For the third time in four years, the Johnnies will make the 380 mile trip southwest to the University of Wisconsin Whitewater to take on the Warhawks in the NCAA playoffs. The 2007 national champion Warhawks have one blemish on their record this season—a 17-16 loss to the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. Gone are Justin Beaver and Danny Jones, but the Warhawks have still averaged 35 points per game. The road to the Stagg Bowl runs through Whitewater, and the Johnnies are set to tackle their first road block on Saturday.

Junior quarterback Jeff Donovan (6-4, 200) has been a little banged up this season but played last week. He’s expected to make the start versus the Johnnies. He’s completed 135 of 212 passes for 1712 yards with eight interceptions. He’s kept the ball 59 times for 134 yards, as well. Should Donovan not be able to play, sophomore Bruce Langer (6-1, 195) will fill in. Langer has completed 16 of 34 passes for 268 yards with one interception. Sophomore Aaron Rusch (5-10, 176) is their leading receiver. He’s caught 66 passes for 884 yards. Junior Jordan Wells (6-0, 187), sophomore Adam Brandes (6-3, 194), and senior tight end Nick Slupski (6-2, 245) also figure into the receiving mix. Wells has caught 32 passes for 381 yards, Brandes has 10 receptions for 78 yards, and Slupski has 15 catches for 129 yards. The ground game is the Warhawks’ bread and butter, though. Freshman tailback Levell Coppage (5-8, 180) handles the bulk of the carries. He’s gained 1276 yards on 254 carries. Spelling Coppage is sophomore Antwan Anderson (5-10, 190) who has 62 carries for 408 yards. Leading the way for Coppage is junior fullback Max Wasikowski (5-11, 237). He rarely touches the ball. Composing the offensive front are senior tackles Mike Sherman (6-0, 280) and Rob Gilbreath (6-2, 280), freshman guards Matt Weber (6-3, 285) and Robbie Ustruck (6-2, 306), and junior center Garth Coats (6-2, 280).

Defensively, the Warhawks are giving up just 11 points per game. Their stout run defense has only surrendered 75 rushing yards a game. Senior linebacker Jace Rindahl (6-2, 236) heads the way for Whitewaters, recording 66 tackles, three interceptions, and five and a half tackles for loss this season. Joining him at the linebacker positions are junior Kyle Supianoski (6-0, 225) and sophomore Max Ford (6-1, 230). Anchoring the defensive line is junior end Anthony White (5-11, 224). White has made 34 tackles including four and a half sacks this season. Senior Mike Dufrane (6-4, 300), junior Justin Ankley (6-4, 285), and sophomore John Baldwin (6-3, 262) fill the remaining spots on the line. The defensive backfield is composed of all juniors—cornerbacks Troney Shumpert (5-8, 162) and Jeremy Diebert (5-7, 168) along with safeties Zach Christopherson (5-10, 200) and Paul Wick (5-9, 186). Deibert has three interceptions, Wick and Christopherson each have two interceptions, and Shumpert has one.

Junior kicker Jeff Schebler (5-11, 184) averages 59 yards per kickoff. He has made 14 of 16 field goals and 40 of 45 extra points. Sophomore Kris Rosholt (6-3, 229) averages 37 yards per punt. Handling punt returns is Rusch. He’s returned 20 punts for 158 yards. Shrumpert and freshman Aaron Samplawski (5-8, 180) both return kicks. Shrumpert has returned 11 kicks for 199 yards and Samplawski has returned 11 kicks for 334 yards.

Perkins Stadium received many upgrades in the offseason, including a new scoreboard, video replay screen, and artificial turf. Fans and players alike are in for a real treat. Again this week, the game will come down to how the Johnnie offense will perform. Their defense has proven reliable throughout the course of 2008 and should be able to keep the Warhawk offense under control, but it remains to be seen which Johnnie offense will take the field.

