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Savage, Gators Roll to Win in NCAC Opener
September 30, 2006
GRANVILLE, Ohio – The Allegheny College Gators used another strong effort from quarterback Jimmy Savage (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) to win their first North Coast Athletic Conference opener since 2003 in a 23-6 victory over the Big Red of Denison University (0-4, 0-1 NCAC) on a rainy Saturday afternoon.
Savage completed 23-of-44 passes for 293 yards, while running back Mario Tarquinio (Charleroi, Pa./Charleroi) just missed the 100-yard plateau with 97 yards on 24 attempts, a 4.0 yard per carry average.
The Gators (3-1, 1-0 NCAC) entered the scoreboard first when they took the opening drive and went 66 yards in six plays, culminating with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Savage to Shane Sullivan (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township).
The offense went cold for the remainder of the first quarter, before the Blue and Gold erupted for 13 third quarter points, the first when kicker Josh Whiteside (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) booted the first of his two second quarter field goals, this one from 29 yards away, pushing Allegheny’s lead to 10-0 with 5:48 to play in the half.
Just under three and a half minutes later Savage threw his second touchdown pass of the half, finding freshman Jake Vite (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) with an over-the-shoulder pass in the end zone, taking the score to 17-0. After forcing a three-and-out on their next possession, the Gators drove late in the second quarter, as Whiteside booted a 32-yard field goal with five seconds left in the half.
Denison started the second half in a strong way, as the Big Red blocked a punt on Allegheny’s first possession, with Bert Bathiany returning it 31 yards to erase the zero on the scoreboard for the hosts, however the extra point snap went through the holder’s hands, putting the score at 20-6.
The Gators, who came into the game ranked fourth in Division III in turnover margin (+3.0 margin per game), used a fumbled snap between backup center, freshman Chris Pappas and quarterback Brian Herbe to give Whiteside his career high third field goal of the game, this one from 23 yards away, pushing the Allegheny advantage to 23-6 with just under nine minutes left in the game.
Tarquinio, the conference’s leading rusher, was held to 95 yards, while Patsy Malie (Youngstown, Ohio/Cardinal Mooney) finished with four yards. Denison’s Fred Lee grounded out a game-high 110 yards on 23 carries.
Savage’s 44 passes is the second highest single game total in Allegheny College history, trailing only Bubba Smith’s total of 46 against Washington and Jefferson in 2003, while the 23 receptions was six off of his career high set last season. Herbe completed 13-of-33 passes for 115 yards in the loss, throwing a pair of interceptions, one to Michael Cox (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg) and another to Andy Toner (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park), who increased his team-leading total to four, after picking off three en route to being named the NCAC Player of the Week against Hiram.
Savage completed passes to ten different receivers in the game, with Jim Lieb (Carrolltown, Pa./Northern Cambria) hauling in five of those for a game-high 94 yards. Denison’s receiving corps were led by Peter Jarowey, who had four catches for 18 yards, while Kevin Laidlaw led the team with 35 receiving yards.
The defense was led by Ross Simcoe (Coudersport, Pa./Coudersport), who picked up a dozen tackles, while cornerback Nick Jones (Blairsville, Pa./Homer Center) had nine stops. Simcoe and sophomore Craig Lawrence (Fairview, Pa./Fairview) each had a sack, while Cox also had a fumble recovery in addition to his interception.
The Gators next take to the gridiron on Saturday, October 7 when the team makes the long trek to Indiana to face off against the Little Giants of Wabash College, the defending conference champions, with kickoff set for 2:00 p.m.