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(11/16/94 10:00am)
When he came into football camp this fall, Dana Lyons didn't know if he would play. He hoped he could fit into the defensive backfield somewhere, but with three starters returning, there was not much room. The only opening was at free safety, where all-Ivy player Jim Magallanes used to reside. But at a mere 160 pounds and a natural cornerback, Lyons does not appear big enough to play safety. How is a 160-pound defensive back supposed to tackle 200-pound fullbacks? How is he supposed to knock down mammoth tight ends? "That was the thing everybody was concerned about," Penn coach Al Bagnoli recalls. "At 160 pounds, was he going to be that consummate safety who comes in there and knocks down the 210-pound halfback? Could he run the alley and make a play?" Lyons has heard this before. His size kept major colleges away when he was in high school. But he always believed in himself. Even after sitting on the bench nearly the entire 1993 campaign, he knew he was good enough to play. He never had a doubt. "Even though I am undersized, I always had confidence in my abilities," he says. "I'm not afraid to stick my head in there, even though I'm a little bit overmatched sometimes." Lyons has rarely been overmatched this year. Bagnoli knows he is not going to deliver devastating tackles like all-Ivy sensations Michael Turner and Pat Goodwillie. But when a tackle has to be made, Lyons will be there. It is his responsibility to stop big plays. But more importantly, it is his responsibility to make defensive adjustments on the field. "He's done a great job," Turner says. "He stepped into the position and has done a great job making the calls. That's really important because he's running the show on the field. He's basically the coach in the backfield." This success does not come easy. Lyons spends hours watching films, making sure he knows everything the opposition might throw at the nation's top-ranked defense. "Once I get the field, I don't want anything to surprise me, to shock me. I don't think you can ever be too prepared," he says. That preparation has paid off. In the season-opener against Lafayette, however, he still felt nervous. He never really felt comfortable in Penn's star-studded defense. But then with Dartmouth on the Penn 14-yard line and marching late in the first half of the first league contest, Lyons intercepted Ren Riley's pass. After that play, he finally felt like he belonged. "I didn't feel like I had an identity with the defense," Lyons says. "After the interception, I really felt like I could make an impact. I just finally felt comfortable out there." And as he grew into his new position, Lyons began to get noticed. Against Brown, he made a diving interception grab on the Brown 23-yard line to set up a Penn score. Then at Franklin Field the following week, he upended Yale's 6-foot-3, 220-pound running back, Keith Price, on a key third-and-one play. "A couple of our guys bounced off Price and pushed him back a little bit," defensive coordinator Mike Toop remembers. "Dana was the one who came up and took him down for a two-yard loss." "He broke a few tackles," Lyons says. "I was there. It was the play I had to make." That's what makes Lyons the ultimate safety. He possesses the speed and coverage ability of a top cornerback, but is still strong enough to make the big tackles. Beyond the physical tools, Lyons has proven he has mastered the mental aspect of playing the most important position in Penn's top-ranked 5-2 defense. "He's done a great job," strong safety Nick Morris says. "He doesn't get caught up in the game and he doesn't bite on fakes. Nobody's hit a big play on us, and a lot of that is a tribute to his play." And as the Quakers prepare for their final game of 1994, Lyons has found a home at free safety.
(11/07/94 10:00am)
PRINCETON, N.J. -- In the first series of the second half, Penn starting quarterback Mark DeRosa was stepped on by the Princeton defense, literally. After lying on the grass for seemingly an eternity, he was carried to the sideline. There was no sign of the man who would eventually lead the Quakers to a 33-19 victory over the Tigers. Backup Steve Teodecki came in and tried to stall, but all eyes were still watching DeRosa writhing in pain on the trainer's tables. As they tended to his ankle, the play on the field was at a standstill. But after jogging with a severe limp on the Penn sideline, DeRosa returned to lead the Quaker offense with 16 minutes, 42 seconds remaining in the contest. And from there, as Yale upset Cornell 24-14 in New Haven, 21,985 spectators watched the Quakers clinch at least a share of the Ivy League title behind the strong arm and agile feet of Mark DeRosa. "It was a definite lift just to know Mark was okay, but it was more of a lift when he came out and completed his first pass," Penn wide receiver Miles Macik said of DeRosa's return. "It's not to say we don't have confidence in Steve Teodecki, because we do. But right now, Mark's our man and he's doing a great job back there. We were really excited when he came back in." When he had to, DeRosa (18 for 30, 243 yards, 3 touchdowns) had little difficulty finding his receivers. On a long third down, the red-shirt freshman bulleted the ball into Macik's all-American hands for a first down. Then he hit Leo Congeni crossing over the middle. To put Penn up by a two-touchdown margin, he lofted it up to Macik once again for a 23-yard touchdown strike and a 26-12 lead with only 9:26 remaining. Just 23 seconds later, DeRosa scrambled and pump faked before connecting with Macik (9 catches for 102 yards, 2 TDs) high-stepping for yet another 23-yard touchdown, putting the game out of reach and guaranteeing the Quakers their second consecutive Ivy title. "We went into the game with such high hopes and great expectations," Princeton wide receiver Marc Ross said. "Now, we're a part of Penn getting the championship. We tried to deter them from getting that. It makes it hard to take." The first half, however, was not as flawless as Penn would have liked. After floundering around and looking quite inept on its first possession of the game, Penn came back to score on two consecutive drives. The first, featuring numerous DeRosa bootlegs and quick passes, resulted in a 30-yard Andy Glockner field goal. After holding the Tigers, Mark Fabish returned the ensuing punt 30 yards to set up a seemingly effortless 28-yard drive in Penn's very next four plays. The Quakers took advantage of a pass interference penalty called against Princeton's Jimmy Archie at the two-yard line to set up a DeRosa short-arm pass to Warren Rosborough for a touchdown. But after the extra point went wide, Princeton came back with trick plays and a little luck to score two unanswered touchdowns and take the lead temporarily. The Tigers' craftiness came in the form of option runs, play-action passes and numerous Marc Ross reverses. The second score was set up when Fabish fumbled a punt at the Penn 16-yard line. But even then, the Tigers should have known the game was not going their way. Brian Buckman's first extra point sailed wide left. Then his next conversion attempt was blocked by Michael Juliano, and Kevin Allen returned the ball 84 yards to cut Princeton's lead to 12-11. And then with only 3:01 showing on the clock in the first half, running back Terrance Stokes (31 carries for 110 yards, 1 TD) and Macik propelled Penn on a 60-yard drive, capped off by a Stokes 13-yard run and a two-point conversion to take a 19-12 lead into the intermission. "They spread the ball around well," Princeton coach Steve Tosches said. "We tried to put as much pressure on the quarterback as we possibly could. DeRosa made some great plays. He really rose to the occasion today." But when the Quakers took over after halftime, DeRosa was trampled during the second play, and left the game for most of the remainder of the third period. The Tigers, however, were unable to capitalize on their good fortune. Their one scoring opportunity, a 19-yard field goal attempt, was blocked by Juliano once again. And then before Princeton knew it, DeRosa was back in leading the Penn offense. From there, the Quakers marched to their 19th consecutive victory, one shy of the Division I-AA record. When the final gun sounded, although the goal posts remained standing, Penn was crowned Ivy League champion for the second straight season.