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Five weeks ago, the Johnnies had dropped their second game of the season and hopes of a MIAC championship were set aside by most fans. Since then, they have rattled off four straight wins, and with some key losses by other MIAC teams, they find themselves in a position to claim an outright MIAC title and the automatic berth into the NCAA playoffs that goes along with it. Standing in their way are the Carleton Knights. A longtime MIAC cellar-dweller, the Knights have shown an incredible improvement under third-year head coach Kurt Ramler. Ramler, an outstanding quarterback at Saint John’s in the late 1990s, has turned the Knights from the proverbial red-headed stepchild of the MIAC into a team with realistic playoff hopes in his short tenure. Veteran coach John Gagliardi leads his Johnnies to Laird Stadium this Saturday to battle with his pupil’s Knights. It is the last game of the regular season; what better way to end than with the top two teams matching up for the conference title?

The Knights are an offensive powerhouse, scoring an average of 32 points per game. Their bread and butter is their air attack, where they’ve amassed 77 percent of their total yardage. Senior quarterback Shane Henfling (6-2, 200) leads the offense, completing 236 of 351 passes for 2814 yards in nine games with nine interceptions. He’s kept the ball 58 times, as well, but his main threat is his arm. He’s got a bevy of weapons to throw to. Senior receiver Matt Frank (6-5, 223) is his top target and has to be a favorite as MIAC MVP. Frank has hauled in 79 catches for 892 yards, and he missed several games due to injury. Also factoring into the mix are senior Chris Gardner (5-11, 170) with 49 catches for 781 yards and sophomore Dylan Bothun (6-3, 188) with 23 catches for 259 yards. Henfling will also spread the passes to his running backs. Junior Phil Blue (5-9, 185) has caught 32 passes for 304 yards and rushed 87 times for another 348 yards. Senior Steve Ramey (5-11, 215) has 27 receptions for 378 yards but rarely carries the ball. Keeping opposing defenses at bay are senior Jon Nelson (6-1, 245), sophomores Brad Eckelmann (6-3, 230), Ted Longabaugh (6-4, 252), and Will Taylor (6-4, 261), and freshman Tanner Martin (6-0, 221).

The Knight defense has given up 23 points per game this season. Senior free safety Drew Ziller (6-0, 203) is undoubtedly the leader, amassing 91 tackles, three sacks, and three interceptions thus far. He is joined in the backfield by sophomore strong safety Neil Kolstad (5-11, 188) and senior cornerbacks Nick Cesarek (6-2, 190) and Kane Bechstein (5-10, 170). Kolstad leads the Knights in interceptions with six total picks. The all-sophomore linebacking crew is composed of George Zeon (6-0, 237), Andy Samborski (5-10, 210), and Tim Mulso (6-1, 217). Senior John Hanks (6-5, 238) leads the defensive front with five sacks and 30 tackles. Seniors Tim Kane (6-3, 235), Jason Bartlett (6-2, 252), and Nick Brom (6-2, 250) fill in the remainder of the defensive line.

Kane also handles kicking duties for Carleton. He is three of six on field goals, 26 of 31 on extra points, and averages 54 yards per kick off. Freshman Erik Fabry (6-2, 187) punts, returns punts, and returns kicks. He’s averaged 37 yards per punt, about four yards per punt return, and 18 yards per kick return.

Interestingly, Carleton has beaten both Concordia and Bethel, who Saint John’s has lost to. On the other hand, Saint John’s has beaten both Gustavus and Saint Thomas, who Carleton has lost to. I’d give the offensive edge in this game to the Knights because Saint John’s has not shown consistent offensive production all season. Defensively, the Johnnies get my nod. They’ve played tough, and there is no question that the Johnnies would not be in this position without their always-stout defense. I think the game will come down to the wire. If the Johnnie offense clicks, I think their defense will be able to hang in there for the win. If the Johnnie offense can’t effectively move the ball, it will be a long day for the Johnnie defense.

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The St. Olaf football team has been on the rise for several seasons. In recent years, match-ups between the Johnnies and Oles have brought the excitement of unblemished records and MIAC title implications. The loss of head coach Chris Meidt and veteran quarterback Matt Penz have taken their toll on the Oles, though. St. Olaf has ground out a three and three record thus far in 2008. Meanwhile, the Johnnies are having an off-year, as well. In what is turning out to be a wild year in the MIAC, the Johnnies are carrying a 5-2 record. Not yet mathematically eliminated from contention for the MIAC crown, the Johnnies find themselves in a must-win situation if they want to taste a playoff berth in 2008.

