By Clyde Hughes
D3sports.com

It could be viewed as a recurring playoff nightmare for one of the most successful Division III programs over the last 10 years in Wheaton.

That's the Thunder rolling through the playoffs only to meet their nemesis -- the Mount Union Purple Raiders. Since No.1 ranked Mount Union (13-0) has won nine national titles and has reached the Stagg Bowl for the past three years, one could say the Purple Raiders are equal opportunity tormentors.

For coach Mike Swider and Wheaton (11-2), though, it almost seems personal. The Thunder is 9-0 against everyone it has played in the Division III playoffs, except Mount Union. Wheaton is 0-5 and remains the only team the Thunder has lost to in the current playoff format. That includes a 35-3 loss in 2006 in the second round of the playoffs.

No. 24-ranked Wheaton returns to the scene of the crimes, Alliance, Ohio, this Saturday in the national semifinals as the Thunder will try again to knock off Mount Union.

But Swider said he doesn't think past records, past seasons or revenge are proper or viable motivation for his football team. Even though his seniors were around the last time the Thunder played Mount, it's a new season and a new team and in that another chance to win the big one against the biggest team in Division III.

"The critics don't count," Swider said. "It about those guys who have the courage to line up. That's what athletics is all about. Vendettas and revenge are not good motivators and it's not the reason we play the game. We play the game to see if we can compete and if we're good enough. It's the process that's so excited. In the process, we never use revenge or get-back."

Wheaton has the challenge of trying to stop arguably the top Division III program in football on its home field. That team features an All-American running back Nate Kmic who has already shattered the career record for most yards by a Division III back and has gone for more than 200 yards in four straight games.

Swider said probably the most important thing for his team to do is forget -- forget about last big play or big mistake and stay engaged in the moment.

"You can't be someone who remembers the last play," Swider said. "The great thing about Mount is if something happens in the game -- good or bad -- it doesn't faze them."

One thing that may be on Wheaton's side is that their defense is becoming accustomed to stopping, or at least, slowing down big-time players, like in the Thunder's 45-28 victory over Franklin in the quarterfinals last Saturday.

Franklin's All-American quarterback Chad Rupp passed for 289 yards and rushed for 130 more against Wheaton's defense, but the Thunder picked off Rupp three times. The first interception, by cornerback Pete Ittersagen was returned 52 yards for Wheaton's first touchdown.

When Rupp led Franklin to a touchdown in the third quarter to threaten to take the game's momentum, it was Ittersagen again who returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown and to give Wheaton a three-score advantage.

"We didn't stop (Rupp) but we managed to slow him down a little," Swider said. "No one was going to really shut him down. Kmic is a great player. He's going to get his yards. No one's going to be able to stop him but we want to slow him down a little and give us a chance to win the game."

Mount Union coach Larry Kehres said he is well aware of Ittersagen and his game-breaking ability. He said it's something that the Purple Raiders will be looking for.

"When you catch a kickoff and punt, you're in open space and he is very dangerous there," Kehres said. "We will plan particularly to deal with his talent, but I'm sure Franklin did and Wabash did and the plan didn't work. You have to give him his due and be prepared for the fact that he might score a touchdown or two as a defensive player and return specialist, but you have to overcome that if it happens."

Kehres said he's not awfully impressed with his team's 5-0 playoff record against Wheaton, either. He said he believes the Thunder will give the Purple Raiders a stiff challenge.

"They have a very diversified offense and they are running the ball really well out of a two tight end formation," Kehres said. "That sets up the play-action pass. When they get into second-and-long, third-and-long situations, they can go to an open offense with three dynamic receivers they have been successful there, too."

Kehres had a lot of praise for Wheaton quarterback Sean Norris, who threw two touchdown passes against Franklin, and tailback Rocky Gingg, who rushed for 145 yards on 26 carries in the snow last Saturday. Gingg left Saturday's game with an injury and his availability is in question.

"(Norris) has great feet and makes a lot of plays," Kehres said. "We think he's a really good quarterback. (Gingg) is a real powerful pounder. It's hard to keep him under a 4-yard gain. He has a very physical nature."

Swider said his offense, though, can't afford to turn the ball over against Mount Union and, like last Saturday, will need to make something happen in special teams to have a shot at Mount Union. He said the Thunder will have to run and pass equally well to keep the Purple Raiders honest.

