Mixed reactions to football win

Apathetic and ecstatic, people have lots to say about the game

Some students don't even know it happened. "Nobody told me," sophomore Shawn Margles said. Upon finding out that Oberlin football won their game against Thiel College last Saturday, Shawn responded, "I didn't think it could be done. Wow."

Oberlin football has been famous for the five-year long losing streak that achieved nation-wide recognition, including a two-page spread in Sports Illustrated for being one of Americas worst collegiate football teams. The losing streak is over.

Junior Mike Schweninger has gone to three games in his career at Oberlin, and last Saturday was one of them. "It was fate. A beautiful thing. I don't know how to describe it."

Schweninger was in the stands with approximately 200 Oberlin students, alumni, and town residents. "The thing that inspired me was the way the people in the stands came down on to the field to congratulate players," Athletics Director Don Hunsinger said.

"If I was a fan I would be inspired by the team and the coaching staff," Thiel Coach Dave Armstrong said. "It was clear that Oberlin was going to win. My hat's off to [Coach] Pete Peterson and the coaching staff. Pete is definitely one of the class coaches in the world of college football."

After the game, Schweninger and his close friends informed all of Wilder Bowl about the recent victory. "People were standing around at the Activity Fair. My friend Dave was yelling 'Oberlin won' but no one really was interested."

"It is big news," senior Molly Orner said. "I was walking down the street and this woman was telling her small child how exciting it was that Oberlin had won their first game in four years."

"I've been in colleges and universities that have won championships, but nothing has been as fulfilling as seeing Oberlin win last week," Dean of Student Life and Services Charlene Cole said. "The crowd was initially pretty small, but we were pretty loud and pretty rowdy." Sophomore Meredith Benton said, "I was there. I was at Keep and heard the cheering so I biked over to see what was going on and found out we were about to win a game. My heart welled up with joy. I wish I had gone out for football."

"I was sitting in the gym waiting for [track] practice. I could just as well have been watching the game. I feel like such a schmuck," senior James Quinn said.

"As long as we won a game we might as well have cheerleaders," junior Sam Howard said.

"I'm going to start going to all the games," junior Liz Latimer said.

"I was amazed to see how excited Mike [Schweninger] was," first-year Stephen Menyhart said.

"Mike came in my room and yelled 'We won!' I'm not a big sports fan so I don't have much opinion," sophomore Josh Firestone said.

"I missed the excitement at games last year, so I'm proud of them," junior Tickey Makgopela said.

Others were not so interested. "I was as excited about it as I am about this cigarette right here," junior Eric Simms said.

"Woo-hoo," Firestone said.

Schweninger said, "I'm a football fan. Oberlin football is based on tradition. It's been forgotten. The most important thing to be remembered Saturday is that 27 guys went out and believed. They had heart."