The trip to southeastern Wisconsin to take on the Warhawks from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has become a familiar one to the Johnnie Football team as well as the Johnnie Nation. For three out of the past four seasons, the Warhawks have ended the Johnnies’ season. We all know that football is a zero sum game, for every winning team there is an offsetting team that loses, but given the opportunity to prepare a game plan for a team more than twice, I will take my chances with the Johnnies. The Warhawks are a great team; after all they are the defending Division III National Champions and their play yesterday shows they are not going to relinquish the crown easily.
The Johnnies won the coin-toss and elected to defer to the 2nd half and as a result they kicked off the ball to the Warhawks to begin the game. The Johnnie defense dug in and stopped the Warhawks on their first possession forcing Whitewater to punt. As the Johnnies took over, they moved the ball efficiently down the field 76-yards in 12 plays capping off the drive with an 11-yard TD pass from Joe Boyle to Jakob Redding and the Johnnies led 7-0. This would be the only score the Johnnies would have on the day, as the offense was held essentially silent by the tough Warhawks defense after this initial drive.
The remainder of the first half the Johnnie defense continued it’s stingy ways by only allowing field goals and the half-time score was Warhawks 9 Johnnies 7. The Johnnies went into the locker-room at the half on a high note as they defense held strong on a goal line stand as time expired on the Warhawks.
The second half was all Warhawks as they finished their drives and scored touchdowns instead of field goals as they did in the first half .The Warhawks scored 28 unanswered second half points.
The Johnnies lost Joe Luke to an ankle injury and Joe Boyle to a knee injury in the second half and they did not return. Ryan Wimmer, who was shaken up in the first half, returned to play in the second half, only to experience what was reported to be a mild concussion and he did not return after this injury.
The 2008 season comes to a bittersweet ending. We all know at the beginning of each new season that only one team in the nation will emerge victorious on the field their last game of the year, this year it was not the Johnnies, but there is a lot to be proud of in the 2008 season.
To the team in general winning the MIAC Championship outright was a significant accomplishment and something that you can look back on with pride as the sting of this most recent play-off loss dissipates.
To the seniors you can be proud of the fact that you played for one of the great gentlemen of the game, John Gagliardi. You can be proud of the team and individual honors you may have received during your 4 years at St. Johns. You can be proud of the friendships you have built; these will be your friends for life. You have a special bond that you can’t explain to those who have not experienced what you have together with your teammates. You can be proud of the fact that as a Johnnie you will be able to face the real world in a few short months prepared to be a productive member of society. You are now receiving your official invitation to join the Johnnie Nation and to follow the Johnnies home and away. You are invited to join the tailgate parties before the game to see game day from a different perspective.
To the parents thank you for sending your son to St Johns to be part of a community that, among other things, includes Johnnie football. You may be from greater-Minnesota or from the Twin Cities metropolitan area, perhaps you are from out of state, it doesn’t matter where you start, you and your son are now part of the Johnnie Nation. You brought him to St. Johns 4 years ago as a teen-aged boy; perhaps mom shed a tear on Freshmen move in day. You can now be reassured that he will be leaving St. Johns shortly as a man who will go on to do great things.
To the coaching staff thanks for teaching this team that even if it looks like a hopeless situation, as it did early in the year, that by taking on the task at hand you can accomplish your goals. The 30th MIAC Championship in school history was unexpected after the loss to Bethel, but by keeping the team focused you helped them to achieve this goal.
To the underclassmen you now know what is in front of you. You have played in big games and you have won some and have lost some. There is work to do, yet you have the advantage of knowing what you have to do in order to reach the top. This is your team now; it’s up to you to carry on the tradition of excellence and to take the team to the next level.
