APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University football team returns after its bye week and will face Illinois College in the Hall of Fame Game at the Banta Bowl. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m., and Lawrence will honor its five Hall of Fame inductees at the half. Hans Hartwig, class of 1935, John Bill ’79, Dan Dreyfus ’87, Maggie Phillips Reeve ’96 and Mark Smrecek ’00, will be inducted in a ceremony on Friday evening.
Category: Football
Inside LU Athletics: Five to be inducted into Lawrence Hall of Fame
APPLETON, Wis. — Five former Lawrence University athletic stars are set to be inducted into the school’s Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame next month.
Hans Hartwig ’35, John Bill ’79, Dan Dreyfus ’87, Maggie Phillips Reeve ’96 and Mark Smrecek ’00 will be inducted in a ceremony at the Warch Campus Center on Oct. 4 and be honored at halftime of the Hall of Fame football game vs. Illinois College the following afternoon.
Hans Hartwig ’35
In the era of ironman football, Hans Hartwig was one of the finest players of the 1930s for Lawrence University.
A native of Wauwatosa, Wis., Hartwig starred in the offensive backfield and linebacker during his career for Vikings. He played three seasons of football (freshmen couldn’t play on the varsity then) for head coach Percy O. Clapp.
Playing in the single-wing offense, Hartwig started at three positions in the backfield during his career. He starred at halfback, fullback and quarterback as a multiple threat with his ability to both run and throw the football.
Hartwig earned all-conference honors as both a junior and senior. In the days before the Midwest Conference selected a team, Hartwig was named to the All-Big Three team in 1933 and was selected for the All-Big Four team in 1934.
Led by Hartwig and fellow Lawrence Hall of Famer George Walter ’36, Lawrence won the mythical Wisconsin collegiate championship by defeating Carroll, Ripon and Beloit in 1934.
A proverbial big man on campus, Hartwig also was a campus champion in both boxing and wrestling.
Hartwig, who earned a degree in chemistry, remained in the Fox Valley after his graduation from Lawrence. He went on to found Crystal Print, Inc., which continues to operate in nearby Little Chute. Hartwig and his wife, Joan, had two children, Chris and Tina. Hartwig passed away in May 1976, and his wife died in 1995.
John Bill ’79
John Bill was the ace of the pitching staff of the best baseball teams in Lawrence University history.
Led by Bill’s powerful right arm, the Vikings won two Midwest Conference championships and made the only two NCAA Division III regional appearances in Lawrence baseball history.
A native of Kenosha, Wis., Bill put together a career record of 23-12, and he continues to be Lawrence’s career wins leader more than 30 years after his graduation. A two-time All-Midwest Conference selection, Bill was honored by the league in 1978 and 1979.
Bill threw a school-record 235.2 innings and set the school career record with 151 strikeouts. He also tossed a school-record 25 complete games, which included two shutouts. Bill also threw a school-record six three-hit games and compiled a 4.32 earned run average.
Bill went 21-8 over his final three seasons after going 4-4 as a freshman. He holds the school season record for wins with his 8-2 record in 1978 and his 7-3 mark in 1979 ranks second. He threw a school-record eight complete games in 1979 on his way to a school-record 70.1 innings pitched.
A two-year team captain, Bill also played in the outfield and served as the team’s designated hitter when he wasn’t on the mound. He enjoyed his best season at the plate in 1978 when he led the team with a .350 batting average.
Bill, who earned a degree in economics at Lawrence, was a first-team Academic All-American in 1979. Bill also played one season of football in 1975 and was the team’s starting punter on a conference championship squad.
Bill and his wife, Teri, own Manchester Investments and live in Greendale, Wis. The Bills have two adult children, Jacob and Sara.
Dan Dreyfus ’87
Dan Dreyfus made stopping the opposition an art form and became the most prolific goalkeeper in Lawrence University history.
Dreyfus holds virtually every Lawrence goalkeeping record and was a key player when the Vikings won the 1985 Midwest Conference championship.
