DIVISION III Mount DE goes for 3rd crown

Jason McElhaney has come a long way on the Mount Union football team.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
ALLIANCE -- Jason McElhaney didn't know too much about Mount Union College when he was at West Middlesex High.
In fact, if it hadn't been for his high school trainer, he never might have become a member of the Purple Raiders' three straight NCAA Division III national championship teams.
"My trainer in high school, Beth Sanderbeck, was a Mount graduate. She said, 'Why don't you check it out.' I didn't know much about it. I visited it and I liked it," recalled McElhaney.
"I wasn't recruited by coaches. I went over there and introduced myself and took a [game] film with me and I told them I wanted to play. Nobody is turned away. Everyone is given an opportunity."
Now, McElhaney is a starting defensive end and one of the key players for the Purple Raiders, who are shooting for their seventh national title under coach Larry Kehres.
Bridgewater Saturday
Mount Union (12-0), riding the nation's longest winning streak at 54 games, will play Bridgewater (Va.) (12-1) Saturday at noon in a national semifinal game in Mount Union Stadium.
The winner will advance to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the national championship on Dec. 20 in Salem, Va., against the winner of Saturday's other semifinal between Rensselaer Poly Institute of New York (11-1) and St. John's of Minnesota (12-0).
McElhaney (6-foot-2, 230 pounds), a three-year letterman but in his first year as a starter. He ranks fourth on the team in tackles for losses (11) and is tied for No. 12 in total tackles (34).
He is a member of a defense that has given up only 10 touchdowns.
Graduating shortly
McElhaney has a 3.25 grade-point average as a history major and will be graduating later this month. He already has completed his student teaching at Alliance High and wants to become a high school teacher and football coach.
A fifth-year senior, McElhaney was redshirted in 1999, and then played mainly on special teams in 2000 and 2001 before rotating at defensive end last season.
Three of his strongest assets are penetration into the backfield, pursuit of the ball carrier and leadership capabilities.
"I am able to penetrate and follow the ball and get to the ball," he said. "I do well catching plays from behind, pursuing from the backside and catching players from behind.
"[Of] those 11 tackles for losses, probably about eight of them are coming from behind the backs on the plays."
McElhaney said preparing for opponents by studying their game film is one of the main reasons the team has been successful.
"Since I've been in college, I haven't gone into a game blind. We watch film as much as possible. You take a read of the man you are going to play over."
He also said success at MUC means commitment.
"We work really hard. A lot of people who don't know a lot about the program think we show up on Saturday and win.
"Playing football here [means] you have to put the time in. If you are not making a commitment, you are not going to prosper."
McElhaney is the son of Gary and Anita McElhaney of Pulaski. His coach at West Middlesex was Rick Resetar.
kovach@vindy.com