(11/07/94 10:00am)
He doesn't get to play much. He probably only sees the field three or four plays a game. So when Michael Juliano does get out there, he makes sure his efforts count. Saturday, this seldom-used defensive end was the catalyst that turned the game in Penn's favor. After Princeton marched for its second touchdown to go up 12-9 as the game neared halftime, the latest a Penn opponent has had a lead this year, Juliano came out to attempt to block the extra point. As Juliano came out onto the field, he looked around. He looked at safety Nick Morris and Jamie Daniels. They were stunned, in disbelief. No one could comprehend that the Tigers, in just over 23 minutes, had scored more points than any previous Quaker opponent had in an entire game. Juliano saw the team was down. The senior screamed at his teammates to get them into the game. But when that did not work, he picked his play up. As Princeton's Brian Buckman attempted the extra point, Juliano leapt through the air and sent the pigskin back towards the Tiger end zone. Kevin Allen scooped up the loose ball, and Juliano turned and looked at senior co-captain Michael Turner. They both knew no one was going to catch the speedy cornerback. And as the realization of what Juliano had just done sunk in, he jumped into Turner's arms. "It feels great to be a part of the team," Juliano said. "Usually I come in when it's 40-0, but this time I helped the team win. I don't mind if all I do is block kicks, because it's an important part of the team." Saturday, it proved to be an extremely important part of the game. Instead of being down by four points, suddenly the Quakers were within one. Suddenly, even though Penn was losing, the Quakers had the momentum. Juliano, who blocked a key extra point against Dartmouth and preserved Penn's shutout over Brown with a blocked field-goal attempt, has proved to be very valuable. Even coach Al Bagnoli admitted he was moving up the depth chart with his inspired performances. "Mike Juliano had a great game," the usually reserved coach said. "There's one of those unsung kids you never hear about. He had a great game. He's proved to be very, very valuable for us." But Juliano, never the raven for attention, gave all the credit to his teammates. "It was all the push by the front guys," Juliano said. "They crushed the center and all I have to do is jump. Really, it is pretty easy. I just look at the kicker and only think about him." At least Juliano makes it look pretty easy. In the third quarter, he did it again. He blocked a 19-yard field-goal attempt, protecting Penn's touchdown lead. As the ball went off his head and sailed wide right, the Quakers seemed to be rejuvenated. But even this stellar performance seemed to go unnoticed. Juliano didn't get to go to the press conference with his more celebrated teammates. In the locker room, however, his teammates know how important he was. Not one player passes him without patting him on the head. Not one player walks by him without yelling out his name. Defensive coordinator Mike Toop smokes a well-earned victory cigar, but he knows it was Juliano who lit it for him. And as Miles Macik and Mark DeRosa answered questions during the press conference, Juliano did his job and headed for the showers, just glad to be a part of the team. Just glad to contribute.
(11/03/94 10:00am)
PRINCETON, N.J. -- Marc Ross does not envision himself blocking for Terrance Stokes or catching a pass from Mark DeRosa, although he does think about what might have been had he come to Penn. Ross sits in a dimly lit classroom at Princeton University, listening to a monotonous lecture about the sociology of poverty. The increase in inequality means those tails in the income distribution are spreading out. So that means a lot of people in the lower part of the distribution are being pushed into poverty.? There are students in the front of the class intently taking notes. A couple others in the rear drop their heads. And as students shuffle papers, the professor concludes her Tuesday lecture. Just 94 hours, 30 minutes until Pennsylvania meets Princeton at Palmer Stadium. Ross came close to spending his time in Stiteler and Steinberg-Dietrich Halls, rather than at Old Nassau. His family lives just 15 minutes from the Penn campus, in suburban Sharon Hills. "I wanted to get away a little bit," Ross says. "Princeton's an hour away from my home, and that's close enough that I could go home on holidays and weekends." But this is not your local-student-who-can't-do-anything-wrong story. Ross came in as an unknown defensive player, and struggled academically. His grades turned around, and so did he -- from defense to offense. Ross is now a senior. He has had an up-and-down season. A huge game against Cornell gave him the spotlight, and the failure to break a punt return in the waning moments of a loss to Columbia weighs heavily upon him. "I talked to him after the game and I told him the game can't be boiled down to one play," says Bill Jordan, Ross' roommate and teammate. "But that's a player. A player wants the burden on his shoulders. He wants to put the team on his shoulders and take them for a ride. He has to realize there were a lot of other opportunities missed in that game." Jordan stands just inside the entrance to the Princeton locker room. He looks at the horseshoe stadium, with the track bordering the natural turf. He remembers the summers he and Ross spent running on the track. Ross is fast -- a state finalist in the 200 meters. "We'd come after dinner," Jordan says. "I wouldn't want to come and run my 40-yard dashes and 200s. He'd be there, 'Let's go!' cussing me out. 'Get out of bed, let's go.' He was the one who made me go out there and run." One day Jordan tried to catch Ross. He ended up throwing up in the tunnel. Ross continued running with another feisty little receiver named Michael Lerch. The since-graduated Lerch tackled ex-Penn quarterback Jim McGeehan on the final play two year's ago. It was Penn's last loss. Princeton went on to share the Ivy League title with Dartmouth, and Penn rebounded for an undefeated season and outright championship in 1993. Ross regrets never winning the title outright. "There's nothing like winning something all your own," he says. There is no regret about selecting Princeton, though. And when Ross lines up at wide receiver and as a punt returner for Princeton Saturday, there will be no thought of what might have been had he been dressed in Red and Blue. "I don't regret coming to Princeton, but I always think about how my life would have been different if I would have went to Penn -- the friends I would have met, the football experience," Ross says. "I pictured how I would have fit in with the team. If I would have stayed at receiver, if I would have been a running back or defensive back. How I would have fit in."
(11/01/94 10:00am)
It was just a routine trap block up the middle. The running back, Terrance Stokes, took the handoff and ran right up the gut of the defense. Matt Tonelli, just a sophomore at the time, playing in his first varsity game, delivered a devastating block out of the tight end position. And although Stokes only gained about two yards on the play, it would be impossible to tell that from Tonelli's reaction. "Matt absolutely flattened the kid," Penn tight ends coach Brian Bowers recalls. "Matt had no concept of what was gained. He just got up, raised his arms in the air -- so proud of his block. When we watched the film, we all saw it and laughed because it was just a two-yard gain and you have this kid on the field going crazy." That is how Tonelli plays. His coaches may have thought at the time he was just an overexcitable kid playing in his first game. His teammates may have not understood what was going on. But Tonelli was just being himself, playing with the emotion of a child on a shopping spree at Toys 'R' Us. "He's always the most emotional guy on the field," fellow tight end Warren Rosborough says. "Whenever Miles Macik scores a touchdown, he is always the first to hug him and go crazy." But even with such displays of enthusiasm on the field, some how, some way, this charismatic leader seems to get lost in the shuffle behind all the great Penn football players. At the end of practice, his name does not even get announced in front of all of his teammates. "It gets kind of upsetting," Tonelli says of the lack of attention. "I mean, they just kind of forget about you. But all that matters is that the quarterback doesn't forget you." And although Tonelli relishes the spotlight and making the big catch, his fundamental responsibility as the starting tight end is blocking. In an offensive alignment that rarely utilizes a fullback, the Quakers rely heavily on the tight ends to trigger the ground attack. "His primary responsibility is the running game," Bowers says. "We tell them, 'You have to be able to block or you're not going to be able to play tight end.' In our program, our running game is based on our tight ends, so you better be able to block or you're not going to see the field." Ironically, it was Tonelli's desire to catch the ball that attracted him to Penn. To hear him describe it, "There's nothing better than getting the ball and hearing the crowd go wild." But as a high schooler from Gilberts, Ill., raised primarilly on basketball, he had heard very little about the Quakers. Once he visited the campus and met Al Bagnoli's staff, he was sold. "I saw there were a lot of possibilities," Tonelli says of his decision to attend Pennsylvania. "They made me feel at home, and I knew they used the tight end a lot." But Tonelli's relationship with the Penn coaching staff has not always gone the way he originally expected it. On the road trip against Dartmouth earlier this season, after arriving late in the evening, his roommate, Brian Higgins, still vividly recalls how Tonelli earned the pair extra running after practice. Since they both were thirsty, they headed to the vending machine down the hall. However, when they found it was broken, they headed downstairs to the hotel lobby in order to find something to drink. Naturally, upon seeing the hotel bar, they headed in and ordered their Cokes? "We looked up and saw ESPN SportsCenter, so we decided to sit down and watch it," Higgins recalls in a humorous light. "Matt said, 'Let's sit down and watch this.' I told him I wasn't sure about it, but he said it would be alright. A few minutes later, all the coaches walked in. Coach Bagnoli came right over. We got nailed drinking Cokes on a Thursday night on the road." Although the coaches may have gotten on Tonelli's case that September night in Hanover, they have rarely had reason to criticize his play on the field. "I think he has the ability to do it all," Bowers gloats. "He's definitely athletic enough for this league, by far. I think we have a good one."
