Football ends with a whimper, loses 75-16

Team can't stop playoff-bound Allegheny

The football season ended for Oberlin with a 75-16 loss to playoff-bound Allegheny University. The 16 points were more than Oberlin had scored against Allegheny in the entire 90's decade. And classy Allegheny did score their final meaningless touchdown with :04 on the clock.

The Gators took advantage of superior field position, numerous Oberlin mistakes, and the fact that they are a better team to humble the Yeomen in their final outing. It was also the final game for seniors James Parker, Chris Lavin, Garth Stidolph, Gerald Blankson, Brian Salter, and Jason Quinn.

The game started ominously for the Yeomen. The offense went three and out and then Allegheny's LaMarcus Thurman took Rick Kocher's punt all the way, 55 yards, into the end zone. On the next play Parker was intercepted. Allegheny went 31 yards in 5 plays with soon-to-be-named NCAC Player of the Year Jim Mormino scoring the first of his 5 touchdowns.

Indeed by the end of the first quarter the Gators (Allegheny, not Florida) led the Yeomen 35-0, with Mormino scoring four touchdowns. "We clearly were not prepared to compete at the level Allegheny came ready to play at," said Head Coach Pete Peterson.

Wide receiver junior Felix Brooks-Church was more frank in his assessment. "A lot of people didn't have a good attitude. Allegheny seemed ready and we didn't. The way we played showed it, and so did the score."

Parker echoed these sentiments, saying, "Going in we knew it would be tough, but our self-destruction was a self-fulfilling prophecy."

As slow as the Yeomen came out of the gate, Peterson praised the leaders on his team for rallying them to play better. "There's a group of guys with a great deal of pride and determination, and commitment who exerted their will and carried us," he said. "Oberlin got on the board in the first half when Parker hit Brooks-Church for a three yard touchdown and then found him on an identical play for the two point conversion."

The two would connect again in the third quarter on a lovely 19 yard pass that was perfectly placed over the defender. Junior Anthony Johnson was the recipient of the two-point conversion this time. Still, Brooks-Church was not satisfied, "By the time we got into our groove it was too late."

Allegheny thrived, given the opportunities that Oberlin gave them. The Gators average field position was the Oberlin 38, and they scored on 11 of 15 possessions.

Allegheny's best field position was the Oberlin 5, and this came after a blocked punt that Peterson said was indicative of Oberlin's season. "We spent extra time on it all week, and then to have them do exactly what we thought they would do and still beat us; that's a summation of the game, and the season."

Despite the Yeomen's inspiring victory in the season opener over Thiel College, the season was not viewed as a total success. "It was an improving season, and one in which I hoped things would have been more successful," said Peterson. "We had expectations unmet. That's frustrating."

The Yeomen improved dramatically in terms of competitiveness, but only mildly in the win category. And statistically this is a weaker team defensively, surrendering a school-record in points allowed.

There were several games in which the team excelled offensively, notably against Kenyon College and the College of Wooster. But for Brooks-Church, the season is really only a stepping-stone.

"All in all it was a steady improvement. It's still going to take a while. We won a game and you have to start somewhere. I would have liked to have won three, and we could have won three." Felix also thought that there is less margin for error for the team now and that expectations are higher. "There's no excuse for 1-9 or 0-10 next year."

The key to success next year is recruiting, and Peterson says that this year is a "desperate situation for the coaches." He also is counting on commitment and improvement from the returning players.

The team will again be especially dependent on the two receivers, Anthony Johnson and Felix Brooks-Church, who finished the season both ranked in the top ten nationally in receptions. Replacing Parker will be difficult, but both he and Brooks-Church agree that first-year Gino Walker is capable. "He's going to be a real good player," says Parker. "He has all the tools and he's dedicated."

This is not to say that the team will not miss the seniors. Parker graduates having set school records for career yards, 5222, and completions, 545; as well as season records for yards, 2169, and completions, 230. 170 of those 545 completions went to Brooks-Church, and Felix will miss his quarterback, "It was fun. It was like a tag team. He's a great guy and we clicked on the field."

Lavin and Stidolph's experience was a major reason the offense succeeded. Salter led the team in rushing, and was a locker room leader who will be sorely missed.

Quinn set a career mark in interceptions this season with four and was part of a very capable secondary. And Blankson was the teams best defensive player who played five positions in his Oberlin career and led by example.

Peterson knows that life will not be the same without the six guys who started with him in 1994. "The fact that they were able to stay the course is one of the reasons we were able to accomplish what we did," he says. "Whatever success we have had is due to them. I'm proud they call me coach."

Parker and Blankson were both NCAC Honorable Mentions, and wide receivers Anthony Johnson and Felix Brooks-Church were both 2nd team all-NCAC, despite finishing 1-2 in the conference and scoring 13 touchdowns between them.

The fact that both players deserved to be on the first team did not discourage Brooks-Church. "There's a difference between being the best and being voted best. I think I'm the best, and Anthony's number one with me. But other receiver's teams won, we went 1-9."

Yet Pete Peterson still campaigned for his stars-and railed against the conference. "This shows prejudices against Oberlin. For whatever reason they treat our players different. Our league is hurt by walking on us. It gets frustrating for our players."

And so the Yeomen will start next year anew. They return what is arguably the best receiver tandem in the nation. "Nobody can stop both of us," said Brooks-Church.

The defense returns nine starters, and hopes to regain players who chose not to play this season while bolstering their corps through incoming freshmen. "We're talking to a lot of young men we're very excited about," said Peterson.

In the year in which Oberlin defeated the forty game monster, they know that there are still other beasts out there to be subdued.

It's a Gator rumble: Allegheny's Gators plastered the Yeomen at home on Saturday, ending the season. (photo by Leslie Torre)