|
USA III All Stars |
|
|
1998 Aztec Bowl |
|
Saturday, December 12, 1998 |
| MONTERREY, MEXICO -- Jason Marraccini (Lycoming) ran for one touchdown and threw
for another to lead the U.S. Division III All-Stars to a 40-13 victory over Mexico in that country's 27th Aztec
Bowl in Monterrey on December 12. Five different players scored touchdowns for the balanced U.S. attack, while the rugged U.S. defense held the Mexican offense to a single field goal. A decidedly pro-Mexico crowd of just over 18,000 at Monterrey's Estadio Universitario saw the U.S. strike quickly, scoring touchdowns on its first two possessions. Runningback Jamie Lee (MacMurray) broke loose on an 18-yard scoring run to put the U.S. up, 7-0. On the next series, runningback Matt Wichlinski (Susquehanna) took a Geoff Hemlinger (Baldwin-Wallace) swing pass and rumbled 43 yards around and over the Mexican defenders to put the U.S. up 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. The teams traded field goals in the second quarter, Mexico cutting the lead to 14-3 on a 25-yard field goal by Nestor Rodriguez, before Mike Padgett (Bridgewater) nailed a 40-yarder to put the U.S. up 17-3 at the half. Sedrick Medlock (Howard Payne) opened up the second half for the U.S. by returning the opening kickoff 65 yards to the Mexico 30-yard line. The Mexico defense held and when a U.S. field goal attempt sailed wide, Mexico had its first break of the day. But the U.S. defense stopped Mexico on three plays and forced a punt. Kevin Saxton (Bowdoin) swooped in and blocked the attempt out of the end zone, putting the U.S. up, 19-3. Following the free kick, Marraccini led the U.S. down the field, eventually hooking up with tight end Jamie Bowers (Wabash), who weaved his way down the sideline for a 27-yard touchdown, putting the U.S. up, 26-3. The lead held up until early in the fourth quarter, when a bad snap on a punt forced punter Robert Andrews (Mississippi College) to run out of the back of the end zone, giving Mexico two points and closing the lead to 26-5. After the free kick, Chuck Davis (Randolph-Macon) recovered a Mexico fumble, setting the U.S. up near midfield. But on third down, Hemlinger was hit as he threw, and the deflected pass was intercepted by Mexico s Lazaro Pena, who returned it 55 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion cut the U.S. lead to 26-13 with 7:44 to go in the game. With the crowd cheering wildly for the Mexican college all-stars, the U.S. offense ended any hope of a comeback, as runningback Guy Leman (Simpson) powered the U.S. drive with some tough running, eventually slaloming through the Mexican defense for a 15-yard touchdown run and a 33-13 U.S. lead. Mexico went to the no-huddle offense, and looked to be mounting one last scoring drive when Keith Dykes (Chapman) stepped in front of a Mexico pass and returned it 52 yards to the Mexico three-yard line before being hauled down from behind. On first down, Marraccini took the snap, rolled left, hurdled a defender and slipped into the end zone to put the U.S. up, 40-13. Mexico's last-gasp drive ended when John Goldie (Illinois Wesleyan) intercepted a pass on the goal line and returned it out to the 35-yard line to end the game. |
|
1998 Aztec Bowl Roster |
| P | Robert Andrews | Mississippi College |
| DB | Quincy Baker | New Jersey City University |
| TE | Jamie Bowers | Wabash |
| DT | Carlos Burns | Millikin |
| OL | Jason Carriveau | Albion |
| DT | Chuck Davis | Randolph-Macon |
| LB | Keith Dykes | Chapman |
| DB | John Goldie | Illinois Wesleyan |
| OC | Brian Greer | Willamette |
| OL | Clint Head | Simpson |
| QB | Geoff Helmlinger | Baldwin-Wallace |
| WR | Scott Hvistendahl | Augsburg |
| DE | Mike Kassnove | Emory & Henry |
| LB | Dustin Kiser | Hardin-Simmons |
| OL | Curt Kopacek | Central (IA) |
| LB | Clint Kriewaldt | Wisconsin-Stevens Point |
| OL | Dan Lauta | Buffalo State |
| DB | Brian Lee | North Central |
| RB | Jamie Lee | MacMurray |
| RB | Guy Leman | Simpson |
| QB | Jason Marraccini | Lycoming |
| OL | Mat Mathias | Western Maryland |
| WR | Jon May | Wisconsin-Oshkosh |
| DB | Sedrick Medlock | Howard Payne |
| OL | Chris Meskan | Augustana (IL) |
| OL | Brian Miller | Catholic |
| DE | Bill Nourse | Widener |
| PK | Mike Padgett | Bridgewater (VA) |
| DB | Andrew Paulson | Central (IA) |
| DB | Ken Pope | Wittenberg |
| DB | Nate Riles | Ohio Northern |
| DE | Kevin Saxton | Bowdoin |
| DT | Jason Shoff | Dickinson |
| DT | Brent Staples | Gustavus Adolphus |
| RB | Mike Tanner | Springfield |
| LB | Chris Wells | Thomas More |
| WR | Richard Wemer | Grinnell |
| RB | Matt Wichlinski | Susquehanna |