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WALSH 40...UNION 7

SEPTEMBER 2, 2000

...from the Canton Repository, 9/1/00...

Union (Ky.) at Walsh


• SITE: Fawcett Stadium, 1 p.m.
• TICKETS: $5 adults,$2 kids and seniors, Walsh students free with ID.
• BROADCAST: WCER-AM 900, www.nsnsports.com
• LAST YEAR’S RECORDS: Walsh 7-3; Union 0-11.
• LAST MEETING: Walsh 40, Union 17, 1999; Walsh leads the series 3-0.
• WHAT TO WATCH: Union will be attempting to snap an 21-game losing streak dating back to the final game of 1997. The Bulldogs have been 0-10 and 0-11 the last two seasons. Since finishing 7-2-1 in 1995, the Bulldogs have lost 38 of 41 games. Union will return six starters on offense and five on defense this fall for head coach Brian Hill’s second season. Hill also has brought in 55 freshmen. Running back John Booker rushed for 635 yards last year and QB Stanley Niece threw for 1,827 yards. LB Andar Niece was in on 72 tackles and recovered a team-high three fumbles, but four of the top six tacklers from a year ago are gone. Walsh, ranked No. 26 nationally in the NAIA preseason poll, is expected to once again contend for the Mid-States Football Association’s Mideast League championship. The Cavs will have three new starters in the offensive backfield, including junior QB Jim Keagy, and will be seeking new talent along the defensive line as well. Walsh must also improve a pass defense that finished dead last in the MSFA in 1999. Union has lost three games to Walsh by a combined 117-23.

...from the Canton Repository, 9/3/00...

Walsh’s offense matches hot conditions in 40-7 victory

By TODD PORTER Repository sports writer

CANTON — With air hovering over Fawcett Stadium like a cloud of dirt that made breathing in a sandstorm seem easy and the artificial turf hot enough to boil water, it was difficult to both stay cool and keep your cool.
It just was not a good day to wear football pads and a helmet, but Walsh University made the most of its season opener.
It is hard to say what frustrated Union College head coach Brian Hill most. In the third quarter, he nearly was ejected from the game when he threw a tantrum on the sideline over a penalty. Or it could have been when one of his defenders recovered a fumble and ran the wrong way.
It could have been the Walsh defense, which kept the Bulldogs out of the end zone all day. It could have been the Walsh offense, which found a nice balance between quarterback Jim Keagy and running back Don Herbert.
Or, and quite likely, it could have been the steady stream of fresh players Walsh head coach Jim Dennison kept sending on the field. Many of them were freshmen, including first-year tailback Derek Besgrove, who finished with 107 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown run.
It was a long ride back to Kentucky for Union. But, at least it was an air- conditioned ride. The Cavaliers offense rolled up 467 yards as Walsh beat Union 40-7 at Fawcett Stadium. It is Walsh’s fifth straight win over the Bulldogs.
“It was very hot out there, but our players never complained about the head,” Walsh head coach Jim Dennison said. “We were in better shape than them. That showed.
“This game wasn’t as easy as the 40-7 score might indicate. We were scrambling at halftime. It should have been 13-7 then.”
The season was not even a minute old, and Dennison’s team was scoring.
Jim Keagy, a transfer from Youngstown State, watched speedy receiver Ron Winphrie run down the middle of the field unguarded on the game’s second play from scrimmage. He lofted a pass and hit Winphrie in stride for a 63-yard touchdown, 9 short of the school record. Jeff Johnston’s PAT kick gave the Cavaliers a 7-0 lead just 56 seconds into the contest.
Union had a perfect opportunity to tie the game in the first quarter. The Bulldogs went on an 11-play, 80-yard drive to take the ball to the 1-yard line. On third-and-goal, running back John Booker took a handoff and was thumped by the Walsh defensive line short of the end zone. Booker fumbled the ball, and Walsh sophomore Mike Hemming recovered it in the end zone.
Two series later, Walsh added to its lead. A 17-yard punt return by Aaron Baker set up the Cavalier offense at the Union 34. Keagy found Winphrie again. This time he was just inside the 20. After catching the ball, Winphrie turned inside and headed for the end zone and turned the play into a 34-yard touchdown pass for a 13-0 Cavalier lead.
As the first half drew to a close in the sweltering heat and thick afternoon air, the Cavaliers tacked on another score with 52 seconds left. Keagy hit freshman tight end Chris Brink on a play-action pass on the right side of the end zone. It was his third touchdown pass of the day, and Walsh led 19-0.
The Bulldogs — once again — showed signs of life, but made a mistake in a critical situation. Niece completed three passes and had the ball on the Walsh 19 with nine seconds before halftime and no timeouts. Instead of stopping the clock, he dropped back to pass and was sacked as time expired.
“It was nice to open the season like this,” Dennison said. “We got a look at some younger kids, and I was very, very pleased with what I saw. Right now, I’m not sure who our second team is. Mike Hoover and Besgrove looked good.

