Game #9 - Augustana wins CCIW with 31-19 win over the Crusaders

Wheaton,

Ill. (11/13/99) -Augustana College defeated

Wheaton 31-19 today to win the CCIW's football championship. Each team entered

the contest with a 7-1 overall record and 5-1 CCIW record in a tie for first-place

in the CCIW. Augustana entered the contest ranked #23rd in the AFCA Coaches

Poll, while Wheaton was 20th in the same poll. With the win the Vikings

earn the CCIW's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Playoffs, which begin

next week. The Vikings stymied the Crusader offense all day. Wheaton's two

touchdowns were the result of special teams play, with two field goals to

account for the Crusaders' 19-point tally. Wheaton, a team that entered

the game with an average of 366.6 yards of offense per game, mustered just

215 yards of total offense. The Vikings posted 440 yards of offense, with

344 rushing yards.

The Viking

defense caused four key turnovers with two fumble recoveries and two interceptions.

Not only were the Crusader's turnovers a key, but location of the turnovers

was also important. Augustana's Will Hedden picked off a Crusader pass at

the Viking six-yard line as the Crusaders neared the endzone with 9:48 left

in the first quarter. With 11:18 left in the third quarter and Augustana leading

24-16 the Crusaders were in the midst of nine-play drive of 66 yards when

Augustana recovered a Crusader fumble on the Viking five-yard line.

Wheaton jumped

out to a 10-0 lead thanks to a 12-yard fumble return by Brian Pastermack

(Merrit Island, Fla./Merritt Island) on an attempted Viking punt with 12:59

left in the first quarter. Kicker Chris Baughman (Fort Morgan, Colo./Fort

Morgan) kicked a 43-yard field goal to give Wheaton a 10-0 advantage with

6:56 left in the first quarter. Baughman's field goal set the CCIW single-season

record for field goals in a season (CCIW games only) with 11. The Vikings

then got on the board with three touchdowns for a 21-10 advantage. The first

Viking touchdown was a one-yard touchdown run by quarterback Joe Schmulbach

with 3:38 left in the game to cap an eight-play drive of 81 yards. Three drives

later Augustana scored on a 35-yard touchdown toss from Schmulbach to Chris

Sally with 11:46 left in the second quarter. Augustana took a 21-10 advantage

on an eight-yard Schmulbach touchdown run with 8:04 left in the first half.

On the kickoff that followed Wheaton junior Jeremy Amos (Austin, Texas/Westlake)

then ran for a 94-yard kickoff return to electrify the crowd and cut the Viking

lead to 21-16. Augustana placekicker John Phillips a field goal for

a 24-16 lead with 0:01 to end the first half.

With 6:52

left in the third quarter Baughman connected on a 37-yard field goal to cut

the Viking lead to 24-19. The placement of the football through the uprights

was Baughman's 12th field goal of the season to set the Crusader's single-season

record. Augustana's David Chorney scored on a 25-yard touchdown run

to cap a 12-play drive of 85-yards for the final 31-19 score.

Pastermack

was the Crusaders' leading rusher with 55-yards on 13 carries. Quarterback

Mitch Slater (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) was 17-37 passing for 143 yards

with one interception. Amos had five catches with five receptions for 54-yards,

in addition to two kickoff returns, including the 94-yard touchdown return.

Senior Jay Westra (Wheaton, Ill./North) had five receptions for 30

yards.

The Crusader

defense was led by senior linebacker Kevin Sampson (Wheaton, Ill./Warrenville

South) with 13 total tackles (five solos). Senior defensive back Ben Wilson

(Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) had 11 total tackles (four solos). Senior defensive

tackle Derek Flynn (Houston, Texas/St. John's) and junior linebacker

Greg McMillin (Nampa, Idaho/Nampa Senior) each had 10 total tackles. Defensive

backs John Peays and Shawn Wildt each had an interception.

Chorney led

the Augustana offense with 151 rushing yards on 14 carries with one touchdown.

Senior fullback Ben Nelson ran for 62 yards on 14 carries. Schmulbach

was 5-11 passing with one touchdown toss, two interceptions and 105 passing

yards. He also ran for 59 yards on 17 carries with two touchdown runs. Leading

the Viking defense was junior linebacker Kraig McPeek with nine total

tackles (four solos). Sophomore linebacker Roy Fritz added seven total

tackles (four solos).