Nov 09, 2004
By Pat Cummings
D3sports.com
Oh, the fear that Bridgewater fans experienced on Saturday afternoon when lowly Randolph-Macon pushed the Eagles to an unimaginable overtime session.
The Yellow Jackets led the Eagles 13-0 at the intermission and were it not for a missed extra point attempt from David Ping after the second R-MC touchdown, they probably should have won the game.
Bridgewater scored 13 second-half points to tie the game and force overtime. Ping redeemed himself, if only temporarily, booting a 37-yard three-pointer to put R-MC in front after their possession.
Marcus Washington took a Brandon Wakefield handoff and tossed it to a wide-open Brian Awkard for the game-winning touchdown, capping an unexpectedly close 19-16 win for the Eagles.
"I didn't even know what to do on the play when it first started," Washington told the Harrisonburg Daily News Record. "I asked Brandon about three or four times what the play was and he asked me if I knew what I was doing, and I was like, 'Yeah, yeah, sure.' He's talking to me and then I ran to the outside. Then I saw the corner stop running and following Brian, so I knew I could just throw it up and he'd be open. I was hoping I didn't throw it out of the end zone.
"It can make us better," BC coach Mike Clark told the paper. "To get backed into a corner, to have to come from behind, to be on the road to play against a team that brought their 'A' game regardless of their record. Now that we've won it, I can say it was a good game for us."
The win clinched the Old Dominion Athletic Conference for the Eagles, their fourth straight title. More impressive, Bridgewater has yet to lose in the ODAC over that span. A win this weekend over Catholic, topping off a 24-0 ODAC record for this year's seniors, is certainly a crowning achievement for a program that has developed into one of the country's finest.
The narrow margin of victory certainly had many around Division III scratching their heads as scores were posted. The closing week in D-III tends to generate quite a few head-scratching performances, because tapes from the final three games are exchanged with playoff opponents. While it is never in the interest of coaches to take their opponents lightly, a lighter playbook near the end of the season may prove beneficial if your squad can make it to the second season.
Aggies clinch historic playoff bid
Delaware Valley's 12-0 victory over Wilkes, combined with an Albright victory over Moravian, clinched the Middle Atlantic Conference championship for the Aggies, just two seasons removed from a 2-8 record. The superlatives are heavy for the Aggies who have struggled mightily in the past.
No Del Val men's or women's team had ever qualified for the NCAA Division III playoffs in a team-qualifying sport before Saturday. The Aggies improved to 19-2 in their last 21 games, notched their seventh win a row at home for the first time in school history, added to a school record with its 11th win in a row, not to mention rallying a school and community behind a team that was 10-30 the previous four years.
Almost time to dip into the pool
Hampden-Sydney's loss at Johns Hopkins, Moravian's loss at home against Albright, and New Jersey's loss at Brockport State opened the door to the Captains of Christopher Newport to possibly earn a Pool C bid for this year's playoffs.
CNU would tie Shenandoah for the USAC crown but the Hornets hold the head-to-head tiebreaker after SU's 14-10 win over the Captains. Granted, the Hornets need to win at home against Methodist. The Monarchs are formidable opponents, shining a 7-2 record this season with losses to Salisbury and CNU. Shenandoah was routed by the Sea Gulls last week, 42-7, whereas Methodist suffered only a 7-3 defeat. But that was during the remnants of Hurricane Ivan. So ... who knows?
This much is clear. If CNU and Shenandoah are victorious on Saturday, the Captains can hold their heads high with their only two losses against playoff teams in Rowan (33-32 in Week 1) and obviously, the Hornets. Add to that a victory against a playoff opponent, Bridgewater, and CNU could appear in the bracket next Sunday.
Check out Pat Coleman's "Playoff Predictions" later this week for his usually accurate prognostication.
