Who’ll play Mount Union?

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It’s hard to avoid noticing the trend. At the beginning of Mount Union’s run, the Purple Raiders were playing Defiance for their non-conference game (the Ohio Athletic Conference has 10 teams, meaning only one opponent must be found each year). Then it was Albion, followed by Allegheny. All regional foes, all within a reasonable distance and with the last two, some reason to expect a competitive result, at least at the time the game was scheduled.

But two years of Allegheny were followed by two years of UW-Whitewater, then Wash U, not an easy trip for either squad. The outcome was hardly in doubt last year and won’t be this year. Next on the list, Averett, a nearly 500-mile trip past Salem to the North Carolina/Virginia border. Mount Union has to go further and further afield to find an opponent. In an era of automatic playoff bids for winning your conference and Pool C bids expanding from three to seven, there’s less and less reason to duck a strong non-conference opponent.

Kudos to Averett for taking the challenge. And shame on anyone closer to Alliance who shared the same open date.

Concordia-Selma does exist

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Millsaps couldn’t provide any documentation to verify its claim that Concordia-Selma (or as they list it, Concordia (AL)) had a varsity football program. Well, according to this article from the Selma Times-Journal which a reader sent, they don’t currently, but plan to in 2005. They claim to have ended spring practice with 64 players.

Good thing it’s a home game for Millsaps — with the way Concordia-Selma gets scores out from its other sports, I doubt Millsaps would get accurate stats from this game.

Recruiting recap: All sorts of sports

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Cobber

‘Tis the season that we read about Division III football players enjoying athletic success in other sports. Like IWU’s punter-pitcher Drew Himes and place kicker-outfielder Mike Berry whose Titans are competing in the NCAA Division III Baseball tournament this weekend.

So this week’s Recruiting Recap goes out to those incoming freshmen who’ve excelled athletically on and off the football field.

Concordia-Moorhead will receive a three-sport star when Moorhead High School senior Cory Johnson enrolls at the school. Along with playing high school football for the MHS Spuds, Johnson was all-state in track and a junior hockey league prospect.

After not being selected in the recent United States Hockey League draft, Johnson decided he’ll trade in his Spuds duds for Cobbers’ maroon and gold.

“I get to play for a great program and get a great education. That made the decision a lot easier,” Johnson told The (Fargo, ND) Forum
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On a side note, Johnson’s high school mascot was a Spud? His college mascot will be an angry ear of corn? I’m bursting with bad, side order-related puns right now. We need to move on.

Another multi-sport star will suit up for the Washington & Jefferson Presidents this fall. Southwestern (NY) HS senior Matt Mazgaj, who was recently honored for his wrestling prowess, will travel south to join the defending PAC champions. According to the Buffalo News, Mazgaj was a two-time state wrestling champion in the 215-lbs weight class.

Dinwiddie (VA) HS product Khalee Prothro will attend Widener University after completing a three-sport career in high school. Prothro, who also played basketball and ran track at Dinwiddie, saw action on offense and special teams on the football field.

“I like football the most,” Prothro told The (Petersburg, VA) Progress-Index. “It gives me a chance to let out some steam.”

Meanwhile a couple programs who are never short on good recruits were named as high school players’ college of choice.

Dan Georgatos of Foothill (CA) HS will enroll at Mount Union.

Redwood Valley (MN) HS quarterback-wide receiver tandem Luke Radel and Bryan Busack enjoyed playing together so much, they hope to do it again at St. John’s University. The Redwood (MN) Gazette points out that Radel’s brother Jeff also played college ball in Collegeville.

Other recruits who’ve found a home include:

– Shorecrest (FL) HS graduate Bill Wood at Amherst.

– Cave Spring (VA) HS teammates Wade Hammes and Chaffin Scott at Bridgewater (VA).

– Johnsburg (IL) HS senior Nick Biederer at Concordia (Wis).

– Mahnomen (MN) HS graduate Levi DeVries at Concordia-Moorhead.

– Jimmy King of Hidden Valley (VA) HS at Ferrum.

– Rosewood (NC) HS quarterback Danny Langston at Guilford.

– Milton Strother of Daphne (Al) HS at Huntingdon.

– Anthony Catucci of Spalding (MD) HS at McDaniel.

– Dustin Stephens of Prairie Central (IL) HS at Millikin.

– Mount Vernon (OH) HS seniors Bobby Peck and Ty Callkins at Ohio Northern.

– Severna Park (MD) teammates Chris Anthony and Tim Hackmann at Salisbury.

Impress your friends and neighbors with your knowledge of recruits’ destinations by checking out a longer list here.

And please remember that any comments posted below with recruiting news must be accompanied by the related newspaper story’s URL. No ifs, ands or Spuds about it.