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(04/13/98 9:00am)
The Penn baseball team's weekend split shows promise. But it may be too little, too late. If it is going to be done, it is going to be done the hard way. The Penn baseball team (9-15-1, 6-6 Ivy League) left for New England last Friday, knowing that the weekend had a different tone after four Ivy losses to Yale and Brown at home two weeks ago -- a tone verging on necessity to win. In Cambridge, the Quakers lost two games Friday, 8-4, 9-0, to a Harvard team (15-7, 7-1) that has had little trouble with Ivy opponents this season. The following day, Penn was able to rebound with a sweep of underachieving Dartmouth (14-8, 2-6) in Hanover, N.H., 5-4, 8-4, to stay even for the weekend. "I think two weeks ago if you had said we'd split this weekend two-two, we'd be happy with it, because this was a tough weekend," Penn coach Bob Seddon said. Playing the games a day early because of the holiday weekend, the Quakers headed to Hanover Saturday, needing to rebound against the Big Green after being swept by Harvard. After being swept by the Crimson, the importance of the weekend and the season rested entirely on the outcome of two games. "I felt personally that we never got into our game," Penn centerfielder Drew Corradini said. "After those two teams, we knew it was gut check time. We had to get the two wins at Dartmouth -- our season was riding on it." Corradini and the rest of the Quakers played the Big Green into extra innings in the first end of the doubleheader Saturday, winning 5-4. Penn sophomore Jeremy McDowell took it upon himself to get Penn its first run in nine innings of play, with his third homer of the year. Corradini then kept the Quakers' third inning alive with his first homer of the year, extending the early Penn lead to 2-0. One of the biggest contributions of the weekend came from the sophomores of the Penn pitching staff. In game one, Sean McDonald gave the Quakers a desperately needed boost on the mound. McDonald went eight innings, allowing three runs and striking out six earning the win. "Our pitching staff really stacked it up and pitched their asses off against that Dartmouth team," Corradini said. "We've just got to get some momentum built up going into this Cornell weekend." The second game was led by another sophomore "pitching his ass off" in the late afternoon. Anthony Napolitano relieved starter Ron Rolphe in the third inning and went on to earn his first Ivy League win. After surrendering three runs in 2 1/3 innings, the freshman Rolphe gave way to Napolitano who was able to go the distance. The sophomore yielded only one run on five hits in 2 2/3 innings, while striking out five. "Every year, Dartmouth is a team that has a chance to win and beat you," Corradini said. "You obviously don't want to be that team whose chances they are spoiling to go to the post season." The hit parade continued for the Quakers in the second-game win as well, as four starters tallied two or more hits. Penn senior Armen Simonian ignited the team with a three runs batted in. Simonian also entered the Penn home run derby with his third of the year. The two wins were timely and needed after the sweep by Harvard Friday. "Right now we are just trying to stay within four losses of Princeton, that way when we go into that final series, we hold our own destiny," Corrandini said. The Quakers' need for wins was made necessary by letting at least one win slip away at O'Donnell Field against the Crimson. The two Penn losses came against the best pitching staff in the Ivies, and the services of two tough right handers. In the first game, the Quakers faced Harvard junior Andrew Duffel, who was matched by Penn starter Simonian most of the game. Seddon felt his squad played well enough to win, and let it slip away. "Harvard is not as good as they were last year. They are good enough to win the division and probably the league, but they can be beaten," Seddon said. "They just know how to win with this particular group of athletes." Duffell shut down the potent Penn offense for most of the game, allowing only one run in the first six innings. The final three runs came in the seventh, as a tired Duffell tried to complete his work. Simonian stuck with Duffel while the Penn offense tried to get breaks and score runs, but was unable to hold the Crimson late, as they exploded for six runs in the fifth and sixth innings. One of the highlights for the Quakers was the eighth home run of the season by Penn second baseman Joe Carlon. The homer put Carlon four away from the Penn record in a season of 12. "Your really have got to tip your hat to a team when they play as well as [Harvard] did," Corradini said. "They made some spectacular plays in the field. They were make diving catches all over the field." The second game was that much more difficult for Penn. Another Harvard junior, Garett Vail, had even more success -- handing Penn its first Ivy shutout of the year in a 9-0 loss. Vail allowed only four hits in seven innings. "They did nothing wrong -- we basically did, and we made mistakes, and it beat us," Seddon said. The weekend split with the Big Green and the Crimson was tainted by four losses a week before. But the strong pitching performance Saturday by two young arms give the Quakers hope for next weekend's four-game series with Cornell. Combined with the imminency of the teams home run record being broken (the record for a season is 37, with this year's club standing at 35), the hopes of scraping up four wins to stay in contention remain alive. "We are a team that streaks, and right now we have just got to keep winning," Corradini said.
