Gators fall to Wittenberg 39-21

Nov 4, 2006

Boxscore

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Allegheny College Gators (5-4, 3-3 North Coast Athletic Conference) fell 39-21 to the Tigers of Wittenberg University (6-3, 5-1 NCAC) on Saturday afternoon, despite seeing quarterback Jimmy Savage (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover), right, set the single-season marks in passing yardage, completions and attempts.

On the game Savage was 24-of-35 passing with 247 yards and a career-high-tying three touchdowns, two to Dallas Robinson (Wooster, Ohio/Northwestern).

Each of the teams took to the offensive to start the game, with the Tigers taking the opening kickoff and driving 75 yards on 11 plays, scoring when Tristan Murray scored the first of his three rushing touchdowns from 15 yards away, giving the hosts the 7-0 lead.

The Gators countered with an 11-play, 71-yard drive, scoring when Savage drew the Tigers offside, and found Robinson in the end zone from 24 yards away, knotting the score at seven apiece.

Wittenberg would not be out-done, as the hosts followed with an 11-play, 85-yard drive, culminating when quarterback Ryan Huffman found Murray for a 20-yard pass, giving the hosts the 14-7 lead. Wittenberg added another touchdown when Tony Hall plunged into the end zone from three yards away, pushing Wittenberg’s lead to 21-7. After the Tigers forced an interception on Allegheny’s next play, J.J. Davis (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park), pictured at right, picked off Huffman in the end zone with 13 seconds left, stopping the Tigers from scoring again and sending the Gators into the locker room with a 21-7 deficit.

The hosts drew first blood to start the second half when Hall scored for the second time on the day, this one also from three yards away, pushing Wittenberg to the 27-7 lead. The Gators fought back, as Savage found junior wide receiver Jim Lieb (Carrolltown, Pa./Northern Cambria) on a screen pass from seven yards away, before finding Robinson for the second time, 29 yards away, cutting the deficit to six at 27-21.

Allegheny forced a three-and-out on their next possession, but earned just one first down, before Jason Black (Warren, Ohio/Champion) was tackled on the next punt attempt, setting the hosts up with a short field which they took full advantage of, as Murray rushed in from 27 yards on the next play, giving Wittenberg the 33-21 lead. Murray’s third rushing touchdown of the day and fourth overall sealed the deal for the hosts, sending the Gators home with a 39-21 loss.

Savage was the team’s leading rusher on the day, grounding out 56 yards on 10 carries, while Mario Tarquinio (Charleroi, Pa./Charleroi) rushed 15 times for 51 yards, eclipsing the 3,000-yard mark for his career. Wittenberg rushed for 314 yards and five touchdowns as a team, led by Murray’s 199 yards and three touchdowns on 37 carries, while Huffman rushed eight times for 84 total yards.

Huffman completed 12-of-his 16 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, but was overshadowed by Savage, who continued his magical season, passing Bubba Smith on the single-season record books in completions, attempts, yards, and tying him in touchdowns.

Nine of Savage’s passes went to Robinson, who accumulated 142 yards and two touchdowns, while Lieb, bottom left, had five catches for 36 yards.

Jon Buggey (Homer City, Pa./Homer-Center) had a game-high 12 tackles on the day, while Mateo Villa (Windsor, Ohio/Middlefield Cardinal) had ten stops in the losing effort.

The next game for the Blue and Gold is on Saturday, November 11 when the team plays host to the Yeomen of Oberlin College, victors over Kenyon College this afternoon by a 56-42 margin.

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