By Ryan Briggs
Grove City SID
The last seven days have been quite turbulent throughout the Great Lakes Region.
First the bad news: Ohio Northern is on probation as a result of illegal practices during the Tom Kaczkowski era. The bad news was tempered a bit, though, when the Polar Bears' NCAA-imposed postseason ban was temporarily lifted while Ohio Northern goes through the appeals process.
Some good news came down the pike Monday afternoon in the Great Lakes Region, though, as the Presidents' Athletic Conference added Beaver Falls, Pa.-based Geneva as its ninth member. More on that later.
On the field, some teams received great news while others will hope for better results as conference play finally kicks into full gear this week throughout the region.
One Is the Loneliest Number
Albion's bid to knock off unbeaten Millikin in Decatur, Ill. fell short Saturday as the Britons fell 21-20. With the Britons trailing 21-14, Steve Wasil fired a 20-yard touchdown pass to Josh Silvernail with just 1:18 left in the game.
However, Millikin blocked Brian Balzerini's extra point attempt to preserve the victory. Balzerini had been 7-for-7 on extra points before the pivotal block.
Wasil threw two touchdown passes but Albion fell to 1-2.
Thunderstruck
Another MIAA team came home from Illinois with an L Saturday as Wheaton rolled past Hope, 48-7. The Thunder scored on their first five possessions of the game to take command.
Zach Huizing did record 17 total tackles and intercepted a pass for the Dutchmen, who fell to 0-3. Quarterback Joe Schwander threw for 175 yards and a touchdown but was sacked seven times.
99 Luftballoons
Kenyon piled up 556 yards on 99 total plays Saturday at Kalamazoo. Yet, the Lords fell to 0-3 with a 38-26 loss to the Yellow Jackets.
The Lords ran for 292 yards as a team while quarterback Rafael Sanchez threw for 264 yards on 25 of 36 passing. Sanchez also ran for 132 yards while Kenyon back Alby Coombs ran for a game-high 149 yards. The Lords had 33 first downs and held a 12-minute edge in time of possession.
However, four Kenyon fumbles directly led to 21 Kalamazoo points. Tim Kaselitz threw three touchdown passes for the Jackets, including two to Jeff Green. Green had seven catches for 117 yards.
Kenyon had scoring drives of 14 plays, 75 yards; 16 plays, 91 yards; and 18 plays, 75 yards.
The beat goes on
The Mount Union juggernaut continued Saturday night as the Purple Raiders rolled up a 55-7 home win over Otterbein. Aaron Robinson ran for three touchdowns as part of his 102-yard night. Wide receiver Pierre Garcon added a season-high eight receptions for 182 yards while also returning a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown.
Defensively, Mount Union has allowed just 80 yards rushing in its three games this season.
Rebounding nicely
One week after suffering a 70-0 home loss to Mount Union, John Carroll bounced back with a 48-17 win at Marietta Saturday. Blue Streak quarterback Doug Phillips threw for 345 yards on 17 of 27 accuracy. He accounted for 396 yards of total offense and five touchdowns (3 passing, 2 rushing).
The Blue Streaks are now 17-0-1 all-time against Marietta. The Pioneers were gunning for their first 3-0 start since 1972.
Five for fighting
Washington and Jefferson quarterback Chris Edwards threw five first-half touchdown passes as the Presidents overwhelmed Emory and Henry 50-0. Edwards threw a pair of touchdowns to both Aaron Krepps and Jon Miller. He finished the day with 332 yards passing.
38 special
Adrian scored 38 unanswered points Saturday in rallying for a 45-21 win at Bluffton in non-conference action. Taz Wallace's 10-yard interception return in the third quarter put the Bulldogs ahead 24-21. Randy Hutchison threw for 301 yards on 20-of-35 accuracy. D.J. Howard caught six passes for 151 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown pass.
Capital punishment
Capital scored a school-record 66 points Saturday in a 66-0 win over Heidelberg. Thom Hausler returned a punt 54 yards for a touchdown, his third career kick return touchdown. The Crusaders amassed 337 yards rushing while quarterback Rocky Pentello threw for 203 yards and three scores.
Pentello has completed a ridiculous 81.5% of his pass attempts this season.
Cat scratch fever
The Thiel Tomcats improved to 3-0 Saturday with a 41-7 home win over Bethany in the Tomcats' PAC opener at Alumni Stadium. Thiel forced five Bethany fumbles and recorded nine sacks.
