Dec. 7, 2006
OLATHE, Kan. - The 51st-Annual NAIA Football National Championship kicks off Dec. 16, 2006, in Hardin County, Tenn., as the University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) takes on the University of Saint Francis (Ind.) with kickoff slated for Noon (CT).
Saint Francis (13-0) makes its third-consecutive trip to Tennessee, this time looking to secure a national title. Sioux Falls (13-0), under the direction of Head Coach Kalen DeBoer, defeated Missouri Valley and took a step closer to the NAIA national championship in the Semifinal win. The Sioux Falls Cougars are looking for thier second national championship title after being crowned champions in 1996.
Prior to knocking off Missouri Valley 25-18, Sioux Falls beat Morningside (Iowa) 37-7 in the Quarterfinal Round of the NAIA Championship Series, and in the First Round, the Cougars blitzed Jamestown (N.D.) 48-10.
Saint Francis arrived in the Championship Game by starting the series with a First-Round win over Walsh (Ohio), 42-3. Saint Francis then knocked off Bethel (Tenn.) 42-35 in a Quarterfinal barn-burner before completing the road to Hardin County with a 49-20 win over Saint Xavier (Ill.) in the NAIA Championship Series Semifinals.
Statistically, Sioux Falls has suffocated opponents at the goal line, holding the opposition to 6.4 points per game while scoring 39.8 and out-gaining opponents 5,888 to 2,287 on the season.
Sioux Falls has earned its offense through the air, passing for 3,600 yards and rushing for 2,288. Sioux Falls is averaging 452.9 yards of total offense per game, and the Cougar defense has held opponents to 175.9. Defensively, Sioux Falls has held the opposition to 11 touchdowns and three field goals, keeping opposing offenses to only three yards per play in 13 games.
Sioux Falls' leading tackler is Adam Paulson, who tops the team with 56.5 tackles including 44 solo stops and 15.5 tackles for loss that totaled 61 yards. Jason Glasco paces the Sioux Falls secondary with six interceptions which he returned for 51 yards. Additionally, Josh Veurink came up with 10 pass break-ups in 13 games played.
Sioux Falls quarterback Chad Cavendar has passed for 3,519 yards and 37 touchdowns, and the Cougars are led on the ground by Mike Dvoracek's 1,335 yards and 17 rushing scores. Dusty Hovorka has caught 73 passes for 1,256 yards on the season, including 18 grabs that went for touchdowns.
Saint Francis will answer in its third-straight title appearance with the No. 1 ranked scoring offense in the NAIA, as Saint Francis averages 41.1 points per game to go with 6,126 yards of total gain.
Quarterback Eric Hooks completed 185 passes on the season for 2,635 yards and 26 touchdowns, boasting a 2.6-1 touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio. Carter Daniel leads the team on the ground with 886 yards on 93 carries, including nine touchdowns and 68.2 yards per game.
Doug Wasylk's 11 scores on the ground lead the team in the rushing touchdown department, and Bo Thompson's 44 catches for 852 yards and eight touchdowns lead the way through the air for Saint Francis.
Defensively, Brian Kurtz is the team's top tackler with 125 tackles, 63 of which have come as solo tackles. Kurtz also has 10 tackles for loss to total 41 yards, and Vincent Prince has led the team's sack party with 8.5 quarterback sacks on the year.
In the defensive backfield, Saint Francis is led by Bret Winegardner's five interceptions and 10 pass break ups.
For further updates on next weekend's championship contest, log on to www.naia.org. Included on the NAIA's Official Web site will be daily previews of the game, game notes and releases from each school, as well as a full national release that will be made available in PDF form on the NAIA's Official football page.
