Late Touchdown Sinks Gators, 17-14

Oct 9, 2004

Box Score

DELAWARE, Ohio – Ohio Wesleyan University running back Nathanial Jonhenry scored his second touchdown of the game with 4:52 to play to erase a 14-10 Allegheny College lead and send the Gators to a 17-14 loss Saturday.

The defeat drops Allegheny to 1-4 on the season and 0-2 in the North Coast Athletic Conference, while the Bishops improve to 1-4 overall and 1-1 in the conference.

The Gators, who have been hurt by special teams mistakes all season, actually were the beneficiaries of special teams miscues by OWU to open the game. The opening kickoff was boomed into the end zone and OWU tried to bring it out, getting only to the one-yard line. After going three plays and out, the Bishops’ ensuing punt only traveled to the 15-yard line, giving Allegheny great field position. The Gators promptly took advantage, needing only three plays to break into the end zone. Sophomore running back Mario Tarquinio (Charleroi, Pa.), who had all three carries, bulled in from the one to give Allegheny a 7-0 lead with just 2:35 gone from the game.

Two possessions later, it looked like Allegheny would add to its lead. Facing a third down and nine, OWU quarterback Ryan Sir Louis fumbled after being sacked by Gator junior linebacker Elliott George (Bradford, Pa.). Gator junior defensive lineman Jon Black (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) pounced on the loose ball and AC looked like they were in business at the Bishop 24. However, the OWU defense made a stand as Allegheny sophomore QB Jimmy Savage (North Canton, Pa./ Hoover) had a pass picked off by Chad Ellis at the 18 to end the Gator scoring threat.

The hosts mounted their first scoring threat early in the second quarter, marching down to the Allegheny 18 before giving the ball up on downs. The Gators nearly put more points on the board just before halftime. Starting at the OWU 39, Allegheny drove to the 20 before a holding penalty pushed them back to the 30. That miscue proved costly as freshman kicker Bryan Davis (Hummelstown, Pa./ Lower Dauphin), who was looking at 38-yard kick, now had to try a 48-yard field goal. His boot came up short at the halftime gun and the Gators still clung to a 7-0 lead.

The missed opportunities came back to haunt Allegheny in the second half. OWU stopped the Gators on their first possession and then marched 84 yards in 12 plays to knot the game at 7-7. Sir Louis carried five times on the drive, including a one-yard sneak on a fourth and one at the Gator 14. The march was capped off by a five-yard scoring run by Jonhenry with 9:22 to play in the third period.

Allegheny nearly answered on its next possession. Taking advantage of a roughing the kicker call after being forced to punt, the Gators reached the Bishops 23 before the drive stalled. Freshman kicker Jason Black (Warren, Ohio/ Champion) came on for a field goal but his 40-yard attempt bounced off the right upright and the score remained 7-7.

Late in the third period, the Gators committed a turnover deep in their own end to set up the Bishops next score. Savage attempted a lateral to senior wide receiver Casey Devlin (Pittsburgh, Pa./ Chartiers Valley) but it was high and OWU’s Ellis recovered at the Gator 10. AC’s defense was able to prevent the hosts from finding the end zone but Jason Whitcomb knocked home a 23-yard field goal just nine seconds into the fourth quarter to put the Bishops ahead 10-7.

Allegheny’s offense did answer right back on the ensuing possession. Just two plays after a 47-yard pass from Savage to junior tight end Marko Fonzi (Pittsburgh, Pa./ Brentwood) was called back because of a holding penalty, Savage hit Devlin for a 34-yard completion down to the OWU 15. Following a defensive offsides, AC junior running back Kyle Geiser (Orrville, Ohio) carried twice, with the second one being a three-yard TD run, his first of the season. Black’s extra point was good and Allegheny held a 14-10 lead with 11:47 to play.

Unfortunately, the Gators would not be able to hold the lead. With 6:31 to play, the Bishops started at their own 47. The hosts would need just four plays to cover the 53 yards, with Jonhenry racing into the end zone from 16 yards out for the go-ahead score and a 17-14 OWU lead with 4:52 to play.

The Gators would get just one more chance to tie or take the lead and after three incomplete passes, Allegheny punted back to Ohio Wesleyan and never saw the ball again. The Bishops gained three first downs and chewed up the remaining time on the clock to seal their first victory of the season and just their fourth win ever against the Gators in 21 career meetings.

Allegheny’s offense continued to have its difficulties, as it was outgained 362-233 for the game. Tarquinio just missed his second consecutive 100-yard game, as he finished with 97 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. Savage was just seven of 16 through the air for 96 yards. Junior Mike Sober (West Leechburg, Pa./ Leechburg Area) was the only receiver out of six who caught multiple passes, as he pulled in two for 17 yards.

On the defensive side of the ball, senior end John Brady (Pittsburgh, Pa./ North Hills) and junior linebacker Adam Duncan (Blairsville, Pa./ Derry) each recorded 11 tackles, while senior safety Adam Klimas (Youngstown, Ohio/ Boardman) totaled 10 stops.

The Bishops were led by their versatile QB, as Sir Louis rushed for 107 yards and connected on 10 of 18 aerials for 89 yards. Safety Jeff King made a team-high eight tackles for the hosts on defense.

Allegheny returns home next weekend for the first of two consecutive games at Robertson Field. The Gators will host Kenyon (Ohio) College for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The Lords are coming off an 84-21 defeat to the College of Wooster and have lost 16 straight games to Allegheny, dating back to 1985.

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