One step closer to a Centennial of a mess
Chris Martin's 76-yard punt return with less than two minutes remaining propelled McDaniel to a 7-6 win over visiting Muhlenberg. The win kept McDaniel alive in the hunt for the Centennial championship and triggered the potential tiebreaking possibilities should Johns Hopkins, 38-14 blowout winners against Hampden-Sydney.
A Green Terror victory against the Blue Jays would clinch the conference for McDaniel. JHU has dominated the Mean Green each of the last three seasons with wins of a 21-14 in 2001, 27-7 in 2002, and 17-3 in 2003.
Rehashing the numbers from last week, a JHU win against McDaniel would mean that five teams in the conference (presuming Dickinson and Franklin and Marshall win against Ursinus and Gettysburg respectively) would have identical 4-2 records, all with equal records of 2-2 against each other and 2-0 against the remaining conference teams.
Head-to-head competition is the first tiebreaker.
Dickinson is 2-2 against the tied teams (wins vs. F&M and JHU)
F&M is 2-2 (wins vs. McDaniel and Muhlenberg)
JHU would be 2-2 (wins vs. F&M and McDaniel)
McDaniel would be 2-2 (wins vs. Dickinson and Muhlenberg)
Muhlenberg would be 2-2 (wins vs. Dickinson and JHU)
Now, here is the bottom line on the remaining tiebreakers as provided by Centennial Conference Executive Secretary, Steve Ulrich. Some of it comes down to the conference's strength of schedule tiebreaker.
-> A McDaniel win against Hopkins sends the Green Terror to the playoffs.
-> If Johns Hopkins beats McDaniel, the Blue Jays win the automatic bid if Moravian beats Muhlenberg
-> If Johns Hopkins and Muhlenberg both win, JHU advances if Rochester beats Hobart. Muhlenberg moves on if Union beats RPI and Hobart beats Rochester
-> Dickinson, F&M, and McDaniel cannot win a five-way tiebreaker
-> In a four-way tie, where Dickinson loses to Ursinus, Johns Hopkins wins a tiebreaker between F&M, Johns Hopkins, McDaniel, and Muhlenberg
-> In a four-way tie, where F&M loses to Gettysburg, McDaniel wins a tiebreaker between Dickinson, Johns Hopkins, McDaniel, and Muhlenberg
-> In a three-way tie, where both Dickinson and F&M lose, McDaniel wins the bid.
-> In a three or four-way tie situation, Dickinson, F&M, and Muhlenberg cannot win the trip to the postseason.
McDaniel controls their own destiny. Sounds easy enough to me.
Does anyone else find it incredibly useless that Muhlenberg wins the conference if they beat Moravian while Union (5-3) has to beat RPI (5-3) and Hobart (7-1) has to beat Rochester (4-5)?
Final meeting of two fast top backs
King's running back Richard Jackson and Wilkes' running back Brett Trichilo meet for the final time on Saturday in another renewal of the fabled Mayor's Cup between the two Wilkes-Barre, Pa., institutions. The meeting of such prolific rushers is rare.
Both are the only active rushers in the top ten of the all-time career rushing leaders in Division III. After Saturday's games, Trichilo sits fourth with 5,693 yards and Jackson resides in the ninth spot amassing 5,212 yards. Last season, Trichilo rushed for 261 yards and four touchdowns while the Colonels defense stepped up en masse holding Jackson to 80 yards on 25 carries.
The two backs both competed within the same high school territory, Trichilo from Dunmore and Jackson from Lackawanna Trail, separated by just 15 miles. As if the two could get closer, King's and Wilkes share the same town. While Jackson would need a record day to surpass Trichilo, sit back and enjoy the talents of two players who have graced Northeastern Pennsylvania's gridirons for so long.
A novice success
Congrats to the Battling Bishops of North Carolina Wesleyan who completed their first season of football with a highly respectable 4-4 record overall, and 3-3 in the USA South Conference after taking a 30-27 win in double overtime at Ferrum. While their victories came against the bottom half of the conference (Averett, Ferrum, and Greensboro), NCWC did a heck of a lot better than some established programs. A one-point loss at home against Methodist and an overtime loss at Huntingdon kept the Crusadin' Clergy from a remarkable 6-2.