Junior quarterback John Haberman (6-4, 205) runs the huddle for the Oles and is a threat both through the air and on the ground. He has completed 77 of 132 passes for 846 yards this season with seven interceptions. He’s also kept the ball 87 times for 128 yards. His top target comes out of the backfield, senior running back Evan Endsley (6-0, 203). Endsley has caught a team-best 26 passes for 311 yards. He’s also carried the ball 38 times for 113 yards. Senior running back Coty Watkins (6-1, 215) is the go-to ball carrier when Haberman does not keep it himself. Watkins has carried 114 times for 503 yards. Senior wide receiver Ryan St. John (6-3, 205), junior tight end Mike Shimshock (6-5, 222), and sophomore receiver Antonio Jennings (6-0, 170) are other top receivers for the Oles. Jennings has gained 177 yards on 17 receptions, St. John has nine catches for 91 yards, and Shimshock has six catches for 56 yards. The offensive line is composed of senior Paul Schwingler (6-3, 295), juniors John Schantzen (6-3, 289) and Kyle Glanton (6-0, 280), and sophomores Drew Penz (6-3, 271) and Adam Koenig (6-6, 283).

The Ole defense is fronted by a mammoth defensive line that averages over 6’3” and 280 pounds. Senior Michael Williams Jr. (6-6, 260) and juniors C.J. Tabasky (6-1, 290), Nick Tolen (6-3, 306), and Zac Henschel (6-4, 260) occupy the trenches. Williams leads the team in tackles for loss (11) and sacks (3.5). The linebacking crew is comprised of juniors Adam Concannon (5-9, 232) and Eric Werdahl (6-0, 187) along with sophomore Patrick Luevano (5-11, 200). Werdahl leads the team in tackles with 29.5, but the other two linebackers are close behind. The all-junior defensive backfield is made up of safeties Chris DeLuca (5-11, 180) and Ryan Skluzacek (6-4, 205) and cornerbacks Tyler Jones (5-9, 168) and Justin Lanman (5-11, 175). Jones leads the Oles in interceptions with two.

Sophomore defensive lineman Nick Ondler (6-1, 267) handles kicking duties for the Oles. He is five of six on PATs and two of seven on field goals. Senior Matt Nelson (6-3, 217) averages about 39 yards per punt. Freshman Leon Clark (5-9, 172) is the Oles main return man. He’s returned 11 punts for 137 yards and 10 kickoffs for 282 yards.

I think the Oles will present a formidable task. First off, it’s a road game, and the Johnnies have not performed well on the road thus far. Also, beating the Johnnies is an accomplishment that any MIAC player would like to achieve, so the Oles will be ready to play. This should be a very winnable game for the Johnnies, though, if their offense performs up to their potential.

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The hapless Hamline Pipers have received some severe thrashings at the hands of the Johnnies in recent years, being outscored 367-27 over the last seven years. Over that span, the Pipers have not scored more than seven points in a game versus the Johnnies. But the Johnnies are struggling this season, and the Pipers played tough in a 24-21 loss to an upstart Augsburg team last week. Jim Good brings his one-and-three Pipers to Clemens Stadium this weekend, Family Weekend in Collegeville, and a win would be a huge boost for the morale of the Hamline team.

Senior quarterback James Leary (6-0, 180) calls the signals for the Pipers. Over four games, he has completed 56 of 96 passes and thrown only one interception. He’s thrown for 643 yards and rushed the ball 56 times for another 140 yards. His favorite targets are junior receiver Sean Lewis (6-0, 185) and sophomore receiver Alex House (5-8, 160). Lewis has 13 catches for 248 yards and House has 14 catches for 129 yards. Also in the receiving mix are junior receiver Brandon Johnson, sophomore receiver Anthony Iten (5-10, 160) and junior tight end Joseph Herrera (6-3, 230). They each have caught 4 passes this season. Leary has the most rushing attempts on the team. Sophomore running back Mitchell Schultz (5-10, 170) gets the bulk of the remaining carries. He’s carried 53 times for 160 yards. He also has five catches for 30 yards. Also seeing some carries are junior Rhmondo Rodriguez (5-10, 205) and freshman Travis Sutherland (5-5, 170). The big men up front are freshman Brennan McKeag (6-0, 235), sophomore Derall King (6-4, 285), junior Alex Garza (6-2, 315), and seniors Ace Huff (5-11, 245) and Drew Jurney (6-2, 265).

