|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
May 12, 2008
|
|
|
Gator Football Takes Season Opener 35-10 Sep 2, 2006 NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – The Allegheny College football team snapped an eight-year season opening losing streak with a dominating 35-10 victory over the Titans of Westminster College on a rainy Saturday afternoon. The Gators used an opportunistic defense and consistent offensive attack, taking advantage of six Titan turnovers and accumulating 444 yards of total offense.
The Gators, who kicked off to start the game, looked to take advantage early when Westminster (0-1) running back Nick McKolosky fumbled on the first offensive play. The Blue and Gold recovered on the 34-yard line and took the ball to the goal line, but the Titan defense held the visitors out of the end zone. After a four-and-out by Westminster, the Gators tacked on the first score of the game when Savage found wide receiver Dallas Robinson (Wooster, Ohio/Northwestern) from seven yards out.
Mario Tarquinio (Charleroi, Pa./Charleroi), right, rambled in from 27 yards away with 1:59 to play in the first half to push the lead to 21-0 after linebacker Mateo Villa (Windsor, Ohio/Middlefield Cardinal) picked off Westminster quarterback Chad Rosaletti, the fifth turnover of the first half for the hosts. The Titans broke onto the scoreboard just before the break, when kicker Fred Romeo booted a 22-yard field goal with 9.7 seconds left to put the score at 21-3. The Gators wasted no time in the second half as the squad drove 72 yards in four plays and scoring on another Tarquinio rushing touchdown, pushing the advantage to 28-3. After a punt on their next drive, Savage found Jim Lieb (Carrolltown, Pa./Northern Cambria) from 24 yards out at 1:14 in the third, capping the offensive output for Allegheny and setting the score at 35-3. Westminster took advantage of the Gator reserves in the fourth quarter to score their only touchdown as Brett Ziegler completed a six-yard pass to Kevin Franz with 43 ticks left on the clock. Tarquinio led all rushers in the game with 97 yards on 21 carries and a pair of scores, while Patsy Malie (Youngstown, Ohio/Cardinal Mooney) rushed nine times for 42 yards. Westminster was led by McKolosky, who had 15 attempts for 61 yards. The Titans’ passing duo, Franz and Rosatelli, were a combined 22-of-31 for 192 yards with two interceptions. Robinson led the Gator receivers with career-highs of five receptions and 68 yards, while Lieb caught three passes for 41 yards. The Gators next take to the gridiron on Saturday, September 29 when the team travels to Washington, Pa. to face off against the 15th ranked Presidents of Washington & Jefferson College, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m.
|
||
Allegheny (1-0) won their season opener for the first time since 1997, when the team brought home a 45-19 victory over Thiel College, while also scoring the largest victory in the series with Westminster since a 32-point, 39-7 win in 1931. Senior quarterback Jimmy Savage (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover), left, completed passes to eight different receivers, finishing 16-of-32 for 230 yards and a trio of touchdowns, while James Jones (Ellington, N.Y./Falconer Central), in his first game at wide receiver after switching from quarterback a year ago, hauled in four passes for 94 yards and a score.
The Gator defense once again came up big with another forced fumble and the offense quickly converted as Savage tossed his second touchdown of the game to Jones from 29 yards out, taking the Allegheny lead to 14-0.
Printable Version