...from the Akron Beacon Journal, 9/3/00...

Cavaliers open with easy win

Junior Keagy leads rout of Union in his first start

BY FELLICIA SMITH Beacon Journal staff writer

At the beginning of the season, Walsh University quarterback Jim Keagy was battling with freshman Mike Hoover from Wadsworth for the starting position.
Keagy showed how he earned it yesterday, by leading his team to a 40-7 win over Union in Fawcett Stadium.
``I had to compete for it,'' Keagy said. ``It's been a long road. I'm just pleased with the way we played. I really wanted to go out and show what I could do.''
In the first half, the 6-foot-3, 205 pound junior was 11-for-24 for 182 yards and three touchdowns. He withstood hits in the backfield, dodged defenders to avoid sacks and led the Cavaliers up and down the field to the end zone like an old pro.
``Jim is our starting quarterback,'' said Walsh head coach Jim Dennison. ``He's an upperclassman. He put in his time. He was perfect out there tonight.''
In the first quarter, Keagy connected with Ronald Winphrie on the second play from scrimmage on a 63-yard touchdown pass to put the Cavaliers up 7-0. It was the longest play for the Cavaliers all day. Winphrie finished with three catches for 105 yards.
Once again, Keagy and Winphrie were able to find each other, this time in the second quarter. Keagy hit Winphrie for a 34-yard touchdown to put Walsh up 13-0 -- the extra-point attempt was no good.
After getting the ball on the Union 39 with less than three minutes to play in the half, Keagy threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to freshman Chris Brink, also from Wadsworth. The touchdown gave the Cavaliers a 19-0 halftime lead, after missing on a 2-point conversion.
In the second half, the Cavaliers put the ball on the ground in the hands of tailback Dan Herbert and freshman tailback Derek Besgrove.
Herbert carried the ball 19 times for Walsh, gaining 54 yards. Besgrove had the most impact, running the ball eight times for 107 yards and two touchdowns. He had a 79-yard touchdown run on the final play of the third quarter.
Winston Woods scored on a 2-yard run for Walsh.
While the Cavaliers' offense was in sync, it was the defense that made a difference.
In the second quarter, Union had a first-and-goal at the 7. On its first two downs, Union moved the ball to the 1. On third-and-goal, Walsh caused the Bulldogs to fumble into the end zone, where Walsh recovered.
``If we would have punched that ball in it would have changed the momentum,'' Union coach Bill Hill said. ``It seemed to knock the wind right out of our sails. It changed the game.''
In the third quarter, Walsh defensive back Mike Hemming intercepted a Union pass. The Cavaliers also kept the Bulldogs from converting on two fourth-down plays. Union's lone touchdown came on a 10-yard pass in the fourth from Stanley Niece to Jim Maynor.
``We're very happy with the way our defense played,'' said Dennison.
``We knew they were going to come in and throw the ball. Our secondary is going to be a strong point on this team.''

...from the Canton Repository, 9/3/00...

WALSH 14...WESTMINSTER 27

SEPTEMBER 9, 2000

...from the AKRON BEACON JOURNAL...
9-7-00

Walsh

Coach Jim Dennison didn't allow his Cavaliers to savor their 40-7 win over Union for too long.
That's because Walsh travels to six-time NAIA national champion Westminster on Saturday. The Titans return 36 lettermen from a team that went 3-8 last season.
``They've got just about everyone back,'' Dennison said. ``They're in a new conference (President's Athletic Conference), they have a new coach (Jerry Schmitt) and this is their season opener. They will be fired up.''
Dennison was pleased with his team's initial effort.
The Cavaliers rolled up 467 yards against Union in leading from start to finish. Quarterback Jim Keagy and receiver Ron Winphrie combined on a pair of touchdowns.
The defense limited Union to minus 16-yards rushing.

