Westminster Holds Off Thiel For 20-16 Win

By BILL ALBRIGHT

NEW WILMINGTON -- Saturday's PAC game between Thiel and Westminster wasn't for the conference championship, but the way the two clubs went after each other for 60 minutes, anyone who saw the game would have never guessed that is was just another regular season game.

Playing each other toe-to-toe for the entire 60 minutes, the Titans survived with a hard-fought 20-16 win over the Tomcats Saturday afternoon at Harold Burry Stadium.

With the win, the Titans assure themselves of a non-losing season at 5-4 overall, improving to 2-3 in the conference with only Waynesburg remaining on the schedule.

"That (guaranteeing a non-losing season) was important, but most importantly it was a big win for us on senior day," said Westminster coach Jeff Hand. "We have a great group of seniors who hung in there and it was a great victory for them."

Disappointed with the loss, Thiel coach Jack Leipheimer was anything but disappointed in the effort from his athletes.

"Our kids played hard and left it all on the field today," said Leipheimer. "They played with tremendout heart and they never gave up. We just didn't get it done."

Although the Titans held a 7-3 lead at halftime, they missed numerous opportunities to put points on the board and that caused concern for Hand and his assistants.

"We missed a field goal in the first half and later had one blocked and we turned the ball over once," noted Hand. "Those were three times in the red zone that we came away with nothing."

Field position played a big role in the first half of the game and the Titans, thanks to the effort of punter Dusty Rhodes, had the better of that facet of the game. Not once, but twice, Rhodes pinned the Tomcats inside their own 2-yard line with his kicks.

"Early, that (field position) was a big factor," said Hand. "When you are starting a drive on your own 1-yard line, you don't have your whole offense at your finger tips. No phase of our game was perfect today, but he (Rhodes) did a great job for us."

After coming up short on several early opportunities, the Titans finally took advantage of good field position at the Thiel 39. Five plays and two minutes later, Titan tailback Nick McKolosky scored the game's first touchdown on a 7-yard run. Fred Romeo's (Poland Seminary) PAT made it 7-0 Westminster.

For the game, McKolosky finished with 105 yards on 34 carries and the one score.

"It was tough running in there today," said McKolosky. "There was a lot going on up front and as a result, we were getting a lot of different looks. It was just tough to find much running room today."

Following a missed field goal by Romeo and time running out in the first half, Thiel quarterback Marc LaScola engineered a 2-minute drive in NFL fashion that resulted in a 42-yard field goal by Tomcat kicker Sammy Koyl on the final play of the first half.

Although his team trailed 7-3, Thiel coach Jack Leipheimer felt good about where his club stood at halftime.

"From a field position standpoint, that should have been a 21-3 ball game at halftime in their favor," noted Leipheimer. "I am extremely proud of our defensive unit and how it played. They kept making plays and just hung in there to give us a chance to win the game at the end, but we just didn't get it done."

With the Titans clinging to the 20-16 lead midway through the final period and Thiel driving, Titan defensive back Eric Brown (Youngstown/Rayen) made possibly the biggest play of his Titan career.

Faced with a fourth-and-4 at midfield, Thiel quarterback Marc LaScola took the snap, rolled to his right, reversed his field and headed for the sticks. With LaScola apparently headed for a first down to keep the drive alive, Brown came up and met LaScola head on, driving him out of bounds six inches short of the chains to turn the ball over to his offense.

"I saw him (LaScola) rolling out and my man went deep," explained Brown. "When I saw that, I figured he was going to run so I just came up and made the tackle. I always play the sticks, but I really didn't know where he was. I just hoped that I got him before he reached the sticks and as it turned out, I did."

Forced into a punting situation on their next possession, the Titans again found themselves with their backs to the wall as Thiel took over on the Westminster 36.

However, once again the Titan defensive unit stood tall as after a Thiel first down to the 19, the unit turned the Tomcats away from the end zone on four plays to seal the win.

"I thought we were going to win the football game," Leipheimer said. "I never had a doubt about it, but then we got sacked at the end to put us in long yardage and we just weren't able to overcome it."

As they have done so many times in the past two years, quarterback Kevin Franz and wideout Brett Ziegler played huge roles in the Titan win.

Franz completed 27 of 38 attempts for 217 yards and one touchdown. Franz spread the wealth around as he completed at least one pass to nine different receivers.

"They were definitely covering Zieg real hard, but I just went through my reads," explained Franz. "That is our passing game because a lot of our pass plays have three of four possible receivers. If they were covering the primary receiver, I just looked for someone else and things worked out well for us."

Franz's favorite target, Ziegler, caught 11 passes for 102 yards. Although Ziegler didn't reach the end zone, his catches kept Titan drives alive and set up Westminster scores.

"Our whole offensive scheme was working well," explained Ziegler. "That is when we are at our best by mixing in the run with the pass. We took our shots downfield, but we weren't able to hit anything. When we make them aware of our deeper patterns, that really helps out with opening up our short game."










Thiel Tomcats Retain Mercer County Cup With 20-0 Win
Exclusive By Bill Albright
October 14, 2006

GROVE CITY -- For the third year in a row and the fifth time in the past six years, the Mercer County Cup will reside at Thiel College in Greenville.

