November 5, 2008

Week 10 Game Notes

RIPON, Wis. - When Ripon visits Lawrence in Saturday's 2008 season finale, the two schools that are just 45 miles apart will continue the oldest college football rivalry in the state of Wisconsin. This year's game will mark the 109th time they've faced each other on the gridiron, with their first game being played in 1893.

"It's a great rivalry that is a lot of fun. It is always played with a tremendous amount of emotion and a lot of pride. It is always a great game that is filled with so much history and tradition," said Head Coach Ron Ernst.

Ripon has earned bragging rights in the series in recent years, having won 12 of the last 13 meetings against the Vikings, including eight straight. Also on the line will be the Doehling-Heselton trophy, which has gone to the winner of this game since 1988. Ripon (7-2, 7-1 MWC) will try to extend their lead in the all-time series, which currently stands at 54-46-7.

"We've been fortunate with our recent success against Lawrence," Ernst said. "We hope to extend that streak, but Lawrence will present a very strong challenge for us."

The Vikings (0-8, 0-8 MWC) are still searching for their first win, despite keeping many of their games close until the final quarter. They rank last in the MWC in several categories, including scoring (13.6 ppg), total defense (401.2 ypg), pass defense (229.5 ypg), turnover margin (-14) and third-down conversions (24.2 percent). They do however rank third in the MWC with 209.4 passing yards per game and sixth in total yards, with 306.9 per game, proving that there are some things that they do very well.

"Even though they haven't won a game, they've been in every single ball game," Ernst said. "They certainly have the weapons and the talent to be a very dangerous team if they can just put together four good quarters of football."

One of those weapons is receiver Derek Micke, who is not only seventh in the MWC in receptions with 36 catches, but also is in the top 10 in the conference in kick and punt returns. The senior is averaging 18.1 yards on kick returns and 14.0 yards while returning punts for a Lawrence team that leads the league with a 12.8 average on punt returns.

Nick Maxam and Craig Ebert are two other players that will lead the Lawrence offensive attack. Maxam ranks fourth in the MWC in passing yards (186.5/game), while also tossing 11 touchdowns. Running back Craig Ebert has been impressive as well, rushing for 660 yards, which is second-best in the MWC. Ebert also ranks third on the team with 27 receptions for 249 and three touchdowns.

"Lawrence has some good players. Maxam is a very athletic quarterback and Micke is one of the best receivers in the conference," Ernst said. "They certainly have some weapons on the offensive side of the ball that concern me, and we have to be ready for them."

The Ripon defense has done a great job all season of getting ready for their opponents. The Red Hawk 'D' has dominated teams at times, allowing a league-low 12.4 points per game. They have one shutout on the year and have had two games where they have not allowed a touchdown. Over the last two games, the Red Hawks have allowed just 14 points, but perhaps the most astonishing stat is that they have not allowed a single point in the third quarter all season.

"That's something that we take a lot of pride in and it means that our coaching staff is making good halftime adjustments," Ernst said. "To not have a team score in the third quarter through nine games is really unheard of for a football team. We're playing very well coming out of halftime and hopefully we can keep that streak going."

With a win on Saturday, the Red Hawks would have eight this year, which would be their most in a season since going 8-2 and grabbing a share of the conference title in 2001. They have won seven games in each of the past two seasons.

"It would be an improvement over last year, but it's kind of bittersweet because we're only four points away from a perfect season," Ernst said. "Eight wins would be a great season for us and would give us three consecutive wins to end the season, which would send our seniors out on a high note."

The 16 seniors on Ripon's team have all played an integral role in making the Red Hawks what they are today. Many of them will leave Ripon College having etched their name in the school's record book. Defensive Backs Joshua Kraemer and Chris Kellett each have five interceptions this season, placing them both in the top ten on Ripon's career list. Senior Fullback Scott Perkins is also in the school's top ten for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. They will be missed, along with the other 13 players in the senior class.

"This has been a great group of seniors. They are something special because they have tremendous talent not only on the field, but also in the classroom," Ernst said. "This is a group of kids that has been fun to be around and I enjoyed coaching them each day and challenging them every week."