...from the Canton Repository...
9-9-00

Walsh at Westminster
  • SITE: Harold Burry Stadium, New Wilmington, Pa., 1 p.m.
  • BROADCAST: WCER-AM 900
  • INTERNET: www.nsnsports.com
  • RECORDS: Walsh 1-0, Westminster 0-0
  • LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: Walsh 40, Union 7
  • LAST MEETING: Westminster won in 1997, 17-14, and leads the all-time series 2-0.
  • WHAT TO WATCH: Walsh rolled up 467 total yards and held Union to minus-16 yards rushing last week. The Cavaliers’ defense registered six sacks, with senior defensive lineman Josh Zimmerman (Lake) recording 21/2. Junior Jim Keagy completed 11 of 24 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns in his debut at quarterback, while freshman tailback Derek Besgrove rushed for 107 yards and two scores. Westminster returns 36 lettermen from last year’s 3-8 team. The Titans are making the transition from NCAA Division II to Division III and now play in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. Senior quarterback James Graham needs just 23 completions to break the all-time Westminster record of 359 and just 31 passing yards to become just the third quarterback in school history to throw for over 4,000 yards.

...from the AKRON BEACON JOURNAL...
9-10-00

Nowhere to run for Cavaliers

Westminster stops Walsh on ground and goes on to take a 27-14 victory

Tom Reed Beacon Journal staff writer

NEW WILMINGTON, PA.: Jim Dennison can't recall anything like it. In his 19 years of college coaching, Dennison's teams always have prided themselves on being able to run the football. That wasn't the case for Walsh University yesterday afternoon at Westminster College. The Cavaliers took a step up in class and more than a few steps back from the line of scrimmage in a 27-14 loss at Burry Stadium. The Titans, an NCAA Division III program, held Walsh to minus-4 yards rushing on 23 attempts in winning their season opener. The Cavaliers fell to 1-1 and have only a week to regroup before hosting NCAA Division II West Liberty (W.Va.) State College -- the opponent Dennison considers the toughest on Walsh's 11-game schedule. ``When you have trouble running the football, it can be disastrous,'' Dennison said. ``I can't think of a game where we had so many problems running the ball.'' A week after rolling up 467 yards against Union (Ky.) College, the Cavaliers were limited to 120 against the Titans. Westminster's defense sacked Walsh quarterbacks four times and forced three fumbles in making the coaching debut of Jerry Schmitt a successful one. The Titans compiled 360 yards and dominated time of possession by a 2-1 margin. ``It was a wakeup call,'' senior co-captain Lamont Evans (Timken) said. ``But that was a pretty good football team.'' The Titans won six NAIA national titles before making the jump to the NCAA in 1997. They dropped from Division III to II this season, but they still have a number of scholarship athletes, especially on defense. ``We are quick and athletic on that side of the ball,'' Schmitt said. The Cavaliers opened the scoring in the first quarter on a well-executed, eight-play, 72-yard touchdown drive. Starting quarterback Jim Keagy completed three passes in the series, including a 39-yard strike to Aaron Baker (Lake) and a 3-yard TD toss to Sean Flaherty (Stow). The Cavaliers generated three first downs on the drive. They wouldn't get another until after Westminster had built a 20-7 lead early in the fourth quarter. ``When we scored our first touchdown, I thought we were going to have it our way,'' Dennison said. ``But we stopped executing after that and lost our continuity.'' The Titans tied the game and took the lead in the second quarter behind the running of tailback John Ciavarra, who scored two TDs and rushed for 156 yards. Westminster was aided by a pass-interference call in the end zone on defensive back Mack Mitchell in the waning seconds of the first half. Eric Witt scored two plays later on a 4-yard run to make it 14-7. ``Mack looked like he had the inside position,'' Dennison said. ``When I saw the flag, I thought they were going to call offensive pass interference.'' Dennison started highly touted freshman quarterback Mike Hoover (Wadsworth) in the second half. Hoover was sacked twice in two possessions and had a fumble that led to Westminster's final touchdown. Hoover completed 1-of-2 attempts for 13 yards. Keagy returned and hit Ron Winphrie with a 30-yard TD to close the scoring. The junior was 8-of-15 for 111 yards and two TDs.

...from the Canton Repository...