    Saturday afternoon at newly refurbished Robert E. Thorn Field, the Tomcats retained possession of the cup by tossing a 20-0 shutout at Grove City in Wolverine Homecoming 2006.

    "There is no question that we had a little more incentive to play for today," said Thiel head coach Jack Leipheimer. "We talked about having the cup and maintaining possession of it and we are certainly glad to have been able to do that."

    During the first half, the Wolverines had their backs to the wall for most of the 30 minutes as they kept shooting themselves in the foot.

    However, although they were the recipients of the good field position, the Tomcats could only show seven points for their efforts, a situation that left Leipheimer somewhat disappointed although not concerned.

    "I wasn't concerned that we only scored seven points, but I was disappointed because we missed some opportunities that we should have capitalized on," said Leipheimer. "But you have to deal with that type of thing because that is sometimes the way the game of football goes."

     Only able to hold onto a 7-0 lead despite at halftime despite showing distinct advantages in time of possession (21:17 to 8:43), total yards offense (145-15) and first downs (9-2), Leipheimer's message to his squad at the break was a simple one.

    "I just told them to go out and play 30 minutes of football as hard as we can and see what happens," he said.

    The Tomcats put Leipheimer's message to work as they scored on their first possession of the second half by methodically marching 65 yards on eight plays.

    Leading the offensive assault on the Wolverines during the afternoon was Tomcat reserve tailback Dan Hess as he rushed 32 times for 113 yards and all three Thiel touchdowns. 

    With starting tailback Steve Minton visible on the sidelines in street clothes while nursing an injury, Hess got his opportunity and he made the most of it.

    "I love it (being the number one back) and it is a great experience for me," said Hess following the win. "I love when Steve and I can work together because it keeps the defense off balance because we have slightly different running styles. This is something I have been waiting for since last year and today I had a chance to do it again. It helps our team when Steve and I are here together, but don't get me wrong, I love to be the number one man."

    Following his outstanding performance, Hess was quick to point out the efforts of his offensive line.

    "It was pretty tough in the first half and we just had to try and grind it out until we got a rhythm going," said Hess. "Grove City has a great defensive line and they kept getting good penetration on us. Finally in the second half, we were able to put it together and our offensive line did an outstanding job of jelling together to get a lot of push up front. When that happens, it makes my job a lot easier."

    While the Tomcats were busy taking care of the football, the Wolverines continued to shoot themselves in the foot. Following the game, GCC coach Chris Smith was quick to point out that his team never got anything going for much of the afternoon.

    "We just couldn't make the plays to give ourselves a chance to feel good about things," said Smith. "All we needed was one sustained drive to get into the end zone, but it never happened. But you also have to give Thiel a lot of credit because up to this point in the season, we have been able to move the football. The outcome was just the combination of two things -- our making a lot of mistakes and the play of the Tomcats."

    Facing the 14-0 deficit, Grove City mounted its best drive of the game in the final two minutes of the third period when they moved from their own 1-yard line to the Thiel 26.

    However, as fate would have it for the Wolverines, quarterback Andrew DiDonato, who completed three passes for 40 yards and rushed for another 34 on the drive, was stripped of the ball by Tomcat linebacker Chris Hlinka (Youngstown/Chaney) and defensive tackle Logan Malie (Sharon) was there for the recovery.

    "I just saw him starting to scramble around and I went for him," said Hlinka. "I went for the strip, fortunately I got it and my man Logan (Malie) recovered it for us to get the ball back.

    Although Malie recovered the fumble, he graciously admitted that Hlinka did most of the work.

    "He (Hlinka) stripped the ball and I was there to recover it," explained Malie. "He did the hard job and I followed with the glory job by falling on it."

    Following the Grove City turnover, the Tomcats put the icing on the cake when Hess completed his "hat" trick from two yards out to set the final.

    With the outcome, Thiel moves to 4-3 overall, 3-1 in the PAC, while the loss drops Grove City to 1-5 overall, 1-4 in the conference.

 

 

 Hess' 113-Yard, Three Touchdown Effort Leads Thiel To 20-0 Shutout Of Grove City

October 14, 2006

GROVE CITY, PA - Sophomore tailback Dan Hess (Apollo/Kiski Area) rushed 32 times for 113 yards and a career-best three touchdowns Saturday as Thiel College shut out Grove City College 20-0 at Robert E. Thorn Field in Grove City.

With Saturday's win, Thiel has won five of the last six against Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Grove City in the battle for the Mercer County Cup, including the last three straight. The Tomcats have outscored the Wolverines 74-9 over the last three contests, including a pair of shutouts in 2005 (30-0) and 2006.

Along with Hess' performance, the Thiel (4-3, 3-1) defensive unit, led by junior defensive ends Robert Hughes (Youngstown, Ohio/Rayen) and Chris Lorber (Mayfield Heights, Ohio/Benedictine), held Grove City (1-5, 1-4) to 119 total offensive yards and held the Wolverines to -4 rushing yards while registering four sacks. Hughes posted four tackles, a pair of sacks and three tackles for loss while Lorber added three tackles and two sacks.

Thiel managed a commanding 39:54-20:06 edge in time of possession and limited Grove City to just two-of-10 on third-down conversions.

