Linemen ready for Mount

Two Youngstown-area players are major reasons why the Mount Union College football team has the No. 1-ranked offense in the nation in NCAA Division III (544 yards per game), and is playing for the NCAA Division III National Championship today in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.

Caleb Crowl (Lisbon) and Luke Summers (Springfield) are the starting offensive tackles who have helped pave the way for running back Nate Kmic to become the nation’s all-time career rushing leader, and for quarterback Greg Micheli to become the nation’s top-rated passer.

Mount Union (14-0) will play the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (13-1) today for the fourth straight year in the national final that will begin at 11 a.m. in Salem, Va., on ESPN2.

Whitewater, in its fourth Stagg Bowl, will be defending its national championship after beating the Purple Raiders in last year’s final, 31-21. Mount Union beat Whitewater in the 2005 (35-28) and 2006 (35-16) national finals.

Coach Larry Kehres’ Purple Raiders, winners of nine NCAA Division III National Championships, are in the Stagg Bowl for the 12th time.

Kehres, a native of Diamond in his 23rd season with a 273-21-3 (.924) record, recently was named American Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year, and one of five finalists for the Liberty Mutual Division III National Coach of the Year Award.

Crowl, Summers pave the way for Kmic’s runs

Behind the blocking of Crowl (6-5, 306, junior) and Summers (6-4, 282, senior), Kmic ran for 310 yards on 29 carries with three touchdowns in last Saturday’s 45-24 win over Wheaton. In the process, he became college football’s all-time rushing leader with 7,986 yards.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin-Whitewater advanced to the title game with a 39-13 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor, 39-13.

Kmic, who also set an NCAA Division III single season record with 2,702 yards and increased his all-division record totals for touchdowns (129) and points (772), was named an All-American this week by the American Football Coaches Assocation.

Crowl and Summers, the left and right offensive tackles, also have provided solid protection for Micheli, who completed 19 of 26 passes for 225 yards for two touchdowns and rushed for 76 yards in the win over Wheaton.

His main target was wide receiver Vince Petruziello, who caught a career-high nine passes for 133 yards as the Purple Raiders ran for a season-high 432 yards and 657 yards of total offense.

Micheli is the nation’s top-rated passer (217.96 yards per game), and has completed 140 of 180 passes for 2,148 yards with 23 touchdowns to just two interceptions.

MUC led OAC in rushing; Crowl academic selection

Crowl is the son of Blaine Crowl and Bilynda Linam. Summers is the son of Raymond and Rebecca Summers, They helped clear the way for Mount Union to have the top rushing offense in the OAC (243.88 yards per game).

Crowl and Micheli were among four Mount Union players named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV Football First Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. They were joined by defensive back Drew McClain and punter Jay Carpenter.

Micheli, a physics and mathematics major with a 3.84 grade point average, this week won the 2008 Gagliardi Trophy given to the top all-around football player in NCAA Division III.

Crowl is a history major with a 3.6 grade-point average. Last year, he played in 11 games and won a letter.

Summers, a business administration major, is a two-year letter-winner. Last year, he played in 13 games and all 15 contests in 2006.

XJohn Kovach writes about college athletes for The Vindicator. Write him at kovach@vindy.com.