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Mount Union crushes Wesley in semifinal
By Ryan Buck
ALLIANCE
For the 18th time since 1993 and 10th consecutive season, the University of Mount Union football program will make an appearance in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl — the.NCAA Division III national championship.
The third-seeded Purple Raiders, in the 100th playoff game in school history, routed fourth-seeded Wesley College (Del.), 70-21 at Mount Union Stadium.
Mount Union could have named the score if it wanted. Playing one of the top football teams in the nation and its ultimate goal one step away enhanced Saturday’s accomplishment.
Raiders senior quarterback Kevin Burke threw for five first-half touchdowns — then later set his career high of seven in the third quarter — and his defense forced three turnovers as the Purple Raiders ended the suspense early as they led 56-0 at halftime.
In last season’s quarterfinal, Mount Union withstood a furious Wesley rally and hung on for a 62-59 victory. There was no such suspense Saturday as Mount Union scored the first 70 points of the game.
“As an offense, we knew they came back and would give us a run for our money,” Burke said. “Our job was to score every time we got on the field and for the most part we did.
“We did our part, the defense did their part excellently and so did the special teams.”
Coach Vince Kehres has his team in the national title game for the second consecutive season in his second season at the helm. He succeeded his father, Larry, who won 11 national titles in his career.
Burke, the Ohio Athletic Conference Offensive Back of the Year and finalist for the same national honor in Division III, also set career highs for passing yards with 415 on 26 completions.
The Lakewood St. Edward product — perhaps best known in Ohio high school circles for toppling a Braxton Miller-led Huber Heights Wayne team in the 2010 big school state title game — was on his game early and often.
He found receiver Luc Meacham from 19 yards out 10:14 left in the first quarter and followed that up with a 10-yard strike to Sherman Wilkinson. Tim Kennedy was Burke’s third touchdown pass recipient with a 53-yarder with 2:50 left in the opening quarter.
Following a blocked punt, Wilkinson snared a 20-yard pass and the first quarter mercifully came to a close.
On Wesley’s most impressive drive of the half, Tre Jones returned a Joe Callahan interception 85 yards for a touchdown to put the Purple Raiders ahead 49-0 in the second quarter.
Wesley quarterback Joe Callahan threw for 440 yards and his receiver Steve Koudossou tied a playoff record with 17 receptions for 256 yards. He set the yardage record in last season’s meeting with 272.
“[Mount Union] methodically moved the ball — 10, 12, 15 yard plays — and controlled the game,” said Wesley coach Mike Drass. “Teams like that are going to win and win on that scale.”
Even as the assortment of school and national records continue to fall — the Purple Raiders captured their school record 84th straight home win — one obstacle continues to haunt the Division III power.
Nemesis Wisconsin-Whitewater looms Friday in the Stagg Bowl.
Whitewater, the top-ranked team in the nation, stifled the Raiders, 52-14, in last season’s title game.
Drass, however, was confident in the team that just beat his own squad.
“They’re going to kick someone’s [rear end] next week,” he said.