Gators End Season With Big Win

Nov 12, 2005

Boxscore

MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny College Gators’s nightmare start to the 2005 season ended with a sweet dream, a 31-21 victory over perennial powerhouse Wittenberg University on Saturday afternoon.

Jimmy Savage (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) threw for 204 yards and a trio of touchdowns while Mario Tarquinio (Charleroi) rushed for 111 yards, as the Gators never trailed in the contest.

The first quarter was all Gators, as Allegheny had a 95-49 advantage in yards, and a 7-0 advantage on the scoreboard thanks to a five-yard pass from Savage to tight end Marco Fonzi (Pittsburgh/ Brentwood). The scoring drive came on Allegheny’s second possession, an impressive 14-play effort that covered 77 yards and took 6:01 off the clock.

The second quarter started much like the first one ended, as Allegheny put together another scoring drive, this one led by quarterback James Jones (Elington, N.Y./ Falconer Central). The team went 46 yards in just four plays, as Jones found Michael Sober (West Leechburg/ Leechburg) on a quick out, and Sober trickled his way down the sideline for the score with 11:44 remaining in the half.

The 14-0 Allegheny advantage lasted until the clock showed 6:01 in the second quarter, as Wittenberg got good field position after a Mario Tarquinio (Charleroi) fumble at the 13 yard line, and the Tigers sealed the deal with a 13 yard dash by running back Tristan Murray. The rush capped an odd series of plays, as a Wittenberg punt block and Gator interception preceded the fumble and the ensuing Tiger score. The Tigers, however, still trailed 14-7 heading into the locker room.

After Wittenberg’s opening drive of the second half ended in a missed 48-yard field goal, the Tigers took their second drive into the Allegheny endzone, knotting the game at 14 with an eight-yard pass from quarterback Geron Stokes to wideout Jered Glover.

The Blue and Gold responded quickly, as the team took the ball 77 yards in just seven plays on its next possession. The drive was captained by Jimmy Savage, as all 10 plays were passes, six of them complete, with the final reception a 27-yard screen to Tarquinio. The scoring drive helped the Gators regain the lead, at 21-14, and left 3:37 left on the third quarter clock.

Josh Whiteside (Pittsburgh/Upper St. Claire) booted a 40-yard field goal to open the scoring in the fourth quarter, increasing the Gators’ lead to 24-14. Wittenberg would not go away, as they used just eight plays to go 46 yards, cutting into the lead with a Murray three-yard touchdown with 8:49 to play, the last of the season for the Tigers. The Gators responded with a 12-play, 83-yard drive, scoring with Savage’s third touchdown of the day, this one to Logan Kaleta (Kirtland, Ohio), giving the hosts the 31-21 lead, as an interception by Adam Duncan (Blairsville/Derry Area) sealed the victory for the Blue and Gold.

Tarquinio rushed for a game-high 111 yards on 26 carries, while Savage and Jones grounded out 27 and 20, respectively. Wittenberg was led by Tristan Murray, who had 105 yards and two scores, while quarterback Stokes had 59 yards on 16 attempts.

Savage and Jones combined to throw for 229 yards and four touchdowns, as Savage was 15-of-27 for 204 yards and Jones 2-of-4 for 25 yards and a score. Stokes was 20-of-33 in the game for 146 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, his first two picks of the season.

Leading the receivers was Kaleta, who had five catches for 21 yards and a touchdown, while Jim Lieb (Carrolltown/Northern Cambria) and Kyle Geiser (Orrville, Ohio) each had three catches for 48 and 24 yards, respectively. Mark Harriman led the Tigers with five catches for 32 yards while Glover and Murray had four catches each for 27 and 24 yards, respectively.

A quartet of Gators picked up double figure tackles, as Eric Rupp (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster Central) had a dozen stops, Elliott George (Bradford) had 11 and Keith Keenan (Bloomingdale, Ohio/Indian Creek) and Duncan had 10 stops in their last games of their careers. Duncan and Brad Stotsky (Evans City/Seneca Valley) each had an interception, while Tom Glamuzina (Williamsville, N.Y./St. Joseph’s) and Dan Monarko (Allison Park/Hampton) shared on the team’s only quarterback sack.

With the win, the Gators end their season with a 3-7 record, winners of three of their last four games and 3-4 in the NCAC, while Wittenberg evens its record at 5-5 overall and 5-2 in the NCAC.

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