9-10-00

Walsh falls on road

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. — Host Westminster scored 27 unanswered points en route to a 27-14 college football win over Walsh University on Saturday. Walsh, which had virtually no ground game, scored the game’s first touchdown on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Jim Keagy to Sean Flaherty. The Titans dominated the game from there, scoring 14 second-quarter points and adding six in the third and seven in the fourth before the Cavaliers scored again. Walsh was held to minus-4 yards rushing, while Westminster had 189 yards on the ground. Walsh quarterback Jim Keagy was 8-of-15 passing for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Walsh’s second touchdown came with 13 minutes to go in the game on a 30-yard TD pass from Keagy to Ron Winphrie. Westminster, which outgained Walsh 361-120, was led by John Ciavarra, who rushed for 148 yards on 27 carries with two touchdowns.

Westminster 27, Walsh 14
  • Walsh 7 0 0 7 — 14
  • Westminster 0 14 6 7 — 27
  • First Quarter
  • Wal—Flaherty 3 pass from Keagy (Johnston kick), 8:22
  • Second Quarter
  • Wes—Ciavarra 8 run (McCartney kick), 14:15
  • Wes—Witt 4 run (McCartney kick), 0:45
  • Third Quarter
  • Wes—Ciavarra 6 pass from Graham (kick failed), 2:11
  • Fourth Quarter
  • Wes—Graham 7 run (McCartney kick), 14:55
  • Wal—Winphrie 30 pass from Keagy (Johnston kick), 13:36
  • Wal Wes
  • First downs 5 17
  • Rushes-yards 23-(-4) 51-189
  • Passing 124 172
  • Comp-Att-Int 9-17-1 15-22-0
  • Return Yards 10 7
  • Punts-Avg. 6-35.5 4-33.8
  • Fumbles-Lost 3-2 1-1
  • Penalties-Yards 3-22 5-43
  • Time of Possession 19:38 40:22
  • INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING—Walsh, Herbert 11-13, Besgrove 5-4, Daivs 1-0, Keagy 2-(minus 10), Hoover 4-(minus 11). Westminster, Ciavarra 27-148, Graham 10-12, Korcinsky 7-12, Patoray 1-8, Witt 3-5, Lively 2-4, Lipiello 1-0.
  • PASSING—Walsh, Keagy 8-15-111-1, Hoover 1-2-13-0. Westminster, Graham 15-22-172-0.
  • RECEIVING—Walsh, Baker 3-60, Winphrie 3-35, Brink 1-16, Davis 1-10, Flaherty 1-3. Westminster, Lipiello 3-39, Ciavarra 3-30, Korcinsky 2-39, Rigby 2-27, Baker 2-21, Jones 1-6, Black 1-6, Ruck 1-4.

WALSH 43...WEST LIBERTY 49 (overtime)

SEPTEMBER 16, 2000

....from the CANTON REPOSITORY....

...9-16-00...

West Liberty at Walsh

  • SITE: Fawcett Stadium, 1 p.m.
  • TICKETS: $5 adults; $2 students 12 and under and senior citizens; free for Walsh students, faculty and staff with a valid Walsh ID card.
  • BROADCAST: WCER-AM 900.
  • INTERNET: http://www.nsnsports.com.
  • RECORDS: West Liberty 1-0, Walsh 1-1.
  • LAST WEEK: West Liberty 48, Virginia-Wise 21 (Sept. 2), Westminster 27, Walsh 14.
  • LAST MEETING: Walsh won last year’s game, 21-6, and leads the all-time series 2-0.
  • WHAT TO WATCH: The Cavaliers are coming off one of their most frustrating offensive performances in recent memory. After taking an early lead against Westminster, Walsh went 21/2 quarters without a first down and were held to a record minus-4 yards rushing. Cavs quarterback Jim Keagy threw for 111 yards and two touchdowns. West Liberty features E.J. Burt, last year’s West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He returned a blocked punt for a touchdown in the Hilltoppers’ win over Virginia-Wise. A win will keep the Cavs from falling below the .500 mark for the first time since they were 1-2 in 1995, their first year of intercollegiate football.

....from the AKRON BEACON JOURNAL....

...9-16-00...