The program started the year with 180 players and has been whittled to 110.
"We'll learn who is serious about (being committed here) for four years" said Jack Ginn, NCWC's first year coach, to the Rocky Mount Telegram.
"I feel good about our base, but I'm sure there are guys that we think are coming back that aren't. There will be attrition."
Regardless, NCWC is off to a great start and kudos for that.
Feedback response
Over the course of the season, I have received a gaggle of notes from readers. Thanks for taking the time to write. Here are a select few of the comments. Some of the notes are more recent than others; I will note that appropriately below.
"My impression is that F&M could be real force in the Centennial conference next year with mostly an underclassmen team. The games that they lost were all reasonably close (arguably they outplayed Dickinson). The wins over Hobart, Muhlenberg and most recently McDaniel were impressive. What are your thoughts?"
Geoff Hornbeck
F&M is a program on the rise and a chance to be Centennial co-champion is the right start. Coach Shawn Halloran has done an admirable job to transform a horrendous team, 2-8 in 1999, 0-10 in 2000 and 1-9 in 2001, to clinching a winning record in 2004. Expect the Dips rise to continue.
Received Nov 2, 2004
"How can you have Bridgewater ranked ahead of Christopher Newport in the Mid-Atlantic Region? I know how you rank them doesn't affect the playoffs, but it still made me wonder what you were thinking."
Bryan Driskell
Well, Bryan, most of the response I get is regarding my regional rankings. I will re-iterate that my rankings are subjective. A singular approach to ranking, based on objective statistics and standings alone, is often an inferior method of gauging a team's talent.
Received Nov 3, 2004
"TCNJ gets no respect in your Top 25. They beat Cortland and Montclair in their house, D-1AA LaSalle at their homecoming. They beat Western Connecticut and William Paterson. They lost only to Rowan after leading at halftime. Does Rowan get ranked so high because of their losses to D2 schools? Since Moravian lost, the NCAA now has TCNJ ranked third in the East. How can a 3 not be a top 25?"
Michael Taylor
Michael, and many others who think that rankings are so simply done; it simply doesn't work that way. The coaches' poll and our D3football.com poll seem justified in their analysis of New Jersey, demolished by Brockport State this weekend, 43-0.
Received October 28, 2004
"You guys at D3.com better start giving Moravian it due! You have McDaniel in front of them in the region. McDaniel and Muhlenberg play in that powder puff Centennial League. Del Val had a rough time with teams the Hounds physically handled. Moravian will show the country how good they really are going deep into the D3 playoffs."
Jim Joseph -- Moravian '86
Hate to say it Jim, but the Greyhounds floundered this season when it counted. Two losses in a row with the chance for a third against one of the best defenses in the country. Chris Jacobus is young and should certainly continue generating excitement in Bethlehem and the MAC. It just won't be in the NCAA playoffs this year.
Mid-Atlantic Region Top 5
1. Delaware Valley
2. Bridgewater
3. Christopher Newport
4. McDaniel
5. Shenandoah
Different week, same result for the Aggies. Remarkable turnaround for perennial cellar-dwellers.
BC endured a major scare. Their playoff experience should scare any potential opponent.
CNU is seriously alive for a Pool C bid as mentioned above. The blowout win versus Averett solidified that.
The Hornets took it easy in a 42-7 defeat and now need the win that has eluded the novice program.
Games of the Week
McDaniel at Johns Hopkins, Homewood Field, Baltimore, 1:00 p.m.: As we know by now, the Green Terror control their own destiny with a victory. Grab your calculators if that doesn't happen.
Methodist at Shenandoah, Shentel Stadium, Winchester, Va., 1:00 p.m.: Hornets go to the playoffs with a win. They go on winter break if that doesn't happen.
