During this holiday season, a Frosty other than the one with the corncob pipe and a button nose has made a name for himself.

Head coach Frosty Westering and his Pacific Lutheran squad racked up frequent-flier miles and their first Division III Football Championship by routing Rowan, 42-13, in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl December 18 in Salem, Virginia.

Pacific Lutheran, located in Tacoma, Washington, and in just its second year of competition as an NCAA member, played its first four playoff games on the road before heading to Salem. All told, the Lutes traveled about 15,000 miles during their championship run.

"It's hard to think of what every guy on this team will take away from this trip," said Pacific Lutheran senior quarterback Chad Johnson. "And from this trip, I don't mean only today's game, but the whole season.

"We have been through a lot this year. Every one of those experiences will make us better persons in the long run."

Johnson threw two touchdown passes to tight end Todd McDevitt and ran for one score as the Lutes ran off 28 unanswered points in a 16-minute span over three quarters.

The game was tied at 7 late in the first quarter before the Lutes, who concluded the year with a 13-1 record, assumed control of the contest. Senior fullback Anthony Hicks began the Pacific Lutheran charge on a one-yard touchdown plunge with 26 seconds remaining in the opening period.

Senior running back Kevin Lint capped a 10-play, 59-yard drive with a five-yard scoring run with 10:12 left in the second quarter to give Pacific Lutheran a 21-7 lead. Johnson increased the Lutes' advantage with a one-yard dive just 65 seconds before half time.

On the first play from scrimmage of the second half, the Lutes' Luke Gearhard recovered a Rowan fumble. Johnson then found McDevitt from 13 yards out for their second touchdown combination just 33 seconds into the half.

The Gearhard fumble recovery was one of four turnovers the Lutes forced. In addition, Pacific Lutheran held Rowan to a Stagg Bowl record of minus-63 yards rushing.

"Some of our worst fears were realized with our turnovers," said Rowan head coach K.C. Keeler. "I knew coming into the game that turnovers would be a big key and they were."

Johnson completed 18 of 28 passes for 276 yards, with the two touchdowns to McDevitt and no interceptions.

"Chad started with us as a ball boy," Westering said. "He knows the system inside and out.

"It takes a smart player to play the game and play it successfully."

Hicks rushed 22 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns and also caught four passes for 78 yards. In the process, he set Division III tournament records for touchdowns with 11 and points with 66.

Rowan's Taman Bryant notched a Stagg Bowl record for receptions with 13, including a 26-yarder for the Profs' second touchdown.

The Profs, who ended Mount Union's NCAA all-divisions record for consecutive wins at 54 in the semifinals, finished the season with a 12-2 mark.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Rowan 7 0 6 0 Ñ 13

Pacific Lutheran 14 13 8 7 Ñ 42

First Quarter

Pacific Lutheran Ñ Todd McDevitt 31 pass from Chad Johnson (Scott Sarrenson kick) (12:53).

Rowan Ñ Mike Warker 1 run (Nick Frade kick) (2:10).

Pacific Lutheran Ñ Anthony Hicks 1 run (Sarrenson kick) (0:26).

Second Quarter

Pacific Lutheran Ñ Kevin Lint 5 run (Sarrenson kick) (10:12).

Pacific Lutheran Ñ Johnson 1 run (kick blocked) (1:05).

Third Quarter

Pacific Lutheran Ñ McDevitt 13 pass from Johnson (Jess Nelson pass from Johnson) (14:27).

Rowan Ñ Taman Bryant 26 pass from Warker (kick blocked) (10:32).

Fourth Quarter

Pacific Lutheran Ñ Hicks 20 run (Sarrenson kick) (2:18).

Rowan Pacific Lutheran

First Downs 15 20

Rushes-yards 20-(-63) 46-120

Passing Yardage 264 276

Return Yardage 6 31

Passes (Comp.-Att.-Int.) 26-46-2 18-28-0

Punts (No.-Avg.) 6-31.0 5-32.2

Fumbles (No.-Lost) 3-2 3-1

Penalties (No.-Yards) 9-70 4-35

Time of Possession 26:07 33:53

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: Rowan Ñ Antwine Simmons 1-3, Elijah Freer 1-0, Team 1-(-1), Jason Frabasile 6-(-4), Justin Wright 3-(-7), Warker 8-(-54); Pacific Lutheran Ñ Hicks 22-73, Shipley Ennis 6-30, Jacob Croft 6-20, Luke Balash 1-12, Lint 1-5, Ben Cochran 1-(-1), Johnson 9-(-19).

Passing: Rowan Ñ Warker 26-46-2-264; Pacific Lutheran Ñ Johnson 18-28-0-276.

Receiving: Rowan Ñ Taman Bryant 13-141, Scott Lipford 8-94, Bobby Woolfolk 2-31, David Sadowski 1-7, Freer 1-(-3), Wright 1-(-6); Pacific Lutheran Ñ Hicks 4-78, Todd McDevitt 4-63, Kyle Brown 3-79, Zach Hiatt 3-29, Croft 2-27, Lint 1-1, Balash 1-(-1).