Thiel defensive end Kevin Strouse had four sacks, setting a new Thiel single-game record. Chris Lorber also had a pair of sacks in the victory.
Indiana wants me
Wabash opened North Coast Athletic Conference play with a 50-2 Homecoming win over Earlham in a matchup of the league's two Indiana schools.
The Little Giants opened the game with a marathon 18-play, 69-yard drive that used over 10 minutes of first-quarter clock. Quarterback Russ Harbaugh threw three touchdown passes while Brandon Roop ran for two scores.
Defensively, Billy King intercepted two Quaker passes. Earlham played without starting quarterback Justin Rummell. His backup, wide receiver James Jewell, also went down and was replaced by Randy Kerns.
Nine tonight
Monday afternoon, the Presidents' Athletic Conference announced that current NAIA member Geneva will join the PAC as its ninth member. Geneva is currently in an exploratory year in Division III.
Geneva will reportedly begin playing conference teams in all sports during the 2007-08 academic year. That is the same year that the PAC will receive an automatic qualifier in all sports for the conference champion.
Geneva is located in the heart of the Beaver Valley. It is centrally located for the PAC schools in western Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia.
The Golden Tornadoes have had long rivalries with Grove City, Waynesburg and PAC newcomer St. Vincent. Of course, Geneva's biggest rival is Westminster and it will be great to see those two schools meeting on a regular basis again.
Around the MIAA
Five turnovers doomed Tri-State in a 50-6 loss at Franklin Saturday. ... In another Michigan-Indiana fray, Olivet scored 33 points during 10 minutes of the third quarter en route to a 40-7 win over Manchester. The game was scoreless at the half. Chris Quackenbush threw for one touchdown and ran for another during the 33-point explosion. Six different Comets scored touchdowns in the game. ... Division II Tiffin topped Alma Saturday night, 56-23. Tiffin scored on six of its first possessions.
Around the NCAC
Wooster captured the Baird Brothers Golden Stringer for the ninth straight year with a 38-21 victory over Case Western. It is the Scots' 13th straight regular-season victory. ... Denison blasted Gettysburg, 49-21, as quarterback Larry Cappetto accumulated 343 yards of total offense. Ike Akusoba had 10 tackles, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble. Denison forced four turnovers. ... Oberlin fell to 1-2 with a 45-13 loss to Rose-Hulman.
Around the OAC
Baldwin-Wallace celebrated Community Night with a 28-6 win over Wilmington Saturday night. Running back Brandon Hedges accounted for 157 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. ... Ohio Northern rallied from a 10-7 deficit to down host Muskingum, 34-10. Muskingum only attempted three passes and had two intercepted. ONU defensive back Rusty Midlam became the school's all-time leading interceptor with his 15th career pick.
Around the PAC
Thomas More moved to 3-0 in the PAC Saturday with a 17-3 win over Westminster in New Wilmington, Pa. The Saints scored 14 fourth-quarter points to secure the win. Thomas More has allowed just 25 points in its first three PAC games. ... Waynesburg scored 24 straight points in a six-minute span in the fourth quarter to seal a 34-17 win over visiting Hanover at Jack Wiley Stadium. Hanover ran for just 12 yards in the loss. ... Grove City knocked off four-time Centennial Conference champ Muhlenberg 16-6 at Robert E. Thorn Field. Ken Roudybush scored twice for the Wolverines, who snapped an eight-game losing streak. Grove City forced four Muhlenberg fumbles. ... The PAC went 3-0 in non-conference games Saturday.
Games of the Week
Capital at Mount Union, 1:30 p.m.: Coming off a 66-0 home win over Heidelberg, the Crusaders become the next team to take their best shot at Mount Union.
Adrian at Albion, 1 p.m.: Adrian takes its 3-0 record to Albion for the start of MIAA play.
Thiel at Washington and Jefferson, 1:30 p.m.: Washington and Jefferson and Thiel were picked 1-2 in the preseason PAC Media Day poll and neither has done anything to disappoint. Thiel is 3-0 while the Presidents are 4-0. ... This is Washington and Jefferson's first day game at historic Cameron Stadium in 2005.
Wooster at Allegheny, 1 p.m.: Wooster begins its NCAC title defense in the "Tool City" on Saturday against winless Allegheny. Two years ago, the Gators started 0-3 in non-conference play with losses to Baldwin-Wallace, Westminster and Washington and Jefferson, then went 7-0 in the NCAC.