(10/24/94 9:00am)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Brown's offense tried desperately to score. The Bears tried play-action passes. They attempted reverses. They pulled guards and tackles on their sweeps. Brown even attempted to go deep. But each time, with calculated precision, Penn stopped the Bears as suddenly, and with as much force, as a demolition ball. The tone for the game was set early. After an unexpected reverse on the opening kickoff, the Bears already had the ball on their 46-yard line. But then Kevin Allen swatted away a deep bomb. Then Tom McGarrity slammed Marquis Jessie to the ground on a pitch. And after Paul Fichiera was stopped after gaining just a few yards, Brown coach Mark Whipple called in the punter. "Every game, we want to hold a team to three-and-out," Penn nose guard Chris Johnson said. "As the season's gone on, we've gained some momentum. We just come out ready to play week in and week out." But Saturday was not just another game. It was something special. It was a unique performance during Penn's current 17-game winning streak. Saturday, the Quakers pitched their first shutout since Oct. 24, 1992, when they overwhelmed these same Bears, 38-0. "Is it really?" coach Al Bagnoli asked after his third shutout at the helm for Penn. "You guys have all the trivia. That will be a trivia answer someday." Actually, the yardage Brown gained in the first half was trivial. The Quakers held the Bears to only four yards in the first quarter, and only 45 in the half. After that initial possession, Brown found itself down 7-0, and already Whipple, who suffered his first shutout as a head coach, felt the need to go to the air. But that may have not been the best answer for the Bears. On the few attempts when Brown quarterback Jason McCullough was able to avoid the constant Quaker pressure, his receivers either were blanketed by the Penn defensive backs, or they dropped routine passes. In fact, the Bears never even made it past midfield until after halftime, when the contest was already well out of reach. Coming out down by 24 points, even Whipple admitted he never thought Brown had a chance to come back. The Penn pressure was just too intense. Senior co-captain Michael Turner recorded two sacks and just barely missed many others. McCullough was sent scrambling on countless plays. "The key was the defensive linemen and the linebackers," senior safety Nick Morris said. "They really put a lot of pressure on the quarterback. He didn't have any time." But even when McCullough (9 for 28, 112 yards) did manage a crisp and accurate throw, it was most likely dropped. Fichiera dropped multiple passes. Brown tight end Tom Hornsby dropped a pass. Charlie Buckley dropped a sure touchdown pass. And when Buckley finally seemed to catch a pass for a score, he realized he was substantially out of the back of the end zone. "They have a lot of weapons," Goodwillie said. "They can make a big play out of any play they run. We were fortunate that they didn't have a whole lot of big plays against us. That really was the story of the game." No, the story of the game was the Quaker defense. Even when it appeared as if Brown was finally going to get on the scoreboard with a 32-yard field goal, the Bears' hopes were soundly rejected as Michael Juliano leapt into the air and sent the ball back toward the Brown end zone. That was the story of the game.
(10/24/94 9:00am)
Football blanks Bears, 24-0 PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- If only the script had opened differently, said Brown coach Mark Whipple, his Bears may have upset the Penn football team. But the Quakers capitalized on their opportunities early and waltzed to a 24-0 victory Saturday at Brown Stadium. The Quakers (5-0, 3-0 Ivy League) keep pace with Cornell, which also improved to 3-0 in the league by coming from behind to beat Dartmouth, 17-14. The game could have been a scene from any of the Bears' Ivy League losses. Despite improvement, Brown (3-3, 0-3) does not have the talent yet to contend for an Ivy title. It also does not have the confidence to play with its opponents once it gets behind. "Our kids were ready to play, but we haven't played in many big games," Whipple said. "We built this thing up big. Their nervousness and inexperience showed." First-year coach Whipple, who served as an assistant to Penn coach Al Bagnoli at Union, has installed a "whip-lash" offense at Brown. It averaged 52.5 points per game last year at New Haven, where Whipple spent six seasons, but was little match for Penn. Dropped passes and mental errors plagued Brown again, just like two weeks ago when the Bears had a chance to take a 17-10 lead late in the third quarter against Princeton. In that situation, Trevor Yankoff dropped a pass in the end zone and Brown collapsed, falling 31-10. The Penn defense frustrated the Bears during the first few series, allowing only 45 total yards in the first half. The Quakers pitched their first shutout during their current 17-game winning streak, which ties them with idle Auburn for the longest in Division I. Penn has blanked the Bears in four of the last eight meetings. Penn sacked Brown quarterback Jason McCullough (9 for 28, 128 yards) three times. And when the Quakers weren't sacking McCullough, they were hurrying him. Brown has allowed 29 sacks this season. Late in the first quarter, senior Chris Johnson hit McCullough as the quarterback released a pass. The ball fluttered in the air and junior Dana Lyons came up with the interception. Three plays later, sophomore quarterback Mark DeRosa (14 for 23, 163 yards, 1 TD) lofted a 16-yard touchdown pass to junior Miles Macik, who reached around safety Karl Lozanne for the score. That staked the Quakers to a two-touchdown lead with 2 minutes, 14 seconds remaining in the first quarter, and tied Macik with Don Clune for the school record for touchdowns in a career with 17. It also destroyed any remaining confidence the Bears had. "We had to make a big play early in the game to maybe stun them a little bit, and then play good defense," Whipple said. "They took us out of it early with the two first touchdowns, and that's what good teams do." Penn started the scoring 3:58 into the game when senior Terrance Stokes took the last of three straight handoffs and punched the ball in the end zone. Stokes left the game just before halftime with a mild concussion, but said he could have played in the second half had the game been closer. The Quakers opened up a 21-0 lead when Stokes took a fourth-and-one handoff from the Brown 3 through the right side of the line and into the end zone 9:10 before intermission. Stokes touched the ball each time during the four-play drive, which was set up when sophomore Mark Fabish returned a punt 41 yards to the Brown 12. Senior Andy Glockner added a 39-yard field goal five seconds before halftime, which gave the Quakers the 24-0 final margin of victory. The Penn defense was on the field the majority of the second half, but Brown was unable to score. Senior Michael Juliano blocked a Bob Warden field-goal attempt in the third quarter that preserved the shutout. Juliano also blocked a critical extra point at Dartmouth to preserve a Penn victory in Week 2. Brown running back Marquis Jessie returned to the Bears lineup sooner than expected after missing two games following surgery for a mild hernia. Jessie rushed for 64 yards on 18 carries, and was contained well except for one 30-yard scamper after Brown's confidence was shaken. "They can make a big play out of any play they run," senior Pat Goodwillie said. "We were fortunate that they really didn't have a whole lot of big plays against us. That really was the story of the game for us."
(10/24/94 9:00am)
Football blanks Bears, 24-0 PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- If only the script had opened differently, said Brown coach Mark Whipple, his Bears may have upset the Penn football team. But the Quakers capitalized on their opportunities early and waltzed to a 24-0 victory Saturday at Brown Stadium. The Quakers (5-0, 3-0 Ivy League) keep pace with Cornell, which also improved to 3-0 in the league by coming from behind to beat Dartmouth, 17-14. The game could have been a scene from any of the Bears' Ivy League losses. Despite improvement, Brown (3-3, 0-3) does not have the talent yet to contend for an Ivy title. It also does not have the confidence to play with its opponents once it gets behind. "Our kids were ready to play, but we haven't played in many big games," Whipple said. "We built this thing up big. Their nervousness and inexperience showed." First-year coach Whipple, who served as an assistant to Penn coach Al Bagnoli at Union, has installed a "whip-lash" offense at Brown. It averaged 52.5 points per game last year at New Haven, where Whipple spent six seasons, but was little match for Penn. Dropped passes and mental errors plagued Brown again, just like two weeks ago when the Bears had a chance to take a 17-10 lead late in the third quarter against Princeton. In that situation, Trevor Yankoff dropped a pass in the end zone and Brown collapsed, falling 31-10. The Penn defense frustrated the Bears during the first few series, allowing only 45 total yards in the first half. The Quakers pitched their first shutout during their current 17-game winning streak, which ties them with idle Auburn for the longest in Division I. Penn has blanked the Bears in four of the last eight meetings. Penn sacked Brown quarterback Jason McCullough (9 for 28, 128 yards) three times. And when the Quakers weren't sacking McCullough, they were hurrying him. Brown has allowed 29 sacks this season. Late in the first quarter, senior Chris Johnson hit McCullough as the quarterback released a pass. The ball fluttered in the air and junior Dana Lyons came up with the interception. Three plays later, sophomore quarterback Mark DeRosa (14 for 23, 163 yards, 1 TD) lofted a 16-yard touchdown pass to junior Miles Macik, who reached around safety Karl Lozanne for the score. That staked the Quakers to a two-touchdown lead with 2 minutes, 14 seconds remaining in the first quarter, and tied Macik with Don Clune for the school record for touchdowns in a career with 17. It also destroyed any remaining confidence the Bears had. "We had to make a big play early in the game to maybe stun them a little bit, and then play good defense," Whipple said. "They took us out of it early with the two first touchdowns, and that's what good teams do." Penn started the scoring 3:58 into the game when senior Terrance Stokes took the last of three straight handoffs and punched the ball in the end zone. Stokes left the game just before halftime with a mild concussion, but said he could have played in the second half had the game been closer. The Quakers opened up a 21-0 lead when Stokes took a fourth-and-one handoff from the Brown 3 through the right side of the line and into the end zone 9:10 before intermission. Stokes touched the ball each time during the four-play drive, which was set up when sophomore Mark Fabish returned a punt 41 yards to the Brown 12. Senior Andy Glockner added a 39-yard field goal five seconds before halftime, which gave the Quakers the 24-0 final margin of victory. The Penn defense was on the field the majority of the second half, but Brown was unable to score. Senior Michael Juliano blocked a Bob Warden field-goal attempt in the third quarter that preserved the shutout. Juliano also blocked a critical extra point at Dartmouth to preserve a Penn victory in Week 2. Brown running back Marquis Jessie returned to the Bears lineup sooner than expected after missing two games following surgery for a mild hernia. Jessie rushed for 64 yards on 18 carries, and was contained well except for one 30-yard scamper after Brown's confidence was shaken. "They can make a big play out of any play they run," senior Pat Goodwillie said. "We were fortunate that they really didn't have a whole lot of big plays against us. That really was the story of the game for us."
