Mount Union, John Carroll set for rematch

Staff report

ALLIANCE

No. 3 ranked Mount Union blanked No. 19 Washington & Jefferson 67-0 on Saturday to set up a rematch against No. 6 John Carroll in the Division III Playoffs.

Purple Raiders’ All-American senior quarterback Kevin Burke threw a career-best six touchdowns in the first half of the second-round game at Mount Union Stadium.

The Purple Raiders (12-0) are in the national quarterfinals for a 23rd straight season. Saturday, they will play Ohio Athletic Conference rival John Carroll, a 14-12 winner at Wheaton (Ill.) in another second-round game.

The site of the Mount Union-John Carroll game will be announced today.

On Nov. 15, Mount Union defeated John Carroll, 31-24, at Mount Union Stadium.

Saturday, Burke finished with 402 yards passing as he led a Mount Union offense that generated 703 total yards.

Burke’s six touchdown passes were spread among four receivers as junior Roman Namdar had three TDs on 112 yards receiving, senior Luc Meacham had a season-best 151 yards with one touchdown while junior Taurice Scott and senior Sherman Wilkinson each had one.

Freshman Jamal Johnson had 118 rushing yards on 14 carries.

The game turned in the second quarter as Mount Union held a 7-0 lead but got the wind and scored 38 points — an Edward Ruhnke field goal and five Burke touchdown passes — to lead 45-0 at the break.

The Mount Union defense held Washington & Jefferson (10-2) two first downs in that second quarter as the Presidents, who entered the game with the nation’s No. 5 ranked offense at 527.2 yards per game, finished with 252 total yards.

Linebacker LeShawn Luke and safety Joshua Scott each had eight tackles, defensive back Tre Jones had an interception and three pass breakups while Will Hiteshue recovered a fumble and blocked a punt for a safety.

The second half included two more Ruhnke field goals, a 78-yard touchdown run from Johnson, the safety and a 71-yard touchdown run from Dwayne Aaron.

John Carroll 14, Wheaton 12

Wheaton, Ill.

John Carroll appeared to have the game wrapped up with a block on a 46-yard field goal attempt with a little more than a minute remaining. But Wheaton’s Sam Cote earned a second chance when the Blue Streaks were flagged for being offside.

After Cote’s 41-yard attempt sailed wide left, John Carroll ran out the clock to win inside McCully Stadium.

John Carroll will be making its second appearance in the quarterfinals and first since 2002.

John Carroll jumped on the board first with Tommy Michals darting in from 1 yard out near the end of the first quarter.

The other touchdown was scored in the third quarter when Mark Myers capped a 69-yard drive by finding Zach Strippy in the corner of the end zone from 22 yards out.

Myers finished 19 of 29 for 229 yards and a touchdown. Marshall Howell led the receivers with five catches for 85 yards to surpass the 1,000-yard mark for the season.