Wheaton stands between Mt. Union and title game

By Eric Hamilton

The two have met five times — all in the playoffs — and the Raiders have won them all.

ALLIANCE — Wheaton College football coach Mike Swider talks to his team about duty and devotion — on and off the football field.

Each year, he takes his team on a missions trip as a way to teach about giving of themselves to those who have very little. It’s a time away from football and a time for his players to learn some life lessons.

Last spring, his entire team went on mission trips to Senegal, Guinea and South Africa, constructing buildings for the less fortunate.

This Saturday, Swider will send his team on a different kind of mission and he’s hoping it won’t be Mission Impossible.

Wheaton, of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), will travel to Alliance to face top-ranked Mount Union in the NCAA Division III national semifinals at noon. It will be the sixth meeting between the teams — all since 1995. Mount Union is 5-0 in the series, with all the games coming in the postseason.

The Purple Raiders eliminated Wheaton from the playoffs in 1995, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006.

Swider says not much has changed since that last meeting, but obviously hopes this year’s result will be different.

“Well, the only difference between 2006 and now appears to be the names of the players with Kmic and Micheli still being there,” said Swider, whose team has won three straight road playoff games in 2008. “They are very good and the consistency in how they do things from year to year is truly amazing and that is a testament to Larry [Kehres], his staff and his players.

“The basic structure of the program is the same today as it was the first time we faced them in the mid-90s. They do not jump on any band wagon. They establish core values and infrastructure and tweak it to the particular players they have at the time.”

It’s no secret that Mount Union will look to establish the running game first against Wheaton. Running back Nate Kmic has rushed for over 200 yards in all three postseason games this season. Last week, he carried the ball 45 times for 227 yards against Cortland State.

Wheaton’s offense features running back Rocky Gingg, a first team all-conference pick that has tallied almost 1,300 yards with 15 TDs. Wide receiver Alex Porkorny also is a first team All-CCIW selection has he has 73 catches for 1,347 yards and 17 TDs.

Quarterback Sean Norris directs the attack as he has completed 59.1 percent of his passes for 2,891 yards with 30 TDs and 14 interceptions.

“They are a diversified offense that can do a lot of things well and can be very dynamic when they need to be,” said Mount Union coach Larry Kehres, whose defense limited Cortland State to 0 yards rushing last week.

“Wheaton is an exceptional program that has consistently had great skill and overall team speed. Coach Swider has done a real nice job making a strong program even stronger. They play in a great conference and are making the most of the opportunities they have earned.”

This will be Mount Union’s 14th straight trip to the national semifinals, while Wheaton will be making its first appearance in the final four.

The Thunder got here the hard way, starting the season 3-2 in their league before winning their last two regular season games to earn an at-large playoff selection.

“For our players and staff it has been about duty and devotion to the cause of the program, the guy standing next you, your school and everything you do,” said Swider. “Our players have played for the team and themselves each and every week to get us and we are excited and thrilled to be where we are.”