COLLEGE FOOTBALL Mt. Union, St. John's primed for rematch

They will meet for the fourth time Saturday in the Division III championship.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
Mount Union College will seek its fourth straight NCAA Division III national championship and eighth overall crown when the Purple Raiders play St. John's (Minn.) Saturday in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.
The game will begin at 11 a.m. in Salem (Va.) Stadium and will be televised by ESPN2.
Mount Union (13-0) and St. John's (13-0) will be meeting for the fourth time, with the Purple Raiders holding a 3-0 advantage in the series.
They last met in a 2001 semifinal won by Mount Union, 35-14. The Purple Raiders also beat the Johnnies in the 2000 Stagg Bowl, 10-7, and in a 1993 semifinal, 56-8.
Coaches clash
Saturday's game will be a match-up of classic and famous coaches with a combined 73 years and 616 wins at the helms of their schools.
Larry Kehres is in his 18th season at Mount Union with a 203-17-3 record, while John Gagliardi is in his 55th year at St. John's with a 413-114-11 mark.
The two coaches also rank No. 1 in all of college football in two all-time categories. Kehres has the best winning percentage (.917), while Gagliardi has the most wins.
Mount Union has a lot to protect in the showdown, while St. John's has a lot to gain. The Purple Raiders have the nation's longest winning streak at 55 games, breaking their previous record of 54 set from 1996-99.
Mount Union broke its record last Saturday with a 66-0 rout of Bridgewater (Va.) in a semifinal in Alliance.
The Purple Raiders have won 108 of their last 109 games.
The Johnnies advanced last Saturday with a 38-10 win over Rensselaer Poly Institute of New York.
Purple Raider offense
Mount Union enjoys a prolific passing attack behind two sharp quarterbacks and an array of talented receivers, and also has a good rushing game for balance.
The Purple Raiders enjoy a 654-84 scoring advantage over opponents this year.
Junior quarterback Zac Bruney has completed 142-of-222 passes for 2,411 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions, while senior quarterback Jesse Burghardt is 75-for-105 for 1,362 yards and 18 TDs with four interceptions.
The main receivers are seniors Randell Knapp and Nick Sirianni. Knapp has 68 catches for a 21.5-yard average and 16 TDs, and holds the single-season school record for receiving yards (1,459) this year. Sirianni has 44 receptions for a 20.3-yard average and 13 TDs.
Knapp and offensive lineman Larry Kinnard were named to the Associated Press Little All-America team Thursday.
Junior running back Rick Ciccone is the top rusher with 727 yards in 157 carries and 10 TDs, but he has been sidelined the past two games because of a hip injury sustained in the first playoff game against Wisconsin-La Crosse.
However, Jeff Strauch has been picking up some of the slack, and has 545 yards rushing in 108 attempts and seven TDs.
On defense
Mount Union has allowed an average of just over six points a game with six shutouts.
The key defensive player is middle linebacker Shaun Spisak with 114 tackles, including six for losses.
St. John's enjoys a 510-143 scoring advantage over this year's rivals with two shutouts.
The Johnnies are led by wide receiver Blake Elliott (112 receptions, 1,268 yards, 11.3-yard average, 13 TDs), who won the Gagliardi Trophy as the top player in Div. III.
Throwing to him is quarterback Ryan Keating (270-for-396, 3,080 yards, 30 TDs, 11 interceptions).
kovach@vindy.com