The Piper defensive front is lead by senior lineman Zach Wilson (6-2, 270). Wilson has 3 sacks to his credit this season. He is joined on the line by senior Ben LeBlanc (6-2, 240) and freshman Andrew Schlichting (6-5, 220). At the linebacker positions are senior Mike Labore (6-1, 210), junior Brian Dorn (6-0, 220), sophomore Peter Usset (6-1, 225), and freshman Corey Olson (6-4, 220). If the LaBore name sounds familiar, that is because he is the brother of former SJU all-American Beau LaBore. In the defensive backfield are juniors Dante Guther (5-9, 165) and Brady Lorenzen (6-2, 215) along with freshman Breck Raymond (5-11, 170) and Lucas Jones (5-11, 175). Guther leads the team in tackles and has 2 interceptions to his credit. Lorenzen also has 2 interceptions.

Junior Derek Johnson (5-9, 165) handles kicking duties for the Pipers. He averages 57 yards per kick-off. He is seven of nine on extra points and zero for two on field goal attempts. Senior Devin Swanberg (6-1, 205) averages 34 yards per punt for the Pipers. Returning kicks and punts is House. He averages an impressive 17 yards per punt return and 19 yards per kick return.

Again this week, this is a game the Johnnies should win. But, they play the game for a reason. I don’t think the Pipers are going to score a lot of points, but the Johnnies will have to capitalize on the opportunities they have in order to win this game.

This week, the Johnnies look to rebound after a hard-fought loss to MIAC rival Concordia. The visiting Gusties from Gustavus Adolphus College will bring a perfect record of 2-0 into Clemens Stadium for the Saint John’s Homecoming game. The Gusties opened their 2008 campaign with a win against Iowa’s Coe College 27-19 and opened their MIAC season with a win over Hamline University 21-14. Collegeville is always a tough place to play, but facing the Johnnies in Collegeville on Homecoming and after a tough loss will be a daunting task for the upstart Gusties.

Gone is long-time quarterback Jordan Stolp. Calling the signals for Gustavus in 2008 is junior quarterback Jordan Becker (6-3, 215). In his first two games, Becker has completed 39 of 63 passes for 435 yards, but has also thrown 6 interceptions. He’s also called his own number 22 times for 26 yards. Senior receiver Chad Arlt (6-2, 200) is Becker’s main target. The preseason All-American has hauled in 17 catches for 200 yards already this season. Other top receiving threats include freshman Elliot Herdina (5-10, 170), sophomore Cody Sukalski (5-11, 180), and junior Cameron Mauer (6-4, 210). The trio has accounted for 21 additional receptions. Senior running back Ray Wilson (5-10, 190) gets the bulk of the carries. He’s carried 21 times for 64 yards. Additionally, senior running back Adam Lukes has 11 carries for 14 yards. Keeping opposing defenses at bay are seniors Michael Klaylum (6-4, 275) and Jared Thelemann (6-1, 265), juniors Mike May (5-11, 240) and Kevin Geurink (6-0, 265), and sophomore Chris Martinez (6-4, 285). The Gustie offense was intriguing last season, as the offensive coordinator called plays in after the two teams were at the line of scrimmage. It remains to be seen if they continue this practice this year.

Leading the Gusties in tackles thus far is junior strong safety Joe Welch (5-9, 185). Additionally in the defensive backfield are junior free safety T.J. Ridley (5-7, 157) and senior cornerbacks Ethan Armstrong (5-11, 175) and Isaac Perry (5-9, 180). Welch, Ridley, and Armstrong each have an interception to their credit. On the defensive front are seniors Ted Aleckson (6-3, 250) and Brian Berglund (6-1, 250) and sophomore Scott Wilkie (6-2, 240). The three have combined for no sacks yet this season. At linebackers are senior Mike Fabel (6-1, 195), junior Tony Palma (6-1, 210), and sophomores Zach Lundquist (6-0, 215) and Paul Stommes (5-11, 200). Fabel leads the group with three tackles for loss and one-and-a-half sacks this season. Stommes was named the MIAC defensive player-of-the-week for his performance versus Coe in week one.

