Aztec
Bowl

Smith led all rushers with 137 yards and totaled 142 all-purpose yards as the USA team of Division III all-stars amassed 329 yards in total offense, including 238 rushing yards. The U.S. defense held Mexico to 101 total yards, including a net rushing total of minus-52 yards.

"The Mexican players are really good, they brought a lot up front," Smith said. "But I can't give enough credit to our offensive line because it didn't matter who was in, they did an outstanding job of blocking for me and Paul (Smith of Gettysburg) and Ben Nelson (Augustana). They made the holes, we just followed them." 

For his efforts, Ben Smith was selected as the U.S. player of the game by Aztec Bowl organizers. The win was the third in a row for the Americans in the series that began in 1997.

The USA started slowly offensively, totaling only 110 yards in total offense in the first half but still led 14-0 thanks in part to a rugged American defense that forced three Mexico turnovers.

The U.S. took a 7-0 lead on Ben Smith's first touchdown of the day, a one-yard run that capped a 30- yard drive that began following a fumble recovery by linebacker Joe Conduah (Heidelberg).

The lead moved to 14-0 early in the second quarter when quarterback Matt Wheeler (Wartburg) hit Steve Vagedes (Ohio Northern) with a 33- yard touchdown pass to quiet the crowd of 12,000 who had come to support their Mexican National Team.

A key defensive stand by the USA late in the second quarter kept the score at 14-0, following a Wheeler interception, Mexico marched inside the U.S. 20 and were threatening to score when cornerback Jimmy Lamour (Guilford) intercepted Mexico quarterback Enrique Villanueva on the goal line to end the threat and preserve the lead.

The U.S. defense continued to stonewall the Mexican offense early in the third quarter, holding them to a single first down in the first 15 minutes of the second half and allowing the U.S. offense to start clicking. Late in the quarter the Americans started to pull away. First Joel Heintzelman (Dickinson) converted the first of his three field goals from 43 yards out. On the ensuing kickoff Kevin Otte (Wilmington) recovered a Mexico fumble to give the USA possession on the Mexico 17. Paul Smith (Gettysburg) scooted 17 yards on the first play to extend the lead to 24-0 with 2:41 left in the third quarter.

Heintzelman nailed a 24-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to push the lead to 27-0 before Mexico finally struck. On the first play, Mexico's backup quarterback Carlos Altamirano threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to Sergio Aguilar to cut the lead to 27-7 with 11:18 left in the game.

The USA dimmed the hope for a fourth quarter rally with an impressive five-minute, 13-play, 76 yard drive that culminated in Heintzelman's third field goal that moved the lead to 30-7 with 5:37 left in the game.

Joe Attanasio (Union) put the U.S. back in business two plays after the kickoff with an interception at the Mexico 27-yard line. Seven running plays later, Ben Smith powered over from a yard out to push the lead to 37-7 with 3:47 left in the game.

Mexico scored its final touchdown on a 48-yard fumble return by defensive tackle Jesus Gonzalez, the two-point conversion failed and the U.S. led 37-13.

Mexico's offense would not see the field again however. The USA took over with 3:04 on the clock following a failed on-side kick attempt and marched 45 yards in seven plays before Nelson scored from a yard out with six seconds on the clock to give the USA its final points of the night.

"This was a great group of young men once again," USA head coach Ron Schipper said. "When you take 40 players from 40 different schools and only have four days to prepare for a game, you don't know what to expect. But they have a lot of pride and they played well."

Defensively, the USA was led by Mark Fetzer of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The defensive tackle had two and a half sacks among his three solo tackles and two assists. Otte had the third U.S. interception to go with his fumble recovery and Corey Belaney (Allegheny) also recovered a fumble as the defense forced six Mexico turnovers.

Scoring Summary

First Quarter
USA 0:48 Ben Smith (Buena Vista) 1 yard run (Joel Heintzelman {Dickinson} kick) 7-0

Second Quarter
USA 12:19 Matt Wheeler (Wartburg) 33 yard pass to Steve Vagedes (Ohio Northern) (Heintzelman kick) 14-0

Third Quarter
USA 2:58 Heintzelman 43 yd FG (17-0)
USA 2:41 Paul Smith (Gettysburg) 17 yard run (Heintzelman kick) 24-0

Fourth Quarter
USA 11:39 Heintzelman 26 yd FG 27-0
MEX 11:18 Altamirano 65 yd pass to Aguilar (kick good) 27-7
USA 5:37 Heintzelman 26 yd FG 30-0
USA 3:47 Ben Smith 1 yard run (Heintzelman kick) 37-7
MEX 3:06 Gonzalez 48 yd fumble return (pass failed) 37-13
USA 0:06 Ben Nelson (Augustana) 1 yd run (Heintzelman kick) 44-13

Statistics
Rushing
Ben Smith (Buena Vista) 28-126 2 TD; Paul Smith (Gettysburg) 13-95 1 TD; Ben Nelson (Augustana); Mike Burton (Trinity {Texas}) 3-16; Matt Wheeler, (Wartburg) 1-(-6).