(10/20/94 9:00am)
The Pennsylvania Quakers football team wins. It is that simple. After the dynasty in the 1980s, when the Quakers won five consecutive Ivy League titles, coach Al Bagnoli has brought back that winning attitude. Bagnoli's squads, which have only lost only three games during his two-plus years at the helm, believe they are invincible. They come out expecting to win every single contest. Why shouldn't they? They have not lost a game since 1992. So when the Quakers marched onto the turf of Franklin Field Saturday to face the traditionally hapless Columbia Lions, why should they have expected anything less than another victory? These are the same Lions, after all, who hold the Division I record for consecutive losses. "Winning is an attitude," Columbia safety Jim Hudnall said. "They have an attitude. You can see it when they walk on the field. They expect to win." But what transpired Saturday was nothing short of a miracle. The Lions came out fired and ready to knock off the defending league champions. The Quakers calmly went through the motions, with little, if any, emotion. The Lions ripped through the field on their first possession to take an early 3-0 lead. The Quakers calmly came back and tied the game. "We weren't really that concerned," senior running back Terrance Stokes said about the halftime attitude in the Penn locker room. "We weren't concerned about losing.?We figured things would eventually go our way." So the second half was not the same as the first half. The Quaker defense once again shut down the opposition. The defense, which starts eight seniors and three juniors, knows how to win games. Those 11 men realize when the offense has only put three points on the scoreboard by halftime, it is up to them to control the game. Just like in every other game, the defense once again saved the game. As the intensity picked up, the Quakers only allowed the Lions past midfield once in the second half. But even this outstanding performance was not enough to ignite the dormant Penn offense. However, the Quakers did get close enough to the Columbia end zone to connect on four field goals. Every time Penn faced a long third down, Mark DeRosa found the sure hands of all-American wide receiver Miles Macik. After one seemingly perfect third-down conversion, Columbia linebacker Jim Lill grabbed his helmet in disbelief. Then Bagnoli looked to his sure-footed kicker -- Andy Glockner. Once again, an experienced senior came through in the clutch. "They play with a tremendous amount of intensity," Holy Cross coach Peter Vaas said last week. "That comes from having been exposed to success in the past. When you have success, success breeds success." And when you lose, that losing attitude snowballs. So down by six midway through the fourth quarter, the Lions should have known what was coming -- another 'L.' But the Lions had a chance on a fourth-and-long situation. But then again, this is Columbia. "I think you have to learn to win in these types of games," Bagnoli said. "We've been through plenty of close games with 17-14 and 34-30 scores, and that's something that just evolves. I give the Columbia team credit, but it just takes a little time to be able to win in those tight situations." And that is what Saturday's game eventually came down to -- the Quakers know how to win, the Lions just do not. Joshua Friedman is a College senior from Beverly Hills, Calif., and sports editor of The Daily Pennsylvanian.
(10/20/94 9:00am)
Well, the line for Monday's basketball season-ticket sale has begun, and by the time you read this there will be Penn students lined up outside the Palestra. The funny thing is, even before you could have read this column, or the advertisement announcing the ticket sale on page B4, there were fans snatching the front-row seats. Upset that some students knew when tickets would go on sale weeks ago, even though the athletic department promised to give out tickets equitably? You should be. The athletic department tried to take into account students' concerns after fiascos in previous years. And for the most part it should be congratulated, because it did. However, on the most crucial point -- the timing of the announcement about how tickets would be distributed -- the athletic department dropped the ball. There would have been no use for inside information if the Penn ticket office said four weeks ago tickets would be sold Monday, Oct. 24. But a problem does arise when the athletic department announces it four days before tickets go on sale. Students will camp out four days for basketball season tickets, but not four weeks. Not at Penn. Not at Duke. The athletic department's reasoning is security. Truth be told, that is a valid concern. University officials worried they would be responsible for the safety of those students who chose to skip four weeks of class and their fall break to camp out for tickets. The athletic department should have splurged for an unemployed McGinn security guard for the four weeks. If it charged $90 for season tickets again this year instead of cutting the price $10, the athletic department could have financed the cost of the guard?and avoided what should again be outrage over the distribution of tickets. Give the athletic department an 'A' for effort. Fail them for execution. Penn fans are a dedicated bunch, and maybe a couple would have camped out a few weeks. But no one would have been the beneficiary of information had the announcement of how tickets would be distributed been made earlier. The truth is, the McGinn guard would have had no one to watch four weeks before tickets were to go on sale, and could have taken an extended nap. Hey, at least the best tickets are only $80 this season. Adam Rubin is a Wharton senior from Bellmore, N.Y., and sports editor of The Daily Pennsylvanian.
(10/11/94 9:00am)
You try to catch his attention after a long day of practice. You yell to him, "Nick," but there's no response. You try again, "Nick Morris," but still no acknowledgment. Then you hear someone behind you yell, "Hey Luke Skywalker," and he instantly turns around. During his two-year varsity football career at Penn, Nick Morris has played so many different roles, most of the time time he did not even know who he was. But now, the once highly recruited quarterback has settled into his starting strong safety position. The defense, which wears dark uniforms during practice, has brought Morris over to the Dark Side. "It's a lot nicer," he says of playing everyday. "It was fun, but it was a little bit of a struggle not knowing whether I was going to get into the game. Now that I have a position, I have the security to know that I'm going to play a full game." Even though Morris now has a permanent position, that still does not mean he is going to play every down. This fact has been made all too apparent as he has suffered through an injury-riddled career. After earning Freshman Most Valuable Player honors while playing quarterback, he hurt his ankle in the last game of the season, forcing him to forego trying out for the baseball team. Then he red-shirted his sophomore year after tearing the tendons in the middle finger of his throwing hand. And although he didn't feel comfortable throwing the ball last season because he could not put pressure on his finger, he still was the Quakers' returning passing leader this fall. But last year, when he did take the snaps, more often than not, he took off running with the pigskin. "I always liked to run," Morris says. "I just didn't have confidence in my throwing ability. But I had confidence in my legs and that I could hit somebody." His desire to hit convinced defensive coordinator Mike Toop to woo Morris to defense when starting free safety Sheldon Philip-Guide broke his arm last season. "Most people don't realize that we basically took an offensive player and taught him the free safety position," Toop says. "That's a tremendous feat, but he was able to do that." And as the season progressed, the move looked better every week. Morris is a devastating hitter. And although he had difficulty adjusting to his new position, he still made some of the biggest plays of the year. In the final game, with an undefeated season hanging in the balance and down by 14 points at halftime, Morris stepped into the spotlight. On a pass intended for Cornell wide receiver Erik Bjerke, Morris snagged the interception and ignited a previously dormant Penn offense. "Nick made a hell of a play on that ball," then-Penn quarterback Jim McGeehan said. "He stepped up and made the biggest play of the year." Morris then found a way to top that play. With the Big Red marching for the winning touchdown late in the contest, he dragged down Cornell tailback Pete Fitzpatrick two yards short of the first-down marker on a key third down. These are the types of hits Morris always seems to deliver -- just ask senior cornerback Jamie Daniels, who felt his wrath earlier this season. "I should have got it still. But Nick is a great hitter, and he proved it on that play," Daniels said after trying to hold onto an interception when he was leveled by Morris. "I just thought about going after the ball," Morris says now. "I didn't even realize what was going on. I just ran into him. One thing I want to do is be more physical." This craving to hit was one of the reasons Morris moved to the defensive side of the ball. As a quarterback, he got sick of being a target for offensive linemen. As a wide receiver, he grew tiresome of being the prize possession of defensive backs. But as the strong safety for the undefeated, defending Ivy League champion Pennsylvania Quakers, he now gets to deliver the hits. The crunches. The devastating blows. The crushes. This is the mind set of a defender. This is the thinking of someone who has switched to the Dark Side.
