Berry takes loftier goals into NCAA Division III football playoffs
Since he started the football program at Berry in 2012, coach Tony Kunczewski’s goal simply has been to win the conference championship. This year the goals were more ambitious. He wanted to see the team play on the national level.
The Vikings responded by winning the Southern Athletic Association and are starting a quest to become the first team from Georgia to reach the NCAA Division III championship game since Bobby Pate’s West Georgia team won it all in 1982.
“I think in the past there was a sense that our ceiling was winning the conference and happy about getting into the playoffs,” said Kunczewski, a Pittsburgh native leading the program at the school in Rome. “I think there’s a different mindset now. Yes, we’re humbled and happy to win our conference, which is always tough to do, but we’re not settling for just getting in right now.”
The Vikings have won or shared the Southern Athletic Association championship six times and will make their sixth trip to the NCAA playoffs. Berry, ranked No. 17, again claimed the automatic bid that goes to the SAA champion and earned a first-round bye based on its 9-1 record and its No. 8 ranking in the National Power Index.
The Vikings open the playoffs at noon Saturday when they host LaGrange (10-1), which advanced after beating Framingham State, 24-21 in the first round. Berry defeated LaGrange, which competes in the USA South, 48-0 on Sept. 13.
Berry has faced two ranked teams this season, losing 17-9 on the road to then-No. 22 Carnegie Mellon and beating then-No. 16 Trinity University 29-8 in Rome. Berry lost to Trinity last year and also avenged a loss to Maryville, the team that eliminated the Vikings in the playoffs last year.
Berry dominated the SAA, leading the league in offense (40.1 points per game) and defense (11.8 points per game). The offense ranks first in the SAA in rushing (217.2 yards), averages 199.4 yards passing and allowed a league-low nine sacks. The defense is No. 2 in the conference in rushing yards allowed (89.5), passing yards allowed (170.9) and sacks (24).
The Vikings are led defensively by senior nose guard Michael Clark, a 5-foot-8, 280-pound senior who was named the SAA’s top defensive player. The Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy product had 24 total tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss.
“Everything runs through him and if you can get a guy in the middle that can dominate like Mike, you have a chance,” Kunczewski said. “Michael is not very tall, but he’s so strong and he has such quick feet that he’s a problem in the middle.”
The defense also had first-team all-conference selections in lineman Dawson Livingston, linebackers Christopher Lewis and Cade Petty, and safety Chaz Pope. Lewis leads the team with 50 total tackles with one sack, one interception, two forced fumbles and one recovered fumble.
The offense revolves around four first-team all-conference offensive linemen — McCormack Langford, Bryson Hill, Reed Richards and Riley Stevens — and running back Josh Rogers, who was Clark’s high school teammate at ELCA.
“We’ve been able to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, which certainly helps,” Kunczewski said. “We have many strengths, but controlling the line has been a big reason for our success.”
The Vikings wound up playing two quarterbacks. Christian Lewis — who along with his twin brother Christopher are team captains — was injured early in the season opener on a horse collar tackle. Junior Andrew Hunter entered the game and guided the team to a win. They have shared time and thrived together since Lewis returned.
“When Andrew came in, nobody batted an eye because we know what kind of talent he has,” Kunczewski said. “We realized how well Andrew did and our offensive staff has found a way to get them both in the game. And when Andrew is in the game, Christian is his biggest cheerleader, and vice versa. So, it was really a blessing in disguise.”
Lewis has thrown for 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns. Hunter has thrown for 670 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed for 461 yards and 16 touchdowns.
If Berry wins this week, the Vikings will host the winner of third-round game between No. 14 Hardin-Simmons and No. 21 Trinity.
About the Author
Stan Awtrey has been covering sports for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1977. He currently writes about high school sports, Georgia State University athletics and golf.
