Approaching the conclusion of another outstanding season, the NCC football team pushes for their third national title in five years. With the same cast of stars back for one last ride and the sting of a national championship loss still lingering, the Cardinals will be going into the playoffs as favorites for the title.
Domination
The Cardinal football program isn’t just a staple of the school. It’s a staple of all Division III football and this year is another reason why. The Cardinals remain undefeated in conference play for the fourth consecutive year, having not lost a conference game since 2019. The team also retained their number one ranking for the 31st straight time according to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), as well as being ranked number one by D3football.com 40 out of the last 43 times. Across the decade, the Cardinals are the winningest team in all of college football with a record of 47-5. This beats out Division I powerhouses like Georgia and Alabama. Much of their success can be attributed to the leadership of head coach Brad Spencer, ‘04, who has guided the Cardinals to two straight national championship appearances, winning one in 2022.
A defense to fear
The Cardinals also have a plethora of talented players on both sides of the ball. We start on defense; with a defensive line consisting of Cortez Jones, ‘27, John Sullivan, ‘26 and Martin Egbo, ‘25, the Cardinals immediately cause problems for any offense. Then there’s senior linebackers Angelo Cusumano, ‘25, and BJ Adamchik, ‘25, who cause even more problems for quarterbacks and running backs alike. Both players have become the defensive leaders this unit needs to thrive.
“There have been many things that attributed to the success and becoming a leader,” Cusumano said talking about what it has taken to become a leader for this team. “When I was younger the linebackers that were here before me taught me a lot of skills on the field and was able to see what characteristics are needed to be a leader, having to know the balance of being a friend but also a teammate.”
A historic offense
The Cardinals not only have an outstanding defense, but they also have the highest scoring offense in the country. The offense has an abundance of riches to choose from, including a platoon of running backs consisting of Joe Sacco, ‘25, Sean Allen, ‘25, Jordan Chisum, ‘25, and Charles Coleman, ‘25, who are unstoppable once they get out in the open field. Then there are wide receivers Jack Rummell, ‘27, Jacob Paradee, ‘25, and Thomas Skokna, ‘26, who are just as dangerous as the running backs. Skokna has become the de facto receiver for Cardinals as he leads the team in receiving touchdowns.
“The best part about this offense is that everyone understands their part and when we each do our 1/11th then we can put up a good score,” said Skokna.
Last and certainly not least, you have the star of the show in quarterback Luke Lehnen, ‘25. Lehnen has dominated Division III football over the past four years and counting. In their conference-clinching win against Elmhurst, Lehnen set an all-divisions record for touchdowns, being responsible for 193. Additionally he set a NCC record for career touchdown passes with 146. This put him in fifth place in Division III history and 11th place in college football history. Thus, establishing himself as one of the finest quarterbacks NCC has ever had.
Ring season
Going into the postseason the Cardinals have one goal in mind, win it all. All the accolades, awards and attention don’t mean a thing to them. They want to establish a dynasty. But for every player in that locker room, it happens one game at a time.
“Clinching our 4th straight CCIW title is awesome,” said Cusumano. “But we will still take the rest of the season week by week and focusing on the opponent this week.”
For the NCC football team winning a championship will certainly be the goal. The journey will not be easy, as teams like Courtland and St. John’s will be looking to end their reign. However, this team, through thick and thin, will never, ever give up.
“I’ve learned that no matter how many good athletes you have, if you don’t play together and compete at a high level at practice then you are going to have a hard time winning,” Skokna said. “It’s a privilege for our offense to go against such a great defense every week and learning that showed us to be grateful for that opportunity!”
The journey to that championship will begin on Nov. 30, and the nation better be ready, because this Cardinal team will be hungry to regain their place at the top of Division III football.