(03/24/98 10:00am)
Joe Carlon's 8th inning shot was one of three Quakers longballs in yesterday's win. Bower Field has now entered the ranks of Coors Field and the Kingdome -- it's a launching pad. Well, at least it was yesterday. "The ball seemed to be carrying pretty well today. This place is usually a wind tunnel," Penn second baseman Joe Carlon said. "It's a graveyard as far as homeruns." Carlon was yesterday's resident expert. The senior hit a two-run homer to put the Quakers ahead 10-8 in the bottom of the eighth inning. Penn (3-7) closed the door on the Golden Rams an inning later, beating West Chester (0-11) by a 10-9 final. Bower Field looked more like the graveyard the rest of the time; every fan and player sought refuge from the cold wind in some corner, and the low energy translated into sloppy play. When Carlon hit Penn's third homer of the game, however, the entire bench cleared, and all of a sudden it seemed like some heat returned to the blue-jacketed bodies. Penn coach Bob Seddon turned around and said, "that was the farthest ball I've seen hit over the left-field fence in years," as he ran out to join the celebration at home plate. Regardless of what the tape measured, Carlon's bomb served a purely functional purpose -- it gave his team a needed win. The Bucks County native went into the at bat with one job in mind, and it was not to hit the ball onto the train tracks. "In that situation I'm trying to drive the ball in the gap and get the run home," Carlon said. "Coach has been telling us to look for one pitch in one spot. Everyone has a different zone, but everyone is looking for that one first pitch so you can get a swing." Carlon wasn't the only one to get in on the action. Penn junior Glen Ambrosius (.359 batting average) began the hit parade with a towering two-run blast that cleared the left center wall, and dented the scoreboard. Sophomore Jeremy McDowell (two hits, three runs batted in) pitched in with a line-drive three-run shot, that just cleared the fence in the third, putting the Quakers up 6-4. The long ball was not the only story of the game. Sporadic defense and inconsistent pitching marred both Penn and the Golden Rams. Armen Simonion took the hill for the Quakers with his 2.04 earned run average, but was unable to get into the fourth inning. Simonian only allowed two earned runs on five hits, but had minimal success establishing the curve ball. The senior seemed hampered with what Seddon called "soreness of the lats," consistently registering about 79 miles per hour on the radar gun, versus the mid-80s he achieved in Florida. "The eight guys out there, that's a good team. That team can win a lot of games," Seddon said. "But pitching -- 90 percent of it is out on that hill. So if those guys put it together, we'll have a good team." Lefty Ray Broome got the nod in the fourth inning, but also pitched inconsistently. The junior was as well only able to last three innings, allowing seven runs. Broome was "hot and cold" according to Penn assistant coach Bill Wagner, walking four and striking out four, using primarily a fastball. Travis Arbogast was Penn's third arm, relieving Broome in the top half of the seventh. The former Quakers tight end was thrown in the mix with base runner on second and third and no outs. Arbogast managed to bring the bleeding to a stand still, allowing only one of the two inherited runners to score. "I've seem him as a starter and he is a better closer. He can pitch in all four games, he's got a rubber arm," Wagner said. "If Travis doesn't hit anyone and he doesn't walk anybody, he can be a good closer." Arbogast left the inning with an 8-8 tie, and after Carlon's homer, never surrendered the lead. "I'm used to being in those situations, having done some closing last year," Arbogast said. "I have a lot of confidence in the guys behind me. If I do my job the fielders will get the outs." The nine runs and 14 hits allowed by Quakers' pitchers were underwhelming, but West Chester's pitchers also lacked sparkling numbers. Golden Rams starter Mike Gibbons took most of the burden on his shoulders. The junior allowed all 10 Penn runs on 10 hits, including the three homeruns -- and Carlon's game winner. "I felt like he earned it. I knew when I went out there, and if he told me he felt alright I was going to leave him in," West Chester coach Jack Hopkins said of leaving Gibbons in the game in the eighth. "He earned the right to battle it. The catcher actually told me that he thought he was throwing harder than in the third inning." Hopkins didn't pull Gibbons until the ninth, in favor of Greg Zinicola. His starter took the loss after the eighth inning homer. "[Gibbons] looked like he wanted