Walsh

  • The Cavaliers had their worst rushing day in the program's brief six-year history last week in a 27-14 loss to Westminister. Jim Dennison's squad was held to minus-4 yards on 23 attempts.
  • The challenge is just as formidable at 1 p.m. today, when the Cavaliers (1-1) play host to West Liberty (W.Va.) State College (1-0).
  • ``They are just as good and, believe it or not, they are bigger and faster than Westminister,'' Dennison said.
  • Dennison said that the Hilltoppers -- a NCAA Division II program -- could be their toughest opponent. They defeated Virginia Wise 48-21 in their opener.
  • Walsh has beaten West Liberty the past two years, but the coach said that the Cavaliers needed their best efforts to win those games.
  • This week, the coaching staff stressed the fundamentals in the wake of the Westminister loss, which featured four sacks and just 120 yards of offense.
  • ``We've gotten on our kids very hard,'' Dennison said. ``We've worked on our run blocking, pass protection and hitting the holes better.''

....from the CANTON REPOSITORY....

...9-17-00...

Game slips away from the Cavaliers

By MIKE POPOVICH Repository sports writer

CANTON — The Walsh University football team should not underestimate the importance of the next few days. How the Cavaliers react after Saturday’s 49-43 overtime loss to West Liberty may determine how successful their season is. At 1-2, Walsh is under .500 for the first time since the third week of the 1995 season. Give Walsh credit for bouncing back from one disappointment. Freshman tailback Derek Besgrove helped the Cavs overcome the minus-4 yards rushing total they had in last week’s loss to Westminster. Besgrove rushed for a team-high 113 yards and scored a pair of third-quarter touchdowns to give Walsh a 21-point lead. But the Cavs’ big lead vanished in just under six minutes. West Liberty (2-0) scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter and won the game in overtime on a 29-yard TD pass from third-string quarterback Tim Hicks to Shane Corey. “Sometimes these things are very difficult to explain,’’ Cavs head coach Jim Dennison said. “We played hard enough to win, but maybe not well enough. “When you have a 21-point lead going into the fourth quarter, you have to hold on to it. We just didn’t do the things we had to do to hold on to it.’’ Walsh had only two first downs in the fourth quarter. One came on a face mask penalty against West Liberty. Meanwhile, Hicks came in to try to rejuvenate a Hilltoppers’ passing game that was grounded by the Cavs for three quarters. On West Liberty’s three fourth-quarter scoring drives, he was 4-for-8 for 121 yards with two touchdowns. His 49-yard TD completion to running back Brawley Evans on fourth-and-three and the ensuing extra point tied the game at 43-43 with 2:03 left. “I’m not so sure it was as much the quarterback,’’ Dennison said. “(Hicks) was like the others we went against. We just had some very poor coverage.’’ Still, Walsh had a chance to win in overtime. West Liberty won the coin toss, but chose to defer. The Cavs started at the 25-yard line. A 9-yard run by quarterback Jim Keagy and a 3-yard run by Besgrove gave Walsh a first down. But an interception by West Liberty’s Randy Feesler three plays later ended the Cavs’ possession. A field goal would win it for West Liberty, but an illegal procedure call against the Hilltoppers on third down pushed them back to the 29-yard line. That didn’t rattle Hicks. He spotted Corey one-on-one with Walsh cornerback Mack Mitchell, but still threw. Corey made a great catch in the end zone, and West Liberty celebrated its first win over Walsh in three tries. It was a win that seemed unlikely after the Cavs turned two West Liberty botched punts into scores and intercepted four Hilltopper passes. Mitchell and strong safety Kevin Vaughn had two interceptions apiece for Walsh. “We had the opportunities to put them away, but we just didn’t do it,’’ Dennison said. Besgrove scored three touchdowns for the Cavs. His first TD run gave Walsh a 23-7 lead with 8:16 left in the second quarter. But the Cavs fumbled the ball on the extra-point attempt, and West Liberty’s Kevin Carpenter returned it 98 yards for 2 points. Those 2 points ultimately were a big difference

...from the Canton Repository, 9/17/00...