Passing
Burton 2-7-0 13 yards; Wheeler 5-7-1 85 yards 1 touchdown.

Receiving
Matt Perceval (Wesleyan) 2-33; Steve Vagedes (Ohio Northern) 1-33 TD; Ben Smith 3-13, Tyler Kelley (DePauw) 1-13.

Punting
Phil Barry (St. John's) 5-221 yds 44.5; Vagedes 2-72 yds 36.0.

Sacks: Fetzer, 2.5; Hee, 1; Coleman, 1; Ryan, 0.5.

Interceptions: Lamour, Otte, Attanasio, 1 each

PBU: Robinson, 3; Lamour 2.

Fumbles Recovered: Belaney, Otte, Conduah, 1 each.

Aztec Roster Announced
The American Football Coaches Association announced the 40-man roster for the Division III All-Star Team that will represent the United States against Mexico in the 1999 Aztec Bowl in Mexico City on December 18.

While many players have known for some time they would be invited to play, the roster was not finalized until after the NCAA playoff semifinals. Trinity quarterback Mike Burton was able to be included on the roster at that time. Like all collegiate postseason all-star events, only seniors may participate.

U.S. Head Coach Ron Schipper is pleased with the look of his team. "We've got a lot of very versatile football players which is important in a game like this," Schipper said. "Because of our limited number of players it's important we have people who can help us at several positions."

The Aztec Bowl is the traditional season-ending game for Mexico's college football schedule. The game has been played 28 times since 1947 with the last two contests in 1997 and 1998 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 two Aztec Bowl meetings, the United States Division III all-stars defeated Mexico 40-13 in 1998 in Monterrey, and 42-41 in the 1997 game in Toluca, a suburb of Mexico City.

This year's game will kick off at noon CST on December 18 and will be played at Wilfrido Massieu Stadium on the campus of Polytechnic University in Mexico City.

1999 United States Roster

Wide Receivers: Sean Eaton, Randolph-Macon; Matt Perceval, Wesleyan (Conn.); Steve Vagedes, Ohio Northern.

Tight Ends: Jeff Erne, Ithaca; Tyler Kelley, DePauw.

Offensive Linemen: Antonio Crook, Sewanee; Jake Estenson, Concordia-Moorhead; Gary Gutierrez, Hardin-Simmons; Sean McCullin, Wesley; Rob Phillips, Washington & Jefferson; Jon Rhiddlehoover, McMurry; Chico Rowland, Bethel; Tony Weak, California Lutheran; Anthony Weigleb, Hanover.

Quarterbacks: Mike Burton, Trinity (Texas); Danny Ragsdale, Redlands; Matt Wheeler, Wartburg.

Running Backs: Ben Nelson, Augustana; Ben Smith, Buena Vista; Paul Smith, Gettysburg.

Defensive Linemen: Cameron Coleman, Lycoming; Mark Fetzer, UW-Stevens Point; Joe Green, UW-River Falls; Nick Lachapelle, Kalamazoo; Ike Reid, Ohio Wesleyan; Tim Runnalls, Washington (Mo.); Brock Ryan, UW-La Crosse.

Linebackers: Corey Belaney, Allegheny; Joe Conduah, Heidelberg; Jon Crumley, Buffalo St.; Brian Hee, Catholic.

Defensive Backs: Joe Attanasio, Union; Phil Barry, St. John's (Minn.); Jimmy Lamour, Guilford; Kevin Otte, Wilmington; Charles Peterson, Emory & Henry; Tom Rini, John Carroll; Norman Robinson, North Central; Todd Tester, Hope.

Placekicker: Joel Heintzelman, Dickinson.

Punters: Barry, Heintzelman, Vagedes.

Assistant Coaches Named
Former Division III head coaches Bob Reade (Augustana), Jim Hershberger (Buena Vista) and John Luckhardt (Washington & Jefferson) have been named by U.S. Head Coach Ron Schipper as assistant coaches for the 1999 Aztec Bowl in Mexico City.

Reade is making his third appearance on the Aztec Bowl staff. In 16 seasons from 1979-1994 at Augustana, Reade compiled a remarkable 146-23-1 record and won four consecutive NCAA Division III championships from 1983-1986.

Hershberger is making his second 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. Luckhardt is making his first 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.

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