to hand me the ball and I said 'don't you want it' and he said 'yeah I want it,'" Hopkins said. "He was under the impression that I was on my second trip to the mound, but I pretty much went out there to see that he was okay." Fielding mistakes and inconsistent pitching aside, the Quakers found a way to win. Penn certainly isn't going to become known as the Bower Bombers. The next step is to put together a consistent offensive attack and a solid pitching performance in the same game. When the Quakers face St. Joe's at 3 p.m. today on Bower Field, the odds are homers won't be flying out of the park again. The Hawks (7-9) are led by highly-touted left hander Chris Heck, who is projected to be a first round pick in June's amateur draft. "Really we're just trying to play a good game tomorrow, play sharp, get something rolling into the weekend," Carlon said. "Nothing matters except the Ivy League games. We just want to go out there and get rid of the mistakes." Bower Field may be the usual "graveyard" today, and fundamentals will be the key. Whether the Quakers face Heck or any other pitcher, Penn will need strong pitching and good defense to win.
(03/17/98 10:00am)
Kerry Major leaves the University of Alaska to become head coach of Penn volleyball. What a way to start -- bloodshot and bleary-eyed in a noisy office. And she's sick. She never even wanted to leave her old job. At least that's what Kerry Major thought at first. "I said, 'well I have no intention of leaving [the University of Alaska], but I'll look at it because that's where I want to be someday'," Major said. "And it ended up being the right time after all." One visit, a series of interviews and a little introspection later, and she knew where she wanted to be. Major was named coach of the Penn volleyball team yesterday, after two years at the helm of the University of Alaska at Anchorage program. She also boasts assistant coaching experience at Hawaii and Georgetown among her list of credentials. Penn Senior Associate Athletic Director Carolyn Schlie-Femovich, the head of the committee that searched for a new volleyball coach, explained that the initial decision to lengthen the search period was a result of networking to find the best possible candidate. "In my conversation with her, I listened to her as if I were a player's parent, talking about what my son or daughter might be interested in," Femovich said. "I felt there was a connection as far as what we were trying to get done." A four-year letter winner at William and Mary, Major gained experience working under Hawaii coach Dave Shoji, who led his team to a No. 25 rank nationally this season. In addition, she learned the coaching ropes from A-6 Rainbow coach Howard Wallace. Major's nationwide recruiting program, as well as her experience with club teams, will bring a new dimension to how Penn recruits volleyball talent. The Denver native coached top junior club teams such as Capitol Volleyball, Midnight Sun Volleyball and Asics Rainbow Volleyball Club. These connections, plus an in with William and Mary, give Major a preliminary understanding of recruiting at an Ivy League school. "I loved playing at a school that valued academics. I want to be proud of recruiting someone. When you recruit an athlete you aren't recruiting them to go on to the pros like some basketball schools," Major said. "You are recruiting them to get an education first and then enhance their life with a good volleyball experience." The Penn players will also benefit from her perspective as a former student athlete, and at the age of 30 not far removed from the daily grind. "The fact that she has played with the same academic kind of constraints, and that she understands what it is like is great," junior co-captain Megan McKay said. Her youth and enthusiasm will provide a very pragmatic coaching edge, as she can demonstrate the skills. "It is going to be great that she was a player, because she is willing to step into a drill and show us exactly what she wants from us," McKay said. The Quakers hope that Major will be able to bring immediate improvement to the program as she did for the Seawolfs. In her first year at the helm of Anchorage, Major improved the team from 14-20 to 20-13 -- a jump from fifth to third in the Pacific West Conference. The Quakers will need a similar jump next season after a disappointing 11-14 campaign in 1997. But the focus of the program will be more than development of the athletes on the court. The lack off enthusiasm for Penn volleyball is a main concern for the administration as well as for Major. Community service and a series of fund raising ideas are part of the repertoire that made Major so attractive as a candidate. "No matter where we are, who we are, if you just stay within this campus you are only going to have this campus to back you," Major explained. Her ability to bring attention to the Anchorage program was clear as she turned a $100 fund raising program into a $6,000 initiative during her short tenure as head coach. She instilled a booster club and used clinics to create local interest in the program. Major knows the same is necessary for the success of her new home. Major found the job she wanted. Her health will get better -- and Femovich and company are hoping her decision will help the Quakers improve on the volleyball court also. Now, all she just needs to work on is that noisy office.