Hess put the Tomcats on the board with 43 seconds to go in the first quarter, scoring from seven yards out and capping a 12-play, 50-yard drive that took 7:20 off of the clock.

The Tomcats took their opening possession of the second half and embarked 65 yards on eight plays before Hess plunged in from one yard out to stretch the lead to 14-0 with 10:15 left in the period.

After junior place kicker/punter Sammy Koyl (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Benedictine) drilled a 48-yard punt to the Grove City one-yard line, the Wolverines marched 77 yards in 12 plays to the Tomcat 26-yard line. Quarterback Andrew DiDonato rushed the ball to the 21 where senior outside linebacker Chris Hlinka (Youngstown, Ohio/Chaney) forced a fumble and senior defensive lineman Logan Malie (Sharon/Sharon) corralled the loose ball at the 22-yard line to close out the Wolverine scoring threat.

Hess notched his third touchdown with 9:30 remaining in the game when he scored from two yards out. Koyl's extra-point attempt was blocked, holding the Thiel lead at 20-0.

Senior quarterback Billy Blankenship (Mogadore, Ohio/Field) completed 16-of-27 passes for 163 yards. Junior wide receiver Marc LaScola (Wellsville, Ohio/Wellsville) hauled in six catches for 62 yards while Hess, junior wide receiver Brett Helman (Youngwood/Hempfield) and sophomore wide receiver Tim Van Horn (Leechburg/Kiski Area) each finished with three catches.          

Junior outside linebacker Mike Stimac (East Brady/Karns City) led the Tomcats with six total tackles while freshman cornerback Bradley McMillian (Fort Meade, Fla./Fort Meade) and senior free safety Darious Thompson (Nassau, Bahamas/West Oak Academy, Fla.) each added five stops.

DiDonato completed 12-of-26 passes for 123 yards and two interceptions while wide receiver Jay Yanak caught five passes for 63 yards.

Linebacker Bill Waugh paced the Wolverines defensively with 17 tackles and a pair of sacks. Strong safety Shane Coughlin added eight stops while defensive tackle Justin Fowler totaled seven tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack.

Thiel returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 21 when they take on PAC rival Grove City College at Alumni Stadium. Kick off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Kevin M. Fenstermacher.

Thiel's Koyl Named PAC Special Teams Player Of The Week

October 9, 2006

GREENVILLE, PA - Thiel College junior place kicker/punter Sammy Koyl (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Benedictine) was named the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Special Teams Player of the Week Sunday by the conference office.

Koyl posted a pair of punts with an incredible 65.5 yard average, including a school-record 67-yarder, while adding a 26-yard field goal in the Tomcats 27-23 loss to Washington & Jefferson College Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.

Koyl is 3-for-4 in field goals this season with a long of 38 and maintains a 33.8 yards per punt average.

Thiel returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 14 when it travels to conference rival Grove City College. Kick off is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Kevin M. Fenstermacher.

W&J Rallies From Nine Down To Post 27-23 Win At Thiel

October 7, 2006

GREENVILLE, PA -- The Washington & Jefferson College football team rallied from a 23-14 third-quarter deficit to post a 27-23 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) victory at Thiel College's Alumni Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Thiel (3-3, 2-1) finished with a 387-354 advantage in total yards, including a 272-215 edge in passing yards. Senior quarterback Billy Blankenship's (Mogodore, Ohio/Field) finished the day 22-of-29 for 236 yards and a touchdown and rushed 11 times for 46 yards and two touchdowns.

W&J (4-1, 1-0) posted a 139-115 edge in rushing, led by Ryan Mendel's 23-carry, 105-yard effort. Menel's two-yard touchdown run with 9:40 to play in the third cut the Thiel lead to 16-14.

Blankenship's one-yard touchdown run with 4:58 to play in the third quarter capped a nine-play, 81 yard drive and gave Thiel a 23-14 lead.

W&J (4-1, 1-0) responded with 9:50 remaining in the fourth when Bobby Swallow hooked up with Tom McCafferty on a 26-yard score, trimming the Tomcat lead to 23-21 after the Kyle Sidebotham extra point.

Sidebotham's 20-yard field goal extended the Presidents lead to 24-23 with 6:42 to play and his 25-yard field goal with 2:07 remaining closed out the scoring.

Bobby Swallow completed 19-of-25 passes for 215 yards and two scores. McCafferty led the President receivers with seven catches for 89 yards and a score.

Junior tailback Steve Minton (Cranberry Twp./Seneca Valley) totaled 45 yards on 13 attempts and caught two passes for 24 yards and a score. Junior wide receiver Marc LaScola (Wellsville, Ohio/Wellsville) hauled in 10 catches for 75 yards while junior wide receiver Brett Helman (Youngwood/Hempfield) caught four balls for 77 yards.

Dan Brodland led the Presidents defensively as he finished with eight tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, including a pair of sacks, and a forced fumble. Ryan Mullen and Aaron Bane each added seven stops.

Senior middle linebacker Jeff Wagner (Karns City/Karns City) finished with a game-high 12 tackles and a forced fumble for the Tomcats. Senior outside linebacker Chris Hlinka   (Youngstown, Ohio/Chaney) and junior defensive end Robert Hughes (Youngstown, Ohio/Rayen) each added seven tackles and a forced fumble.