(10/10/94 9:00am)
PRINCETON, N.J. -- Dave Oliveira heard the optimistic shouts from the Brown football locker room. It wasn't hard with the Princeton Tigers preparing in quiet, business-like fashion. Oliveira saved his noise for the field, recording 4.5 of the Tigers' school-record 11 sacks as Princeton took a close game and turned it into a 31-10 rout Saturday at Palmer Field. It was a game both teams needed to win in order to keep hopes of an Ivy championship alive. It was a game the Tigers (3-1, 1-1 Ivy League) knew how to win, and Brown (2-2, 0-2) did not. An interception by Ryan Moore at the Princeton one-yard line, followed by an 85-yard scamper by Marc Washington broke the 10-10 game open. It led to a C.J. Brucato five-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter which put the Tigers up 17-10. "We just lost our confidence at that point," Brown coach Mark Whipple said. "We just haven't won that many games at Brown lately to overcome a big play like that." As much as anything, the difference in the game was experience. Yes, Brown returned 22 of 24 starters this year, and the Tigers less than half that, but Princeton knows how to win. Say what you want about Keith Elias, but he left a legacy of hard work. "We had guys stepping into starting roles who are seniors and juniors," Princeton coach Steve Tosches said. "And yes, they're inexperienced on the field, but they've been a part of this program. And they saw how an Elias got himself ready to play." Whipple, who has clearly revitalized Brown, does not have a championship-caliber squad yet, and will have to play spoiler. On the field, Brown quarterback Jason McCullough had little time to pass as the Tigers applied constant pressure. Talented Bears tailback Marquis Jesse missed the game after having surgery earlier in the week for a hernia. Tosches knew the Brown offense, which relies heavily on the pass, would be even more reliant on the air game. Jesse may be out as much as three to four weeks, in which case he will miss the Oct. 22 game against Penn at Franklin Field. Trevor Yankoff, who was demoted to second-string quarterback, played his second game at wide receiver for the Bears. He dropped a sure touchdown pass in the end zone that would have given Brown a lead early in the third quarter. "We built this game up as a big game," Whipple said. "We didn't make any bones about it -- if we lost it, we didn't have any chance of winning an Ivy League championship.?We have a really young football team mentally, and it really came down to the mental-toughness part." In other games around the Ivy League: Dartmouth 27, Lafayette 15 -- Big Green quarterback Ren Riley broke his arm in three places after he was hit by Rawle Howard. Riley will have surgery later this week. Jerry Singleton and Jon Aljancic will compete in practice for the starting quarterback spot. The Big Green improved to 2-2, 0-1. Lafayette is 0-5. Cornell 18, Harvard 13 -- Cornell won its fourth straight game for its best start since 1971 by defeating Harvard in Boston. Chad Levitt rushed 30 times for 227 yards and gave the Big Red (4-0, 2-0) the lead with a one-yard TD run with 1:06 to play. Levitt is the first Cornell player since 1988 to rush for 200 yards. Harvard is 2-2, 1-1. Columbia 24, Fordham 13 -- Jamie Schwalbe completed 21 of 27 passes for 257 yards leading the Lions (2-1-1, 0-1) to the victory in Bronx, N.Y. It is Columbia's first winning record this late in the season since 1978. Fordham is 0-6. Lehigh 36, Yale 32 -- Engineers quarterback Bob Aylsworth passed for a Yale Bowl-record 454 yards and three touchdowns. Yale led 12-0, as Lehigh (3-1-1) turned over the ball on its first four possessions. Yale (3-1, 1-0) suffered its first loss of the season. Keith Price rushed for 101 yards for the Elis, his second straight 100-yard performance.
(10/06/94 9:00am)
Like a baseball closer, he waits until the late innings to come into the game. He follows the coach around sporting a clipboard and baseball cap. But unlike most backup quarterbacks, Rob Callahan has actually had an opportunity to play. Although he has not started one game for winless Holy Cross this season, Callahan has made an appearance in every contest. With the offense struggling, Crusader coach Peter Vaas has found himself looking over his shoulder and calling for No. 14 more than ever. And now, facing the Quakers Saturday, Callahan will finally get his chance to start. "It feels pretty good," he said. "This is when the work finally pays off. It's been a little frustrating, but you have to accept the decisions made by the coaches and take advantage of your opportunities when they come." This is how Callahan has been approaching his role throughout his career. As a freshman, his playing time was limited to the junior varsity squad. As a sophomore, he took only four snaps. But after starting quarterback Andy Fitzpatrick suffered a season-ending knee injury against Bucknell last year, Callahan led the previously 1-6 Crusaders to a 2-2 mark the rest of the season. But then in the spring, Fitzpatrick was handed his starting job again. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Fitzpatrick appears to be the ideal size for quarterback. And during the 1993 campaign, he had completed 55.6 percent of his passes, including six touchdowns without an interception. However, in 1994, the offense has not been producing. Against Army, the Crusaders scored no points. Against Massachusetts, they produced three points. And against Yale, they were outscored by 25 points. After not landing the ball in the end zone during the first half last week against Harvard, Vaas called for Callahan. "The offense just wasn't moving the ball," Callahan said. "I'm glad the team responded to me when I came in. We were able to move the ball pretty well." Callahan orchestrated two second-half touchdowns against the Crimson. After that, Vaas gave Callahan the nod for this weekend's matchup. "It's just a change," Holy Cross quarterbacks coach Tom Caito said. "We need to get some spark into our offense. Callahan moved the ball against Harvard. He scored two touchdowns. He's doing a good job." But Callahan's success to date has led to a quarterback controversy in Worcester, Mass. Fitzgerald was the Patriot League Rookie of the Year in 1992; Callahan sat on the sidelines. Fitzgerald excelled last season; Callahan waited for his opportunity to shine. Now the roles are reversed. "I don't know if there is a controversy," Callahan said. "We just scored a couple touchdowns when I was in there. The team needs a couple changes, so the coaches are trying some different things. "We've stayed friendly. You can't let it bother you. We're both competitive, but we just don't let it get involved in our personal relationship." Saturday, Callahan will have to concentrate on the Quaker defense. He will have to watch for Michael Turner coming in from the outside. He will have to watch for Jamie Daniels covering the Crusader wide receivers. But Callahan's greatest threat may be waiting on the bench, sporting a baseball cap with clipboard in hand.
