There’s nothing I love more about this job than calling play-by-play of a Division III football game. I grew up loving sports on the radio, and living in Ypsilanti, Mich., as an impressionable youngster, I got to listen to Detroit Tigers legend Ernie Harwell call baseball games on WJR.
If I’m not broadcasting, I like being on the sidelines taking pictures, as it gets me right up close to the action. Not taking pictures? In the press box watching the game. But when I’m doing that, I’m distracted by the other 100 games going on the same day.
This week, none of that — I’m at home. I’ve seen five games through the first three weeks of the season and this is how I keep the peace with my family. It’s time to sit back and watch things unfold from the D3sports.com newsdesk here in Minneapolis. So I’ll have multiple live stats windows open, as many video streams as our crappy Comcast bandwidth will allow, and will follow live audio, Twitter and any other updates that are available.
In short, I’m like you are, today, if your team is on the road and you’re not there. Expect lots of updates. Ryan Tipps is at Gettysburg-Muhlenberg and we have photographers out in the field as well.
By the way, you’d hear a little of Ernie Harwell in every football or basketball broadcast I do. When you hear me rattle through that copyright/disclaimer at the end of the game, that’s verbatim what I heard him say at the end of every broadcast from about 1979 to 1983. Harwell is 91 now, recently revealed he has cancer and is on a bit of a farewell tour. Bless him.
It’s over in Selinsgrove 20-10 Susquehanna becomes the first LL team not named Union or RPI to knock off Hobart in a LL game. Hobart is 1-2 like 2007 but unfortunately has only 6 games on the schedule (why we didn’t take Alfred’s offer on their open date) which means their streak of 5 consecutive NCAA appearances is likely done.
Labart: No consistent offense, turnovers, dropped passes and we gave up alot of rushing yards. I was very impressed with Susq offensive line. Rebuilding year?
Looking that way. Tune in to “In the HuddLLe” tomorrow at 7:30 PM ET as both WEOS Ted Baker and Hobart LT Angelo Catalano will be on to discuss.
Monmouth shakes off the poor start and drubs Carroll 41-3. 540 to 170 in total yards. We have to clean it up before the St Norbert game: 12 penalties for 117 yards (4 personal fouls), fumbled punt at our own 10, and Tanney’s first INT of the year. Still managed an impressive win but it won’t be that easy in 2 weeks. Scots have outscored their last 3 opponents 155-6.
Other scores in the LL –
SLU (2-2, 1-0) regains the Hoffman Cup with an impressive 41-22 win over the MMA (2-2, 0-1)
RPI (3-0, 1-0) wins the Transit Cup in a shoot-out 42-33 over WPI (3-1, 0-1)
Union up 7-0 to start the 2nd qtr but has the ball on the UofR 3 yard line.
Austin has a 20-6 lead at Centre with 11:42 left in the first half.
Texas Lutheran is up 14-0 at ETBU, midway through the first quarter.
In a driving rain, Hampden-Sydney leads Guilford at the half, 10-6.
Austin 20, Centre 13 at half as the Colonels’ defense has started playing much better. Four turnovers by Centre (to just one by Austin) are the story there so far.
Texas Lutheran 21, East Texas Baptist 0, ten minutes to play in the first half.
Union comes back to defeat UofR after a big 4th down stop on their own 15. The Dutchmen drive down the field in 53 seconds and score the go ahead TD and 2 pt conversion with seconds remaining. Another close finish for Union, another heart-breaking loss for the Jackets.
28-21 is the final in Rochester.
Wheaton over Hope 20-7 at the half. Relatively close game over all thus far.
Centre gets an interception to stop Austin’s initial drive of the second half, then ties it up with a ten play, 73-yard drive. 20-all, 5:33 left in third.
North Central up huge at half over Olivet: 49-3
Centre holds Austin to a three-and-out and score rather easily on the next drive, now lead 27-20 w/2:54 left in the third.
Austin ties it at 27 with a 30-yd Braly TD pass on fourth-and-three. 13:46 to play.
After a return past midfield, it only takes Centre four plays to score, this time it’s Jonathan Pinque taking it in from 15 yards out and the Colonels lead Austin 34-27, 11:56 to play.
Since mid-2nd quarter, Hope has been dominating the game. Now has more yards than Wheaton in the game. Hope has had the ball for nearly the entire 3rd quarter. Inside the Wheaton 20 yard line…
Wheaton is down to 3rd string nose guard and Hope is gouging the Wheaton defense with the run.
Hope TD after a 85 yard drive virtually all on the ground. Wheaton 20-14.
Make that 20-13 on a missed extra point.
North Central up big on Olivet: 69-18
Mississippi College scores with 27 seconds left to beat Hardin-Simmons 39-34. Ends an 11-game losing streak to the Cowboys.
Wheaton up 26-13 after a blocked punt and 2 pass completions. 12 minutes remaining in the game.
Hope had over 100 yards rushing in the 3rd quarter. Yikes!
Hope returns the ensuing kick 62 yards, knocking on the door.
TD Hope. Hope botches the extra point, but Wheaton was offsides. Hope good on the extra attempt.
Wheaton 26, Hope 20 with 8 minutes left in the game.
What a pass by Norris! Pocket collapsing, 41 yards on the money for a TD. Wheaton up 32-20 with 5 minutes left in the game.
Wheaton has missing 3 extra points in the game, probably 5-6 this year. That will cost them dearly at some point.
Wheaton holds Hope on downs near mid-field – risky call by Hope.
Wheaton dominates the 4th quarter… 32-20 Wheaton with under 2 minutes remaining.
Final in Wheaton: 32-20 Wheaton. Hope is a much improved team and Wheaton has some issues to address.