A native of Bogota, Colombia, Dreyfus played his high school soccer in Tallahassee, Fla. Dreyfus earned all-conference honors in 1985 as Lawrence defeated Knox College 3-0 for the league championship. Dreyfus set school and conference season records in 1985 with eight shutouts, a 0.45 goals against average and a .921 save percentage. The save percentage mark still stands as the conference record.
During his three years as the starter in net (1984-86), Lawrence put together a 25-10-1 record. The Vikings finished first (1985), second (1984) and third (1986) in the conference during those seasons.
A team captain and team Most Valuable Player during his career, Dreyfus set the school and conference career records with 18 shutouts, a 1.07 goals against average and an .839 save percentage. The save percentage record still stands as the conference mark.
Dreyfus works at Accenture in Arlington, Va. Dreyfus and his wife, Laura, live in Fairfax, Va., and have a son, Bryan.
Maggie Phillips Reeve ’96
Maggie Phillips stepped to the top of the podium at the Midwest Conference Championships 12 times during her swimming career at Lawrence University. A native of Shorewood, Wis., Phillips won five individual conference championships and was part of seven winning relay teams, and she did it all in just three seasons.
Part of a 3/2 nursing program, Phillips competed for only three years and was part of the group that elevated the Lawrence women’s swim team to consistently be one of the top-three squads in the conference.
Phillips set five individual school records and was part of multiple relay teams to set school records. Phillips continues to hold the 400-yard individual medley record and is part of the team that holds the mark in the 400 freestyle relay.
Phillips started her career with a flash of brilliance at the 1993 MWC Championships. She won individual titles in the 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle and 400 IM and was part of the winning 200 freestyle and 400 medley relay teams.
Phillips came back in 1994 to win the conference championship in the 500 freestyle and swim on the winning 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay teams. She then won the 200 IM at the 1995 MWC Championships and was part of the winning 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle relay teams.
Phillips also was a 10-time champion at the Wisconsin Private College Championships, and the Vikings won the team title in all three seasons in which she competed (1993, 1994, 1995).
Phillips works as a nurse at UW Hospital. She and her husband, Jamie Reeve ’95, live in Shorewood and have three children, Olivia, Max and Lily.
Mark Smrecek ’00
Mark Smrecek was the rock of the offensive line during his four seasons with the Lawrence football team.
An Appleton native, Smrecek was a two-time USA Football All-American and a four-time All-Midwest Conference selection. A stalwart at guard and tackle, it is believed the Smrecek played every offensive snap from scrimmage, including a few at fullback during his four years at Lawrence. Smrecek also was pressed into action on defense in his final two seasons and would play several series on the defensive line in each game.
An Appleton native, Smrecek also was a standout thrower on Lawrence’s track and field team.
Smrecek is one of just six Lawrence football players to be a four-time all-conference selection. He was a first-team selection in 1997, 1998 and 1999 and made the second team in 2000. A football team captain, Smrecek also received honorable mention on the USA Football All-America team in 1999 and 2000.
Smrecek also competed for three years in track and field and was consistently one of the conference’s best throwers. Smrecek, who set the school record in the weight throw, placed in the weight throw and shot put at the conference’s indoor championships in 2000. He also placed in the shot put at the league’s outdoor championships in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Smrecek works as a consulting actuary at Towers Watson. He and his wife, Lela, have two children, Rosemary and Hazel, and live in Deerfield, Ill.
Beloit pulls away from Vikings in second half
BELOIT, Wis. — The Lawrence University football team didn’t score in the second half Saturday, and Beloit College pulled away for a 38-21 Midwest Conference victory over the Vikings at Strong Stadium.
The teams went to halftime tied 21-21.
Running back Mason Dixon ran 12 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns to lead Beloit (1-2, 1-1 MWC), which snapped a 13-game losing streak. It was all or next-to-nothing for Dixon, who had runs of 56, 48, 42, 18 and 16 yards but had a combined 21 yards on his other seven carries.
Lawrence quarterback Luke Barthelmess had 26 carries for 76 yards and completed 15 of 30 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. Running back Isaac Barthelmess ran 15 times for 63 yards for the Vikings (0-3, 0-3).
