Bridgewater To Meet Mount Union in National Semis
#1 Purple Raiders on 54-game win streak

Salem, Va. – Three-time defending national champion Mount Union College will play host to Bridgewater College in the semifinal round of the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs on Saturday, December 13th.  The game will be played at the Purple Raiders’ home field in Alliance, Ohio at noon.

Bridgewater (12-1) defeated Lycoming 13-9 in order to advance to the semifinal game, while Mount Union (12-0) defeated Wheaton 56-10 to make it to Saturday’s contest. 

Bridgewater is led this season in rushing by Marcus Washington (Crozet, Va./Western Albemarle) who has amassed 864 yards so far this season.  Brandon Wakefield (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) leads the Eagles in passing going 158 for 309 for a completion percentage of 51.1 percent.  Defensive back and 2003 ODAC Co-Player of the Year, Jermaine Taylor (Miramar, Fla./Miramar) has racked up 72 solo tackles and 62 assisted tackles for a total of 134 tackles in 13 games for the Eagles.  Bridgewater has outscored its opponents 460 to 160 this season.

Mount Union is led by quarterbacks Zac Bruney and Jesse Burghardt who have combined for 3,508 yards and 40 touchdowns.  Running back Rick Ciccone has tallied 727 yards and 10 TDs while wide receiver Randell Knapp is averaging 21.7 yards per carry on the season.  Defensively, Mount Union is paced by middle linebacker Shaun Spisak who has 106 tackles, including five tackles for loss.  The Purple Raiders, who are making their 12th consecutive playoff appearance and ninth straight trip to the semifinals, enter this week one win shy of breaking college football’s all-time mark for consecutive wins (54) – set by Mount Union from 1996-99. The Raiders, the seven-time National Champions, have won 108 of their last 109 games played.

            The coaching match-up features Bridgewater’s Michael Clark (56-42-1/9th year) and Mount Union’s Larry Kehres (204-17-3/18th year). These teams have met once – in the 2001 Stagg Bowl - with the Raiders coming away with a 30-27 victory.

            The winner of this Saturday’s contest will play the Rensselaer Poly Institute of New York (11-1) – St. John’s of Minnesota (12-0) survivor in the Division III National Championship Game to be played on Saturday, Dec. 20 in Salem, Virginia. Kick off from Salem Stadium is set for 11am.