West Liberty 49, Walsh 43, OT

  • West Liberty 0 22 0 21 6 — 49
  • Walsh 17 13 13 0 0 — 43
  • First Quarter
  • Wal—Brink 6 pass from Keagy (Johnston kick), 11:04
  • Wal—Keagy 5 run (Johnston kick), 7:31
  • Wal—FG Johnston 34, 1:09
  • Second Quarter
  • Wes—Rine 11 run (Staley kick), 11:25
  • Wal—Besgrove 2 run (run failed), 8:16
  • Wes—Carpenter 98 PAT return, 8:04
  • Wes—Jackson 69 run (Staley kick), 7:09
  • Wes—Evans 8 run (kick blocked), 2:03
  • Wal—Evans 11 pass from Keagy (Johnston kick), :12
  • Third Quarter
  • Wal—Besgrove 13 run (Johnston kick), 5:39
  • Wal—Besgrove 21 run (pass failed), 3:18
  • Fourth Quarter
  • Wes—Jackson 1 run (Staley kick), 7:56
  • Wes—Russell 12 pass from Hicks (Staley kick), 3:43
  • Wes—Evans 49 pass from Hicks (Staley kick), 2:03
  • Overtime
  • Wes—Corey 29 pass from Hicks
  • Wes Wal
  • First downs 26 18
  • Rushes-yards 50-235 47-166
  • Passing 303 143
  • Comp-Att-Int 17-38-4 9-24-2
  • Return Yards 156 181
  • Punts-Avg. 3-37 7-39
  • Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-1
  • Penalties-Yards 7-84 6-26
  • Time of Possession 31:30 43:30
  • INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
  • RUSHING—West Liberty, Jackson 20-164, Evans 21-109, Rine 1-11, Russell 1-4, kasper 1-4, Meredith 1-2, Hicks 1-(minus-4), Mascairelli 2-(minus-13), Hankla 2-(minus-42). Walsh, Besgrove 29-113, Keagy 9-31, Davis 4-26, Herbert 2-3, Sheredy 1-(minus-2), Winphrie 2-(minus-5).
  • PASSING—West Liberty, Rine 7-20-4-86, Mascairelli 5-9-0-67, Hicks 5-9-0-150. Walsh, Keagy 9-24-2-143.
  • RECEIVING—West Liberty, Corey 6-112, Russell 5-70, Evans 2-59, Zoladz 2-39, Shipley 2-23. Walsh, Winphrie 4-69, Brink 3-56, Evans 1-11, Davis 1-7.

WALSH 27... TRINITY 41

SEPTEMBER 24, 2000

....from the CANTON REPOSITORY....

...9-23-00...

Walsh at Trinity (Ill.) • SITE: Leslie A. Frazier Field, Deerfield, Ill., 2 p.m. • BROADCAST: WCER-AM 900 • INTERNET: http://www.nsnsports.com • RECORDS: Walsh 1-2, Trinity 2-1 • LAST WEEK: West Liberty 49, Walsh 43, OT; Mount Senario 31, Trinity 28 • LAST MEETING: Walsh won last year’s game, 24-21, in the only other meeting between the two teams. • WHAT TO WATCH: Walsh’s defense must find ways to contain Trinity’s Mark Clinton and Israel Diaz, the top two running backs in the Mid-States Football Association. Clinton averages 186.0 yards per game while Diaz averages 115.0. They have helped the Trojans average 44.4 points through three games. The Cavaliers need to put last week’s overtime loss to West Liberty State behind them. They led 43-22 before the Hilltoppers scored 21 straight points in the final 7:56 to force overtime. The loss overshadowed a big game by freshman tailback Derek Besgrove, who rushed for 113 yards and scored three touchdowns. Walsh has given up an average of 32.3 points in its last eight games and is 3-5 in that span. The 49 points scored by West Liberty were the most points ever given up in a single game by the Cavs.

...from the Canton Repository, 9/24/00...

