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Gators Clinch NCAC Championship
November 8, 2003
For the first time since 1997, Allegheny College has claimed the North Coast Athletic Conference football championship. The Gators soundly defeated Earlham (1-8, 0-5 NCAC), 42-21, Ohio Wesleyan beat Oberlin, 24-7, to lock up Allegheny’s ninth conference title.
Allegheny, 6-3 and 6-0 in the NCAC, shared the NCAC title with Wittenberg and Wooster in 1997 and advanced to the NCAA playoffs where they lost to eventual national champion Mount Union, 34-30, in the first round. The Gators have also won titles in 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, and 1996.
Senior Brian Woods (Pittsburgh, Pa./Avonworth) broke one of Allegheny’s oldest school-record with 344 all-purpose yards, eclipsing the previous mark of 316 set by Jay Lewis in 1969. Woods, who had four touchdowns, had 172 yards receiving on six receptions, 118 yards on punt returns including a 65-yard touchdown, and 54 yards on kickoff returns.
Allegheny led 16-3 at the half, scoring on a 59-yard pass and run from senior quarterback Bubba Smith (Doylestown, Ohio/Chippewa) to Woods. Senior fullback Brian O’Malley (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) followed up with a two-yard touchdown at 5:36 of the first quarter.
Senior defensive tackle David Pisanick (Duncansville, Pa./Hollidaysburg) then took down Quaker quarterback Justin Rummell in the endzone for a safety early in the third quarter. Earlham hit a 32-yard field goal with 5:09 left in the half to erase the zero on their half of the scoreboard.
Woods then took the spotlight as he returned a punt 65 yards, his second punt return for a TD this season. After senior wideout Jon Turner (Franklin, Pa./Franklin Area) scored his 20th career touchdown on an 11-yard pass, Woods snagged a four-yard pass and followed up with a 65-yard touchdown reception.
Jeremiah King, who finished with six receptions for 156 yards, had touchdown catches of 60-yards and seven yards. Rummell completed 20-of-34 passes for 298 yards.
Smith finished 9-for-18 for 194 yards and four touchdown passes. Sophomore Kyle Geiser (Orrville, Ohio/Orrville) registered the first 100-yard game of his career, rushing for 117 yards on 12 carries.
Defensively, senior Mike Soltis (Albion, Pa./Northwestern) had two sacks and six total tackles. Senior Ryan James (New Castle, Pa./Kennedy Christian) led all tacklers with 10 stops.
Allegheny finishes out the regular season with Ohio Wesleyan at Robertson Field on November 15, at 1:00 p.m.