(09/28/94 9:00am)
Junior Geoff Munger had the desire to spend hours racing in the pool, until the drive left him over the summer. Now he's leaving the men's swimming team. "This program just kind of killed it," he said. "It wouldn't have mattered who was coaching. The fun was out of it." Munger is the latest in a number of men and women swimmers who have quit the team over conflicts with coach Kathy Lawlor-Gilbert. The next wave of defectors will be known Friday, when the swimmers formally assemble for the first time this season. "I really don't know who's going to show up," said senior Jim McGinnis, who will return despite signing a petition last semester which called the program "primitive in theory." In the last two years, both the men's and women's teams have submitted petitions to the athletic department requesting Lawlor-Gilbert's resignation. In October 1993, six women swimmers quit, and last season the women forfeited the diving events. For Munger the problem began last season. "Things started going wrong where I just started seeing that she didn't offer any coaching," he said. His departure will be particularly painful for the men's squad. "I would define Munger as a swimmer," McGinnis said. "In the past he was one of the most 'rah-rah' guys. That really saddens me." Instead Munger will play water polo because his affection for the water, unlike the affection for his coach, has not dissipated. "I'm pretty terrible at it. I've got the swimming part of it down, but these guys who play it are pretty good," Munger said. "I identify myself as a swimmer," he added. "I introduce myself to people, 'Hi, I'm Geoff Munger. I'm a swimmer.' And just to be completely out of the water was such a huge change." Other swimmers are considering quitting the Penn team and joining club squads in Philadelphia. · When athletic director Steve Bilsky took office July 1, he inherited the problem which has had tremendous tensions for more than three years. He said he will stand by Lawlor-Gilbert for now and attempt to resolve the differences. "Kathy Gilbert is the coach and we're expecting a good season," Bilsky said. "We're trying to work with the swimmers and the coach to identify areas where we can all make the situation better. And I expect that everybody will give it their best effort. "As far as the situation that I inherited, there's nothing that I could have done about swimming back in March or April. All I can concentrate on is from July on, when I started working." Many feel that it is too late to salvage the messy situation, and that Lawlor-Gilbert is not qualified to be a Division I coach. Some swimmers have not contacted Lawlor-Gilbert since returning from summer vacation. "The apathy of the swim team has hit rock bottom," sophomore Ken Fletcher said. "There is no team unity. Some guys haven't even been around the pool yet." Geoff Munger decided not to stay away from the pool, only the swim team.
(09/19/94 9:00am)
Lafayette entered Franklin Field as the proud favorite to win the Patriot League title. With all-American Erik Marsh leading the offense, there was no doubt the Leopard offense would put points on the board. Doubt crept into the Lafayette locker room Saturday courtesy of last season's best defense in the Ivy League. The Leopard offense, which averaged 24.6 points per game a year ago, was unable to produce any offensive points the entire contest. The Quaker defense did something even last year's squad could not accomplish --Eshut an opponent out. "We play for a shut out every time we go out," senior co-captain Michael Turner said. "We still don't like to see that '7' on the board, but there are some things we can't control. I'm not worried though." Turner has no reason to be worried after Saturday's domination of the Leopards. Lafayette barely entered Penn's half of the field all day. Besides one drive, which ended with a Michael Juliano-Pat Goodwillie blocked field goal attempt, the Leopards did not traverse more than two yards into Quaker territory until only backups remained on the field. The Leopards had to know there would be problems early. In their very first possession, they traveled a net total of two yards. And when the final gun sounded, Lafayette had only averaged 2.5 yards per play. "The defense played hard," coach Al Bagnoli said. "We made them earn most of their yards." Lafayette's job was made even tougher thanks to the big-play Penn defense. After early adjustments, the Quakers shut down Marsh, who only had 25 second-half yards. That allowed the defensive line to explode on whichever quarterback the Leopards sent in. "If and when we get pressure, it's a cumulative threat," said Turner, who recorded two sacks. "When the quarterback's throwing off his heels, it makes it easier for the backs." And that is exactly what happened as Lafayette quarterback Joe Clair was running for his life all afternoon. While being pressured by Mike Silvey, Clair tossed one up. Unfortunately for the Leopards, Penn defensive back Jamie Daniels grabbed the pigskin and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown. "I hope they throw at me," Daniels said. "I know the defensive line can put pressure on them and make them throw a bad pass." And bad passes seemed to be in fashion for the Lafayette quarterbacks, who completed only 12 of 35 attempts. During Mike Talerico's stint taking snaps, he managed to throw one interception, throw at least 10 passes away under pressure and get acquainted with Franklin Field's Astroturf on three separate occasions. So obviously, Lafayette's all-time winningest coach, Bill Russo, turned to Clair. If it was possible, things got worse. Clair, under constant pressure from the Quakers' front five, overthrew wide receivers, skipped passes off the turf and tried to avoid Penn defensive linemen. And as bad as things got, they could have been even worse for the Leopards. Daniels dropped two possible interceptions, one when senior safety Nick Morris delivered one of his patented hits. Clair, who was under constant pressure but was never sacked, barely avoided a safety in the third quarter. Penn running back Terrance Stokes fumbled on the Lafayette four-yard line. And Lafayette even converted five third downs and two fourth downs. "We played fair," Daniels said. "We did not play exceptionally well. We played in spurts." But for one hot afternoon in September, those spurts were enough to overwhelm Lafayette. The high-powered Leopard offense, which led them to a second-place finish in the Patriot League and a 5-4-2 record last season, left Franklin Field dejected, having seen enough of the best defensive unit in the Ivy League.
(09/16/94 9:00am)
Penn faces aPenn faces adifferent typePenn faces adifferent typeof battle in itsPenn faces adifferent typeof battle in itsquest to repeat In Hanover, leaves are beginning to turn brilliant colors, thoughts of another austere New Hampshire winter are resurfacing, and next Saturday is circled on calendars. Ivy League champion Pennsylvania will be paying a visit to Memorial Field, home of the Dartmouth College football team. There is a world of difference from one year ago, when the Big Green was three-time defending champion, and Penn was simply green with inexperience. After a perfect 10-0 season, the Quakers are now on top. Penn is the team with everything to lose. That will be a common theme as the Quakers make another milk run through the Ivy circuit. Rarely does a team, even with the most talent, complete its season without tripping up somewhere in the Ancient Eight. There has never been an Ivy team since league play began in 1956 which has gone through its schedule two straight years winning every game. The Quakers must pay visits to hostile Princeton and Brown in addition to Dartmouth. And Columbia, Yale and Harvard, with its new coach from Division I-A Cincinnati, are not certain victories for Penn, despite the Franklin Field venue. When the Quakers were making their meteoric rise to the top of the Ivy standings, there was always that goal they had not achieved. Always a target for which to strive. Always a desire to prove to others that Penn is a winner. Now, all that has happened. It becomes a defense rather than an assault, a totally different frame of mind. "Now, everybody's gunning for you," running back Terrance Stokes says. "Everybody wants to knock you off that pedestal, so you have to be focused every week. You have to work hard every day. I'm hoping the other players understand what it's going to take for us to even be able to compete with last year's team." Stokes is a senior and remembers all too well the struggles as other teams drove Penn to defeat, and Gary Steele from the head coaching position. The Quakers finished 2-8 just three years ago. Complacency should not be a problem. Penn has enough seniors who remember the downfall from the '80s dynasty, which won six championships. "Even though it's an issue and we have to keep our eye on it, it doesn't concern me as if this were the fifth or sixth year of being really successful," Penn coach Al Bagnoli says. "At that point no one has a memory of a bad season. While I'm concerned, at this point it's not something?we have to take care of." Bagnoli is impressed with the shape in which his players returned after the summer. Credit the first year of Ivy League spring practices for the mental readiness. Twelve refresher sessions in the spring do wonders for retention of plays and theory. Credit strength coach Rob Wagner and the determination of the players in the offseason for the physical side of the preparedness. What could have been a lax offseason filled with complacency instead became a challenge to get better and assure future success. "We as a team have a challenge to keep the same desire, the same focus and not to relax," says Michael "Pup" Turner, a senior defensive end whose biggest assets may be heart and hustle. "We have to remember that the 1994 team hasn't played a game." Much of the squad remains intact, particularly on the offensive side, where seven starters return. Conspicuously absent, though, is Penn all-time passing leader Jim McGeehan, who may soon begin a professional career in Europe. In steps Mark DeRosa, a 6-foot-1, 164-pound sophomore from Carlstadt, N.J. DeRosa admits nervousness, but should feel comfortable throwing to high school teammate Mark Fabish, who will see action opposite All-America receiver Miles Macik. Senior Leo Congeni is likely to get the start at flanker, Brian Higgins at up back and all-everything Stokes at running back. The veteran offensive line, anchored by first team all-Ivy center Pete Giannakoulis, figures to provide ample protection for DeRosa. McGeehan will be watching DeRosa from the upper deck, and plans to call the QB before the game to offer his insight. "I'm going to tell him to relax, not to let the pressure get to him, and let his natural ability take over," McGeehan says. "He shouldn't think too much out there. Mark will be a phenomenal quarterback." The defense will attempt to keep other opponents off the scoreboard, particularly early in the season. DeRosa would then be able to become comfortable passing without comeback pressure. Gone are three staples on the defensive side -- Dave Betten, Jim Magallanes and Andy Berlin. Betten was the most consistent performer on the defensive line while serving as co-captain. Berlin was second on the team in tackles, and allowed the Quakers to play a versatile defense due to his ability to excel both at pass and run coverages. Magallanes was a veteran leader of the defensive backfield, always delivering the big hit. Senior Pat Goodwillie returns, and will be a major contributor in a defense designed to direct opposing running backs to the linebackers. He was the only non-senior on the first team all-Ivy squad in 1993. Kevin DeLuca gets the nod at the other middle linebacker, with Joey Allen waiting in the wings. "If you ever get the consummate linebacker, those are the kids you never have to take out of the game," Bagnoli says. "You don't have to take them out on third and 10 and substitute them for a coverage kid. You don't have to take them out on goal line and substitute them for a run kid. Those kids are hard to find." The Ivy League football coaches poll named Penn its unanimous choice to repeat as Ivy League champion. It was the first time in the poll's history a team has been unanimously selected. That's little consolation to Bagnoli and his players. "We're starting over," Turner says. "We haven't proven a thing."
