29 times since 1947 with the last three contests featuring the USA-Mexico match-up. Mexico faced a mixture of NCAA and NAIA colleges, junior colleges, armed forces teams and international teams in the 26 Aztec Bowls prior to 1997. In their first three Aztec Bowl meetings, the United States Division III all-stars defeated Mexico, 44-13 in 1999 in Mexico City, 40-13 in 1998 in Monterrey, and 42-41 in the 1997 game in Toluca.

This year's game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CST on December 16 and will be played at Alvarado Stadium in Merida. No U.S. television is planned at this time. Results will be available on the AFCA's website at www.afca.com.

2000 United States Aztec Bowl Roster
Wide Receivers: Larry Holmes, John Carroll; Ryan Rausch, Wartburg.

Tight Ends: Jeff Kostrewa, UW-La Crosse; Frank McCabe, Wilkes.

Offensive Linemen: Bill Andrews; Allegheny; Jim Kornokovich, Muskingum; Mack Hay, Augustana (Ill.); Jason Matusik, Washington & Jefferson; Dan Riely, Catholic; Pete Salazar, Whittier; Josh Warner, Brockport State; Reid Evans, Central (Iowa); John Schoeller, Muhlenberg.

Quarterbacks: J.D. Graves, Hope; Chad Johnson, Pacific Lutheran.

Running backs: Mike Benson, U.S. Coast Guard Academy; Will Castleberry, Thomas More; Casey Donaldson, Wittenberg; Aaron Kernek, Austin; Jay Miller, Springfield.

Defensive Linemen: Sky Blake, Whitworth; Tone Dancy, Ferrum; Brev
Creech, Union; B.J. Hammer, Wabash; Mark Hankel, Concordia-Moorhead; Jeff Hazuga, UW-Stout; Jeff Heinzl, Illinois
Wesleyan.

Linebackers: Dan Philips, Chicago; Andy Steele, Middlebury; John Paul
Visosky, Trinity (Texas); Nick Zitelli, Carnegie Mellon.

Defensive Backs: Tanner Etheredge, Howard Payne; Ron Gibson, Rowan; Sean Graf, Lycoming; Brian Keefer, Alfred; Ben Matthews, Bethel (Minn.); Brock McCullough, Grove City; Eric Newsome, Hobart.

Placekicker: Keith Debbaudt, Albion.

Punter: Wilson Hillman, Mississippi College.

Coaching staff announced
Former Division III head coaches Bob Reade (Augustana), Jim Hershberger (Buena Vista),  John Luckhardt (Washington & Jefferson), Jim Christopherson (Concordia-Moorhead) and Howie Vandersea (Bowdoin) have been named by U.S. Head Coach Ron Schipper as assistant coaches for the 2000 Aztec Bowl in Merida, Mexico.

Schipper returns as the U.S. head coach in 2000 for the fourth year. In
36 years at Central (1961-1996) Schipper amassed 287 career victories, second among NCAA Div. III coaches. In recognition of his stellar coaching career, Schipper was among the 2000 class of inductees for the College Football Hall of Fame in August.

Reade is making his fourth appearance on the Aztec Bowl staff. In 16 seasons from 1979-1994 at Augustana, he compiled a remarkable 146-23-1 record and won four consecutive NCAA Division III championships from 1983-1986. His .864 career winning percentage ranked fourth all-time in college football history at the start of the 2000 season.

Hershberger is making his third appearance on the Aztec Bowl staff. He compiled a 121-61-1 record at Buena Vista from 1970-1989 and is the winningest coach in school history. Hershberger led the Beavers to 18 winning seasons, three Iowa Conference championships, two NCAA playoff appearances and one NAIA bowl game win.

Luckhardt is making his second coaching appearance in the Aztec Bowl. He compiled a record of 137-37-2 in 17 years at the Washington, Pa. school and led the Presidents to eight consecutive Division III playoff appearances from 1989-1996, including trips to the national championship game in 1992 and 1994.

Christopherson is making his first coaching appearance in the Aztec Bowl. He compiled a 218-101-7 record in 32 seasons and is the school's all-time victory leader. Christopherson led the Cobbers to 11 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles and a pair of national championships during his tenure, which began in 1969 and ended this year.

Vandersea is making his first coaching appearance in the Aztec Bowl this year. In his 16 years at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, Vandersea won five Colby-Bates-Bowdoin (CBB) titles and coached numerous players who earned individual football recognition. He posted a mark of 46-79-3 at Bowdoin, including a 5-3 mark in 1998.

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