Trine
is no longer the new kid on the block in the Division III
playoffs.
Last season, the Thunder went 10-0 in the regular season and won
the school’s first-ever Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic
Association football championship. They also made their first trip
to the postseason. However, when the regular season records were
discarded and the postseason began, Trine lost its first game, 14-0
to Wheaton (Ill.), which entered the playoffs at 8-2.
This time around, the 40 returning lettermen and 14 returning
starters have the Thunder hungry to make some noise in the
postseason.
“They feel more comfortable,” said third-year Trine
coach Matt Land. “That first time in the playoffs is tough.
We played an incredibly good Wheaton team that obviously proved to
be very, very good and went to the (national semifinals). Our kids
played well. I don’t think the way they played last year had
to do with the playoffs.
“It’s just preparation during the week,” he
added. “It’s new and this year, we have that
experience. Getting to the playoffs isn’t good enough
anymore. We’ve done that. We’ve got to win our
conference some playoff games so we can start getting some respect,
which I think our conference deserves around the country. Until we
earn that right and earn that respect, it’s not going to
happen for us. We feel we’re carrying the mantle for the
entire MIAA.”
Earning the respect and attention of the nation will not be an
easy task.
MIAA participants in the NCAA Tournament have lost their past 11
games. The last win came when Albion defeated Washington and
Jefferson 38-15 in front of 7,168 fans in the 1994 Stagg Bowl.
Albion is the only MIAA school to win an NCAA postseason game.
“There was a lot of ‘We’re not sure how to do
this kind of a thing,’” Land said. “Now, I see it
in our guys’ eyes. They’re confident; they’re
comfortable and they can’t wait to get on the practice
field.”
Winning this weekend will take a strong effort in all three phases
of the game. Trine travels to Cleveland for a battle with Case
Western Reserve and senior quarterback Dan Whalen.
Whalen has led the Spartans to three-straight University Athletic
Association championships and 10-0 seasons. Whalen has thrown for
9,390 yards during his career, including 3,010 yards this season
alone. He has a quarterback rating of 178.6, a 69.6 completion
percentage (218-of-313) and has tossed 31 touchdowns during his
final season.
“Their quarterback is probably the best quarterback in the
nation,” said Land. “He’s very athletic and
he’s tough. He can run and is very, very accurate when
he’s throwing the ball in the pocket or running. He’s a
good football player. We have a lot of respect for him.”
The Thunder have intercepted 11 passes, four of which belonging to
junior defensive back Aaron Selking. They have registered 18 sacks
in 10 regular season games. Junior defensive lineman Matt Medina, a
high school teammate of Selking, has 7.5 tackles for loss,
including five sacks for 21 lost yards. Chris Eichman has just two
sacks, but seven quarterback hits and five pass breakups.
“You have to be able to get pressure on the quarterback and
that’s where Medina, Chris Eichman and our defensive line
come in,” said Land. “The more people you can drop, the
better off we’re going to be. We’re going to go forward
and do what we do.”
While the Thunder defense focuses in on neutralizing Whalen, the
offense, led by MIAA Offensive Player of the Year Eric Watt, will
need to take care of the ball and score points.
“They have an All-American linebacker and an All-American
corner,” Land said. “That’s pretty good company
to be playing against. They’re a very smart football team, a
very disciplined football team. They have a very physical defense,
so it’s going to be a great challenge.”
For the first time in three years, the Monon Bell will reside in
Crawfordsville. With its 32-19 come-from-behind victory over
DePauw, the Wabash Little Giants earned themselves an at-large bid
to the NCAA Tournament. Quarterback Matt Hudson completed 19 of 30
passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns without throwing an
interception last Saturday afternoon.
Hudson hit Wes Chamblee with seven passes for 97 yards while
Jonathan Horn caught the go-ahead touchdown from 51 yards away.
The Mount Union Purple Raiders claimed the only playoff berth for
the Ohio Athletic Conference this season. Even without the likes of
running back Nate Kmic and the 2008 Division III Player of the Year
Greg Micheli, Mount Union’s offense continued to rack up
impressive numbers.
The Purple Raiders gained 506.9 yards and scored 45.5
points-per-game. Senior quarterback Kurt Rocco completed 155 of 223
passes with 31 touchdowns against six interceptions. Cecil Shorts
III, who was an early quarterback candidate once Micheli completed
his eligibility, caught 68 passes for 1,261 yards and 14
touchdowns.
Linebacker Brad Steinmetz, a senior for Thomas More, earned the
2009 Presidents’ Athletic Conference Player of the Year
award.
Steinmetz was among the league leaders with 89 tackles, including
13 for 47 lost yards. Steinmetz also had five sacks and one
interception, which he returned 40 yards for a touchdown in a 40-12
win over Bethany on Oct. 3.
Thirty-one straight regular season victories is not an easy mark
to reach, but with its 28-8 home win over Washington U., Case
Western Reserve accomplished the feat. Case’s senior class is
the only group of Spartans to have experienced a regular season
loss.
The Purple Raiders host Washington and Jefferson (9-1,
PAC).
Thomas More (10-0, PAC): The Saints host DePauw
(7-2, SCAC).
Wabash (9-1, NCAC): The Little Giants travel to
Illinois Wesleyan (9-1, CCIW).
Case Western Reserve (10-0, UAA): The Spartans
host Trine (9-1, MIAA).
Wittenberg (10-0, NCAC): The Tigers host Mount
St. Joseph (9-1, Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference).
Courtesy of an at-large bid, Washington and Jefferson coach Mike
Sirianni gets to answer a long-asked question: What could he do
coaching against his alma mater?
Sirianni, who was a receivers coach for the Purple Raiders after
graduating from Mount Union, leads a potent passing attack against
a secondary that has registered 16 interceptions this season.
Wabash (9-1) at Illinois Wesleyan (9-1), Nov. 21,
noon: With a win over their archrival DePauw, the Wabash
Little Giants roll into the postseason on a positive note for the
first time in three seasons. However, a trip to Illinois Wesleyan
was the reward.
The key for Wabash will be taking care of the football. The Titans
defense has 14 interceptions on the season and has recovered eight
opponent fumbles. Illinois Wesleyan is plus-10 in the turnover
margin.