Harper gets bowl game bid in Phoenix

Harper College has a football bowl game destination most big-time, four-year programs would love.

Harper has accepted an invitation to play in the Valley of the Sun Bowl on Dec. 6 in Phoenix.

The Hawks (10-1), who are ranked fourth in the latest NJCAA/JCFootball.com poll, take on No. 8 Phoenix College (7-3) in the oldest continuous NJCAA bowl game.

"It's a cool opportunity for the kids and the team and we're excited as heck about it," said third-year Harper coach Dragan Teonic. "I've never been part of a bowl game like that as a player or a coach.

"It's exciting for us and exciting to represent the (Midwest Football) Conference against a very respected conference (Western States Football League)."

Harper will be playing in the 22nd bowl game in program history. Traditionally the Hawks go to the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa, for their postseason game.

But this season's success, which includes a Region IV title and the players of the year on offense (quarterback Garrett Barnas) and defense (end Kyle Jenkins) led to this opportunity.

Harper is hoping to match or exceed its highest season-ending ranking of fourth and join the 2003 and '04 teams as NJCAA non-scholarship national champions.

"We get to play a high-quality opponent and test ourselves," Teonic said. "We have a lot of cool things to play for. When I got the job my goal was to be one of the best programs in the country and we've got a shot to do that."