Thiel returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 14 when it travels to conference rival Grove City College for the 23rd installment of the battle for the Mercer County Cup. Kick off at Robert E. Thorn Field is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Kevin M. Fenstermacher.

Thiel's Hess Earns PAC Offensive Player Of The Week Award

October 2, 2006

GREENVILLE, PA - Thiel College sophomore tailback Dan Hess (Apollo/Kiski Area) was named the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Offensive Player of the Week Sunday afternoon by the conference office.

Hess rushed 14 times for 121 yards (8.6 avg.) and two touchdowns (63, 1) as Thiel (3-2, 2-0) remained unbeaten in PAC play with a 49-7 road win at Bethany College Saturday afternoon. His 63-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter was the longest rush of his career.

The Tomcats rolled up 494 yards of total offense, including a season-high 293 yards on the ground, in the win.

Thiel returns to Alumni Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 7 to host conference rival Washington & Jefferson College for Homecoming 2006. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Kevin M. Fenstermacher.

Thiel Rolls To 49-7 Win At Bethany

September 30, 2006

BETHANY, WV – The Thiel College football team rolled up 494 yards of total offense in its 49-7 Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) victory over Bethany College Saturday afternoon at Bethany Field. Sophomore tailback Dan Hess (Apollo/Kiski Area) paced the Tomcats offensively, rushing for a season-high 121 yards and two touchdowns.

The Tomcat defense limited the Bison to 204 total yards while holding Bethany to just one net rushing yard on 21 attempts. Senior cornerback Steve Boyle (Warren, Ohio/Howland) finished with five tackles and a pair of interceptions while junior defensive end Chris Lorber (Mayfield Heights, Ohio/Benedictine) added four tackles and a pair of sacks. Senior outside linebacker Chris Hlinka   (Youngstown, Ohio/Chaney) totaled a team-high six stops and 1.5 tackles for loss. With his two interceptions on Saturday Boyle has 10 in his career, tying him with Maurice Simpson for fifth on the school's all-time list.

Thiel (3-2, 2-0) rushed 40 times for a season-high 293 yards, led by Hess’ 14 carry, 121 yard output. Junior tailback Steve Minton (Cranberry Twp./Seneca Valley) rolled up 85 yards and a pair of scores on 16 carries while freshman tailback Skyler Smith (New Bethlehem/Redbank Valley) added 39 yards and a touchdown.

With his two touchdowns Saturday Minton tied Ron Leuschen ’82 for the school’s all-time rushing touchdown leader with 31.

Senior quarterback Billy Blankenship (Mogadore, Ohio/Redbank Valley) threw for 184 yards on 16-of-22 passing and a touchdown and rushed twice for 29 yards.

Junior wide receiver Marc LaScola (Wellsville, Ohio/Wellsville) led the receiving corps with eight catches for 67 yards, including a 28 yard touchdown reception. Sophomore wide receiver Tim Van Horn (Leechburg/Kiski Area) added a pair of catches for 62 yards.

Boyle put the Tomcats on the board at the 14:21 mark of the first quarter after intercepting a Brett Owens’ pass and returning it 32 yards for a score. Minton’s four-yard touchdown with 9:05 remaining in the first put Thiel in front 13-0 and junior place kicker Sammy Koyl’s (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Benedictine) 38 yard field goal as time ran out in the first gave Thiel a 16-0 leading heading into the second period.

Hess scored his first touchdown of the afternoon with 10:41 to play in the first half after breaking a career-best 63 yard run down the sideline to give Thiel a 23-0 advantage.

Bethany (2-2, 0-1) capped a nine-play, 75 yard drive on the ensuing series to get on the board when Owens found Matt Cruse for a 25 yard touchdown strike with just under seven minutes to play in the half.

Minton opened the scoring in the second half and put Thiel in front 30-7 when he scored from five yards out on the Tomcats’ first possession of the second half.

After a Bethany punt on the following series, Thiel needed just three plays to get into the end zone for the fifth time as Blankenship hooked up with LaScola for a 28 yard touchdown to up the Tomcat lead to 37-7 with 7:24 to play in the third period.

Hess recorded his second score of the afternoon with 6:53 remaining in the fourth quarter on a one-yard run to give the Tomcats a 43-7 lead.

Smith notched his first collegiate touchdown with 3:23 to play in the contest on a nine-yard run, closing out the scoring at 49-7.

Owens went 16-of-28 for 153 yards and touchdown while throwing three interceptions. T.J. Parker had a team-high nine catches for 73 yards while Cruse added three receptions for 50 yards and a score. Cliff Anderson paced the Bison defensive with 10 total tackles and a fumble recovery.

Thiel will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 7 when it hosts conference rival Washington & Jefferson College for Homecoming 2006. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Kevin M. Fenstermacher.

Thiel Visits Bethany In Key PAC Match-Up This Saturday

September 28, 2006

BETHANY, WV - Thiel College (2-2) hits the road this Saturday, September 30 for a key conference game at Bethany College (2-2). The game is scheduled for a 1:30 kickoff at Bethany field.