(02/27/98 10:00am)
The Penn women's volleyball team may name a new coach as early as mid-next week. The year of Penn's coaching change saga continues. Within the last 12 months, the Penn Athletic Department has witnessed the unusual occurrence of hiring several new head coaches in big-name sports. From men's lacrosse coach Marc Van Arsdale to last month's naming of Rudy Fuller as the new men's soccer coach, the Athletic Department has brought in new faces on all playing surfaces. Next week, the trend will most likely continue when a new women's volleyball coach is expected to be named. According to Senior Associate Athletic Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich, the applicant pool has been narrowed down to three candidates, and a decision will most likely be made by "mid to late next week." All three of the candidates that have been brought to campus are women and come highly recommended from all parts of the country, including one from Alaska. "The three people that we are the most interested in either went to school on the East Coast and coached on the West Coast, or went to school on the West Coast and are from the East Coast," Femovich said. "It was important for us to address that national flavor." The position was vacated before the holiday break when former coach Margaret Feeney resigned to "pursue personal goals." The decision was announced December 10 and went into effect on December 31. The athletes have since been working out individually to keep in shape. "There has been discussion about things we would like to see happen," junior co-captain Megan McKay said. "People are working really hard to improve themselves, because we don't know what we are going to get." The original intent was to begin searching for a new candidateas soon as possible. However, the timing of the resignation right before the holiday created a difficult situation for the Athletic Department. Along with the extensive search already in progress to fill the vacancy left by George O'Neill at the helm of the men's soccer team, the Athletic Department waited before jumping head first into seeking out the best possible candidate for the job. "We used this semester to readvertise and ask around about any up-and-coming coaches that were ready to coach at a Division I school," Femovich said. "I am happy with it now, but initially I don't think the [applicant pool] was that strong." The committee search process is being headed by Femovich. Academic Coordinator Robert Koonce and Executive Assistant to the Athletic Director Debbie Anekstine are among the other administrators involved. Field hockey coach Val Cloud is the one coach who has been responsible for showing the prospective coaches around campus. "It is necessary to give them as much information as possible about what it means to coach in the Ivy League," Cloud said. "It is not negative, it is just different." The two players who have been instrumental in the selection process are the team's two captains, sophomore K.C Potter and McKay. After an inconsistent 11-14 season, the players are looking for someone to spark new energy into the team and bring coherence to a young unit. Although the squad only compiled a 2-5 Ivy League record, the Quakers will lose but two seniors, Heather Tillet and Jessica Luftman, to graduation. Though the coach will not be expected to put together a championship team in her first season, the nucleus of young players will give her a team capable of competing immediately. In addition to winning, a focus of the search has been put on the new coach's ability to recruit actively, especially on the West Coast. Though the popularity of volleyball is growing exponentially on the East Coast, all members of the search party have expressed concern with the new coach's West Coast ties. "Regardless if they come from there originally, but that they've had training from the big programs," Potter said. "And most of them are out [West], not to say that East Coast volleyball is bad, it just hasn't become as big here yet." Potter, a San Diego, Calif.