Vikings finish 6-4 overall; 5-4 and fifth in the CCIW; land seven on all-conference team; Xavier Holley and Luke Sawicki named to D3football All-Region second team
Behind a large corps of seasoned seniors, Coach
Steve Bell's 2019 Augustana football squad put together the program's best record in nine years, going 6-4. The Vikings went 5-4 to place fifth in the CCIW and landed seven players on the all-conference team. Seniors
Xavier Holley (Bettendorf HS, Davenport, Ill.) and
Luke Sawicki (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, Ill.) were Augustana's first All-Region selections since 2015 and the first Viking duo to earn that honor since 2011. In addition, senior
Daniel Tjaden (Assumption HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) and junior
Alek Jacobs (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) were both CoSIDA Academic All-District selections.
Augustana answered a Coe field goal with 41 unanswered points in a season-opening 41-3 win at Lindberg Stadium on September 7. Senior quarterback
Zachary Fuller (St. Patrick HS, Schiller Park, Ill.) threw for four touchdowns and rushed for another in a 55-13 home win over Elmhurst on September 21. A potential 90-yard game-winning drive came up just short in a 21-17 loss at Illinois Wesleyan on September 28 and the Vikings entered October with a 2-1 record.
The always eventful Millikin contest featured a 2½-hour weather delay—as well as 7½ tackles for loss (tops in any NCAA game this year) and five sacks (third-most in a 2019 NCAA contest) by Holley—as Augustana prevailed 40-14 at home. The Vikings fell 42-14 at eventual national champion North Central and 40-0 at CCIW champion Wheaton (fifth in the final national poll) two weeks later. In between, they pasted North Park 71-0 at Lindberg Stadium, coming within a point of the school single-game scoring record.
After a 35-14 setback at Washington University on November 2, Bell's crew closed out the year with victories over Carroll (34-6) and Carthage (51-36).
Bobby Jarosz (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect, Ill.) accounted for 184 of Augustana's 377 rushing yards in the Senior Day win over the Pioneers and then romped for an another 263 (fifth-most in school history) in the season finale at Carthage. The senior earned consecutive CCIW Offensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts and the Viking offensive line of seniors
Matt McKay (Mount Carmel HS, Chicago, Ill.),
Chaz Williams (Princeton HS, Princeton, Ill.),
Andrew Anderson (Marengo HS, Marengo, Ill.) and
Tommy Simon (Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) and freshman
Daniel Skold (St. Francis HS, Plainfield, Ill.) was named to D3football's Team of the Week after the win over the Red Men. That contest also included a school-record 15 kicking points (three field goals and six extra points) by junior
Owen Ennis (Evanston HS, Evanston, Ill.).
On the season, Jarosz rushed for 1,165 yards (ninth-most in school history) and 10 touchdowns on 215 carries and caught 28 passes for 219 yards and an additional score. He also blocked the third and fourth kicks of his career, tying a school record, and recovered one in the end zone, giving him a dozen total touchdowns on the year.
Fuller completed 145 of 242 passes (59.9%) for 1,890 yards and 18 touchdowns against just four interceptions. His yardage total is fourth-best in a season at Augustana and his touchdown passes are tied for second. Fuller set a school record for career pass attempts (864) and ranks second in completions (496) and yards (5,927) and tied for second in touchdown throws (37). He's also fourth all-time in total offense (5,997) and fifth in completion percentage (57.4).
Seniors
Tom Dolis (Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) and
Ethan Jennings (Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) and junior
Max Uranich (La Salle -Peru HS, La Salle, Ill.) led the receiving corps. Dolis had team highs of 35 catches for 711 yards and eight touchdowns, followed by Jennings (29-333-4) and Uranich (28-322-2). Dolis ranks third in school history in single-season receiving yards and tied for fourth in touchdown grabs. Jennings finished seventh in career receiving yards (1,272) and ninth in career receptions (86).
Although data isn't available for all seasons of Viking football, Holley finished the year with school records for sacks (13½) and tackles for loss (19½). Sawicki led the team with 50 solo, 37 assisted and 87 total tackles and ranked second with 15½ tackles for loss. Despite missing the final two games with an injury, junior safety
John Kappel (Wheeling HS, Wheeling, Ill.) shared the team lead in interceptions (five) with senior corner
Luke Phelan (Joliet Catholic HS, Shorewood, Ill.) and ranked second in assisted (31) and total (64) tackles. Junior corner
David Lane (Civic Memorial HS, Bethalto, Ill.) (43-18—61) and senior linebacker
J.J. Cervino (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) (27-24—51) were next on the Vikings' tackles list and Cervino recorded four takeaways, with three interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Ennis finished the year nine of 10 on field goals and 36 of 37 on extra points.