TWO MINUTE DRILL  (what you will need to know about this Saturday’s Thiel-Bethany matchup)

CONFERENCE OPENER: The Tomcats seek to improve their conference record to 2-0 against Bethany, who is playing its first Presidents’ Athletic Conference contest of the 2006 season.

HISTORY LESSON: The Tomcats hold the all-time series lead with Bethany, 33-27-1. Thiel has won the last three contests by a combined score of 111- 35. Prior to 2003, however, Bethany won 11 straight contests over Thiel.

HUGHES GONNA CALL: Down 14-0 late in the second quarter against Thomas More last week, junior defensive end Robert Hughes blocked a Saints punt and returned it 25 yards for the touchdown. In overtime, Hughes sacked Saints quarterback Trevor Stellman, forcing Thomas More into a third-and-25 situation that helped lead to an interception on the next play. Hughes had 13 tackles, 1.5 of which were behind the line of scrimmage. Hughes was named the PAC Defensive Player of the Week as well as a member of the D3Football.com Team of  the  Week for his performance.

MINTON RISING: Thiel College junior tailback Steve  Minton, the college’s first-ever 1,000-yard rusher, is creeping up the charts of several all-time rushing records. Minton recently became the school’s third all-time leading rusher, passing up Al McCartney (1965-69) and Justin Napotnik (2000-04). Minton needs 290 yards to become the all-time career leader in rushing yards. In addition, Minton is third on Thiel’s all-time points scored list. Minton needs 35 points to surpass Ron Leuschen (1978-81)to become the second all-time leader in points scored. He also needs just three more rushing touchdowns to become the all-time rushing touchdown leader.

LASCOLA’S RETURN: Back from a foot injury that kept him sidelined for the first three weeks of the season, Mark LaScola made a major contribution in Thiel’s overtime victory last week. The 6-foot-1 junior wide receiver caught five passes, the last of which was a five-yard touchdown grab on fourth-and-goal that helped send the contest to overtime.

LESS THAN A FEW: Dating back to the beginning of the 2004 season (26 games) the Tomcat defense has allowed only two running backs to eclipse the 100-yard mark (Ryan Mendel, Washington &Jefferson, 105 yards in 2004; Ryan Abels, Waynesburg, 123 yards in 2005). Albion College’s Bill Bacarella fell 25 yards short of the century mark two weeks ago.

SIXTY MINUTE MEN: Thiel’s defense is ranked No. 1 in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference in three categories:scoring defense, pass defense and total defense. The Tomcat defense is allowing an average of just 13 points, 109 passing yards and 193.5 yards per game. The D is ranked No. 2 in the PAC in rushing defense (84.5 ypg), red zone defense (4-of-7) and sacks (9-54 yards).

TACKLING CLINIC: Senior outside linebacker Chris  Hlinka leads the Tomcat defense with 32 total tackles (14 solo, 3 for a loss). Hlinka also has one sack and recovered two fumbles. Linebacker Michael Stimacis the team’s second leading tackler with 30 stops (10 solo) on the year. Junior defensive end Chris Lorber leads the team with three sacks while posting 23 total tackles.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Tomcats return home for just the second time this season next Saturday when they host the Presidents of Washington and Jefferson College at 1:30 p.m. Thiel will celebrate Homecoming that weekend.

BETHANY IN REVIEW

GAME 1: MUSKINGUM 45, BETHANY 20: Muskingum (Ohio) College quarterback Andre Nash passed for 210 yards and two TDs and rushed for two more scores, as the Muskies handed Bethany College and first-year head coach Tim Weaver a 45-20 defeat. The game started fairly well for BC, as they kicked off and forced a three-and-out from the home team. However, Bethany would also fail to earn a first down and the ensuing punt was returned 23 yards to the Bison 39.Seven plays later, Muskie fullback Ryan McLain scored on a four-yard run to make it 7-0 Muskingum with 6:13 to play in the first quarter. Bethany would again punt after three downs on their next possession and a 13-yard return gave MC possession on the Bison 43.Muskingum would reach the BC 13 before the drive stalled, which forced the Muskies to settle for a 30-yard Mike Zimmerman field goal. The second quarter began the same as the first ended for Bethany, as they were forced to punt the ball away. Although they had a longer field to go, Muskingum would march 72 yards in nine plays to make it a 17-0 contest. The drive was capped off by an eight-yard scoring pass from Nash to Jack Murray.

GAME 2: BETHANY 42, HIRAM 7: Down four points and facing a fourth-and-goal Senior wide receiver T.J. Parker scored three touchdowns and the Bethany College football program scored on kickoff and interception returns, as the Bison trounced Hiram (Ohio) College 42-7 to earn the initial win of first-year head coach Tim Weaver’s career. The Bison (1-1) jumped on the Terriers (0-2) from the start, taking the opening kickoff and marching 65 yards in six plays to put the first of six touchdowns on the board. Senior QB Brent Owens, who hit sophomore WR Taylor McNeil with a 25-yard completion on a third-and-seven to sustain the drive, capped it with a14-yard toss to Parker to give BC a 7-0 lead with just 2:23 gone from the first quarter. The Bison defense would put the final touches on the victory midway through the fourth quarter. Sophomore DB Brandon Zeman picked off a pass and weaved 35 yards to the end zone. Statistically, Bethany dominated in nearly every phase of the game. The Bison gained 408 total yards in the contest, compared to 216 by the Terriers. While neither team broke 100 yards in the rushing department, BC QBs accounted for 311 yards through the air.