Beloit led 7-0 on the first play from scrimmage when Kameron Sallee hit Michael Nolden with a 50-yard touchdown pass. Lawrence answered back after a short punt by the Bucs gave the Vikings the ball at the Beloit 36-yard line.
Luke Barthelmess connected with Dan Dubnicka on a 30-yard completion to the Beloit six, and Isaac Barthelmess scored on the next play to tie it at 7-7.
Beloit took a 14-7 lead on Dixon’s 16-yard scoring run, but Lawrence scored the next 14 points. The Vikings moved 58 yards in seven plays for a touchdown to tie the game 14-14 in the second quarter. Isaac Barthelmess’ two-yard touchdown run finished the drive.
After an on-sides kick was recovered by the Vikings, Lawrence drove in for another touchdown. After Dalton Sendelbach’s 18-yard run gave the Vikings a first down at the Beloit 10, Luke Barthelmess hit linebacker Andy Paider, who plays offense on Lawrence’s “jumbo” package, with a touchdown pass for a 21-14 lead.
Beloit used a big kickoff return to answer back and scored just two plays later for a 21-21 tie at the half. The Bucs used a big run by Dixon to set up a field goal and take a 24-21 lead. Dixon then ripped off touchdown runs of 48 and 42 yards in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Lawrence, which got into Beloit territory only twice in the second half, dominated the time of possession 41:58-18:02.
Lawrence at Beloit football preview
The Lawrence University football team hits the road on Saturday when it travels to Beloit College for a Midwest Conference game. The Vikings and Bucs kick it off at 1 p.m. at Strong Stadium.
Barthelmess named MWC Offensive Player of the Week
APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University football standout Luke Barthelmess has been named the Midwest Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
Barthelmess (Appleton, Wis./Principia), a senior quarterback, was chosen after a great performance running and throwing the football in Lawrence’s heartbreaking 14-13 loss to defending Midwest Conference champion Lake Forest College this past Saturday.
Barthelmess ran for more than 100 yards and threw for nearly 300 for the Vikings. Barthelmess ran 21 times for 124 yards for a 5.9-yard average. Barthelmess has now run for more than 100 yards in both games this season.
Barthelmess completed 24 of 36 passes for 284 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Barthelmess’ first-quarter touchdown pass to Taylor Mandich (Green Bay, Wis./Southwest) was the 50th of his career, which ties him for second place on Lawrence’s career list with Eric Aspenson.
On the season, Barthelmess is 42 of 77 passing for 439 yards and two touchdowns. He has 41 rushing attempts for 241 yards and a touchdown.
Lawrence returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Beloit College.
Lake Forest hangs on to down Lawrence 14-13
APPLETON, Wis. — The Lake Forest College football team blocked two fields in the final three minutes, including one on the last play of the game, to hang on for a 14-13 Midwest Conference win over Lawrence University on Saturday night in the Banta Bowl.
The Foresters (2-0, 1-0 MWC) also blocked an extra point that proved to be the winning margin.
Lawrence trailed by a point when it took over at its own 36-yard line with 9:51 left. The Vikings took 13 plays to move all the way to the Lake Forest two-yard line before being stopped. Freshman Patrick O’Mahoney lined up for a 19-yard field goal, and the kick was blocked. The ball went out of the end zone and Lake Forest took over at its own 20 with 2:41 left.
Lawrence (0-2, 0-2) was out of timeouts, but the Foresters failed to pick up a first down. Lake Forest did the Vikings a favor by throwing an incomplete pass on third down to stop the clock. Lake Forest punted, and Lawrence got the ball back at its own 23 with 47 seconds left.
Lawrence quarterback Luke Barthelmess hit Sam Wagner with a 32-yard completion on the first play to move the ball to the Lake Forest 45. Barthelmess then ripped off runs of 11 and 24 yards to move to to the Lake Forest 10-yard line.
After a pair of incompletions, the Vikings were called for offensive pass interference with six seconds left. O’Mahoney lined up for a 42-yard field goal, but the kick was blocked again as time expired.
Barthelmess ran 21 times for 124 yards, and he completed 24 of 36 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown. Taylor Mandich grabbed seven passes for 95 yards for the Vikings.
