By JEFF BROWN
Of the Tribune Staff

It wasn't a tire on the UW-River Falls team bus, not that the Falcons probably would have

minded. It happened on the field, where UW-La Crosse bounced back with a vengeance.

The Eagles, coming off their first loss in two years, shocked UW-River Falls 44-0 in the first

round of the 16-team NCAA Division III playoffs before a hearty crowd of 1,075. A crowd that

came back after halftime despite a 35-0 UW-L lead.

It wasn't shocking that the defending national champions won, but how they won. UW-L

dominated River Falls in every facet of the game.

``You never like to lose, but maybe it (a 17-3 loss to UM-Duluth) a blessing in disguise,'' UW-L

coach Roger Harring said of last week's loss to the Bulldogs in the regular-season finale. ``La

Crosse teams don't seem to get beat two times in a row very often.''

The 1996 Eagle team isn't about to break tradition.

UW-L (10-1) will now play host to St. John's (11-0) in the Division III quarterfinals, a game

tentatively scheduled for noon Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium. A final decision on the

game site will be made Monday, but UW-L certainly wants to retain home field advantage.

``We have home field advantage and don't anticipate giving that up,'' UW-L athletic director

Bridget Belgiovine said. ``It is in our hands. The only way it would be moved is if the field is

unsafe for the student-athletes.''

The field wasn't safe for River Falls Saturday, and not because of the conditions. UW-L swarmed,

then throttled the upstart Falcons with big-plays on offense, and a rock-solid defense.

There were Eagles everywhere, especially in the end zone.

``We decided to pull together and refocus,'' said UW-L receiver Troy Harcey, who finished with

TD catches of 37 and 5 yards. ``River Falls was pretty confident all week. We had a quiet

confidence.''

The Eagles started fast, scoring two touchdowns in the first 5 minutes, 20 seconds. Both were set

up by superb individual efforts, too.

Ric Mathias gave UW-L its first big play when he fielded a Jesse Egner punt at his own 18, and

returned it 42 yards to the Falcons' 40. Four plays later, quarterback Jeff Baker fired a 6-yard

scoring strike to tight end Dave Nagel with 10:02 left in the first quarter.

Thad Dugan's PAT kick made it 7-0 Eagles.

On the Falcons next possession, Ben Kolstad ran for six yards, and appeared to be stopped.

Before the play was whistled dead, the ball popped out and UW-L linebacker Phil Dahlberg was

right there. He picked it up on one bounce, then rambled 54 yards for a TD.

Suddenly, it was 14-0.

``I thought it was dead, too, but I picked it up and tried to stay in bounds,'' said Dahlberg, a

Central High School graduate. ``I had about 10 players around me, so I had to score.''

Not only did UW-L have a two touchdown lead on a very muddy and slippery field, it had every

ounce of momentum.

``That fumble for a touchdown, that was like a big avalanche hit us,'' UW-River Falls quarterback

Pat Simones said. ``A lot of weird things happened, and they all hurt us.''

Like Baker's near-sack which he somehow managed to turn into a 84-yard scoring play.

It happened on a third-and-4 situation at the Eagles' 16-yard line. Baker was flushed out of the

pocket, and was about to be tackled when he found Hall cutting across the middle. UW-River

Falls' linebackers and its strong safety, Brock Threinen, all collapsed on Baker thinking he was

going to run.

When Baker flipped the ball about 10 yards to Hall, there was nothing between him and the goal

line. The speedy Hall raced untouched for the Eagles' third TD of the first quarter.

``Our linebacker lost sight of the quarterback. I don't think it was (blown coverage). I think the

kid reacted to a scramble and Baker made a good play,'' UW-River Falls coach John O'Grady said.

``I don't care what happened the week before. These guys (UW-L), when it comes to playoffs,

this team plays well.''

UW-L was in control, but unlike it had done several times in the regular season, the Eagles would

not become complacent.

UW-L pieced together a seven-play, 58-yard drive with 4:33 remaining in the first half. Again it

was Baker who initiated a big play, scrambling out of the pocket then finding Harcey across the

middle. Harcey appeared to be stopped at about the 20-yard line, but cut back across the field and

outran the Falcons' defense before diving across the goal line.

The 37-yard scoring play put the Eagles on top 28-0.

``When guys rally around you like this team has all year long, you want to make the plays,'' said

Baker, who completed 10 of 19 passes for 218 yards and four TD passes.

``It was time for me to start making plays like I know I can. Being indifferent toward Craig

(Kusick), we are doing the things now that I like more. Before, maybe, the plays were more

designed for what Craig did best.''

UW-L wasn't through. After a 35-yard punt return by John Barrett put the ball at the Falcons' 16

yard line with 17 seconds left in the first half, Baker hit Harcey twice, the second pass covering

five yards for a TD, and a 35-0 cushion.

``No one in the league has been able to beat them,'' said O'Grady, who has watched UW-L end his

team's season in the playoffs the last two years.

``They are the dominant team. This is the best Division III conference in the country, and La

Crosse is dominating it.''

Other UW-La Crosse Pages

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