The 2008 NAIA Champions: University of Sioux Falls Cougars

Defending champions Carroll College fell to the University of Sioux Falls Cougars, 23-7 in a rain-soaked rematch of last year's title game. The difference: The Fighting Saints won that contest.

University of Sioux Falls Quarterback Lorenzo Brown hurdles a teammate as he carries the ball. Brown's effort for the day included 129 rushing yards and 69 passing yards, earning him Offensive Player of the Game honors. Photo by Alan Storey.
>More photos from The Ridge 95.7 FM and David  W. Hall> Photos

>Click for more, courtesy of NAIA: NAIA game story

Game Statistics | Click Here

Game Notes & Trends | Click Here

Game Quotes | Click Here
Championship Information | Click Here

How the local papers covered the story:

-Click each front page for links to the papers.

-USF: The release from Sioux Falls> Game story

-Great Falls: Saints, Griz fans loved the trip anyway> Montana

>The 2009 NAIA National Championship Game returns to Rome on Dec. 19, 2009.

Community gets rave reviews for NAIA game, hospitality

>Here, in part, is what reviewer Jason Dannelly said on Victory Sports Network: "Rome, Ga. left the same type of impression with me. The people, the volunteers and the City were absolutely the best this year. Please note that this takes nothing away from what Savannah, Tenn., did for the last 12 seasons, Rome just knocked the ball out of the park this season. ...

-"Rome also showed they had the ability to entertain the thousands that came into town last week for the event. Downtown Rome is one of the most unique looking downtowns that I have seen in my travels to small colleges across the country. The stores were lit with lights for the Christmas season and there were plenty of places in the downtown to keep you busy. Whether it was the shopping, the food or the "spirits" Rome's downtown proved to be just what NAIA fans needed this week prior to the game." For more, click Review

Banquet embraces the impact of the NAIA championship to Rome

By Tricia Steele

 The NAIA Banquet of Champions was a feast of praise. The 600-seat dinner at The Forum brought players, staff, family and supporters of the Carroll College Fighting Saints and the University of Sioux Falls Cougars together with community leaders, volunteers and sponsors on the eve of the championship game.

From every speaker came glowing words of thanks and encouraging words for players and team staff.

Bob Berry, co-chair of the NAIA Host Committee, opened the event with the mission of the committee to “create a great championship experience for players and coaches” and acknowledged that many of those present “were the people who have sponsored the event and made it happen down to the very last detail.”

Dr. Harold Newman, Shorter College president, welcomed the competing teams to the 53rd annual championship game and lauded the NAIA for their advancement of “character and competition” amongst college athletes.

After a message from state Rep. Katie Dempsey on behalf of Gov. Sonny Perdue, Mayor Wright Bagby presented keys to the city to college presidents, Dr. Thomas Trebon and Mark Benedetto; athletic directors Bruce Parker and William Sanchez; and head coaches Mike Van Diest and Kalen DeBoer of Carroll College and University of Sioux Falls respectively.

“Mark, here we are again.”

This “rematch at the rivers” features two undefeated teams and the same two teams who competed for the national championship last year. In fact, it was noted that at least one of these teams has competed for the national championships 11 times out of the past 15 years. 

“Mark, here we are again,” Trebon said during introducing remarks by both presidents and athletic staff. From the top down, every speaker had words of praise for the players of the opposing team and spoke seriously of the emphasis on service, hard work, brotherhood and character development that each team has displayed.

Each level of college staff exchanged gifts representing the home states of Montana and South Dakota. 

Van Diest, Carroll's head coach, predicts a “knock-down, drag-out kind of game, “ and USF head coach DeBoer said no amount of wet weather would keep them from playing their hearts out. “It was negative 20 today in South Dakota and 70 degrees here. I say bring on the rain!”

The epitome of southern hospitality

One common thread in all remarks was the notice taken by players, staff and supporters of the overwhelming sense of hospitality shown by the game volunteers and people of the city.

“This is a first-class production being put on,” DeBoer said, “and I realized how seriously you have taken this game when I stepped on the field earlier today and thought I was going to be arrested.”

After plenty of laughs, he continued reiterating the thanks given by each proceeding speaker to the Shorter College, Rome and Floyd County, the Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Hospitality Association and sponsors for the tremendous hospitality and high level organization.