Trinity 41, Walsh 27

  • Walsh 0 8 7 12 — 27
  • Trinity 8 26 7 0 — 41
  • First Quarter
  • Tri—Clinton 10 run (Diaz rush), 7:40
  • Second Quarter
  • Tri—Clinton 5 run (Voss rush), 14:23
  • Wal—Besgrove 8 run (Brink pass), 7:45
  • Tri—Penner 43 pass from Clinton (rush failed), 1:36
  • Tri—Hays fumble recovery in end zone (rush failed), 1:24
  • Third Quarter
  • Tri—Clinton 37 run (Gilligan kick), 5:40
  • Wal—Besgrove 20 run (Johnston kick), 2:57
  • Fourth Quarter
  • Wal—Keagy 6 run (pass failed), 10:35
  • Wal—Brink 3 pass from Keagy (pass failed), 0:05
  • Wal Tri
  • First downs 22 17
  • Rushes-yards 45-213 55-403
  • Passing 240 43
  • Comp-Att-Int 19-35-3 1-4-1
  • Return Yards 57 83
  • Punts-Avg. 4-30.5 5-31.2
  • Fumbles-Lost 3-3 2-2
  • Penalties-Yards 5-20 4-35
  • Time of Possession 29:57 30:03
  • INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
  • RUSHING—Walsh, Besgrove, 25-115, Keagy 5-38, Hoover 8-25, Davis 2-12, Woods 2-8, Winphrie 1-6, Wilson 1-6, Johnston 1-3. Trinity, Clinton 19-260, Corbin 5-52, Moore 9-42, Diaz 11-23, Holman 6-20, Tesone 2-4, Zangronis 2-3, Voss 1-(minus 1).
  • PASSING—Walsh, Hoover 11-20-1-124, Keagy 8-15-2-116.
  • RECEIVING—Walsh, Winphrie 6-61, Brink 5-55, Kovach 2-45, Lessears 2-30, Flaherty 1-18, Evans 1-14, Copeland 1-13, Davis 1-4. Trinity, Penner 1-43.

WALSH 35...MALONE 33

SEPTEMBER 30, 2000

....from the CANTON REPOSITORY....

...9-30-00...

Malone at Walsh n SITE: Fawcett Stadium, Canton, 11 a.m. n TICKETS: $5 adults, students and senior citizens $2, free for children 12 and under n BROADCAST: WNPQ-FM 95.9, WCER-AM 900 n INTERNET: www.wnpqfm.com, www.nsnsports.com n RECORDS: Malone 2-2, Walsh 1-3 n LAST WEEK: Malone 31, St. Francis (Ill.) 21; Trinity International 41, Walsh 27 n LAST MEETING: Walsh won last year’s game, 15-0. Malone leads the all-time series 3-2. n WHAT TO WATCH: The cross-town rivals kick off the Mid-States Football Association Mideast League season. The Pioneers ended a two-game losing streak last week while the Cavaliers are two games under .500 for the first time in their history. Malone freshman running Joel Peterson was named the MSFA Mideast League Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against St. Francis. Peterson rushed for 133 yards on 24 carries and scored two touchdowns. He also caught two passes, one for a 50-yard touchdown. Walsh freshman tailback Derek Besgrove has rushed for over 100 yards in two straight games and has 339 yards and seven touchdowns for the season. Freshman Mike Hoover will start at quarterback for the second straight week for the Cavs. Hoover played one half against Trinity and completed 11 of 20 passes for 124 yards. The Pioneers start freshman Eric Rector at quarterback. Rector has thrown eight touchdown passes and has not been intercepted this season. Linebacker Tyran Holloway leads Malone in tackles with 31 while linebacker Scott Pifer is Walsh’s top tackler with 34. The winner receives the Dick Gallagher Memorial Trophy, which is sponsored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in memory of the hall’s former executive director. Walsh’s Josh Zimmerman and Malone’s Russ Houser will receive memorial scholarships in pregame ceremonies.

....from the CANTON REPOSITORY....

...10-01-00...

