|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
USA D-III All Stars escape Mexico with 27-26 win in Aztec Bowl |
| Merida, Mexico --- Carnegie Mellon linebacker Nick Zitelli recovered blocked punt
for a first quarter touchdown, Albion´s Keith Debbaudt kicked a pair of field goals and Illinois Wesleyan’s
Jeff Heinzl deflected a Mexico PAT attempt with one minute left in the game to give the USA a 27-26 win over Mexico
in the 2000 Aztec Bowl in Merida, Mexico on Saturday. The win was the fourth in a row in the series for the United States, which has been represented by an American Football Coaches Association-selected team of NCAA Division III All-Stars in the game since 1997. Zitelli was voted USA Player of the Game by media in attendance. "It’s definitely in honor because playing in a game like this with 40 great players it´s hard to single someone out so I feel very fortunate to receive it,¨ Zitelli said of the MVP award. "Mexico threw even more than we anticipated but I think we adjusted to it as the game went along." Playing in front of a sell-out crowd of 8,000 people at Salvador Alvarado Stadium in Merida, the USA jumped out in front 3-0 on a 38-yard first quarter field goal by Albion´s Keith Debbaudt. The lead remained 3-0 until midway through the second quarter when Whitworth´s Sky Blake swooped in and blocked a punt attempt by Mexico´s Omar Barrera. Zitelli recovered the ball at the Mexico three-yard-line and slipped into the end zone. Debbaudt´s PAT was no good but the U.S. led 9-0. Debbaudt redeemed himself a few minutes later when he converted on a 34-yard field goal with less than two minutes left in the half to give the U.S. a 12-0 lead. But Mexico answered just before the half on a touchdown run by Juan Carlos Ayala to cut the lead to 12-7 at intermission. Mexico carried that momentum\ into the second half and after stopping the USA on its opening drive of the third quarter, quarterback Carlos Altamirano marched Mexico down the field and hit wide receiver Mauricio Lopez with an 18-yard touchdown pass to give Mexico a 13-12 lead. The United States responded with a gritty 12-play drive and retook the lead on a two-yard touchdown run by Thomas More´s Will Castleberry. Pacific Lutheran quarterback Chad Johnson sprinted into the end zone on the ensuing two-point conversion to give the USA the lead, 20-13. Altamirano marched Mexico back down the field and had his team in position to score when Rowan´s Ron Gibson ended the third quarter with an interception in the end zone to halt the threat. Four plays later, Wittenberg´s Casey Donaldson got loose and rumbled 44 yards down the USA sideline to extend the lead to 27-13 with 14:15 to go in the game. The USA appeared to be taking control of the game, but Altamirano continued to find open receivers and took advantage of some costly USA penalties to lead Mexico on yet another scoring drive, finding Ayala on a three-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 27-20 midway through the fourth quarter. On the next series, the USA looked for one more touchdown to put the game out of reach, but Hope’s J.D. Graves was intercepted deep in Mexico territory to give the home team one last chance. Altamirano moved Mexico downfield and when he scored from four yards out with a minute to go, Mexico trailed by one, 27-26. Mexico head coach Rafael Duk elected to go for the tie, but Heinzl got a piece of the ball on the PAT try and it bounced off the crossbar to preserve the USA lead. |
|
2000 USA D-III Roster for Aztec Bowl |
| Quarterbacks: J.D. Graves, Hope; Chad Johnson, Pacific Lutheran. |
| Running Backs: Mike Benson, U.S. Coast Guard Academy; Will Castleberry, Thomas More; Casey Donaldson, Wittenberg; Aaron Kernek, Austin; Jay Miller, Springfield. |
| Wide Receivers: Larry Holmes, John Carroll; Ryan Rausch, Wartburg. |
| Tight Ends: Jeff Kostrewa, Wisconsin-La Crosse; Frank McCabe, Wilkes. |
| Offensive Linemen: Bill Andrews; Allegheny; Jim Kornokovich, Muskingum; Mack Hay, Augustana (Ill.); Jason Matusik, Washington & Jefferson; Dan Riely, Catholic; Pete Salazar, Whittier; Josh Warner, Brockport State; Reid Evans, Central (Iowa); John Schoeller, Muhlenberg. |
| Defensive Linemen: Sky Blake, Whitworth; Tone Dancy, Ferrum; Brev Creech, Union (N.Y.); B.J. Hammer, Wabash; Mark Hankel, Concordia-Moorhead; Jeff Hazuga, Wisconsin-Stout; Jeff Heinzl, Illinois Wesleyan. |
| Linebackers: Dan Philips, Chicago; Andy Steele, Middlebury; John Paul Visosky, Trinity (Texas); Nick Zitelli, Carnegie Mellon. |
| Defensive Backs: Tanner Etheredge, Howard Payne; Ron Gibson, Rowan; Sean Graf, Lycoming; Brian Keefer, Alfred; Ben Matthews, Bethel (Minn.); Brock McCullough, Grove City; Eric Newsome, Hobart. |
| Placekicker: Keith Debbaudt, Albion |
| Punter: Wilson Hillman, Mississippi College |
|
2000 Aztec Bowl |
| Ron Schipper, the initial recipient of the Jim Butterfield Award presented by USA Football
to the top retiring coach in the nation, will again serve as head coach of the NCAA Division III All Stars who
will play the Mexican National team in the third meeting dating back to 1997 with the kickoff set for Noon (CST)
in Wilfrido Massieu Stadium in Mexico City. Last year, the D-III All Stars defeated Mexico 40-13 in front of 18,000
spectators at Estadio Universitario in Monterrey, Mexico as Lycoming's Jason Marraccini threw for one touchdown
and ran into the end zone for a second six-pointer. Serving as one of Schipper's assistants will be John Luckhardt, the second recipient of the Butterfield Award. The winningest coach in Washington & Jefferson history, Luckhardt is making his first coaching appearance in the Aztec Bowl after compiling a record of 137-37-2 in 17 years at the Washington, PA school where he led the Presidents to eight consecutive Division III playoff appearances from 1989-1996, including trips to the national championship game in 1992 and 1994, earning AFCA Coach of the Year honors in 1992. Bob Reade, formerly of Augustana (IL) College is making his third coaching appearance in the Aztec Bowl. He compiled a remarkable record of 146-23-1 overall and 112-12-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin in 16 years from 1979-1994 on the Rock Island, IL campus. Reade’s .864 career winning percentage is the fourth best all-time in the NCAA at any level. His Vikings made 11 trips to the NCAA Division III playoffs, including an NCAA-record 10 straight appearances from 1981-1990, winning four straight national championships from 1983-86. His senior class of 1986 finished their college careers without a loss, compiling a record of 49-0-1 and playing a hand in all four of Augustana’s national titles. Reade’s teams also won 12 CCIW championships, including eight straight from 1981-88. He retired following the 1994 season. After a career as the most successful football coach in the history of Buena Vista College, Jim Hershberger is making his second coaching appearance in the Aztec Bowl. He served as an assistant coach with the 1998 USA Team after compiling a 121-61-1 record at Buena Vista from 1970-1989. Hershberger led the Beavers to 18 winning seasons, three Iowa Conference championships, two NCAA playoff appearances and one NAIA bowl game win. He was named Iowa Conference Coach of the Year three times, the last in 1986 when he led the Storm Lake, Iowa college to a school record nine consecutive wins that year. The Aztec Bowl is the traditional game that ends Mexico's college football season. The game originated in 1947 and, prior to 1997, featured Mexican teams against international teams. |