NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Candle's catch saved day for Raiders
His fourth-quarter reception didn't score points, but it helped Mount Union win another title.
By CHRISTIAN MOODY
SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR
SALEM, Va. -- Long after the national championship trophy had been awarded to the Mount Union football team Saturday, team members lingered on the field.
For seniors like Jason Candle, a graduate of West Branch High School, the walk off the field was the last one wearing a jersey and pads.
The senior wide receiver plans to coach and teach, saying he'll always be around football, but this was his last game as a player.
What a way to go out.
Candle had a great night in front of a sold-out stadium, a couple of thousand Mount Union faithful and a national cable audience as the Purple Raiders won 30-27.
He caught five passes for 120 yards, including a 49-yard reception late in the game that could make highlight reels.
Candle took the ball from Bridgewater College's Jason Bailey, who appeared to make an interception that could have turned the game.
Kept drive alive: While the play did not result in points, it kept a drive alive when Mount Union wanted nothing more than to bleed the clock while clinging to a 10-point lead late in the game.
An interception or incomplete pass on that play -- third and 10 from the Mount Union 18 -- would give Bridgewater the ball in decent field position with more than four minutes to go.
As the Eagles showed minutes later, a 95-yard scoring drive is possible in under a minute, so Candle's catch could have been among the biggest in the game.
"He did have it, but it just popped up there," Candle said of the reception. "Maybe I got lucky. Maybe I made a great play. I'll let others be the judge of that."
The catch was Candle's last as a collegiate player and one of his best.
On the evening, four of his catches resulted in first downs. But on a night of stellar performances, Candle was cited for his blocking as much as his receiving.
Mount Union running back Chuck Moore dashed for a 95-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Moore said he was untouched because the receivers made their blocks and there were no defensive backs left to beat.
"No one touched me," Moore said of his Stagg Bowl-record run. "The credit goes to the receivers who were blocking downfield."
Candle said he knew once Moore was through the line he was on his way to the end zone.
"I cut my [defensive back] down and when I looked up, I saw Chuck's back and I knew no one was going to catch him," Candle said.
While Candle was a member of the team that won last year's national title, he said this year's championship has far more meaning to him, personally.
"This was my senior year and to go out on top is a special feeling," he said.
While Candle dressed for last year's game, he did not play. A broken wrist sidelined him for most of the season.
Still, the experience of being at the Stagg Bowl last year and seeing what the title game entailed allowed him to focus on the task at hand this year and not get caught up in the emotions of the moment, Candle said.
Led team in receiving: Having led the team in receiving this season with 62 catches and 1,277 yards, Candle had good numbers for a player who only had one impact season for Mount Union.
A junior college transfer, Candle said his biggest regret is that he didn't go to Mount Union out of high school.
Senior Stan Watson has another year of eligibility, so look for the speedy linebacker to make an impact again next season.
Watson, from Austintown Fitch High, found himself chasing receivers in pass coverage much of the night as Bridgewater's vaunted option attack was virtually shut down after the first quarter.
"We felt like if we could contain the quarterback, we'd have the speed to run to the football," Watson said. "We did that well tonight."
Mount Union coach Larry Kehres concurred.
"Despite the fact we gave up a lot of yards, I thought our defense played well," he said.
Bridgewater had 516 yards in the game, but 374 of that were passing yards when the Eagles were trying to come from behind.
Watson, an outside linebacker, broke up a pass that would have given the Eagles a first down deep in Raiders' territory late in the fourth quarter.
The next play resulted in a sack and Bridgewater was forced to punt. Had the pass been completed, the outcome of the game could have been different.
Watson had four solo tackles and two assisted tackles in the game.
"Last year I was a special teams player," Watson said. "As a starter this season, this definitely gives me a great feeling of accomplishment."
Does he expect to get another one next year, allowing Mount Union to have a second run of three straight titles in seven years?
"I know we'll work hard in the off-season," Watson said. "We'll have to because it's not something we can take for granted."