(09/14/94 9:00am)
Offensive linemen lead the way for high-profile players They're not your typical football players. They don't receive glory or accolades. You probably wouldn't even recognize one if you passed him on Locust Walk. They don't get their names in the paper very often, and you probably wouldn't even know their names if they did. They're offensive linemen --Ethe most vital asset to this year's Quaker offense. "The kids on the offensive line are different kids," offensive coordinator Chuck Priore said. "They don't get their names in the paper?.It's too bad?but who cares if the newspapers respect you." In fact, when a Philadelphia paper recently came to talk to the Penn captains, the reporters jumped to interview defensive end Mike Turner and running back Terrance Stokes. But the reporters all but ignored starting all-everything center Pete Giannakoulis. "Lineman is a forgotten position," Stokes said. "Everyone tends to overlook the linemen. I try, on each occasion I can, to congratulate them for a job well done." This season, with an inexperienced quarterback leading the Quakers, Stokes expects to have even more opportunities to thank his line for clearing his path to the promised land. But with new quarterback Mark DeRosa coming in, the pressure is on the offensive line to protect him. "Last year, we were very inexperienced," Priore said. "I think the kids did a good job, but I don't think by any means they were a dominant offensive line. We just did what we needed to do. I think this year we should take a little pressure off the other positions." And the men responsible for relieving the pressure begin right in the middle with Giannakoulis. The senior co-captain is a two-year starter who was named first team all-Ivy last season. In games which he has started, the Quakers have amassed an awesome 17-2 record. "He's our best football player up front," Priore said. "He's got to be one of the top lineman in the league. When you start in the middle and have a good center, I think it helps you on both sides." "It's his fourth year with the program," Stokes said of Giannakoulis. "Each year, he's gotten better. He's been a steady performer for us. It's only right that he be named a captain." Flanking Giannakoulis' sides will be junior Rick Knox, who started seven games last season, and senior Mike Teller. These two well-seasoned veterans will be backed up by three big sophomores -- Sears Wright (6-foot-6, 350 pounds), Matt Julien (6-4, 285) and Mark Fleischhauer (6-0, 232). On the ends, the Quakers return both starting tackles. Juniors Scott Freeman and Bill Glascott expect to continue exactly where they left off last season --Eclearing the way for Stokes' wide sweeps and protecting the quarterback's blind side. If either of these two goes down with an injury, senior Kevin Lozinak is a capable backup with some playing experience. The five starting linemen last season cleared the way for the Penn offense to overwhelm the Ivy League. The Quakers only averaged 408 yards of total offense per contest last season. The line only gave Jim McGeehan enough time to become the most efficient quarterback in the league. These five in the middle of every play made the offense run smoothly, and seemingly effortlessly. "Last year, I think they really performed well," Stokes said. "A lot of our success has to be attributed to them. There's no way I would have run for 1,200 yards and there's no way Jimmy would have the career year he had without those guys. They are definitely an important factor in this offense." And come Saturday, although the public address announcer may not call out their names after every play, they're the ones fighting in the trenches. They're the ones covered in mud. Watch Terrance Stokes, he'll congratulate the right people for his success. After yet another one of his successful running plays, he'll go over and thank an offensive lineman for a great block. And that's all they ask for -- respect.
(03/03/94 10:00am)
Tigers can't go through Moore The box score does not tell the whole story. Yes, without Matt Maloney's 24 points (on 7-of-14 shooting), four assists, four steals and only one turnover on the evening, the 25th-ranked Quakers would probably not have clinched their second-straight Ivy League championship and the ensuing berth in the NCAA Tournament last night at the Palestra. Yes, without Princeton turning the ball over a mind-boggling 21 times -- each one creating a separate ulcer in Pete Carril's stomach -- the game may have turned out differently. But what is not noticed on a quick glance of the stats is the play of Penn center Eric Moore. Without Moore turning in probably his finest performance of the year, the Quakers may have vanished from the Top 25 quicker than you can say "Gillooly." And the story of Moore's contribution goes far beyond his statistical line of nine points and nine rebounds. A Senior Night start for Andy Baratta relegated Moore, who came into last night's game averaging only 6.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per Ivy contest, to the bench at the beginning of the game for the first time this season. It also meant Baratta had the task of guarding suddenly-rejuvenated Tiger center Rick Hielscher. Hielscher, who was embarrassed with a second-half benching after scoring a grand total of zero points the last time these two teams met, got out of the gate quickly, taking advantage of Baratta's decreased mobility due to his knee injury. He scored five of Princeton's first seven points as the Tigers stayed close. Enter Moore. Hielscher was able to score when he backed into the paint with relative ease, taking advantage of his quickness to move toward the basket. Against Baratta and later Tim Krug, Hielscher was also able to gain incredible position inside the paint, making a basket almost automatic when he received the ball in the post. But when the 6-foot-7, 230-pound Moore entered the game, the lanky Hielscher suddenly found himself being pushed to the outside, where his effectiveness is limited at best. He turned the ball over twice and had one shot blocked while only making one basket in Moore's 11 minutes of floor time in the first half. This trend continued in the second half. While Hielscher made two shots in the first six minutes after intermission, he was getting punished physically inside. Moore clearly had the strength advantage, and the finesse of Hielscher could not match Moore's power. Hielscher started to drift farther outside the paint, making it more difficult for him to shoot, and easier for one of his passes to be picked off. He was getting worn down. But Hielscher got a break when Moore left the game with 12:47 to go. With Tim Krug now guarding him, it was Hielscher's turn to shine. Krug's block of an attempted dunk by Hielscher last year at the Palestra was probably the most memorable play of last season. However, Hielscher was the one who made Krug look bad last night. He easily established inside position during each possession, as Krug was unable to get a body on him and did not receive weak-side help on defense. In five minutes, Hielscher scored eight easy points to bring the Tigers within one point with 8:43 to go. Enter Moore. Now Hielscher does not show much emotion on the court, but you know when Moore lumbered back into the game, the Tiger center was thinking about the pounding he was about to take. And with the game on the line, Hielscher -- the Tigers' only offensive weapon on the night -- did not score again thanks to some defense that was otherwise unnoticed in the box score. Game over. Ivy Champs. All in all, Hielscher scored 15 points in the 12 minutes Moore was not guarding him, and only six points in the 28 minutes when Moore was on him defensively. But Moore's contribution was not limited to the Tigers' end of the floor. While his 4-for-13 performance from the field may not exactly conjure up images of Michael Jordan, Moore was at his best offensively during what was probably the most crucial minute of the game. With seven minutes to go and the Quakers up 41-40, the tension was mounting as every one of the 8,711 fans in attendance had hoped for Penn to have a comfortable lead by that point. Maloney found Moore in the right corner. Moore drove the baseline for a layup and was blocked by Hielscher. Moore pulled down the rebound, but the ball was then knocked in the air. He grabbed it again amidst a sea of black jerseys, using brute strength to fend off any Tiger hoping to get a piece of the rock. After what seemed like hours, Chris Mooney was finally whistled for the foul. Penn ball. A minute later, Maloney found Moore open just left of the key behind the three-point arc. Catching Hielscher sleeping on defense, Moore launched a three. Swish. Penn 44, Princeton 40. It was at about that point that the 8,711 people at the Palestra decided to scream at the top of their lungs for the remainder of the game. It is also at about that point that the Tigers decided to pack it up and head home -- five minutes early. They had enough. Game over. Ivy Champs. Thanks to an unlikely hero. Dan Feldman is a College senior from Dallas, Texas, and former Sports Editor of The Daily Pennsylvanian.
