Harring gets lesson in where not to play

November 21, 1996

Dan Manoyan State Beat

As of today, UW-La Crosse's 1997 football schedule includes seven Wisconsin State University Conference games, two non-conference games and one open date.

"Do you know where we can find a game?" asked Roger Harring, the Eagles' venerable coach.

It may be a while before Harring finds an opponent brave enough to challenge the defending NCAA Division III champion. But he does know where the game won't be played.

The Eagles won't be returning to Minneapolis for the annual Northern Sun Conference's football jamboree at the Metrodome, which is played the week before the opening of the Division III playoffs.

Harring learned that lesson the hard way Sunday. If there is any consolation for the Eagles, who head into the first round of the playoffs at noon Saturday at home against conference rival UW-River Falls, it is that things could have been worse.

Yes, La Crosse's 23-game winning streak, the NCAA's longest in the nation at any level, was halted by Minnesota-Duluth, but the injury situation isn't as bad as originally thought.

The most worrisome injury to come out of the loss Sunday was quarterback Jeff Baker's shoulder separation, but the injury to his left (non-throwing) shoulder was minor, and he is expected to play against River Falls.

"I don't think we'll be going back there next year," Harring said of the Northern Sun event. "But we definitely want to play 10 games next year, and we've only got nine. We're looking for another opponent.

"I felt pretty bad at the time, but then you always feel bad when you lose. But I rebound pretty quick. Like I tell people, 'There are a billion people in Beijing, China, who don't care whether or not La Crosse wins.' "

River Falls coach John O'Grady, whose team defeated Moorhead State in another Metrodome game Sunday, says that his team probably will return next season.

"Yes, I think we'll go back, but we're not La Crosse," O'Grady said. "This thing is good for us in a lot of ways, where maybe it isn't so good for La Crosse.

"First, we're not in the playoffs every year like they are. Last year and this year were the only times we've been in there.

"If I was La Crosse, I don't think I'd go back there, either. If I was them I'd try to schedule a 10th game early in the season, but I also know that isn't easy."

It's not easy because members of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference simply refuse to play WSUC schools, although both conferences are Division III. Most members of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, also in Division III, won't play against WSUC schools.

"They don't want to play us because it hurts their chances of making the playoffs," O'Grady said. "The Division III hierarchy is dominated by the private schools, and they don't think we belong in Division III. They think we have advantages that they don't have."

Harring and O'Grady both agree that they would rather have drawn either Simpson (Iowa) or St. Johns (Minnesota), both of which are 10-0, as a first-round opponent, rather than play each other again. Simpson and St. Johns are paired in the other first-round West Regional game in Minnesota.

"We both agree that we would have rather gone outside," Harring said. "River Falls is playing very well, but I don't think they are looking forward to playing us again, just like us."

La Crosse beat River Falls, 42-31, when the teams met Oct. 12 in La Crosse, but it was far from easy. The Eagles scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns to turn a 10-point deficit into an 11-point victory.

"If there is one thing we took away from that game, I hope it's that you have to play for 60 minutes," O'Grady said. "I think some of our guys thought that game was over when we had them down in the fourth quarter.

"The thing about La Crosse is they are so big and so strong, that they wear you down. You can't let up against them or they will get you."

WSUC leaders

La Crosse is the WSUC champion, but the Eagles failed to lead the conference in either offense or defense.

UW-Whitewater was the WSUC's top offensive team, averaging 499.4 yards per game, and River Falls led the conference defensively, allowing an average of 270.3 yards per game.

Individual leaders include: total offense -- Sean Hoolihan of Eau Claire, 281.7 yards per game; passing -- Brian Tomalak, Oshkosh, 263.0 yards per game; rushing -- Eddie McKennie, Whitewater, 125.4 yards per game; pass receptions -- Rob Stoltz, Oshkosh, 69.

Other leaders include: punting -- Jerry Faust, La Crosse, 40.7-yard average; punt returns -- Andy Martin, Stevens Point, 16.7-yard average; kickoff returns -- Craig Boen, River Falls, 22.4; pass interceptions -- Ric Mathias, La Crosse, 7; tackles -- Clint Kriewaldt, Stevens Point, 121; scoring -- Chad Hoiska, Eau Claire, 120 points; all-purpose yards -- Hoiska, 165.8 per game.

Hoppe days

Wide receiver R.J. Hoppe has finished his career at Carroll College, but not before claiming almost every significant receiving and scoring record in the Pioneers' book.

Hoppe holds Carroll career records in receiving yards (3,295); receiving touchdowns (49); average yardage per catch (21.7 yards); longest reception (99 yards, twice); career touchdowns (54); career points (336); and career kickoff yards (1,632).

Hoppe also holds two Division III career records: highest percentage of passes caught for touchdowns (32.2%) and highest gain per reception (21.7 yards). He also is the only Division III player to twice have 99-yard pass receptions.

Hoppe, who played his high school ball at Green Bay East, ranks eighth all-time in Division III receiving yards and is tied for ninth in career points.

Short yardage

The UW-Stout-Winona State game certainly wasn't the marquee game of the Northern Sun Classic at the Metrodome, but it may have been the best of the five games that day. Stout prevailed, 50-43, in a wild shootout that featured four lead changes. Winona had 540 total yards to Stout's 448. . . . No one can accuse St. Norbert of dodging anyone. The Green Knights' 1997 non-conference schedule includes UW-Oshkosh for the second consecutive year and Division II Drake. . . . Coe and Cornell, both of Iowa, will leave the Midwest Conference after the 1997 season, which means the remaining 10 teams will play each other in a nine-week round-robin format.

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