Crusaders Lose to the Warriors
Maranatha 6, Wisconsin Lutheran 49
November 14, 2009
Box Score
MILWAUKEE – The Maranatha Crusaders lost 49-6 to the Warriors of Wisconsin Lutheran College in the final game of the season on Saturday. The Crusaders finish the season 0-10, 0-7 in conference play. The Warriors improve their record to 5-5, 4-3 in the conference. Full Story
Crusaders Lose a Close One to the Regents
Maranatha 12, Rockford 16
November 7, 2009
Box Score
WATERTOWN, Wis. – The Maranatha Crusaders lost a close battle 16-12 against the Regents of Rockford College in a Northern Athletics Conference game on Saturday. The Crusaders are now 0-9, 0-6 in conference play. The Regents get their first win of the season and are now 1-8, 1-5 in the conference. Full Story
Crusaders Fall to the Muskies
Maranatha 0, Lakeland 19
October 31, 2009
Box Score
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. – The Maranatha Crusaders were defeated 19-0 by the Muskies of Lakeland College in a Northern Athletics Conference game on Saturday. The Crusaders are now 0-8, 0-5 in conference play. The Muskies improve to 4-4, 4-1 in conference. Full Story
Crusaders Are Crushed by the Cougars
Maranatha 14, Concordia-Chicago 64
October 24, 2009
Box Score
RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The Maranatha Crusaders fell 64-14 to the Cougars of Concordia-Chicago in a Northern Athletics Conference game on Saturday. The Crusaders are now 0-7, 0-4 in conference play. The Cougars improve to 6-1, 3-1 in conference. Full Story
Crusaders Are Defeated by the Eagles
Maranatha 6, Benedictine 32
October 17, 2009
Box Score
WATERTOWN, Wis. – The Maranatha Crusaders fell 32-6 to the Eagles of Benedictine University in a Northern Athletics Conference game on Saturday. The Crusaders are now 0-6, 0-3 in conference play. The Eagles improve to 3-3, 2-1 in conference. Full Story
Caleb Rader Named NAC Student Athlete of the Week
WAUKESHA, Wis. – Caleb Rader, a sophomore linebacker for Maranatha Baptist Bible College (Wis.), was named the Football Defensive Student Athlete of the Week by the Northern Athletics Conference.
A biblical studies major from Kinross, Mich., Rader had 16 tackles including 4 tackles for loss against Aurora University on Saturday. The 4 tackles for loss is a game high in the Northern Athletics Conference this season.
Crusaders Are Shutout by the Spartans
Maranatha 0, Aurora 35
October 10, 2009
Box Score
AURORA, Ill. – The Crusaders lost to the Spartans of Aurora University 35-0 in a Northern Athletics Conference game on Saturday afternoon. The Crusaders fall to 0-5, 0-2 in conference play. The Spartans improve to 3-2, 1-1 in the conference. More
Crusaders Fall to the Falcons
Maranatha 6, Concordia (Wis.) 34
October 3, 2009
Box Score
WATERTOWN, Wis. – The Maranatha Crusaders fell 34-6 to the Falcons of Concordia (Wis.) University in a Northern Athletics Conference game on Saturday. The Crusaders are now 0-4, 0-1 in conference play. Full Story
Crusaders Defeated by the Scots
Maranatha 12, Macalester 52
September 19, 2009
Box Score
WATERTOWN, Wis. – The Maranatha Crusaders lost to the Scots of Macalester College 52-12 in a nonconference game on Saturday afternoon. The Crusaders fall to 0-3 on the season. More
Rob Dupre Named NAC Student Athlete of the Week
WAUKESHA, Wis. – Rob Dupre, a senior wide receiver, safety, and punter for Maranatha Baptist Bible College (Wis.), was named the Northern Athletics Conference Football Special Teams Student Athlete of the Week.
A business management major from Lafayette, Ind., Dupre had 6 punts for a 41.3 avg. Dupre pinned the Saints inside their 5-yard line 3 times during the contest and ran for a first down on a fake punt. Dupre also contributed 8 catches for 148 yards on offense as a wide receiver.
Crusaders Fall to the Saints
Maranatha 8, St. Scholastica 33
September 12, 2009
Box Score
WATERTOWN, Wis. – The Maranatha Crusaders lost to the Saints of the College of St. Scholastica 33-8 in a nonconference game on Saturday. The Crusaders fall to 0-2 on the season. More
Poor First Quarter Dooms Crusaders
Maranatha 0, Martin Luther 44
September 5, 2009
Box Score
NEW ULM, Minn. – A poor first quarter doomed the Crusaders in their first game of the 2009 season against Martin Luther College. After building a 37-0 halftime lead, the Knights defeated the Crusaders 44-0. More
Crusaders Continue to Rebuild in 2009
The Maranatha Crusaders will continue the rebuilding process as they enter their second year in the Northern Athletics Conference. With the addition of new players and the return of a good number of last year's players, the Crusaders look to rebound from a winless 2008 season.
The 2008 football season proved to be an incredibly challenging year for Maranatha football. The season ended with a 0-10 record in the first year of competition in the eight-team Northern Athletics Conference. The Crusaders struggled with the number of players participating from the first day of preseason practice. There were only 36 men that tried out for the team, and the roster included only 29 for the first game against Martin Luther. Several players were forced into playing both ways and even special teams. One of the captains and starting quarterback Phil Littrell got hurt in practice before the first game and only played in 1 ½ games the entire season. In spite of the adversity faced by the 2008 team, they played very well and responded to the great challenge. There were four games that the Crusaders realistically could have won if there would have been more players available.
The 2009 coaching staff is excited to see what the team will be like this fall. The Crusaders graduated only 2 seniors and return a good number of players from last year. The key loss is all-conference first team linebacker and forced to fill-in quarterback Nathan Chromy.
