CUTLINE: Former WO-S standout K.J. Miller and his Mary Hardin-Baylor teammates will play in the NCAA Division III National Championship Game Friday.

BELTON – Former West Orange-Stark graduate K.J. Miller and his University of Mary Hardin-Baylor teammates will be playing for the NCAA Division III National Championship this Saturday after the Crusaders defeated Wisconsin-Whitewater 31-14 in a NCAA Semifinal Game last Saturday in Belton.

Miller had seven catches for 20 yards in the win and is the Crusaders (14-0) leading receiver on the season with 47 catches for 569 yards and four touchdowns.

Miller, the Orange Leader Athlete of the Year in 2017, is one of the nation’s leading D-3 punt returners as he has brought back 26 punts for 619 yards and three TDs and also has eight kickoff returns for 207 yards.

The Crusaders will now face defending National Champion Mount Union (14-0) in the National Championship Game, called the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, Friday at 6 p.m. at Woodforest Bank Stadium in Shenandoah near The Woodlands.

It is a rematch of last year’s National Championship in which Mount Union claimed a 12-0 victory. It was Mount Union’s 13^th Division III football national crown.

Against Wisconsin-Whitewater Crusader back Markeith Miller ran for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Jase Hammack was 14-19 passing for 109 yards.

Tickets for Stagg Bowl XLVI are already available and cost $20. That cost also includes free admission to the FanFest tailgate party before the game. UMHB will be the home team, but will use the visitor’s side or East Side of Woodforest Bank Stadium. UMHB has created an information page, including ticket information and fan information. Just click on umhb.edu/staggbowl to access that information.