Congrats to the North Central Cardinals on another Stagg Bowl victory and winning 3 of the last 5 NCAA Division III Football National Championships! Photo Credit: Trevaughn Bogarty.
Thanks to all North Central College fans who responded to the photo of Cardinals’ quarterback Luke Lehnen taken by Trevaughn Bogarty, a young photographer in Houston.
Bogarty shot a few photos and sent them our way Sunday evening right after North Central’s victory 41-25 over Mount Union in the Division III championship game. As Cardinals’ Coach Brad Spencer and the team still were celebrating on the field while being observed nationwide on ESPN, PN’s digital editor posted the photo as the “National Champs!” on social media. Immediately, comments and memes began attaching themselves in a congratulatory way.
VFW hosts Stagg Bowl ‘Watch Party’
Thanks, too, to North Central College graduate and Positively Naperville columnist Pablo Araya who emailed PN from the Judd Kendall VFW Post Sunday evening shortly after he’d submitted his column for our January edition.
Araya reported a large turnout at the Stagg Bowl “Watch Party.”
“I’m at the Naperville VFW… big NCC Football National Championship Game Watch Party …great turnout,” noted Araya. He followed up with a photo of Julie Carballo, the North Central College Student Veterans Coordinator, reading a copy of the December PN! (Look for the Carballo’s photo with other PN readers pictured in the January issue expected to begin distribution on January 8.)
Luke Lehnen is lauded
Monday Ray Kinney, who serves on the North Central College Board of Trustees, enthusiastically provided a play-by-play of the career of quarterback Luke Lehnen, a two-time Gagliardi Trophy winner. Lehnen started every game for four years, Kinney noted.
Sunday Lehnen led the Cardinals to victory, 41-25, over Mount Union at Shell Energy Stadium in the Division III national championship game in Houston, Texas.
Quarterback Lehnen also ended his record-breaking college football career as a national champion. Moreover, it’s noteworthy that the All-American quarterback led the Cardinals to defeat 13-time national champion Mount Union.
Sunday’s victory is the third Stagg Bowl win for North Central College when spread over the past five championship games.
The Gagliardi Trophy recognizes the nation’s best Division III football player. Lehnen received the honor for the second straight year.
Listening to Kinney’s enthusiasm regarding Sunday’s victory, we could only imagine what winning Coach Brad Spencer must think of his football Cardinals as Lehnen’s career at North Central comes to an end. For the last four seasons, the North Central quarterback has played in the Stagg Bowl, winning the championship in both ’22 and ’24.
Congratulations, North Central College Cardinals!
Social media replies included memes of footballs, trophies, applause. Thanks for all the comments!
Dave Cee / When is the parade?
PN Reply to Dave Cee / When we asked one of the North Central College Trustees on Monday, our inquiring mind was told, “Good question!” The decision likely will be made soon.
Here’s hoping the date chosen to celebrate the Cardinals’ victory will be warmer and sunnier than the parade two years ago that ran from the Public Safety Center along Aurora Avenue before winding through campus and ending at Benedetti Wehrli Stadium. It’d even be great if the weather were warmer than reports from Texas during Sunday’s game. Stay tuned. —PN
Ann Classen Walczak / Yay, Cards!!! You made us proud!
Eric D. Hager / Thumbs Up! Trophy!
Lynn Weeks / Applause! Applause! Applause!
Michael DiTola / Time to move up!
Chris P. Mac / Best football team in Chicago.
Alice Murphy / Congratulations
Linda Holak Grammer /Congratulations!
Vicky Victor Laws / Fun game to watch
Susan Thayer / CONGRATULATIONS…Cardinals of NCC!! A great championship game!!
Kathy Earnest / Love ya Cards
Keith Lowden / Congratulations to your team from a Raider football alum. NC has been a juggernaut for the past several years! Will be glad to see the QB graduate!
Rick Beuke / GIPHY – Applause Video
Louise Byrom / Great game.
Nancy Mueller / Congratulations North Central football team & coaches! Loved watching the game and so proud of our Naperville team!
Ken Legler / What a game that was to watch! Congrats NCC
Tony Klotka / Naperville is proud of you!
Positively Naperville is now in production on the press
Sunday evening when all the action was taking place in Houston, PN editors were swamped trying to put together and edit stories for the January issue of our publication here in Naperville.
Longtime readers likely recall that for more than 20 years, it’s been our tradition to go to press in January on the Monday after New Year’s Day. And so it was that we were over our heads, trying to keep tabs on the Stagg Bowl in Houston, Texas, as well preview upcoming events rather than cover them, getting pages ready for the web press late Monday.
Due to all the excitement and distractions, files finally were sent to the printer at 2AM Tues., Jan. 7. If all goes well, this month’s issue will begin distribution on Jan. 8. Thanks for reading in print and online! —PN