Joining first team selections Holley and Sawicki on the All-CCIW team were second team picks Dolis, Jarosz, Kappel, McKay and Tjaden.
2019 CCIW STANDINGS
| School |
CCIW |
Overall |
| Wheaton |
9-0 |
12-1 |
| North Central |
8-1 |
14-1 |
| Washington U. |
6-3 |
7-3 |
| Illinois Wesleyan |
6-3 |
6-4 |
| AUGUSTANA |
5-4 |
6-4 |
| Millikin |
4-5 |
5-5 |
| Carthage |
4-5 |
4-6 |
| Carroll |
1-8 |
2-8 |
| Elmhurst |
1-8 |
1-9 |
| North Park |
1-8 |
1-9 |
2019 AUGUSTANA FOOTBALL SUPERLATIVES
INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS
All-CCIW:
Xavier Holley, DL (1st team);
Luke Sawicki, LB (1st team);
Matt McKay, OL (2nd team);
Tom Dolis, WR (2nd team);
Bobby Jarosz, RB (2nd team);
Daniel Tjaden, DL (2nd team);
John Kappel, DB (2nd team)
D3football.com All-North Region:
Xavier Holley (2nd team);
Luke Sawicki (2nd team)
CCIW Player of the Week:
Luke Sawicki (Defense, 9/9/19);
Xavier Holley (Defense, 10/6/19);
Bobby Jarosz (Offense, 11/11/19 & 11/18/19)
D3football Team of the Week:
Matt McKay,
Chaz Williams,
Andrew Anderson,
Tommy Simon and
Daniel Skold, 11/18/19
CoSIDA Academic All-District 7:
Alek Jacobs,
Daniel Tjaden
CCIW Academic All-Conference:
Bryson Adcock,
Andrew Anderson,
Patrick Byrne, John Cervino,
Vincent D'Orazio,
Alek Jacobs,
David Lane,
Matthew McCarthy,
Hunter Menke, Dayne Millard,
Matt Payton,
Logan Pierard, Michael Riley,
Luke Sawicki,
Michael Scarpinato, Joseph Timm,
Daniel Tjaden,
Walker Whalen,
Chaz Williams
SCHOOL RECORDS
Individual
Pass attempts, career: 864,
Zachary Fuller
Kickoff return yards, career: 1193,
Alek Jacobs
Kickoff returns, career: 52,
Alek Jacobs
Pass breakups, career: 30,
Zach Stewart
Blocked kicks, career: 4 (tied),
Bobby Jarosz
Sacks, season: 13½,
Xavier Holley
Yards from sacks, season: 92,
Xavier Holley
Tackles for loss, season: 19½,
Xavier Holley
Yards from TFL, season: 113,
Xavier Holley
Kicking points, game: 15,
Owen Ennis vs. Carthage, 11/16/19
Team
Blocked kicks, season: 5 (tied)
ADDITIONS TO AUGUSTANA'S TOP TEN LISTS
Career
Pass attempts: 864,
Zachary Fuller, 1st
Kickoff return yards: 1193,
Alek Jacobs, 1st
Kickoff returns: 52,
Alek Jacobs, 1st
Pass breakups: 30,
Zach Stewart, 1st
Blocked kicks: 4,
Bobby Jarosz, 1st-T
Pass completions: 496,
Zachary Fuller, 2nd
Passing yards: 5927,
Zachary Fuller, 2nd
Sacks: 22,
Xavier Holley, 2nd; 18½,
Daniel Tjaden, 4th
Yards from TFL: 188,
Xavier Holley, 2nd; 116,
Daniel Tjaden, 5th
TD passes: 37,
Zachary Fuller, 2nd-T
Tackles for loss: 37,
Luke Sawicki, 3rd; 33½,
Xavier Holley, 5th
Total offense: 5997,
Zachary Fuller, 4th
Solo tackles: 138,
Luke Sawicki, 4th; 121,
John Kappel, 9th
Completion percentage: 57.4,
Zachary Fuller, 5th; 53.3,
Alek Jacobs, 8th
Punt return TD: 1,
Bobby Jarosz, 5th-T
Kickoff return average: 22.94,
Alek Jacobs, 6th
Forced fumbles: 3,
Xavier Holley, 6th-T
Receiving yards: 1272,
Ethan Jennings, 7th
TD receptions: 10,
Tom Dolis, 7th-T
TD responsible for: 42,
Zachary Fuller, 8th
Receptions: 86,
Ethan Jennings, 9th
Punt returns: 35,
Devin Haxby, 10th
Tackles: 228,
Luke Sawicki, 10th-T
Single Season
