http://www.allegheny.edu
Football Looks to End Season Strong
November 9, 2005
Gators of the Week
Game Notes (PDF)
Two-Deeps (PDF)
MEADVILLE, Pa. - The Allegheny College Gators face Wittenberg University on Saturday. The two teams, normally among the elite of the NCAC, have both came upon hard times. The traditional powers come limping into the final week of the season with a combined 7-11 record, after dominating the NCAC over the last decade.
“I would say that we are struggling a lot more then Wittenberg,” said head coach Mark Matlak. “Wittenberg had a difficult opening schedule (0-3 in their first three games). They are playing like one of the best teams in the league right now, probably the second best to Wabash by the tape I have seen. It will be a good battle this Saturday.”
The Gators have a 2-7 overall record, but have out-scored their opponents 216-197. A win Saturday would still leave the team with its worst season ending record since the 1985 team went 3-7, and a loss would leave it with a 2-8 record, its fewest wins in a season since 1970, however, with a loss of 18 points or less, it will still have out-scored their opponents this year.
The squad opened its roller coaster season with back-to-back overtime games, a 23-17 loss to Baldwin-Wallace, where the Yellow Jackets picked off a Gator pass on the five yard line to win the game, and a 12-9 loss to Westminster, where Titan kicker Chris Castillo booted the game winner from 46 yards away after the Gators missed their attempt on their first possession.
In its next game, the team ran into powerful, then seventh ranked (D3football.com), Washington & Jefferson University, and trailed by a two touchdowns in the fourth quarter before the Presidents used their powerful passing attack to distance themselves in the 45-21 Gator loss.
The team suited up next against 17th ranked Wooster, their second ranked opponent in as many games, and tied the game with 2:46 to play, but the Scots drove 57 yards on 10 plays, kicking the game winning field goal with two seconds left on the clock. The following Saturday, the team fell 13-8 to the Battling Bishops of Ohio Wesleyan University, where the Gators were held at their own two yard line as time expired. A week later the Blue and Gold once again were held inside of their opponent’s five yard line as time expired, in a 34-27 shootout loss to the Lords of Kenyon College.
Allegheny got on the winning track in its next game, a convincing 38-6 victory over Hiram before falling to 19th ranked Wabash College 27-21, as the Gators had possession on the 50 yard line with 2:33 to play before the Little Giant defense held, stopping the Blue and Gold on fourth down.
Last week, the Gators rebounded with a convincing 41-0 victory over the Quakers of Earlham College, as the team scored 20 points in the second quarter and 21 in the third in the blowout victory.
In the win, the Gators gained 472 yards of total offense, while holding the Earlham attack to a paltry 167 yards, including just 41 on the ground. Junior running back Mario Tarquinio grounded out 116 yards and a touchdown, while quarterbacks James Jones and Jimmy Savage each reached the end zone on the ground.
The quarterback tandem also was 16-of-33 through the air for 248 yards and a trio of scores. The pair rotated by quarters, with Savage playing the first and third quarters and Jones the second and fourth.
“Each of the guys bring something different to the table,” said head coach Mark Matlak. “We’ve struggled this year from the quarterback position, and we are going to play both of them this last weekend.”
This weekend’s game brings the Tigers of Wittenberg University to Meadville. Wittenberg, like Allegheny, has struggled this season. The once mighty Tigers have a 5-4 record heading into this weekend’s game, but like the Gators’ record, it is deceiving.
The team dropped their season opener to currently 21st ranked Capital University by a 54-0 score before falling in back-to-back games to Division I-AA Dayton (41-23) and Alma (38-27). The team responded with three straight wins over Denison (31-6), Earlham (41-0) and Hiram (66-0) before falling to nationally ranked Wabash 26-20. Wins over Ohio Wesleyan (31-9) and Wooster (45-0) bring the Tigers into today’s game with their 5-4 record.
Leading the attack for the Red and White has been senior running back Tristan Murray, who leads the league with a 126.6 yards per game rushing average, while also having reached the end zone 13 times via the ground and twice more on receptions. The team is not at full strength, however, as starting quarterback Ryan Holmes is out for the season with an injury. The Tigers showed no signs of having their second string quarterback in the game last week, as Geron Stokes threw for 173 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 38 more yards and another score.
“Ryan Holmes was an excellent player,” said Matlak. “He gave the dimension of running and throwing. Geron Stokes is still a great athlete. It won’t be a big drop off for them.”
The Gators picked up their eighth consecutive season a week ago with a defensive shutout, while holding the Quakers to just 167 yards of offense, while the Gator attack was nearly unstoppable, putting up 472 yards (216 rushing, 256 passing), punting just four times in the game.
“This season, just about the only team to stop our offense has been ours,” said the head coach about his success last week. “I think the difference this past week was a few big plays, a long touchdown pass and a long draw run – those turned us around. Also the defense was better. We got the ball a significant amount of time on the Earlham side of the field, giving us short drives. When the defense plays that well, and you get the ball with five turnovers, you are going to be pretty successful.”
The game is also senior day for the 26 seniors on the 2005 squad, Josh Baker, Matt Ludewig, Matt Pertile, Matt DeGiovanni, Nick Smith, Brad Stotsky, Michael Sober, Keith Keenan, Pat O’Neil, Kyle Geiser, Elliott George, RaShawn Allen, Vincent Werner, Eric Rupp, Matt Gelles, Andam Duncan, Paul Pugh, Jonathan Black, Eric Cornish, Andrew Perego, James Trembulak, Colin Morgan, Marko Fonzi, Justen Altemus and Daniel Monarko.
“I think our seniors have done a great job over the last couple of weeks,” said the Gator mentor. “Anytime things go as bad as they have, and you can give a good effort every week for nine straight weeks, it says a lot about the seniors and the team.”
Kickoff for senior day is at 1:00 p.m. at Robertson Field, with the Gators honoring the seniors in a pre-game ceremony.