Laying it all on the line: Sleepy Eye graduate Cole Deibele to play in Division III title game for St. John's University

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. -- For the Deibele family, the usual Saturday morning drive to St. John's University's' Clemens Stadium has become the familiar trek since 1995.

With three boys continuing their football careers with legendary coach John Gagliardi, the second-youngest brother of a family of five siblings is preparing to play his final collegiate game on Division III's grandest stage: The Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the right for the national championship in Salem, Va.

The family made the final trip from Sleepy Eye to Collegeville last week to see Cole Deibele play as St. John's won the semifinal game.

Deibele is the starting strong safety for an undefeated Johnnies team. His older brother Ryan played for the Johnnies from 1995-98 and Brooks suited up from '98-2001. Cole joined the team in 2000 and will do battle one last time -- breaking a Saturday habit, which his mother Chris said would "feel a little weird."

His younger brother Jake played sports while in high school and is currently enrolled at the University of Minnesota, and his sister Allie is a senior at Sleepy Eye High School.

On Saturday, St. John's meets highly favored Mount Union -- a team that has won six out of the last seven national titles.

"I'm really excited, because the past two years we made it to the Final Four, and this is my senior year so I want to go out on top," Deibele said.

While playing for the national championship has generated a lot of excitement, he also witnessed Gagliardi's record-breaking 409th win, eclipsing Eddie Robinson's mark.

He said all the media attention during the run wasn't much of a distraction for him, but it may have been for others.

"I think it was a bit of a distraction for [Gagliardi] and [wide receiver and 2003 Gagliardi Trophy winner] Blake Elliott, but overall it's been a lot of fun and it puts St. John's on the map," Deibele said.

Because his brothers attended the same school, Deibele said he knew what to expect from Gagliardi the minute he stepped foot on the practice field.

"I don't think John's changed since he started coaching," Deibele said. "He's a great coach and he's wonderful to play for. He's very personable and he'll talk to you and see if you have injuries."

Deibele was a member of Sleepy Eye's state baseball champions in 2000. Even with all the big-game experience, he says this is by far the biggest game of his career.

"By far. No doubt," he said. "I played in the state baseball championship, but knowing this is my last football game, its the biggest thing I've encountered."

St. John's last appeared in the title game in 2000 and last won it in 1976.

Mount Union won the national championship in 2002 with a 48-7 drubbing of Trinity (Texas) and it won 10-7 over St. John's in 2000.

The Purple Raiders are also riding a 55-game winning streak. Even though the numbers are staggering, the Johnnies remain optimistic of their chances.

"They don't run anything difficult," he said. "They have such great athletes, but I don't think [we're intimidated]. Not with the way we play. We lost to them 10-7 in the national championship, so I'm sure they're nervous coming in too."

Deibele has had a solid career, registering 193 total tackles in 41 career games, recovering four fumbles and he has picked off eight passes for 117 yards. One of his more memorable interceptions came a week ago when he picked off a pass against RPI and returned it 36 yards for the score.

Deibele hasn't limited his success to the gridiron, where he was selected all-conference this season. He is also a pitcher and plays DH for the baseball team. He hit .426 and will be a four-time letterwinner in baseball and three-time letterwinner in football.

When college is all said and done, the social science major and education minor wants to spread his knowledge of the game through coaching, a position he should do well at considering he calls the defensive formations.

"I'm definitely going to coach," he said. "I want to coach football and possibly baseball."

The game can be seen live at 10 a.m. Saturday on ESPN2. Deibele said the experience will be a once-in-a-lifetime event.

"It's going to be a lot different than what I'm used to, coming from a small town, but we will try not to let it bother us," he said. "The only way we're going to win is if we play our best."