Handling kicking duties is senior John Ostertag (6-1, 195) who was named All-MIAC in 2007. Ostertag averages 60 yards per kickoff, is six of seven on PAT attempts, and is zero for one on field goal attempts. Junior Matt Knutson (6-1, 210) averages 33 yards per punt. Cornerback Ethan Armstrong returns punts for the Gusties. He’s returned six punts for 30 yards.

As previously mentioned, this will be a tough game for Gustavus. The Johnnies throttled the Gusties in Saint Peter last season, and the Gusties had a veteran quarterback then. Arlt was a non-factor in that game. I think the Johnnies will take Arlt out of the equation again and will not have a problem stopping the paltry Gustie ground game.

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Offensively, the Falcons return five starters. Calling the signals is senior quarterback Storm Harmon (6-2, 200). Harmon completed 202 of 342 passes in 2007 for 2163 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also threw 17 interceptions. His main target, sophomore Michael Zweifel (6-1, 185), returns after a WIAC record-breaking freshman campaign. Zweifel broke the WIAC single game record with 18 receptions versus UW-La Crosse. He hauled in 97 receptions for 1056 yards and was named to the D3Football.com Preseason All-American second team for 2008. At the other wide receiver, sophomore Nate Thoreson (6-1, 195) returns. Thoreson caught 10 passes for 205 yards last year. The Falcon’s other main receiving threat is junior tight end Ryan Hansen (6-3, 210). Hansen caught 48 passes for 502 yards in 2007. The Falcons return only one offensive lineman in senior center Scott Witte (6-6, 333). Witte is a three-year starter. The remainder of the Falcon offense is unknown as they have not played a game yet.

SJU’s Michael Schumacher chases down UWRF’s Storm Harmon in 2007 (Photo by John Biasi)

Defensively, the Falcons return only 2 starters in junior defensive backs Ben Arata (5-9, 176) and Ross Potter (6-0, 180). Potter was second on the team in tackles last year with 69. Arata ranked third in tackles with 57 and also tallied one interception. The remainder of the Falcon defense is unknown at this time.

Senior place kicker Jesse Finer (5-11, 174) will handle kicking duties. He was three of 10 on field goal attempts and eight of eight on extra point attempts in 2007. Sophomore punter Eric Stoller (6-3, 240) also returns after averaging 39 yards per punt last year.

It is tough to get much of a feel for the Falcons since so much of their 2008 team is a question mark right now. Zweifel and Harmon are a very good duo. I expect a lot of pressure to be put on the young receiver this season. The Johnnies have the advantage of having one game under their belts already, and of course, the game is in Collegeville. Unfortunately, the Johnnies also have not settled on a single quarterback, which can be a big problem. I expect a tough fought game, but I think the Johnnies will prevail if the offense begins to click and the defense can contain Zweifel.

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Control of the Dutch offense rests on the shoulders of senior quarterback Tim Connell, who was recently named the IIAC’s MVP for 2007. Connell has completed 194 of 339 passes for a respectable 2639 yards. He’s thrown 30 touchdowns, yet only 9 interceptions. He’s also rushed the ball 109 times for 231 yards. Connell’s favorite targets are senior receivers Josh Smith and Cody Huisman, both of whom were named to the 2007 all-IIAC team. Smith has excellent size at 6-5, 205 pounds and has caught 38 passes for 719 yards. Huisman has made 46 receptions for 658 yards. Also on the receiving end of a number of passes are senior tight end Jon Haugen, who’s caught 15 passes for 228 yards, and senior receiver Cody Wille, who’s caught 21 passes for 183 yards. Senior running back Vance Schuring gets the bulk of the carries, carrying the ball 135 times for 519 yards and catching another 15 passes. Schuring was named the IIAC MVP for the past two seasons. Junior Dustin Veldhuizen and sophomores David Zachary and Nathan Craft also get a number of carries. Zachary and Veldhuizen each have over 60 carries for 256 and 232 yards, respectively. Craft has 22 carries for 41 yards and 18 receptions for 195 yards. The offensive line for the Dutch averages 6’4”, 271 pounds. Three of their starters are at least 6’5”. Senior Keith Bowers, juniors Owen Haberman and Spenser Remick, sophomore Andy Kneib, and freshman Lee Schroeder lead a Dutch offensive charge that has scored 32 points per game. Both Remick and Bowers were named to the 2007 all-IIAC team.