Ferrum at Christopher Newport, POMOCO Stadium, Newport News, Va., 1 p.m.: Captains need their best performance in a final chance to impress the tournament committee who has their hands full with the Pool C'ers.
The Yellow Jackets led the Eagles 13-0 at the intermission and were it not for a missed extra point attempt from David Ping after the second R-MC touchdown, they probably should have won the game.
Bridgewater scored 13 second-half points to tie the game and force overtime. Ping redeemed himself, if only temporarily, booting a 37-yard three-pointer to put R-MC in front after their possession.
Marcus Washington took a Brandon Wakefield handoff and tossed it to a wide-open Brian Awkard for the game-winning touchdown, capping an unexpectedly close 19-16 win for the Eagles.
"I didn't even know what to do on the play when it first started," Washington told the Harrisonburg Daily News Record. "I asked Brandon about three or four times what the play was and he asked me if I knew what I was doing, and I was like, 'Yeah, yeah, sure.' He's talking to me and then I ran to the outside. Then I saw the corner stop running and following Brian, so I knew I could just throw it up and he'd be open. I was hoping I didn't throw it out of the end zone.
"It can make us better," BC coach Mike Clark told the paper. "To get backed into a corner, to have to come from behind, to be on the road to play against a team that brought their 'A' game regardless of their record. Now that we've won it, I can say it was a good game for us."
The win clinched the Old Dominion Athletic Conference for the Eagles, their fourth straight title. More impressive, Bridgewater has yet to lose in the ODAC over that span. A win this weekend over Catholic, topping off a 24-0 ODAC record for this year's seniors, is certainly a crowning achievement for a program that has developed into one of the country's finest.
The narrow margin of victory certainly had many around Division III scratching their heads as scores were posted. The closing week in D-III tends to generate quite a few head-scratching performances, because tapes from the final three games are exchanged with playoff opponents. While it is never in the interest of coaches to take their opponents lightly, a lighter playbook near the end of the season may prove beneficial if your squad can make it to the second season.
Aggies clinch historic playoff bid
Delaware Valley's 12-0 victory over Wilkes, combined with an Albright victory over Moravian, clinched the Middle Atlantic Conference championship for the Aggies, just two seasons removed from a 2-8 record. The superlatives are heavy for the Aggies who have struggled mightily in the past.
No Del Val men's or women's team had ever qualified for the NCAA Division III playoffs in a team-qualifying sport before Saturday. The Aggies improved to 19-2 in their last 21 games, notched their seventh win a row at home for the first time in school history, added to a school record with its 11th win in a row, not to mention rallying a school and community behind a team that was 10-30 the previous four years.
Almost time to dip into the pool
Hampden-Sydney's loss at Johns Hopkins, Moravian's loss at home against Albright, and New Jersey's loss at Brockport State opened the door to the Captains of Christopher Newport to possibly earn a Pool C bid for this year's playoffs.
CNU would tie Shenandoah for the USAC crown but the Hornets hold the head-to-head tiebreaker after SU's 14-10 win over the Captains. Granted, the Hornets need to win at home against Methodist. The Monarchs are formidable opponents, shining a 7-2 record this season with losses to Salisbury and CNU. Shenandoah was routed by the Sea Gulls last week, 42-7, whereas Methodist suffered only a 7-3 defeat. But that was during the remnants of Hurricane Ivan. So ... who knows?
This much is clear. If CNU and Shenandoah are victorious on Saturday, the Captains can hold their heads high with their only two losses against playoff teams in Rowan (33-32 in Week 1) and obviously, the Hornets. Add to that a victory against a playoff opponent, Bridgewater, and CNU could appear in the bracket next Sunday.
Check out Pat Coleman's "Playoff Predictions" later this week for his usually accurate prognostication.
One step closer to a Centennial of a mess
Chris Martin's 76-yard punt return with less than two minutes remaining propelled McDaniel to a 7-6 win over visiting Muhlenberg. The win kept McDaniel alive in the hunt for the Centennial championship and triggered the potential tiebreaking possibilities should Johns Hopkins, 38-14 blowout winners against Hampden-Sydney.