The Lawrence offense piled up 450 yards of offense, including 166 on the ground. The Lawrence defense limited Lake Forest to just 239 yards, and the Foresters were just 3-for-11 on third down.
Alec Howe paced the Lake Forest offense by running 20 times for 121 yards. Quarterback Mike Lewis was 8-for-17 for 75 yards and a touchdown.
Lake Forest took a 7-0 lead when it moved 76 yards in six plays with Lewis connecting with Mike Rantis on a 14-yard touchdown pass. Lawrence answered on its next possession as the Vikings went 77 yards in 11 plays for the score. Barthelmess hit Mandich with a seven-yard scoring pass with 1:34 left in the first quarter to tie the game at 7-7.
Lawrence then scored on its next possession to take a 13-7 lead. The Vikings went 49 yards in nine plays, with Isaac Barthlemess scoring his first collegiate touchdown on a three-yard run. Jake Rotkvich blocked the extra point, and the Vikings led by six.
Lake Forest then took the lead for good late in the second quarter. The Foresters went 50 yards in seven plays as Charlie Quinn ripped off a 20-yard touchdown run. Lake Forest converted on the extra point and led 14-13 with 4:48 left in the first half.
Lawrence vs. Lake Forest football preview
The Lawrence University football team opens the home portion of the 2013 schedule when the Vikings host Lake Forest College on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. in the Banta Bowl.
Cornell uses fast start to run past Lawrence
MOUNT VERNON, Iowa — The Cornell College football team scored on its first five possessions Saturday and went on to a 45-14 Midwest Conference win over Lawrence University at Ash Park.
Cornell quarterback Juan Flores had a big day as he completed 21 of 27 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns.
Lawrence quarterback Luke Barthelmess was only 18 of 41 passing for 155 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Barthelmess also ran 20 times for 117 yards and a touchdown.
Cornell (1-0, 1-0 MWC) forced a punt on Lawrence’s opening possession of the game and moved 56 yards in only three plays for the first touchdown of the game. Flores hit Justin Cox with a 23-yard scoring pass for a 7-0 lead. After another Lawrence punt, Cornell moved 53 yards in six plays, with Flores connecting with Brit Connor from 18 yards out, for a 14-0 lead.
Myron Seabrook then intercepted Barthelmess on the next possession and ran it back 22 yards for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead. After a Lawrence drive stalled at the Cornell 38-yard line, the Vikings punted. Cornell drove 75 yards in seven plays for another touchdown and a 28-0 lead.
Lawrence (0-1, 0-1) got its first score of the game when Barthelmess hit Taylor Mandich from six yards out for a touchdown. The drive covered 88 yards and took 12 plays and trimmed the lead to 31-7 with 3:59 left in the first half. Mandich finished the day with four catches for 34 yards.
The Vikings picked up their other touchdown early in the fourth quarter after a 12-play, 61-yard drive. Barthelmess ran it from four yards out to cut Cornell’s lead to 45-14.
Linebacker Brandon Taylor led Lawrence’s defense with 10 tackles. Jeremy Demlow had 14 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, to pace the Rams.
The Vikings acutally had one more first down (22-21) and ran 33 more offensive plays than the Rams. Lawrence enjoyed a huge edge in time of possession (37:04-22:56).
Lawrence has its home opener next Saturday when it hosts Lake Forest College at 6 p.m. in the Banta Bowl.
Inside LU Athletics: Vikings enter new football season with fresh approach
This is Mike Barthelmess’ second season as the Lawrence University football coach, but it probably feels a lot like starting over again.
The Vikings lost nearly 20 seniors, almost all of which were major contributors, and the coaching staff is almost entirely new as only secondary coach Jeff Jansen returns. The turnover in the coaching staff also hurt recruiting, and the Vikings have only 14 new faces for 2013.
Despite what might seem like long odds for success, Barthelmess has confidence in his players and the coaching staff.
“I know there are people who think we won’t win a game. My expectations are higher than that,” Barthelmess said with a grin.
The Vikings went 2-8 a season ago, but included in that record was a one-point loss, a two-point loss and a four-point loss to conference champion Lake Forest College. With key players back all over the field, the Vikings are being cautiously optimistic.