Central’s Nick Mulder brings down Olivet’s Calvin McNamara
Photo courtesy of Central College Sports Information Department

The Central defense is lead by 2007 all-IIAC selections Nick Mulder, Andrew Lehn, Guy Dierikx, and Brett Doud. Mulder, a senior, leads a defensive line that has recorded 33 sacks this season. He is credited with 12.5 tackles for loss with 8 sacks. Also playing on the defensive line are senior Chris Willis and juniors J.J. Owens and Garrett Hill. Lehn heads up a talented group of senior linebackers including himself, Greg Altmaier, and Scott Paja. Altmaier is the team’s leading tackler with 116, but Lehn is not far behind with 102 tackles. Lehn has recorded 2 interceptions, and Paja has 1 to his credit. Seniors Dustyn Baethke, Trenton Blythe, Doud, and Marc Badeaux all see time as safeties in a seasoned Dutch backfield. Along with senior Dierikx and junior Chad Eisenman at cornerbacks, the Dutch have snagged 21 interceptions this season. Dierikx leads the team with 7 interceptions, and Doud has added 5 of his own.

The Dutch kicking game is young. Freshman Jake Viggers is 10 of 12 on field goals, with 37 yards being his farthest success. He’s also made 33 of 35 extra points. Fellow freshman Jason Goulden kicks off for the Dutch, where he’s averaged 54 yards per kickoff. Yet another freshman, Kurtis Brondyke, has averaged 38 yards per punt as the Central punter. Brondyke was named to the 2007 all-IIAC team.

Obviously, Connell is Central’s biggest weapon. He’s completed 57% of his passes, and he is not afraid to tuck the ball away and run, which will keep our defensive line honest. Schuring is a talented back who’s receiving some NFL interest. I assume he’s been hampered by injury this year because I expected gaudier number out of him. He carried the ball 17 times for 91 yards versus Olivet, so it looks like he is back to full-strength. The height of the Dutch receivers scares me a bit, as I still have nightmares from the Saint Thomas game. The Dutch defense is good-sized, quick, and aggressive. Kofoed has not been known for his mistake-free play this season, so I am sure that the Dutch will make at least 1 or 2 interceptions. The key will be limiting those mistakes and making every play count. The Johnnies will need to score touchdowns instead of field goals. Central has an artificial turf field similar to Clemens Stadium, so hopefully, the boys will feel at home.

It’s in Central’s favor to keep this game a close, low-scoring battle. I think if the Johnnies can score early and keep the Dutch in check, they’ve got an excellent chance to knock off the Dutch and play again on December 1st.

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Offensively, the Bulldogs are very well balanced. This season, they’ve passed for 296 yards per game and rushed for an astounding 180 yards per game. Calling the signals for Redlands is junior quarterback Dan Selway. Selway has completed 151 of 254 passes for nearly 2200 yards thus far in 2007. He has also run the ball 53 times for 118 yards. Junior running back Zack Schafer handles the bulk of the ball carrying duties. He’s rushed 137 times for 605 yards. Junior Jeff Stewart and sophomore George Foreman IV (yes, he’s the son of that George Foreman) get the remainder of the carries. Selway’s favorite target is grad student Kyle Godfrey. Godfrey’s hauled in 53 receptions for 763 yards. Junior Brian Putnam and sophomore Sean Scott also see time at wide receiver, but Godfrey has more than twice as many catches as either of them. Junior tight end Tom Romaine has contributed 15 catches for 120 yards, and Schafer has 10 catches out of the backfield. Clearing the way for the Redlands offense are graduate student D.J. Tano, senior Charles Cochran, junior Jared Schwass, and sophomores Travis McBride and Rick Albrecht. They’re not overly big (average 262 pounds), but they have to be talented to anchor the running game that the Bulldogs possess.

Redlands quarterback Dan Selway sets up to pass behind offensive lineman Rick Albrecht.