-native, and McKay, who hales from West Linn, Ore., have represented this concern on the team's behalf. While the administration looks for someone who can bring excitement back to Penn volleyball and establish national ties, the players remain steadfast that they are simply looking for the candidate with the best volleyball mind. "I think what we want is evident," Potter said. "We have talked copiously about the coaching situation. We just want the best person that they can bring to the program." The search for a volleyball coach will most likely come to a close next weekend. For the time being, the roller-coaster ride that has affected Penn's coaching staff will construct one more pillar of stability.
(02/11/98 10:00am)
La Salle's Donnie Carr and Mike Gizzi scored a combined eight points in the second half last night. Last night's Big 5 bout between Penn and La Salle was full of surprises. The first surprise was the start of Quaker co-captain Jeff Goldstein. Penn forward Mike Melcher's first basket of the year followed. The Quakers' 82-64 blowout win was the last. But in between was the biggest -- the virtual disappearance of Explorers' guards Donnie Carr and Mike Gizzi. In the second half, Carr and Gizzi, averaging a combined 31.3 points per game, dropped only eight. In the final 13 minutes of the game, neither player scored. The Quakers' came out fast in the first half. Behind Goldstein's six points on 3-for-3 shooting, Penn jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first 4:55 over La Salle. While the play of Carr and Gizzi was non-existent in the second half. But the two made their short-lived statement in the first half. Early play was marred by 11 combined turnovers. Explorers players finally came out of their state of somnambulism behind the only productive play the senior Gizzi (17 pts.) and sophomore Carr (15 pts.) would give them in the game. "Other teams are going to key on Donnie and I, especially on Donnie," Gizzi said. "They know that we are the two that are going to convert the points." Led by their two top scorers, the Explorers began a run to get back in the game. In the next 3:24, Carr scored eight points, bringing the team within two (15-13). Led by a core of sophomore guards -- Michael Jordan (12 pts., 9 rebs.) and Matt Langel (19, 7, 5 assists) -- the Quakers amassed another 12-point lead in the next 4:37. Again, the two Philly natives, Gizzi and Carr, answered the call. Carr started with a little jumper in the lane. Gizzi followed suit with a trey. The 6'3" Carr added another four, capped off by a breakaway one-handed slam. "Well, we talked about with all their perimeter players, about switching out on their screens and doing a lot of helping each other out," Langel said. "So it wouldn't be just Mike on Donnie or me on Gizzi." Whatever the combination of players was, they had difficulty keeping Carr and Gizzi in check. Suddenly, the Explorers were back in the game by half, trailing only by three, 37-34. The halftime line was sweet for the dynamic duo -- Gizzi had 10 points (2-of-4 from beyond the arc) and Carr had 13 points (6-of-13 shooting). But the two left their game in the locker room for the second half. "It was kind of obvious in the second half that it didn't seem like we had a game plan," Gizzi said. "We had a set offense and we didn't run it." Both came out strong early. Gizzi started the La Salle scoring for the half with a jumper from the left corner. Just seven seconds later, Carr made a driving lay-up, making it a two-point game (40-38). But that was the last of Carr. The field goal was his only made shot of the second half, going 1-for-7 in the stanza. Gizzi managed to keep the Explorers close, racking up five more points in five minutes. After the 13:47 mark, Gizzi's game left the arena. "We were trying to pressure their outside perimeter game and make them try and get to the basket," Langel said. "In the second half we concentrated on keeping them under control." At the 12:06 mark, Gizzi picked up only his second foul. But in the next nine minutes he tallied three more fouls, one early shower, a seat next to La Salle coach Speedy Morris and not a single point. "We had a couple shots in the second half that we should have made that we didn't make," Gizzi said. "The two of us aren't going to win games. We are going to help win." Gizzi's notion that the two won't win games for them may be true. But the fact that for roughly 13 minutes two of the best scorers in the city were shut out points to the final 18 point difference in the game. Mike Melcher outscoring Donnie Carr in the second half leads to only one thing -- a Penn blowout.