GAME 3: BETHANY 34,OHIO WESLEYAN 28: Bethany College senior QB Brent Owens threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to freshman WR Matt Cruse with one second remaining to cap the Bison’s 34-28 come-from-behind victory at Ohio Wesleyan University. The victory, which saw Bethany erase a 21-0 halftime deficit, is the Bison’s second consecutive and raises their record to 2-1.It is the first time since 2002 that BC has won more than one game in a season. Midway through the third quarter is when the Bison offense started its roll. A 48-yard completion from sophomore QB Matt Blumer to Cruse highlighted a seven-play, 71-yard scoring march. Another key play was a pass interference called on OWU with Bethany facing a third and eight at the Bishop 13.The drive culminated in a seven-yard scoring pass from Blumer to senior WR T.J.Parker, who had a huge day, and the extra point made it 21-7 Bishops with 7:45 left in the third quarter. BC went right back to work on its next offensive possession, moving 57 yards in eight plays to put their second score of the day on the board. Parker caught two passes from Owens on the drive for 44 yards and Owens capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown pass to junior wideout Milton Joyner and Bethany moved within seven points of the hosts at 21-14. For the game ,Bethany gained 424 yards, including 157 on the ground and 267 through the air. They also held a nine-minute advantage in time of possession. Leading the Bison offense was Parker, who set career-highs with 12 receptions for 156 yards.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Kevin M. Fenstermacher.

Thiel’s Hughes Earns D3football.com Team Of The Week Recognition

September 27, 2006

GREENVILLE, PA - Thiel College junior defensive end Robert Hughes (Youngstown, Ohio/Rayen) was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week Tuesday evening after his performance in the Tomcats' 17-14 overtime victory at Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) rival Thomas More College Saturday afternoon in Crestview Hills, Ken.

Hughes finished with 13 tackles, a sack and returned his own blocked punt 25 yards for a touchdown in the Tomcats' 17-14 overtime win at Thomas More. Hughes sacked Saints quarterback Trevor Stellman in overtime, forcing Thomas More into a third-and-25 situation on its only overtime possession.

Thiel returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 30 when they travel to conference rival Bethany College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Kevin M. Fenstermacher.

Thiel's Hughes Named PAC Defensive Player Of The Week

September 25, 2006

GREENVILLE, PA - Thiel College junior defensive end Robert Hughes (Youngstown, Ohio/Rayen) was named the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Defensive Player of the Week by the conference office.

Hughes finished with 10.5 tackles, a sack and returned his own blocked punt 25 yards for a touchdown in the Tomcats' 17-14 overtime win at conference rival Thomas More College on Sept. 23. Hughes sacked Saints quarterback Trevor Stellman in overtime, forcing Thomas More into a third-and-25 situation on its only overtime possession.

Hughes is currently fifth on the squad with 23 tackles.

Thiel returns to conference play on Saturday, Sept. 30 when it travels to Bethany College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Kevin M. Fenstermacher.

Thiel Faces Tough Match-Up At Undefeated Thomas More

September 21, 2006

CRESTVIEW, KY – Thiel College opens conference play against Thomas More on Saturday September 23, 2006. Thomas More (2-0) opened conference play at Grove City last Saturday, defeating the Wolverines 21-20.

TWO MINUTE DRILL
HISTORY LESSON: In over 100 seasons of football, Thiel and Thomas More have met just three times, with the Tomcats holding the all-time series lead 2-1. The Tomcats clinched their first Presidents’ Athletic Conference title since 1972 last season with a 24-14 home victory over the Saints. The Tomcats’ last loss to the Saints came in 1999 by a score of 14-6.

CARDIAC SAINTS: Thomas More needed last-second heroics two weeks in a row to remain undefeated. In Week 1 the Saints used a 16-yard pass from Trevor Stellman to Chase Weber with 36 seconds remaining in the game to defeat Hanover College, 25-23. Last week against Grove City, Stellman and Weber hooked up again from 16 yards out, this time with 2:21 remaining, to down the Wolverines 21-20. Thomas More held a 14-0 lead over Grove City, then surrendered 20 straight points, before the last-minute touchdown drive.

MINTON RISING: Thiel College junior tailback Steve Minton, the college’s first-ever 1,000-yard rusher, posted his first 100-yard performance (102) of the 2006 campaign last weekend against Albion College. With those yards, Minton took over third place on Thiel’s all-time rushing list, surpassing Al McCartney (1965-69) and Justin Napotnik (2000-04). Minton needs 279 yards to take over second place and 297 yards to become the college’s all-time leader. In addition to the 102 yards he gained last Saturday, Minton’s two rushing touchdowns moved him ahead of John Gibson (1967-69) for third place on Thiel’s all-time points scored list. Minton needs 35 points to surpass Ron Leuschen (1978-81) to become the second all-time leader in points scored. Minton also needs just three more rushing touchdowns to become the college’s all-time rushing touchdown leader.