Defensively, the Bulldogs have held opponents to 14.2 points per game and limited them to 1.9 yards per rush. They have an active and aggressive defensive line anchored by junior end Brock Arndt. Arndt, a 2006 all-West Region selection has recorded 45 tackles with 5 sacks in 2007. At the other end is junior Nick Burruel with 4.5 tackles for loss. Filling the middle are juniors Mitchell Crocco and Gavril Gabriel. Crocco has 4.5 sacks and Gabriel has 7 sacks this season. At the linebackers are senior Kris Richardson and juniors Mack Gordon and Edward Stamm. Richardson leads the team in tackles with 58, has 6.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. Stamm and Gordon have 50 and 38 tackles, respectively. The defensive backfield is anchored by 2006 all-West Region player Brad Smith. As a senior safety, Smith has recorded 29 tackles and 2 interceptions. He is joined by fellow seniors Conor Drake and Jerel Garcia, each of whom have 2 interceptions, and sophomore Jared Fink. What stands out to me is the fact that they’ve made 25 sacks and 12 interceptions as a team—they’re going to be an aggressive defense.

Freshman Joe MacMillan kicks field goals, extra points, and kick-offs for Redlands. He is 5-11 on field goals, 38-40 on extra points, and averages 50 yards per kick-off. Selway handles the punting game for the Bulldogs. He’s only averaged 31 yards per punt, but having the starting quarterback as a punter always gives me nightmares.

As was the last time Redlands visited Collegeville, I am sure much will be made of the fact that the Bulldogs won’t be used to the Minnesota cold. The predicted high for Saturday in Collegeville is 39, while for Redlands it is 74. While they might be a bit chilly, I don’t for one minute think that the temperature will affect the way they play the game. Once the ball is snapped, the temperature is forgotten. I am really looking forward to this game. Playoffs are an exciting time because it gives everyone a chance to see a new team that will present new challenges. Have no doubt; Redlands will give the Johnnies all they can handle.

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Recent games between Bethel University and Saint John’s have been intense. Bethel notched their first win against the Johnnies in 1999 and repeated that feat in 2000. Saint John’s was able to put together a string of 5 consecutive wins from 2001 through 2005, but the Royals ended that streak in 2006 at Clemens Stadium to clinch the MIAC championship. The 3rd ranked Johnnies travel to unfriendly Royal Stadium in Arden Hills this Saturday to dispatch the 16th ranked Royals. Both teams again sit poised to claim the MIAC title and automatic play-off berth with a win in this final regular season game of 2007.

Orchestrating the Royal offense is senior quarterback Ben Wetzell. Wetzell, a dual threat, returns for the Royals after an all-MIAC 2006 season. He has completed 119 of 199 passes for 1442 yards and rushed the ball 136 times for 672 yards. He’s thrown 12 touchdowns and rushed for nine more while throwing nine interceptions. Junior Aaron Bernstett is Wetzell’s top target with 53 catches for 639 yards. Junior Kyle Lee has 37 catches for 603 yards, and Junior Nick Otto has 26 receptions for 279 yards. Wetzell has also thrown 50 receptions for 287 yards to his fullback, sophomore Dusty Wahl. On the ground, head coach Steve Johnson has found another promising freshman running back to replace the departed Phil Porta. Freshman Logan Flannery has shared the bulk of the rushing duties with Wetzell. Flannery has carried the ball 183 times for 849 yards and caught 13 passes for 184 yards, but he left last weekend’s game with an injury. The severity of this injury is unknown, but I would assume that he will play this weekend. Senior Jared Bangs has also seen time at running back with 62 carries for 249 yards. A talented offensive line is lead by returning all-MIAC senior Tommy Davis at center. Davis is flanked by fellow senior Brad Dahlman, juniors Mike Ervin and John Scrabeck, and sophomore Chris Luedemann. The offensive line averages about 280 pounds, although Scrabek himself is 6-3, 309.

It’s been said that defense wins championships, and I think this could be the case this weekend. The Royals have been stingy on the ground, only giving up 730 yards so far, but they have given up nearly 2000 yards through the air. All-MIAC safety Brandon Carr leads the Royal defensive efforts. Carr, a senior, has recorded 52 tackles and a team-high five interceptions. Fellow senior safety Jamie Wagner leads the team in tackles with 62 and has also recorded two interceptions. Senior Ryan Herm and junior Nathan Holm round out the defensive backfield at the cornerback positions. Holm has two interceptions while Herm has one. Seniors Steve Luebke and Lucas Blodgett along with juniors Darin Schwarze and Nate Voronyak start at linebacker for the Royals. Voronyak has recorded 11 tackles for loss with five and a half sacks this season. Luebke, a returning all-MIAC selection, has five and a half tackles for loss and two sacks. The defensive line is lead by senior defensive end Aaron Mills with four sacks. Sophomore Eric Rhode plays at the other end, with senior Aaron Moberg filling up the middle.

