COLLEGE FOOTBALL Three area players help Mount Union in defense of title

Ross Watson, Josh Ludwig and Jason McElhaney are among 16 area players.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
ALLIANCE -- Three Youngstown-area football players have been key defensive contributors to the Mount Union College team, which will launch playoff defense of its NCAA Division III national championship on Saturday.
Ross Watson (Austintown Fitch), Josh Ludwig (East Liverpool) and Jason McElhaney (West Middlesex) are ranked among the top 11 tacklers for the Purple Raiders (10-0), who will battle Wisconsin-La Crosse (10-1) in a second-round game at noon in Mount Union Stadium.
Mount Union had a first-round bye last week, while La Crosse opened with a 52-13 romp past Concordia (Wis.) in a first-round contest.
The Mount Union-La Crosse winner will play the survivor of the Baldwin-Wallace-Wheaton (Ill.) second-round game also slated Saturday at noon at Wheaton.
Watson sixth in tackles
Watson (6-1, 181), a sophomore cornerback and one-year letterman from Austintown Fitch, has played in nine games and ranks No. 6 on the team in tackles with 37 (28 solos and nine assists).
His brother, Stanley Watson, also from Fitch, is a former All-Ohio Athletic Conference linebacker with the Purple Raiders, and now serves as an assistant coach with the team.
Ludwig (6-1, 293), a senior defensive tackle from East Liverpool High, has played in 10 games and ranks No. 10 in tackles with 31 (nine solo hits and 22 assists).
Ludwig also has six tackles (for losses of 11 yards) that rank No. 6 on the team, and he has two sacks for nine yards.
McElhaney (6-2, 230), a senior defensive end from West Middlesex High, has played in all 10 games and ranks No. 11 on the team in tackles with 27 (11 solo stops and 16 assists).
McElhaney, a three-year letterman, also has nine tackles (for losses of 19 yards) to tie for No. 3, and two sacks for 10 yards.
52-game winning streak
Mount Union, which has won seven NCAA Div. III national championships, including the last three, is riding an NCAA-best 52-game winning streak, including the last 12 playoff games.
The Purple Raiders, coached by Larry Kehres, a native of Diamond, have won 106 of its last 107 games.
Mount Union and La Crosse will be meeting for the fourth time, with La Crosse holding a 2-1 advantage in the series. The teams last met in the 1996 playoffs with MUC posting a 39-21 win and going on to win the national crown.
Ross Watson, Ludwig and McElhaney are among 16 Youngstown-area performers on a big 188-player roster.
Other area players
Other seniors are offensive tackles Andrew Blake (6-2, 145, West Branch) and Rick Prescott (5-10, 271, Beaver Local). Blake is a two-year letterman, Prescott a one-year letterman.
Also with the area group are junior Ron DeJulio (LB, 5-11, 240, Hubbard), and sophomores Tom Manning (OL, 6-0, 255, Ursuline High), Rhyan Pegues (DL, 5-10, 280, Ursuline) and Randy Mason (QB, 6-1, 177, Girard).
Rounding out the delegation are freshmen Rob Palmer (punter, 6-3 180), Boardman), Tim Reash (OL, 6-2, 290, Columbiana), Craig Ward (OL, 6-0, 245, East Palestine), Jordan Williams (LB, 5-10, 200, Beaver Local), Jared Williams (LB, 5-11, 210, Beaver Local), Chris Green (LB, 6-2, 186, East Liverpool), Tony Noca (OL, 5-11, 230, Shenango High).
kovach@vindy.com