LESS THAN A FEW: Dating back to the beginning of the 2004 season (25 games) the Tomcat defense has allowed only two running backs to eclipse the 100-yard mark (Ryan Mendel, Washington &Jefferson, 105 yards in 2004; Ryan Abels, Waynesburg, 123 yards in 2005). Albion College’s Bill Bacarella fell 25 yards short of the century mark last week.

SIXTY MINUTE MEN: Thiel’s defense is ranked No. 1 in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference in five categories:points allowed per game, pass defense, total defense, red zone defense and sacks. Through three games the Tomcats have allowed just 12.7 points per game, limited opponents to 127 yards in the air and 231.7 overall. Opponents have entered the red zone just six times, coming away with points on three occasions. The Tomcats have racked up eight sacks so far this season for a total loss of 44 yards.

TACKLING CLINIC: Senior outside linebacker Chris Hinka leads the Tomcats’ defense with 25 total tackles (12 solo). He also has one sack, one fumble recovery and three stops behind the line of scrimmage. Junior defensive end Chris Lorber and senior strong safety Darious Thompson each have 18 tackles on the year. Lorber has three tackles for a loss and three sacks with one fumble recovery while Thompson has forced two fumbles and recovered one.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Tomcats hit the road again next week when they travel to Bethany, W.Va. to take on Presidents’ Athletic Conference foe Bethany (2-1). After the Bethany game, Thiel hosts four of its final five games of the season, including homecoming on Oct. 7 against Washington &Jefferson.

THIELS LAST TIME OUT: Albion College posted 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter en route to a 24-20 non-conference win at Thiel College. Albion (2-1) finished with a 292-272 edge in total yards, including a 160-116 advantage in rushing yards. Thiel (1-2) held a 19-13 advantage in first downs and a 31:06 28:04 edge in time of possession. Thiel opened the scoring with 9:41 to play in the first quarter when senior tailback Jeremiah Conley caught a three-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Billy Blankenship. Junior kicker Sammy Koyl’s extra-point attempt was blocked by defensive back Mike Light to keep the score 6-0. The touchdown capped an 11-play, 86-yard drive that took off 5:16 of clock. Albion responded on its next drive, scoring on a 45-yard field goal from Brian Balzerini to bring them to within three (6-3) with 5:19 to go in the first. Jake Wilson connected with Peter Shaw on pass plays of 16 and 14 yards, respectively, to get into Tomcat territory. Junior tailback Steve Minton’s 12-yard touchdown run put the Tomcats out in front 13-3 on the first play of the second quarter. That scoring drive went 79 yards on 10 plays and lasted 5:08. The Britons, after getting the ball on Thiel 44-yard line after a failed Tomcat onsides kick attempt, moved the ball to the Thiel 35-yard line and on a fourth-and-one play Adam House carried the ball into the endzone to trim the Tomcat lead to three (13-10) with 13:02 to play in the half. Thiel opened up a 20-10 lead on its second possession of the third quarter when Minton scored from six yards out with 23 seconds remaining, capping a six-play, 61-yard drive. Albion cut the Thiel lead to three (20-17) after a 45-yard punt by Jeff Stowers hit a Tomcat player and was recovered by defensive back Billy McLeod at the Thiel five-yard line. Adam House scored with 13:28 on the clock. The Britons used a 44-yard run by Bill Bacarella to keep their final scoring drive alive as Jake Wilson hit Zack Benko on an eight-yard touchdown completion with 5:12 remaining in the game, putting Albion out in front 24-20. Bill Bacarella gained 76 yards on 11 carries while Adam House picked up 40 yards and a pair of touchdowns on three carries for Albion. Jake Wilson completed 10-of-21 passes for 112 yards and one touchdown. He was also intercepted once and sacked three times. Peter Shaw finished with 45 yards on three receptions while Zack Benko added three catches for 37 yards and a touchdown. Defensive back Chase Chandler and defensive back Nathan Landowski led the Britons with six tackles apiece. Minton finished with 102 yards on 20 carries with a pair of touchdowns. Sophomore tailback Dan Hess added 13 yards on three carries.

THOMAS MOORE IN REVIEW
Game 1: Thomas More 25,Hanover 23
Down four points and facing a fourth-and-goal from the 16,the Thomas More Saints knew one play stood between victory and defeat. Sophomore Trevor Stellman eluded a Hanover rush and scrambled back to the 37 yard line before launching his pass into the end zone, and the ball landed safely in the arms of senior Chase Weber for the touchdown and the victory as TMC posted the 25-23 win.The play culminated a 14-play,96-yard drive in 6:11. The biggest play of the drive came not on the arm of Stellman, but his legs as his 36-yard run left the Saints 34 yards from paydirt with a little more than two minutes left in the contest. Thomas More marched down to the seven, before a sack pushed them back to the 16 setting up the heroics. For most of the contest, the Saints relied on its rushing attack as sophomore Lawrence Colbert recorded his first career 100-yard game for 109 yards on 33 carries and two touchdowns.The powerful ground game, which rolled up 178 yards on 49 attempts,alleviated the pressure from Stellman. It was the first career start for the young signal-caller,who finished with 164 yards on 12-of-21 passing and two touchdowns. Senior Mark Carlisle recorded 17 tackles for the Saints with two quarterback hurries,two pass break ups and one fumble recovery. Sophomore Brad Steinmetz had nine tackles,a forced fumble and a half-sack for the Saints. Senior Chris Willis recorded an interception with five tackles.