A Green Terror victory against the Blue Jays would clinch the conference for McDaniel. JHU has dominated the Mean Green each of the last three seasons with wins of a 21-14 in 2001, 27-7 in 2002, and 17-3 in 2003.
Rehashing the numbers from last week, a JHU win against McDaniel would mean that five teams in the conference (presuming Dickinson and Franklin and Marshall win against Ursinus and Gettysburg respectively) would have identical 4-2 records, all with equal records of 2-2 against each other and 2-0 against the remaining conference teams.
Head-to-head competition is the first tiebreaker.
Dickinson is 2-2 against the tied teams (wins vs. F&M and JHU)
F&M is 2-2 (wins vs. McDaniel and Muhlenberg)
JHU would be 2-2 (wins vs. F&M and McDaniel)
McDaniel would be 2-2 (wins vs. Dickinson and Muhlenberg)
Muhlenberg would be 2-2 (wins vs. Dickinson and JHU)
Now, here is the bottom line on the remaining tiebreakers as provided by Centennial Conference Executive Secretary, Steve Ulrich. Some of it comes down to the conference's strength of schedule tiebreaker.
-> A McDaniel win against Hopkins sends the Green Terror to the playoffs.
-> If Johns Hopkins beats McDaniel, the Blue Jays win the automatic bid if Moravian beats Muhlenberg
-> If Johns Hopkins and Muhlenberg both win, JHU advances if Rochester beats Hobart. Muhlenberg moves on if Union beats RPI and Hobart beats Rochester
-> Dickinson, F&M, and McDaniel cannot win a five-way tiebreaker
-> In a four-way tie, where Dickinson loses to Ursinus, Johns Hopkins wins a tiebreaker between F&M, Johns Hopkins, McDaniel, and Muhlenberg
-> In a four-way tie, where F&M loses to Gettysburg, McDaniel wins a tiebreaker between Dickinson, Johns Hopkins, McDaniel, and Muhlenberg
-> In a three-way tie, where both Dickinson and F&M lose, McDaniel wins the bid.
-> In a three or four-way tie situation, Dickinson, F&M, and Muhlenberg cannot win the trip to the postseason.
McDaniel controls their own destiny. Sounds easy enough to me.
Does anyone else find it incredibly useless that Muhlenberg wins the conference if they beat Moravian while Union (5-3) has to beat RPI (5-3) and Hobart (7-1) has to beat Rochester (4-5)?
Final meeting of two fast top backs
King's running back Richard Jackson and Wilkes' running back Brett Trichilo meet for the final time on Saturday in another renewal of the fabled Mayor's Cup between the two Wilkes-Barre, Pa., institutions. The meeting of such prolific rushers is rare.
Both are the only active rushers in the top ten of the all-time career rushing leaders in Division III. After Saturday's games, Trichilo sits fourth with 5,693 yards and Jackson resides in the ninth spot amassing 5,212 yards. Last season, Trichilo rushed for 261 yards and four touchdowns while the Colonels defense stepped up en masse holding Jackson to 80 yards on 25 carries.
The two backs both competed within the same high school territory, Trichilo from Dunmore and Jackson from Lackawanna Trail, separated by just 15 miles. As if the two could get closer, King's and Wilkes share the same town. While Jackson would need a record day to surpass Trichilo, sit back and enjoy the talents of two players who have graced Northeastern Pennsylvania's gridirons for so long.
A novice success
Congrats to the Battling Bishops of North Carolina Wesleyan who completed their first season of football with a highly respectable 4-4 record overall, and 3-3 in the USA South Conference after taking a 30-27 win in double overtime at Ferrum. While their victories came against the bottom half of the conference (Averett, Ferrum, and Greensboro), NCWC did a heck of a lot better than some established programs. A one-point loss at home against Methodist and an overtime loss at Huntingdon kept the Crusadin' Clergy from a remarkable 6-2.