Sacks: 13½,
Xavier Holley, 1st
Yards from sacks: 92,
Xavier Holley, 1st
Tackles for loss: 19½,
Xavier Holley, 1st; 15½,
Luke Sawicki, 5th
Yards from TFL: 113,
Xavier Holley, 1st
Pass breakups: 12,
Zach Stewart, 2nd
TD passes: 18,
Zachary Fuller, 2nd-T
Blocked kicks: 2,
Bobby Jarosz, 2nd-T
Receiving yards: 711,
Tom Dolis, 3rd
Field goals: 9,
Owen Ennis, 3rd-T
Passing yards: 1890,
Zachary Fuller, 4th
TD receptions: 8,
Tom Dolis, 4th-T
Kickoff return yards: 460,
Alek Jacobs, 5th
Pass attempts: 242,
Zachary Fuller, 5th-T
TD responsible for: 21,
Zachary Fuller, 5th-T
Punt return TD: 1,
Bobby Jarosz, 5th-T
Forced fumbles: 2,
Xavier Holley, 5th-T
Pass completions: 145,
Zachary Fuller, 6th
Rushing attempts: 215,
Bobby Jarosz, 6th-T
Completion percentage: 59.9,
Zachary Fuller, 7th
Total offense: 1973,
Zachary Fuller, 7th
Kickoff returns: 22,
Alek Jacobs, 8th
Rushing yards: 1165,
Bobby Jarosz, 9th
PAT kicks: 36,
Owen Ennis, 10th-T
NCAA STATISTICAL RANKINGS TEAM – TOP 25
4th down conversion defense: .217, 5th
Turnover margin: 1.10, 15th
Interceptions: 17, 16th
Red zone offense: .875, 16th
Rushing defense: 92.8, 22nd
Kickoff return defense: 15.14, 23rd
NCAA STATISTICAL RANKINGS INDIVIDUAL – TOP 50
Sacks per game: 1.35,
Xavier Holley, 4th
Field goal percentage: .900,
Owen Ennis, 4th
TFL per game: 2.0,
Xavier Holley, 10th; 1.6,
Luke Sawicki, 38th
Punt return TD: 1,
Bobby Jarosz, 10th
Interceptions per game: 0.6,
John Kappel, 14th; 0.5,
Luke Phelan, 19th
Rushing yard per game: 116.5,
Bobby Jarosz, 17th
Punt return average: 11.6,
John Kappel, 19th
Rushing yards: 1165,
Bobby Jarosz, 23rd
Blocked kicks: 2,
Bobby Jarosz, 28th
Yards per reception: 20.31,
Tom Dolis, 36th
Passes defended per game: 1.4,
Zach Stewart, 36th
All-purpose yards per game: 141.0,
Bobby Jarosz, 38th
FG per game: 0.90,
Owen Ennis, 40th
CCIW STATISTICAL LEADERS – TEAM
Field goals: 10
Field goal percentage: .909
PAT percentage: .971
CCIW STATISTICAL TOP FIVE – INDIVIDUAL
Field goal percentage: .900,
Owen Ennis, 1st
Yards per reception: 19.5,
Tom Dolis, 1st
Tackles for loss: 19,
Xavier Holley, 1st; 12.5,
Luke Sawicki, 5th-T
Kickoff return yards: 439,
Alek Jacobs, 1st
Interceptions: 4,
John Kappel, 1st-T; 3,
J.J. Cervino and
Luke Phelan, 4th-T
Field goals: 9,
Owen Ennis, 1st-T
Tackles per game: 8.4,
Luke Sawicki, 2nd
Sacks: 13,
Xavier Holley, 2nd
Rushing yards per game: 116.9,
Bobby Jarosz, 2nd
All-purpose yards: 1261,
Bobby Jarosz, 2nd
All-purpose yards per game: 140.1,
Bobby Jarosz, 2nd
Points per game (kicking): 6.4,
Owen Ennis, 2nd
Passes defended: 13,
Zach Stewart, 3rd
Punt return average: 11.6,
John Kappel, 3rd
Fumbles forced: 2,
Xavier Holley, 3rd-T
Passing efficiency: 141.3,
Zachary Fuller, 4th
Points per game: 8.0,
Bobby Jarosz, 4th
Kickoff return average: 20.9,
Alek Jacobs, 4th
Punt return yards: 139,
John Kappel, 4th; 103,
Devin Haxby, 5th
Passing yards: 1652,
Zachary Fuller, 5th
Completion percentage: 59.2,
Zachary Fuller, 5th
Total offense: 1722,
Zachary Fuller, 5th
TD passes: 14,
Zachary Fuller, 5th-T
TD receptions: 6,
Tom Dolis, 5th-T