Game 2: Thomas More 21,Grove City 20
Trevor Stellman and Chase Weber are back to their old tricks. The duo connected for the winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter from 16 yards out as Thomas More downed Grove City, 21-20.In a game that had one converted kick, it was junior David Sheeley that ultimately provided the margin of victory. Trailing 20-14, after the Wolverines scored 20 unanswered points, Thomas More embarked on a seven-play, 53-yard drive over three minutes,and was culminated as Stellman found Weber at the front pylon. The good field position was set up by a sophomore Brad Steinmetz-led Thomas More defense. On the previous drive,he had three straight tackles, including a sack that forced a third-and-long. The linebacker finished the game with 14 tackles, seven solos,2.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks. TMC scored on its first two drives of the game. Sophomore Lawrence Colbert took his first and only first-half carry 50-yards for the Saints’ first score. After forcing the Wolverines to turn the ball over on downs, Stellman connected with Nick Dew on a 49-yard touchdown pass to take a 14-0 lead. However, Grove City answered with two touchdowns of its own before the half. Colbert finished the game with 89 yards on 12 carries and one touchdown while Stellman racked up 183 yards on 12-of-21 passing and two touchdowns.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Kevin Fenstermacher.

14 Fourth-Quarter Points Lead Albion To 24-20 Win At Thiel

September 16, 2006

GREENVILLE, PA - Albion College posted 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter en route to a 24-20 non-conference win at Thiel College's Alumni Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Albion (2-1) finished with a 292-272 edge in total yards, including a 160-116 advantage in rushing yards. Thiel            (1-2)      held a 19-13 advantage in first downs and a 31:06 28:04 edge in time of possession.

Thiel opened the scoring with 9:41 to play in the first quarter when senior tailback Jeremiah Conley  (Springboro/Conneaut Valley) caught a three-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Billy Blankenship (Mogadore, Ohio/Field). Junior kicker Sammy Koyl's (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Benedictine) extra-point attempt was blocked by defensive back Mike Light to keep the score 6-0. The touchdown capped an 11-play, 86-yard drive that took off 5:16 of clock.

Albion responded on its next drive, scoring on a 45-yard field goal from Brian Balzerini to bring them to within three (6-3) with 5:19 to go in the first. Jake Wilson connected with Peter Shaw on pass plays of 16 and 14 yards, respectively, to get into Tomcat territory.

Junior tailback Steve Minton's (Cranberry Twp./Seneca Valley) 12-yard touchdown run put the Tomcats out in front 13-3 on the first play of the second quarter. That scoring drive went 79 yards on 10 plays and lasted 5:08.

The Britons, after getting the ball on Thiel 44-yard line after a failed Tomcat onsides kick attempt, moved the ball to the Thiel 35-yard line and on a fourth-and-one play Adam House carried the ball into the end zone to trim the Tomcat lead to three (13-10) with 13:02 to play in the half.

Thiel opened up a 20-10 lead on its second possession of the third quarter when Minton scored from six yards out with 23 seconds remaining, capping a six-play, 61-yard drive.

Albion cut the Thiel lead to three (20-17) after a 45-yard punt by Jeff Stowers hit a Tomcat player and was recovered by defensive back Billy McLeod at the Thiel five-yard line. Adam House scored with 13:28 on the clock.

The Britons used a 44-yard run by Bill Bacarella to keep their final scoring drive alive as Jake Wilson hit Zack Benko on an eight-yard touchdown completion with 5:12 remaining in the game, putting Albion out in front 24-20.

Bill Bacarella gained 76 yards on 11 carries while Adam House picked up 40 yards and a pair of touchdowns on three carries for Albion. Jake Wilson completed 10-of-21 passes for 112 yards and one touchdown. He was also intercepted once and sacked three times.

Peter Shaw finished with 45 yards on three receptions while Zack Benko added three catches for 37 yards and a touchdown.

Defensive back Chase Chandler and defensive back Nathan Landowski led the Britons with six tackles apiece. Defensive lineman Mike Sheldon added a pair of sacks while defensive back Jeff Stowers and outside linebacker Derek Tracy each added an interception.

Minton finished with 102 yards on 20 carries with a pair of touchdowns. Sophomore tailback Dan Hess (Apollo/Kiski Area) added 13 yards on three carries.

Blankenship finished 18-of-34 for 176 yards and a touchdown. Junior wide receiver Brett Helman (Youngwood/Hempfield) led all receivers with seven catches for 76 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Tim Van Horn (Leechburg/Kiski Area) added six catches for 42 yards.

Senior defensive lineman Logan Malie (Sharon/Sharon) led the Tomcats with eight tackles and a pair of sacks. Senior outside linebacker Chris Hlinka (Youngstown, Ohio/Chaney) also had eight tackles while junior defensive end Chris Lorber (Mayfield Heights, Ohio/Benedictine) tallied seven tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.

The Tomcats open their Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) schedule on Saturday, Sept. 23 when they travel to Crestview Hills, Ken. to take on Thomas More College. Kick off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Supplied by Sports Information Director Kevin M. Fenstermacher.