"I think they are a solid football team," Swider said. "I look at Mount Union and I don't see any weaknesses. A lot of people will have to play well for us to win this game. It's a daunting task."

But it's not the first daunting task Wheaton has faced this postseason.

Peter Haugen, a native of Minneapolis and a 1991 Bethel graduate, has been named the head football coach at Gustavus Adolphus.

Haugen, who has been head football coach at Minneapolis Washburn High School for the past 15 years, succeeds Jay Schoenebeck who announced he was stepping down after 15 years as the Gusties head coach just prior to the 2008 season to pursue other interests and spend more time with his family.

Set to begin his responsibilities in early January, Haugen is looking forward to joining the Gustavus community. He stated, "My wife Brenda and I are excited to begin serving Gustavus Adolphus College and we feel blessed to be a part of its incredibly rich academic and athletic heritage.

"I was immediately impressed with the warmth and kindness of the people at Gustavus during the interview process and I am humbled to have been chosen to continue to build upon the long and successful history of the Golden Gustie football program."

During his 15 years as the head coach at Washburn High School, Haugen compiled an overall record of 111-44, while winning 11 league championships and posting a league record of 76-8. He directed the Millers to the Class AAAA quarterfinals in 2007 finishing with a mark of 9-3. This past season, Haugen's squad posted a mark of 8-2.

A three-sport standout at Bethel, Haugen was a starting tight end on the football team, a starting goaltender on the hockey team, and a starting catcher on the baseball team in the late '80s and early '90s. In his senior year, he earned All-Conference honors in football, and was selected Most Valuable Player of the hockey team.

Gustavus athletic director Al Molde said: "Peter Haugen brings an outstanding record of success on the football field. Eleven conference championships speak volumes about his ability to lead a football team. However, Peter is much more than a football coach. He is a valued administrator, a caring counselor and leader, working in a multicultural setting to develop programs for student leadership and retention, and he is a community volunteer, working to develop camps and clinics for the youth of the city through the parks and recreation programs. And finally, most importantly, Peter Haugen is a loving and caring husband and father with a deep abiding faith."

Haugen becomes the 17th head coach in the 93-year history of Gustavus football. The Golden Gusties have a long and storied football tradition that includes 22 MIAC titles. The program ranks 30th all-time in Division III (out of 235 institutions) with a 59.3 winning percentage (454-308-21).

When the season opened, there were just three starters coming back from the 2007 Mount Union offense.

You have probably heard of two of them -- they're guys by the name of Kmic and Micheli. But the other one is important as well, even if he doesn't have the flashy numbers of a running back or quarterback.

The story of tight end Chad Reynolds, in a Road to Salem feature by Matt Florjancic.

Mount Union faces the Wheaton Thunder, who even going back to their Crusaders days, have always found a roadblock on their road to the Stagg Bowl.

It's the same as everyone else's in the North Region, that team in Alliance, Ohio, you know, Mount Union. In fact, Wheaton has never lost a Division III football playoff game to anyone other than Mount Union.

Isn't that motivation enough, heading into their national semifinal matchup on Saturday? Perhaps not. More in a Road to Salem feature by Clyde Hughes. Plus, we also sat down with Thunder lineman Jesse Scott. Listen to the interview in a special ATN podcast.

Playoff toolbox: Bracket | Pick 'em | See Salem in style! D3football.com All-Region teams | Playoff photos | ATN podcast

Although there are only four teams left alive, there are still a lot of things going on in Division III football this week. As a reminder, we announced the fourth annual D3football.com All-Region teams earlier in the week. The finalists for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year honors were named yesterday -- check out the What We're Reading links for more.

By Matt Florjancic
D3sports.com

When Mount Union began preparing for the 2008 season, it returned less than a handful of offensive starters on a team looking to redeem itself after a 31-21 loss to UW-Whitewater in the 2007 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.

Quarterback Greg Micheli and Nate Kmic have been mainstays in the starting lineup since their freshman seasons. Micheli served as the punter during his freshman year, saw a lot of time at quarterback in his second season and gradually took over the starting job.

Kmic had played in only six regular season games as a rookie, but ran for 1,040 yards in five postseason games and has been the starting running back ever since.

