Perhaps it was an ominous sign, a foul harbinger even. As Oberlin football prepared in their bye week for the Denison Big Red, the clouds began to envelope the town of Oberlin.
After a dark lingering of cumulus sat over North Campus all day Friday, the rain began to fall Friday night, and there was no sun shining on Dill Field for the 1:30 kickoff time, nor had there been all day, nor did anyone expect there to be sun in the near future. Those expectations were fulfilled, though the hopes of the very few Yeomen faithful who sat through the entire sorry contest were not. Oberlin football fell 42-0, shut out for the second straight week, to fall to 0-4, 0-2 in the conference.
The loss follows the 55-0 drubbing two weeks previous by Ohio Wesleyan University, meaning the Yeomen have not scored in their last 8 quarters of play, while giving up 97 points.
There was one ray of sun that managed to peek through the gloom of defeat. On the first play from scrimmage following Denisonšs final score, quarterback sophomore Geno Walker connected with wideout senior Felix Brooks-Church for 17 yards. The reception gave Brooks-Church the NCAC all-time receptions record, with 199 over his four years so far. He finished the day with 6 receptions for 50 yards
Following a familiar pattern, Oberlin fell far behind early. The game opened with a short kickoff to the Big Red, who picked up the ball at the 24 and returned it to the 42. The first play from scrimmage was a run stuffed by the Oberlin defense, but it was all downhill from there. After a first-down pass and another 3-yard run inside, Denison went to the shotgun and quarterback senior Keith Schmid lobbed up a bomb brought in by wideout senior Ben Fortkanp, who waltzed into the end zone for the gamešs first score.
The Yeomen showed some promise on offense after their kickoff was downed in the end zone. Running-back sophomore Adisa Chaney ran for 4 yards outside, and then 6 inside; however, he fumbled the ball at the end of his second carry, and the Big Red defense jumped on the ball. The very next play, Denison went to the air again and wideout sophomore Brian Steinmetz brought in a 30-yard scoring pass. After the successful extra point, the clock stood at 12:56 remaining in the first quarter, and the score stood at 14-0, Denison.
The Yeomen couldnšt regroup on offense following the second Big Red score, however. Junior Jabari Spruill returned the kickoff to the 42, but Oberlin went three and out. Conversely, the Oberlin defense stepped up and forced Denison to punt.
In the next offensive series, Chaney ran for one up the middle, and first-year quarterback Bob Montag, who had started his first game of the year, completed a pass for to tight-end junior Jason Ross for a gain of 11 yards.
It was then that Oberlin had one of its most explosive plays of the year. Running back first-year J.J. Gilmore shed several would-be tacklers at and around the line of scrimmage and burst outside for a run of 36 yards down to the Denison 27 yard line. The Yeomen stalled there, however, and at fourth and 11, the Yeomen got called for delay of game, making it fourth and 16. Montag again tried to hook up with Brooks-Church, but the attempt fell dead near the goal line. Oberlin lost the ball on downs.
After Denison drove to the 50, the Big Red fumbled and turned the ball over. The very next play, however, saw Montag stripped of the ball on a play action fake, with the ball finally recovered by Denison on the Oberlin 38 after a 12-yard roll in the slop.
The Big Red then pounded again and again into the Oberlin line, scoring on six rushes, the last a 15 yard touchdown run by running back first-year Jay Boyd. The point after made the score 21-0 in favor of Denison with 51 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
The second quarter saw the two teams trade the ball back and forth. Walker, who had started each of the seasonšs three previous games, came on to relieve Montag behind center. Despite several good completions, Walker could not get over his season-long turnover woes, throwing an interception in his first series.
Oberlin couldnšt muster any offense with Montag back in at quarterback to start the third quarter, and punted after three incompletions. Denison drove, but Oberlin stepped up and stopped the Big Red from scoring in the quarter.
On the gridiron: Yeomen get down-and-dirty on a rainy fall afternoon (photo by Heidi Good)
Copyright © 1998, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 127, Number 6, October 9, 1998
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