The program started the year with 180 players and has been whittled to 110.
"We'll learn who is serious about (being committed here) for four years" said Jack Ginn, NCWC's first year coach, to the Rocky Mount Telegram.
"I feel good about our base, but I'm sure there are guys that we think are coming back that aren't. There will be attrition."
Regardless, NCWC is off to a great start and kudos for that.
Feedback response
Over the course of the season, I have received a gaggle of notes from readers. Thanks for taking the time to write. Here are a select few of the comments. Some of the notes are more recent than others; I will note that appropriately below.
"My impression is that F&M could be real force in the Centennial conference next year with mostly an underclassmen team. The games that they lost were all reasonably close (arguably they outplayed Dickinson). The wins over Hobart, Muhlenberg and most recently McDaniel were impressive. What are your thoughts?"
Geoff Hornbeck
F&M is a program on the rise and a chance to be Centennial co-champion is the right start. Coach Shawn Halloran has done an admirable job to transform a horrendous team, 2-8 in 1999, 0-10 in 2000 and 1-9 in 2001, to clinching a winning record in 2004. Expect the Dips rise to continue.
Received Nov 2, 2004
"How can you have Bridgewater ranked ahead of Christopher Newport in the Mid-Atlantic Region? I know how you rank them doesn't affect the playoffs, but it still made me wonder what you were thinking."
Bryan Driskell
Well, Bryan, most of the response I get is regarding my regional rankings. I will re-iterate that my rankings are subjective. A singular approach to ranking, based on objective statistics and standings alone, is often an inferior method of gauging a team's talent.
Received Nov 3, 2004
"TCNJ gets no respect in your Top 25. They beat Cortland and Montclair in their house, D-1AA LaSalle at their homecoming. They beat Western Connecticut and William Paterson. They lost only to Rowan after leading at halftime. Does Rowan get ranked so high because of their losses to D2 schools? Since Moravian lost, the NCAA now has TCNJ ranked third in the East. How can a 3 not be a top 25?"
Michael Taylor
Michael, and many others who think that rankings are so simply done; it simply doesn't work that way. The coaches' poll and our D3football.com poll seem justified in their analysis of New Jersey, demolished by Brockport State this weekend, 43-0.
Received October 28, 2004
"You guys at D3.com better start giving Moravian it due! You have McDaniel in front of them in the region. McDaniel and Muhlenberg play in that powder puff Centennial League. Del Val had a rough time with teams the Hounds physically handled. Moravian will show the country how good they really are going deep into the D3 playoffs."
Jim Joseph -- Moravian '86
Hate to say it Jim, but the Greyhounds floundered this season when it counted. Two losses in a row with the chance for a third against one of the best defenses in the country. Chris Jacobus is young and should certainly continue generating excitement in Bethlehem and the MAC. It just won't be in the NCAA playoffs this year.
Mid-Atlantic Region Top 5
1. Delaware Valley
2. Bridgewater
3. Christopher Newport
4. McDaniel
5. Shenandoah
Different week, same result for the Aggies. Remarkable turnaround for perennial cellar-dwellers.
BC endured a major scare. Their playoff experience should scare any potential opponent.
CNU is seriously alive for a Pool C bid as mentioned above. The blowout win versus Averett solidified that.
The Hornets took it easy in a 42-7 defeat and now need the win that has eluded the novice program.
Games of the Week
McDaniel at Johns Hopkins, Homewood Field, Baltimore, 1:00 p.m.: As we know by now, the Green Terror control their own destiny with a victory. Grab your calculators if that doesn't happen.
Methodist at Shenandoah, Shentel Stadium, Winchester, Va., 1:00 p.m.: Hornets go to the playoffs with a win. They go on winter break if that doesn't happen.
Ferrum at Christopher Newport, POMOCO Stadium, Newport News, Va., 1 p.m.: Captains need their best performance in a final chance to impress the tournament committee who has their hands full with the Pool C'ers.