(01/21/94 10:00am)
The Daily Pennsylvanian's Only Staff That Matters, (Sports, that is) may rock and roll no more. Because DPOSTM's new regime of Adam Rubin and Josh Friedman resembles the Princeton offense in the fact that they are really BORING. Not to mention that easy listening music may be greeting DPOSTM writers when they next enter the Pink Palace. · He used to be called Interruptus but now he's Alabama Slamma. Seems as if during one of Adam's first DP stories as a precocious freshman he called a men's tennis player for an interview. Apparently, his timing was off as the Quaker star was in the middle of serving one up (if you know what we mean) to his girlfriend, the hardest and best-placed serve of his life -- an ace if you will. Rumor has it this may be the closest Adam has come to serving it up since he arrived at college. Just ask his friend Marc, who recounts a story of Adam's prowess or lack thereof on the court in high school. It just so happened that Adam arranged a Battle of the Sexes with a female classmate in the spirit of the world famous Bobby Riggs/Billie Jean King match. History indeed repeated itself as Adam lost the match, his pride, his remaining shred of manhood and a considerable amount of money in a 6-3 romp by his female opponent. "He said he was going to kill her and he didn't," says Marc, his best friend since third grade. "I knew he was going to lose." There must have been a little more than money and pride on the line as Adam wound up taking his opponent and conqueror to the Senior Prom. As per his character, we figure the whole night was a double fault. Speaking of faults, Marc points to Adam's driving as a major one. "He hasn't improved since the day he got his license. It's like you're taking your life in your hands. I'm sure he's fine when he's driving straight." Ari, who has witnessed Adam's transformation from Interruptus to Alabama Slamma, confirms the driving prowess of his fellow intern at the Birmingham News. Besides getting a speeding ticket while driving down to Alabama in September, Adam managed to lock his keys inside his car, (while it was still running) while covering a Friday night high school football game. "He was a little nervous for a while," relates Ari. Perhaps that nervousness led him to the most grievous sportswriting transgression -- misquoting. Apparently Adam had trouble deciphering the Southern drawl of Samford football coach Chan Gailey. Adam printed what he thought he heard -- which led to a retraction from the newspaper and a memo from the Managing Editor. The upsetting memo circulated throughout the office and remained on the Sports Desk as a constant reminder of Adam's faux pas. "That weighed on Adam a little bit," Ari said. Weighing on Adam's friends is his taste in music. "When I think of his type of music, Barry Manilow comes to mind," says Marc. "The best music [that he likes] is soundtracks and it basically goes down from there." God help him. · Taste in music is also a problem for his co-editor Josh. Josh, also known as Sleeper for his interest in a particular Penn vs. Yale football game two years ago, is apparently a diehard Neil Diamond fan. Not only that but he absolutely loves Star 104.5's "Between The Sheets" romantic pop show. According to some of his (former) friends, this may be as close as Josh gets to romance. As the story goes, Josh came back from Winter Break freshman year with stories of various escapades involving scantily clad women covered with foam and bubbles in the most romantic of all cruise boat settings -- the hot tub. Seems as if Don Juan of the Love Boat -- which, of course, he tabbed himself -- sowed his wild oats on a Carribean cruise. The problem is, not one of his friends believed him. "We never had any proof except his word," a slightly inebriated former friend Mark Rosenbaum recalls. "The only way I would accept the validity of the story was if he could prove his worth at Penn and so far he hasn't?There's not a chance this guy claimed an entire ship of women, let alone one." Josh seemed to think that he could claim a shipful of women due to his prowess in the gym. Roommate Tal explains Sleeper's habits when hitting the weights. "He makes a horrifying face when he lifts weights," Tal observed. "It's grunting followed by air conditioning. His head sinks back, he snarls, his mouth shifts to one corner of his face. "He exhales so hard, that if you stand next to him you can feel the breeze. People have been known to laugh and point." So you can see why Josh must have scored big time on his cruise. Speaking of scoring, Sleeper believes that he can do it a lot -- on the basketball court. His hoops skills are legendary -- to himself, that is. Seems as if one time at Gimbel Gym, Josh took offense to an opposing player questioning his greatness. This led to a little trash-talking from Air Sleeper. "That would shut him up," he thought. Next thing he knew, the guy, who was twice his age, twice his weight and twice his size had him in a choke hold -- apparently not too amused with Josh's musings. Sleeper was not heard from again on the fateful afternoon. · So there you have it. The tale of the new leaders of the sports writing machine that is DPOSTM. Best of luck to Sleeper and Interruptus on repeating the success of the Undefeated Editors.
(04/22/92 9:00am)
"I don't look at the fetus as a life. [A woman] should have every right to have an abortion as quickly as she would have a cancer removed." · To me, this quote by a College junior in a DP issue earlier this month was the last straw. I can no longer passively go along with the pro-choice side in the polarized debate over abortion. Make no mistake -- I have always and will always support the right to a legal abortion. But I refuse to be represented by people who see abortion as equivalent to tooth extractions, or even "tumor"-removing surgery. Abortion is not a legitimate form of contraception. Conception has already taken place. So what if an eight-week old fetus is not viable outside the womb in 1992? Fifty years ago, an eight-month old fetus was not viable outside the womb. Today it is. And fifty years from now, doctors will probably be able to develop babies-to-be in incubators starting only hours after fertilization. The point? I know this statement is anathema to pro-choicers, but . . . abortion kills babies. It destroys human lives, not just a disposable mass of tissue. This is not a "Hands Off My Body" issue. How can I say that pro-lifers are essentially correct and still support legal abortion? Because I believe there are certain situations where sacrifices -- even as costly as taking a baby's life -- are warranted. And because I also believe that the prospective mother is in the best position to make that decision -- not elderly, check-bouncing Congressmen, not Bible-quoting religionists. What if a teenage girl must decide between completing her pregnancy, dropping out of school and becoming helplessly welfare-dependent on one hand; or getting a safe, legal abortion, staying in school, getting a job and eventually settling down with the right man, on the other hand? It's up to her to think the issue through for herself and not be spoon-fed advice from anyone unless she asks for it. If her final conclusion is that having a baby would ruin not only her life, but the baby's along with it, then she is justified in getting an abortion. That doesn't mean a back-alley, dirty coat-hanger butcher job. It means a professional, safe procedure legal in all 50 states. In this case . . . abortion saves lives. And I support it wholeheartedly -- as long as all considerations are taken into account by the mother. I can't stand the thought of women making such a difficult decision without considering the life of the fetus -- it is a life. Abortion should never be seen as an alternative option to true birth control methods such as condoms and the pill. Nevertheless, nearly half of all women in abortion clinics are return customers. Yet, accidents happen. Even worse, there are many women who have little educational or economic means to prevent unwanted pregnancies. That's why people who want to protect the baby's life should never be allowed to impose their values on others. The goal of those who are morally offended by abortion -- including many like myself who side with pro-choicers anyway -- should not be the reversal of Roe v. Wade. The goal should be a massive education effort focusing on safe sex and contraception, instead of an idealistic "no premarital sex," "every sperm is sacred" approach. If religionists can make the small sacrifice of supporting condom distribution to teenagers, and sexually active couples can make the small sacrifice of using condoms, then fewer people would be forced to make the huge sacrifice of abortion -- which is morally wrong, but all too often tragically necessary. Even though this third movement -- both pro-choice and anti-abortion -- could cause a damaging rift with many current members of the pro-choice movement, I believe a consensus would eventually be reached. Only then will all sides of the abortion debate -- as well as the voiceless babies -- be somewhat appeased.