Sophomore Nate Gutshall handles placekicking and kickoff duties. He’s averaged 51 yards per kickoff, hit three of eight field goals, and made 34 of 38 on extra points. Sophomore Kevin Ness punts for the Royals, where he’s averaged 36 yards per punt.

This looks like an evenly matched game. I think the outcome will come down to execution and big plays. A punt return or big interception could definitely decide this game. The winner will be the team that makes fewer mistakes. Bethel’s got a distinct home-field advantage when you couple their annoying fans with the fact that they have refused to bring in additional seating for the Johnnies. One can only hope that their grounds crew doesn’t “accidentally” turn the sprinklers on Friday evening. Saint John’s has the Gagliardi advantage and the fact that Steve Johnson has been know to make some boneheaded calls in big games. I’m not ready to declare a winner yet, so stay tuned for my prediction later in the week.

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Thus far, the weather has been beautiful for the majority of the season, and the Johnnies are perched atop the MIAC standings at 9-0. Who could ask for anything more? Well, I could, for one. The Rat Pak, a key piece of the Johnnie game day experience, began a downward spiral under former dean of students Jason Laker. Many thought that the Rat Pak of old would return upon Laker’s departure, but the enthusiasm brought to Johnnie games by this wacky group has been relatively silent for too long.

My first experiences with the Rat Pak came in the late 90s. The likes of “Thorr” and “Wolfman Chuck” entertained the crowds during lulls in the game and got the fans into the game at key times. A blaring trombone, “the wave” and the “YOU GOTTA PLAY BY THE RULES…CHEATERS” cheer are still etched in my mind.

1999 brought my freshmen year at Saint John’s, and while Gagliardi may have hated their antics, I still found the Rats amusing. I can remember being awoken from my slumber in Mary Hall at 7:00 prior to our first home game by one of the Rats and his trumpet. Annoying as that may have been, it got attention and maybe a few more people went to the game because of it. It was also awesome to see the Rats storm into the stadium at Hardin-Simmons University in 2000!

The Rat Pak continued to shine throughout my years at SJU. Although I surely missed a lot of their antics due to on-field commitments, it was always a joy to see them come down the hill in the Southeast corner of the stadium on bikes or in a boat or by any other method a sane person would avoid. During the 2002 St. Thomas game, the Rats posed as Tommie fans early in the game. Once they had gained the allegiance of the Tommie hoards, they convinced them to hold up a banner in front of the visitor stands, telling them that it read “GO TOMMIES.” Of course, the banner actually read “TOMMIES SUCK” which got a lot of laughs from the home stands.

Prior to the 2003 season, dean Laker met with the Rat Pak to outline what was acceptable and unacceptable for them to do. I’m not sure how much of this was the administration and how much was solely Laker, but the guy is an easy scapegoat. Laker clamped down on the Rats’ creativity with threats of suspensions and expulsions. During one game, the Rats made their traditional downhill entrance in a cardboard minivan—a forbidden act—and were promptly escorted to awaiting Stearns County Sherriff squad cars. They were eventually turned loose, but it was obvious that Laker meant business.

Since then, the Rat Pack seems to have kept a low profile. Past Rats have traveled to Texas, Oregon, and Virginia, but now we barely see them in Collegeville. Most recently, I noticed them for about 10 minutes during the St. Thomas game. Is it because the administration is still keeping them on a leash? Are they simply sticking to the newer student section? I’m not sure. I am sure that a lot of fans miss their antics, though.

Here’s my challenge to the 2007 Rat Pak (it’s not too late!) and Rat Paks of the future: Get involved! Make us laugh. Get the 80 year old men and their wives off of their butts. Start some chants. Make some noise. Make some cardboard letters to get 8,000 people screaming S-J-U or D-FENCE. Work the crowds—not just the students, but the entire crowd. Get them yelling on third downs. Find a cheap trumpet or trombone to make a racket. Get the kids involved. Harass the other team’s mascot. Most of all, just live up to the Rat reputation!