Nick Benedetto, a USF Cougars defensive line backer (and unrelated to college president), spoke off-hand before the banquet of “how great the people have been” since first arriving.  His fondest moment was of reading to elementary school students earlier in the day and hoping that he encouraged someone to go to college and work to attain goals. 

Carroll cheerleaders were excited to talk about their time in Rome, saying that last year they had to stay three hours away from the game site. Mostly, they said, they’ve just “hung out in the hotel” but they also enjoyed “some downtown shopping.”

Athletic director Bruce Parker was thankful to have gotten in a round of golf earlier in the day, and Trebon said he thinks they’ve “visited all the seven hills and now know the namesake of the town.”

2008 Player of the Year

Carroll senior linebacker Owen Koeppen was honored as the 2008 Rawlings-NAIA Football Player of the Year. “This was a complete surprise,” Koeppen said after the ceremony, “I’ve always just tried to lead by example and I have great teammates who help me do my best.” See Koeppen’s stats in the official NAIA release and listen live to a televised interview with the humble, soft-spoken player: http://naia.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121908aae.html

Thoughts from Rome leaders

Rachel Rogers, Shorter’s Director of Athletic Development and logistical goddess at the evening’s banquet, said that Shorter is “really proud” to have executed an event which she felt “was a step above that the NAIA may be used to.” 

Ann Arnold, Downtown Development Authority director, has gotten great feedback from downtown businesses. “Paula (Paula's Silver and Gold) was so busy she hadn’t taken a break all day and Opi’s, Jeffersons, the cigar shop [Old Havana] were all packed last night. The guests are definitely staying downtown and we love that, of course,” she said with a wink.

John Bennett, Rome City Manager, also has received a large amount of positive feedback. Thinking of the future, he said he “hopes we can keep up the momentum.”

Even if we “don’t make any money the first year,” the talk about Rome and “the way the community has rallied around the event is worth it.” He further indicated that events like this are one reason he and other municipal and county leaders have asked the state to let counties collect their own sales tax. “We won’t have any way of knowing what revenue came from this event alone with the current collection structure,” he said.  It will be February before December sales tax totals are final.

For more information:
Photo galleries of this week’s activities and preparation: http://www.naianationalchampionship.com/photo_galleries08.htm

Former UGA Coach Ray Goff fires up Saints, Cougars at luncheon

Media release

The Fighting Saints of Carroll College (Mont.) and the Cougars of the University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) shared lunch today at the Shorter College Hilltop Café, where they heard remarks by former University of Georgia Head Coach Ray Goff.

Goff joked that he typically avoided gatherings of this size since he was fired at the last such gathering he attended. Switching to a more serious note, he encouraged the players to concentrate on three things: attitude, responsibility and communication. He stressed that these traits will serve the players well both in tomorrow's NAIA Football National Championship game and throughout their lives.

The luncheon was the latest of the pre-game activities planned by the local host committee for the 2008 Russell Athletic-NAIA Football National Championship. Friday began with the Chick-fil-A/Fellowship of Christian Athletes Breakfast of Champions, where former Air Force Head Coach Fisher DeBerry encouraged the teams "to have character, not be characters." On Friday evening, Carroll College players were treated to a steak dinner at First Baptist Church as their official "welcome to Rome," while the University of Sioux Falls teams enjoyed the same type festivities at First Presbyterian Church. To view pictures of the pre-game events, visit www.NAIANationalChampionship.com.

"Everything that we are hearing is that the teams and fans are having a wonderful time," said Rome attorney Bob Berry, who serves as co-chair of the Host Committee. "Our goal all along has been to create a bowl-like atmosphere for these players and to make this a true celebration of their achievement. We simply cannot say enough good things about all of the people in the Rome community who have helped make that goal into reality."

Pre-game festivities wrap up at tonight's NAIA Banquet of Champions, which will begin at 7 p.m. at the Forum. Tickets for this event are $25 for an individual or $200 for a table (seats 8). For questions, call the Shorter College Box Office at 706-233-7288.

The 2008 Russell Athletic-NAIA Football National Championship game will begin at noon on Saturday (Dec. 20) at Rome's Barron Stadium. The game is a rematch of the 2007 NAIA championship in which Carroll College claimed a 17-9 victory. Carroll has won five national championships since 2002; Sioux Falls claimed the NAIA title in 2006.

Saturday's game is hosted by Shorter College, the City of Rome, and Floyd County. Tickets may be purchased at the gate. Reserved seats are $25 each; general admission tickets are $20 each.