Jones leads Wisconsin-Whitewater to 16-7 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor, berth in DIII final

12/8/2007 5:42 PM

WHITEWATER, Wis. (AP) -Danny Jones ran for one touchdown and passed for another Saturday to lead Wisconsin-Whitewater to a 16-7 victory over Mary Hardin-Baylor and a third straight berth in the Division III national championship game.

Jones scored on a 1-yard sneak to cap a 73-yard drive to open the scoring in the first quarter and added a 25-yard pass to Neil Mrkvicka in the second quarter to finish a 62-yard drive.

The Warhawks (13-1) will play top-ranked Mount Union (14-0) in the 35th annual Stagg Bowl on Dec. 15 in Salem, Va. Mount Union beat Bethel 62-14 in the other semifinal.

``For these kids especially, it's a great accomplishment,'' Wisconsin-Whitewater coach Lance Leipold said. ``It's been something they've talked about since January, about trying to finish things off and get back to this opportunity.''

It will be the third straight year the championship game matches the top two teams in Division III.

Quarterback Josh Welch scored on a 1-yard run for Mary Hardin-Baylor (12-2) late in the first quarter. Joel Munoz's extra point gave the Crusaders their only lead at 7-6.

Jeff Schebler, whose kick after Jones' first score was blocked, completed the scoring with a 39-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

With temperatures in the teens, Welch completed 7 of 17 passes for 164 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Jones was 9-of-22 for 126 yards and one score. He also rushed 16 times for 87 yards.

The Crusaders' Quincy Daniels gained 96 yards on 22 carries.

``I told the guys at halftime, the big question I had coming in was, was the weather going to have an adverse affect on us and it wasn't,'' Mary Hardin-Baylor coach Pete Fredenburg said. ``We had a great opportunity to win the ballgame and we didn't.''