The key area of concern for the coaching staff has been the need to rebuild the number of players on the squad. “We have 41 players at preseason, and we have an incredible percentage of players returning after last year’s amazing season,” Head Coach Terry Price said. Of the 18 players that started the final game of the 2008 season, 13 have returned for the 2009 season.
The offensive team will return some key lettermen along the offensive line and in a number of the skilled positions; however, there still remain several key question marks. The offense will need to develop a new quarterback along with several offensive linemen. Last year’s leading rusher, senior co-captain Mike Crawford (Riceville, Iowa), returns in the backfield. The two top receivers from 2008 return in seniors Rob Dupre (Lafayette, Ind.) and co-captain Tim Manion (Watertown, Wis.). Dupre and Manion (pictured left) both had 42 catches in 2008.
The defense will return some key lettermen, with senior co-captain Steve Thayer (Elkhart, Ind.) and 
sophomore Caleb Rader (Kinross, Mich.) leading the way. The toughest decision for the coaches may be deciding what to do with 2-way stars Dupre and Manion who showed tremendous skill on the defensive side of the ball. From the safety position, Dupre (pictured right) led the team with 4 interceptions and ran 2 of them back for touchdowns. Along with Thayer, Manion tied for the team lead with 86 tackles.
The special team’s play will demand attention on both sides of the ball. Several experienced return players should help the kick return aspects. “The kicking game needs to be greatly improved,” Coach Price said. “We definitely need to improve the over-all play of our special teams.”
The 2009 season holds a lot of questions for the Crusader football team that the coaches will attempt to sort out during the preseason. The team will need to come together quickly as its season opens in New Ulm, Minn. on September 5 against non-conference rival Martin Luther College. The Crusaders will then face 2 non-conference foes (St. Scholastica and Macalester) at home on September 12 and 19. After a bye week the Crusaders will open up Northern Athletics Conference play at home against Concordia-Wisconsin on October 3.
The NAC football members include Aurora University, Benedictine University, Concordia University of Chicago, Concordia University of Mequon, Lakeland College, Maranatha College, Rockford College, and Wisconsin Lutheran College. The 2008 champion Aurora appears to be the strongest contender to repeat as conference champions.
Experience is the mark of four of the Crusader coaches. Head Coach Terry Price enters into his 39th year of coaching – 5 as an assistant and 34 as head coach. Assistants Curt Malmanger (37 years), Clayton Morrison (23 years), and Phil Price (15 years) give great support and stability to the coaching staff. Rob Cronin, a new addition to the staff, will be serving as the defensive backs coach.
Crusaders Lose to the Warriors
Maranatha 20, Wisconsin Lutheran 35
November 15, 2008
WATERTOWN, Wis. – The Maranatha Crusaders were defeated by the Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors 35-20 in the final game of the 2008 season for both teams. Complete Story
Crusaders Responding to Adversity with Heart and Enthusiasm
The Maranatha Crusaders football team is in the middle of preparation for its next Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) game against Concordia University of Chicago this Saturday. The coaches and players have endured a difficult season thus far against opponents with superior size and numbers. Full Story
Converted linebacker hanging tough as emergency quarterback
If Phil Littrell is Maranatha’s starting quarterback next Saturday against Concordia (Wis.), nobody will be happier than the second-string quarterback.
“I’m ready for him to come back,” Nathan Chromy said.
Chromy is the starting outside linebacker pressed into service at QB when Littrell went down with a knee injury just three days before the Crusaders’ Sept. 6 season opener. He also continued to start on defense, however. So, when an open date in the schedule arrived this week, no one was more deserving of a little rest.
“He knows the game real well, which is one reason we thought he could help us at quarterback,” head coach Terry Price said. “His best assets are probably toughness and his ability to hang in there. He’s really needed both of them this year. Nothing has been easy.”
A player starting on both offense and defense is very unusual in modern college football. But Chromy's double duty wasn't the plan when preseason practice began.
Littrell was injured on a Wednesday. The projected backup quarterback left school two days later. Chromy, fortunately, had already been taking some snaps in practice as an emergency QB. But, until the season opener against Martin Luther, he hadn’t played that position since 2002. That was his junior year at Hinckley (Minn.) High School.
“It was a little tough,” Chromy admitted. “You can’t think a whole lot when you’re going both ways. There’s no time to catch your breath or think.”
Chromy has fared well in two of his three starts, passing for 314 yards and three touchdowns (all to wide receiver Rob Dupre) against Martin Luther and Macalester. Defensively, he ranks fourth on the team with 14 total tackles.
Price said the 6-foot, 180-pound Chromy is especially effective on pass coverage.
“I’m not big enough to stop a lot of runs,” Chromy said. “I just kind of shoot for people’s knees and hope I don’t get run over.”
The senior business management major has had, to put it mildly, an interesting college experience.
He came to Maranatha in 2004, where he started at linebacker as a freshman. He transferred to Pensacola Christian College for two years, married his girlfriend, then dropped out of college for a year while his wife completed her degree work. He returned to Maranatha this fall and hopes to graduate as well.
Chromy is from a football family. His father, Richard, was a lineman for Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in the early 1970s. His brother Steve, a quarterback, graduated from Maranatha in 1997. His brother Greg, a linebacker, graduated from Maranatha in 2003.
Next Saturday’s game at Concordia will be the first for Maranatha as a member of the Northern Athletics Conference. The Falcons, the preseason pick to win the new league, are also 0-3.
“Whether it’s this conference or another conference doesn’t excite me one way or another,” Chromy said. “A football game is a football game. We expect to play hard and, hopefully, win."
--Posted by Andrew Call, 9-25-08
2008 football season
2007 football season
2006 football season
2005 football season