The offense begins with senior quarterback Luke Barthelmess, the eldest son of the head coach. Luke Barthelmess owns nearly every Lawrence passing record and completed 162 of 304 passes for 2,292 yards, 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season.
While Luke Barthelmess is an accomplished passer with a Lawrence record 6,057 passing yards to his credit, it’s his feet that may make just as big a difference this season.
“It falls on his shoulders,” Mike Barthelmess said of Luke. “We’re going to probably depend more on his legs this year than we have in the past. We’re going to try to make use of his speed.”
Luke Barthelmess ran 125 times for 423 yards, an average of 3.4 yards per carry last season. With running back Ben Hartman lost to graduation, the Vikings are going to lean on new faces in the backfield, including Isaac Barthelmess, the former Appleton North High School standout and Luke’s younger brother.
“We have three strong running backs (Isaac Barthelmess, Dalton Sendelbach and Corey Fischer),” Mike Barthelmess said. “If we can continue to run the football, if we can split the running between Luke and the backfield, that’s going to help our passing game.”
The passing game also took a hit with the graduation of record-setting receiver Tyler Mazur. Lawrence does have experienced receivers in seniors Taylor Mandich and Dan Dubnicka to soften the blow, and the offensive line has three starters returning in tackles Spencer Swick of Kimberly and Luke Zablocki of Pulaski and center Nic Bouressa of Denmark.
While the offense was solid in 2012, the defense struggled and allowed 45.4 points per game. Mike Barthelmess believes the Vikings will improve on defense this season with a new coaching approach and an influx of talented newcomers.
“Everyone is really trying to work together on the defensive staff. I’m certain that we are going to be better on defense this season. That was a main focus going into this season,” Mike Barthelmess said. “The staff is great. I love my staff. It’s really, really fun going to work every day.”
The defense has All-Midwest Conference defensive back Sam Wagner in the secondary and talented linebackers Andy Paider of Denmark and Brandon Taylor. The defensive line will rotate returners Gabor Bukszar and Brady Busha with newcomers Jackson Straughn and Terrence Huff.
“We have a lot of experience coming back on defense,” Mike Barthlemess said. “We’re hoping that is going to be enough to beef up our defense.”
The key for the Vikings may come down to health. With just 39 players on the roster, Lawrence needs to keep its starters and key reserves on the field all season.
“Our whole philosophy from the beginning is we are going to be grateful for who we have,” said Mike Barthelmess, who said he has told the players to be fearless. “We have to make the best of what we have.”
Bushbacher inks deal with Chill
Former Lawrence University hockey standout Phil Bushbacher has signed a contract to play with the St. Charles (Mo.) Chill.
Bushbacher, a forward who graduated in June with a degree in government, becomes the ninth Lawrence player in the last five years to sign a pro contract.
In two seasons at Lawrence, Bushbacher played in 55 games and piled up 26 goals and 20 assists for 46 points. For his career, he played in 106 games with 42 goals and 33 assists for 75 points.
“He pretty much came into camp, and just dominated the camp,” Chill coach Jamie Rivers said. “He was physical, he put a lot of shots on goal, and he scored a lot of goals. He came in as an unknown, and he earned his spot in training camp.”
The Chill, which plays in the Central Hockey League, is one of 10 teams in that conference.
Laursen earns honor
Lawrence cross country standout Jonah Laursen has been named the Midwest Conference Performer of the Week.
Laursen (Traverse City, Mich./West), a sophomore, took second place at this past Saturday’s Tom Barry Invitational at St. Norbert College. Laursen covered the four-mile course at Colburn Park in Green Bay in 20:52.6. He ran nearly a minute faster than he did at the same meet as a freshman in 2012.
Led by Laursen, Lawrence finished fourth in the team standings with 111 points. This marks the first time in his career that Laursen has earned the conference’s weekly honor.
Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a notes package written by Lawrence University Director of Athletic Media Relations Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.
Lawrence at Cornell football preview
The Lawrence University football team opens its season on Saturday when it travels to Mount Vernon, Iowa, to face Cornell College. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Ash Park.