(02/09/98 10:00am)
M. Hoops is on cruise control as Penn sophomore Matt Langel nets a career-high 32 versus Harvard. BOSTON, Mass.-- Penn traveled to Harvard and Dartmouth with winning on their mind and bandages on their collective bodies. The injury theme carried on through the weekend, as Matt Langel returned Friday and Paul Romanczuk came down with a hurting wrist on Saturday. "He's not allowed to get hurt," Dunphy said of Romanczuk. "We have enough injuries, he's not allowed." But the story was not the injured Quakers, but Langel's (46 weekend points) return from injury as Penn (10-9, 4-1 Ivy League) defeated Harvard (9-9, 3-4) by a score of 84-69, and Dartmouth (6-14, 3-5) 71-57. Without the services of junior forward Jed Ryan, Penn coach Fran Dunphy was forced to work a nine-man rotation against the Crimson. The 6'7" Ryan broke his right pinky finger Thursday in practice. Penn coach Fran Dunphy brought in sparingly-used co-captain Jeff Goldstein as the first man off the bench. Lamar Plummer (10 points) and George Mboya (five rebounds) also made valuable contributions of the bench. "That is something that coach has decided to do a little bit, and I think it helps get the whole team involved in the game," Langel said. Langel's return gave the Quakers desperately-needed offense to a team lacking inside presence. The Quakers came out slow, falling behind 13-5 in the first 2:35. Behind the offense of Penn point guard Michael Jordan and solid play from the bench, the Quakers ran off a 13-2 run to take the lead with 1:25 left in the first stanza. "Mike's an outstanding player. To be honest with you, I want more from him, and I think he wants more from himself," Dunphy said. "I think it's a great challenge for him to play Hill." The Crimson, without key freshman Dan Clemente, keyed off of the play of juniors Tim Hill (21 pts.) and Paul Fisher (13 pts., 10 rebs.). Hill sought to personally take the game in hand. With the Crimson down five late in the half, the 5'11" guard pulled up for a long three -- and drained it with a friendly bounce off the top of the glass. The Crimson finished the half with a 42-41 lead. The second half opened with a barrage of jumpers by the Quakers guards. Led by Langel and Jordan, Penn ran off 12-2 run to open the half, taking a 53-44 lead. "Matt Langel is only in his second year, but he played some tough situations," Harvard coach Frank Sullivan said. "They're three-point shooting, just like it has gotten us over the hump sometimes this year, it got them over the hump." Penn never looked back as the Quakers outside shooting took over. Down the stretch, Langel, the Moorestown, N.J., native, scorched the nylon. "I was kind of surprised my wind felt pretty good," Langel said. "I worked pretty hard on the bike. But my leg got a little tired." In the second half alone, Langel drained four treys en route to his career-high 32 points. While the sophomore's leg may have been weary, his jump shot showed no signs of rust. "I shot a lot of free throws," Langel said. "I worked a lot with coach Jackson, coach Donohue, for a half hour a couple times a day." Dunphy's battered corp found a way to win with a large rotation and the heroics of a sophomore. "Obviously we would have loved to have had him for the last three games,"Dunphy said. "He really came through and gave us a tremendous performance." Saturday night at Dartmouth, the Quakers opened the game with a similar look. The nine man rotation remained in place, with eight men seeing double digit minutes. Langel (14 pts.) was not the only story though; balance was key, with four Quakers in double digits. Senior Garret Kreitz, who scored only seven points Friday, was one high man with 18 pts., along with Paul Romanczuk. The Quakers were unable to blow away the Big Green as quickly as Princeton had the night before. The Quakers made a run to get out in front by nine with 10 minutes gone in the half. Dartmouth's only answer was Gee. The 6'7" sophomore dropped his ninth point with 9:13 