HANSON FIELD - Western Illinois University Athletics

20
NCAA DIVISION I
PLAYOFF HISTORY
1998 First Round
#4 W. Illinois 52, #13 Montana 9
Nov. 28 • Macomb, Ill.
#13 Montana 3 0 0 6 - 9
#4 W. Illinois 7 31 14 0 - 52
Mark Zanders tossed three touchdown passes to
three different receivers, all in an explosive 31-point
second quarter. He hit Brock Smith and Shadrick
Washington for the first TD receptions of their
careers and connected with Kevin Walsh just 13
seconds before the half.
Zanders threw for a career-high 321 yards and had
two receivers with over 100 yards. Washington
recorded 118 receiving yards and Walsh tallied
113.
1998 Quarterfinals
#4 W. Illinois 24, #5 Florida A&M 21
Dec. 5 • Macomb, Ill.
#5 Florida A&M 3 3 8 7 - 21
#4 W. Illinois 0 0 7 17 - 24
Western used 17 fourth-quarter points to advance to
the semifinals of the I-AA playoffs for the first time.
Erik Rogers scored all three touchdowns, setting a
Leatherneck playoff record.
The Rattlers became the first I-AA team to score
more than one touchdown against the Leathernecks
all season, accomplishing that in the game’s final
minute.
1998 Semifinals
#1 Georgia Southern 42, #4 W. Illinois 14
Dec. 12 • Statesboro, Ga.
#4 W. Illinois 0 8 0 6 - 14
#1 Ga. Southern 14 7 14 7 - 42
The Leathernecks’ dreams of advancing to the I-AA
championship game were ended by the nation’s
top-ranked team.
Georgia Southern’s Greg Hill and Corey Joyner
combined for three touchdown passes, including
a 51-yarder on the opening drive. Hill threw four
touchdown passes and ran for a fifth.
Both of Western’s touchdowns came in the air, as
Mark Zanders connected with Erik Rogers for a 20-
yarder in the second quarter, and with Aaron Stecker
on an 83-yard score in the fourth. Stecker’s 255
all-purpose yards set a Leatherneck single-game
playoff record, and the 83-yard reception was the
second-longest in Western’s playoff history.
During the 2003 NCAA Playoffs Justin Langan
(far right) set a WIU record with five field goals in
a win at Montana. The Second Round game at
Colgate was played in near-blizzard conditions as
10 inches of snow fell on an already snow-packed
field at Colgate.
2000 First Round
#10 Lehigh 37, #7 W. Illinois 7
Nov. 25 • Macomb, Ill.
#10 Lehigh 14 16 0 7 - 37
#7 W. Illinois 0 7 0 0 - 7
Lehigh exploded for 14 points in the first quarter
and 16 in the second to upset No. 7 Western
Illinois. The Mountain Hawks scored touchdowns
on their first three possessions before the
Leathernecks scored on a 12-yard pass from
Sam Clemons to J.R. Niklos. Western then
recovered an onside kick, but Lehigh blocked
a Leatherneck field goal attempt. Lehigh added
a field goal with eight seconds remaining in the
first half, and gained even more momentum when
James Young intercepted a Clemons pass on
the final play of the half, returning it 36 yards for
a touchdown. The second half was played in a
steady rain, as the teams combined for seven
turnovers, including six interceptions. The two
squads traded interceptions on four consecutive
drives.
2002 First Round
#2 W. Illinois 48, #6 E. Illinois 9
Nov. 30 • Macomb, Ill.
#6 E. Illinois 0 2 7 0 - 9
#2 W. Illinois 21 6 7 14 - 48
After being ranked 40th in the national preseason
polls and predicted to finish fourth in the Gateway,
Western won the league’s automatic bid and earned
homefield advantage throughout the playoffs with a
No. 2 seed. With postseason brackets determined
by a new regional format, Western Illinois and
Eastern Illinois squared off for the first time since
1997. The Leathernecks reached the end zone on
three of their four first-quarter drives and took a
27-2 lead at halftime, whlie the defense limited the
Panthers and quarterback Tony Romo to just one
touchdown.
2002 Quarterfinals
#15 W. Kentucky 31 - #2 W. Illinois 28
Dec. 7 • Macomb, Ill.
#15 W. Kentucky 0 7 7 17 - 31
#2 W. Illinois 0 14 7 7 - 28
The second round of the playoffs saw the Gateway’s
co-champions face off in a battle that wasn’t decided
until the final play from scrimmage. The two squads
traded seven-point leads until late in the fourth
quarter. The Leathernecks took a 21-14 lead into
the fourth, but the Hilltoppers tied the game in the
first minute of the final quarter, and took a 28-21 lead
with 7:11 remaining on a controversial fumble that
was returned 48 yards for a touchdown. Western
Illinois tied the game again at 5:22 but left too much
time as Western Kentucky hit a 25-yard field goal
with :40 left.
Russ Michna completed a Hail Mary at the buzzer
to Lawrence Matthews who was tripped up two
yards shy of the end zone, but the Hilltoppers were
called for pass interference. With no time left on the
clock, punter Mike Scifres attempted a 61-yard field
goal that fell just a yard shy of sending the game
into overtime.
2003 First Round
#10 W. Illinois 43 - #11 Montana 40 (2OT)
Nov. 29 • Missoula, Mont.
#10 W. Illinois 3 13 7 10 7 3 - 43
#11 Montana 7 13 7 6 7 0 - 40
Justin Langan tied a I-AA record and set a Western
Illinois record with five field goals, four in regulation,
as the Leathernecks recorded their first-ever playoff
win on the road. In front of a hostile crowd of 16,222,
Langan’s 25-yard field goal tied the game with
1:03 left in regulation. His 25-yarder on the first
possession of the second overtime proved to be
the game-winner in a back-and-forth battle which
saw six lead changes and four ties. Fu’ad Khaleel
blocked Montana’s 33-yard field goal attempt to
seal the Leathernecks’ first-round win and hand the
Grizzlies just their third loss in 20 postseason home
games. In Washington-Grizzly Stadium’s 17-year
history, Montana had lost just 15 home games.
2003 Quarterfinals
#6 Colgate 28 - #9 W. Illinois 27
Dec. 6 • Hamilton, N.Y.
#9 W. Illinois 3 7 3 14 - 27
#6 Colgate 7 7 0 14 - 28
Colgate scored on a one-yard run with 1:50 left
in the game to end Western’s season in the
quarterfinal round for a second straight year. Russ
Michna completed 20 of 38 passes for 290 yards
and one touchdown in a heavy snow storm that
dropped 10” of new snow between kickoff and the
final buzzer. Western took a 27-21 lead with 7:04
to play, but gave up a long punt return on their
next drive which allowed for the one-yard run. The
Leathernecks’ final drive ended on an interception
with just under a minute remaining.
56
WESTERN ILLINOIS FIGHTING LEATHERNECKS