Walsh ends three-game skid with win over rival Malone
By MIKE POPOVICH Repository sports writer
CANTON — The weight of three weeks of frustration was lifted off the Walsh University football team’s shoulders. The burden was almost too much to bear. Negative team rushing yards, a blown lead — everything that could go wrong, went wrong for the Cavaliers during their three-game losing streak. The streak is history, and the look of relief was clearly seen on the Walsh players’ faces after Saturday’s 35-33 win over Malone at Fawcett Stadium. Freshman tailback Derek Besgrove set a school record with four touchdown runs and a huge defensive stand late in the game helped the Cavs even the all-time series at 3-3. “This really means a lot to us,’’ Walsh senior defensive tackle Josh Zimmerman said. “We’re going to try to capitalize on it.’’ The biggest disappointment during the Cavs’ losing streak was their 49-43 overtime loss to West Liberty State two weeks ago. Walsh carried a 21-point lead into the fourth quarter of that game. Against Malone, the Cavs held an 18-point lead (35-17) midway through the third quarter. However, freshman quarterback Eric Rector engineered a comeback that helped the Pioneers close to within two (35-33) in the final six minutes of the game. Rector had one more opportunity to drive Malone downfield from his own 17-yard line with 3:33 left. This time, the Cavs’ defense stated its case. Walsh’s biggest play was the 7-yard sack of Rector by Zimmerman and sophomore nose guard Kevin Roarty on second-and-10. Rector rushed for 13 yards on third down, and the Pioneers chose to punt with two timeouts and just over two minutes left. “We really didn’t change much. We just played better as a team,’’ Zimmerman said of the Cavs’ defense on that drive. “That’s all it was — playing as a team.’’ Walsh’s Ron Winphrie returned Jesse Tatterson’s punt 19 yards to the Malone 33-yard line. The Pioneers used their timeouts after a pair of Besgrove runs, and the Cavs were able to run out the clock after freshman quarterback Mike Hoover ran for 2 yards on fourth-and-one. “In the fourth quarter, every unit stepped up and made a big play,’’ Walsh head coach Jim Dennison said. Besgrove was a huge key for Walsh’s offensive unit. He rushed for a game-high 241 yards on 37 carries, falling short of Damont Skanes’ single-game record by just 13 yards. “Is he a freshman?” Dennison said. “He doesn’t look like a freshman to me. I’ve had a lot of good tailbacks, and he’s right in there with them.’’ Besgrove praised his teammates up front. “Our offensive line comes off the ball hard, and they make me look good,’’ he said. “They’re giving me 3 or 4 yards, and I just have to make the cuts.’’ Dennison thought his special teams would have to make two big plays for Walsh (2-3 overall, 1-0 MSFA East) to win. It did. Winphrie returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter to give Walsh a 14-7 lead. After Besgrove’s second TD run of the game put the Cavs on top 21-14 in the second quarter, Walsh’s Preston Curtis recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. Besgrove followed with a 5-yard touchdown run that made it 28-14. “We literally gave two touchdowns away,’’ Pioneers head coach Steve Saulnier said. “Not to take anything away from Walsh, they played very hard and very good.’’ So did Saulnier’s quarterback. Rector completed 20 of 35 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns for Malone (2-3, 0-1). He also rushed for 88 yards on 17 carries, including a 28-yard touchdown run. “The kid is amazing,’’ Saulnier said. “We have a bright, bright future with Eric Rector.’’

....from the CANTON REPOSITORY....

...10-01-00...

  • Walsh 35, Malone 33
  • Malone 14 3 6 10 — 33
  • Walsh 14 14 7 0 — 35
  • First Quarter
  • W—Besgrove 4 run (Johnston kick), 11:26
  • M—Brown 18 pass from Rector (Walsh kick), 7:55
  • W—Winphrie 90 kickoff return (Johnston kick), 7:40
  • M—Cunningham 28 pass from Rector (Walsh kick), 2:09
  • Second Quarter
  • W—Besgrove 3 run (Johnston kick), 5:30
  • W—Besgrove 5 run (Johnston kick), 5:14
  • M—FG Walsh 32, 1:21
  • Third Quarter
  • W—Besgrove 8 run (Johnston kick), 10:02
  • M—Rector 28 run (kick failed), 6:31
  • Fourth Quarter
  • M—FG Walsh 32, 13:57
  • M—Peterson 3 run (Walsh kick), 5:44
  • A—3,402.
  • Records: Malone 2-3, 0-1; Walsh 2-3, 1-0.
  • Mal Wal
  • First downs 26 16
  • Rushes-yards 40-194 43-240
  • Passing 313 117
  • Comp-Att-Int 20-35-1 10-16-0
  • Return Yards 85 300
  • Punts-Avg. 2-40 3-37
  • Fumbles-Lost 3-1 1-1
  • Penalties-Yards 7-73 5-97
  • Time of Possession 35:47 24:13
  • INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
  • RUSHING—Malone, Peterson 20-96, Rector 17-88, Harris 1-5, Groubert 1-3, Brown 1-2. Walsh, Besgrove 37-241, Davis 1-0, Hoover 5-(minus-1).
  • PASSING—Malone, Rector 20-35-1-313. Walsh, Hoover 10-16-0-117.
  • RECEIVING—Malone, Hostetler 8-121, Brown 7-89, Cunningham 2-74, Peterson 2-23, Harris 1-6. Walsh, Winphrie 5-46, Evans 3-34, Brink 1-21, Davis 1-16.

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