left in the half to get Dartmouth back within 10. The Big Green could not close the gap anymore in the next 10 minutes, despite the efforts of Big Green guard P.J. Halas. Halas, who was shut down the previous night in a 71-39 loss to Princeton, played with something to prove. "My first shot was a two that went up and felt good, it just rimmed out," Halas said. "I thought I'd just see what happens next time. [Coach] said if you want it, shoot it." Halas hit trey's within 50 seconds of each other and closed the gap to nine. But he could get it no closer, as the teams went to half with Penn up 37-27. The Quakers came out of the Leede Arena locker rooms with a cooler shooting touch. Dropping from 46.7 percent to just 20 percent in the second half, Penn's shooting woes cracked the door just enough for Dartmouth to creep back. The Big Green slowly ate away at the Quakers lead, again behind the heroics of Halas. This time he drained two clutch three just 37 seconds apart, putting Dartmouth within three. Behind the play of Romanczuk, and the night's leading rebounder George Mboya (7 rebs.), the Quakers pushed the lead back to 11 with under 10 minutes to go. Dartmouth's last push was squandered by the weekend hero. After the 6'1" giant Halas made his last three of the game, Langel found his stroke, and five quick points to extend the Quakers lead to 11. The Big Green could not find a way back as the Quakers won the free shooting contest in the final two minutes and pulled out to a 71-57 victory. The Ivy weekend sweep puts the Quakers alone at second place in the league.
(01/26/98 10:00am)
Rashid Bey was held in check, but the Penn men's basketball team fell short of five straight wins. It was everything Big 5 basketball is supposed to be. The Palestra was packed to the corners, even though the two teams are under .500 winning percentage. There were even red wigs on the heads of St. Joe's fans. The basketball wasn't bad either; in fact it was a thriller. It was what the Quakers (7-9) were waiting for all season -- except they couldn't win against rival St. Joseph's (7-8). "It was a tremendous crowd and I hope our kids were excited about it," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said. "It was a great Philadelphia game. Too bad we couldn't come out on the winning end of it." No explanations could be given in the end. With 1:04 left, Hawks guard Rashid Bey, playing with four fouls for much of the second half, hit a running jumper to put the Hawks ahead by two, 55-53. Quakers guard Michael Jordan, who shut down the NBA prospect for much of the game, then took his turn to bring the crowd out of their seats. Off the in-bounds pass, the sophomore streaked down court and shot his own floater, which slid through the net to tie the game again at 55. The Quakers fouled Hawks forward Duval Simmonds, who drained both free throw attempts with just 9.9 seconds left. With the Hawks up two, the ball got into the hands of Romanczuk again. The forward was fouled with just 2.2 seconds left, giving him chance to tie the game. The first free throw followed the same fate as many 7-of-10 Saturday night -- missing. As the only possible shot at a victory, Romanczuk purposely missed the second, looking for a possible rebound to tie the game. "Figuring that we had to miss to get try to get a tie, I wanted Paul to miss it to the right side," Dunphy said. "Which he did a real good job, and Mike actually got his hands on the ball, obviously a little off balance? it almost went." Jordan nearly took the game in his own hands again, but came up a little short. When the guard circled in to the basket, he was off balance and barely got off a last attempt. The 57-55 final let 8,722 fans of the sellout crowd breath for the first time in minutes. But the result may not let the Quakers sleep for the rest of the week, as they came up just short of the Big 5 gods' favor. "There is not a lot of justification," Dunphy said. "We came to play, we played hard, but we've got to play