Senior tight end Chad Reynolds caught 21 passes in his three previous seasons with the Purple Raiders and had five career receiving touchdowns before 2008.

With Micheli and Kmic commanding so much attention in the backfield and emerging wide receiver Cecil Shorts taking over where Indianapolis Colts rookie Pierre Garcon left off, Reynolds is quietly having a breakout season.

"We knew coming into the season we were losing four real good wide receivers," Reynolds said. "Vince [Petruziello], Cecil, Nate and [I] knew we had to step it up because we were losing not only guys with talent, but guys with experience too.

"We knew had spots to fill," he added. "Spring ball helped us out a lot. We had some real tough workouts through January, February and March before spring ball and it brought us together as a team. It was nice for once for people to have some doubt instead of always playing the on-top role."

That togetherness and "underdog role" has led the Purple Raiders to another banner year offensively. Mount Union averages 46.7 points and 548.8 yards per game this fall. While Reynolds has been a factor in Micheli's success (209 of 275, 3,256 yards, 32 touchdowns, two interceptions), as a tight end, he also needs to seal the outside with solid lead blocking for the running backs.

As a team, Mount Union has rushed for 3,533 yards and 47 touchdowns.

"Chad's very versatile," Kmic said. "He can go out and catch passes. He's faster than a lot of other teams' wide receivers. He's also a great blocker. He's considered one of the linemen on our stretch plays and everything else. He can hurt you in both ways."

"Playing with them makes it easier," Reynolds said of Micheli and Kmic. "With a guy like Nate Kmic, we run a play-action and I'm running over the middle, linebackers will screen toward the line of scrimmage. It helps me to have a guy like Nate in the backfield. Greg's real efficient and everybody knows he's going to get the job done every Saturday."

Though more Kmic carries and passes to other wide receivers means less notoriety for Reynolds, he enjoys representing Mount Union by wearing the Raider jersey every Saturday.

"It's real easy to be motivated to block for a guy like [Nate]," Reynolds said. "A lot of guys turn a first down run into a big gain. Nate turns that big gain into a touchdown or highlight-reel play. It's really exciting for me and the five other o-linemen to block."

Reynolds has appeared in all 13 games for Mount Union this season. The first-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference tight end is Mount Union's third-leading receiver with 30 catches for 501 yards and two touchdowns. Though he averages less than 40 yards receiving per game, Reynolds gets 16.7 per catch.

In a 41-14 victory over Cortland State last weekend, Reynolds had a career-high 111 yards on five catches. On fourth down and seven from the Red Dragons 22 yard line with 5:55 remaining, Micheli found Reynolds breaking free over the middle and hit him for the game's final score.

"We had some things that we installed in the offense against their defense," Reynolds said. "With Cecil drawing some attention in the deep passing game away from the rest of us, that opened up some things for me.

"It was real nice getting in there at the end to finish off the game and seal the win," Reynolds added of the touchdown.

"On any given day, any number of our wide receivers could have a big day," Kmic said. "Whatever the defense gives us, Greg does a great job of finding the open receiver. On Saturday, they vacated the middle of the field a lot and gave Chad some throwing lanes. He sat down and found the zones."

The victory against Cortland State set up another Mount Union-Wheaton playoff game. The schools have only played five times, but every matchup has been in the postseason. And the rivalry has been one-sided.

Mount Union is 5-0 against Wheaton, including a 35-3 win against the Thunder in the 2006 tournament. Though Reynolds did not start or catch a pass in that meeting, he was in uniform and saw some playing time.

This time around, Wheaton's road through the postseason was different. They won three road playoff games and survived the North Region for the first time ever. The Thunder have never been this far in the postseason, due in large part to Mount Union's success.

Whether it is Kmic running the football, Micheli dropping back to deliver a pass or Reynolds protecting the talented tandem, Mount Union is looking forward to hosting Wheaton on Saturday afternoon.

"Wheaton had two early losses this year and they got in the playoffs because they're playing good football at the end of the season," Kmic said. "That makes them very dangerous. Chad's going to have to step up again and be a big-time target for Greg. We're going to have to put up some points."

"Whenever they call my number, I'll do my job," Reynolds said. "Their front four guys are real strong. They are top-to-bottom probably one of the best defenses we're going to face throughout the season."