a little bit harder and a little bitter more opportunistic. We want to win the game." It wasn't just foul shots which cost Penn the game. The Quakers inability to foul out any St. Joe's players, despite the fact that four of St. Joe's starters had four fouls by midway through the second half, was equally devastating. Other than the discrepancy in foul shots, the game was even in almost every aspect throughout the game. The Quakers came out poised to continue with their recent winning ways. After the Hawks won the tip, the familiar Penn three-point barrage began early and often. Penn's opening points came on a Jed Ryan three from the left corner. The Quakers' rotation tightened up, without the help of Matt Langel (out with a bruised thigh) and junior Frank Brown, out with soreness in his knee. In place of Langel, Plummer was asked step up early in his first start. Jordan (20 points) hit from behind the arc just two minutes later. Plummer got in on the action next, canning a trey to put the Quakers up by seven, 11-4. The Hawks settled down in front of their red-wigged following to make their own run. The Quakers hit a drought for 9:24 seconds.The Hawks' surge was led by junior big man Robert Haskins (11 pts., 8 rebounds). But the story -- Plummer. The freshman showed he had nothing but ice in his veins. In the last 2:46 he put up two huge three-point shots to surge the Quakers into the half -time lead, 28-22. "I am sure that they weren't going to allow us to shoot 7-for-11 again in the second half," Dunphy said. "I am sure they talked about that." The second half had an entirely different outlook. Plummer took a back seat to his Abington Friends teammate Jordan. "It was a total team effort," Jordan said. "Our big guys were stepping out, pushing the back door passes, giving me a chance to get to cut down low." St. Joe's changed their philosophy in the second half, trying to overpower Penn in the paint. Hawks' forward Duval Simmonds (13 pts.) brought his muscle underneath. But it was the six-foot man who countered for the Quakers. Jordan carried his team with 10 points in an eight minute span of the second half and shut down his counterpart. Bey was unable to get into rhythm. The 5'11" wonder was charged with two fouls early in the half and then picked up his fourth with only 11:45 left in the half. Bey then took an early seat on the bench at a crucial time -- with the teams locked at 43-43 tie. But the Quakers couldn't take advantage. Jordan continued his strong play, but the inside game couldn't get going despite the fact that Haskins was also in foul trouble. Romanczuk was unable to exploit the foul troubles of the Hawks. The 6'7" Quakers' big man (7 pts., 8 rebs.) was unable to establish his usually strong inside game, having trouble sat the line. "I can't explain it," Dunphy said of Paul's shooting, "I wish I could, if I could then we'd have another solution, and then maybe try to do something about it."
(01/26/98 10:00am)
Rashid Bey was held in check, but the Penn men's basketball team fell short of five straight wins. It was everything Big 5 basketball is supposed to be. The Palestra was packed to the corners, even though the two teams are under .500 winning percentage. There were even red wigs on the heads of St. Joe's fans. The basketball wasn't bad either; in fact it was a thriller. It was what the Quakers (7-9) were waiting for all season -- except they couldn't win against rival St. Joseph's (7-8). "It was a tremendous crowd and I hope our kids were excited about it," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said. "It was a great Philadelphia game. Too bad we couldn't come out on the winning end of it." No explanations could be given in the end. With 1:04 left, Hawks guard Rashid Bey, playing with four fouls for much of the second half, hit a running jumper to put the Hawks ahead by two, 55-53. Quakers guard Michael Jordan, who shut down the NBA prospect for much of the game, then took his turn to bring the crowd out of their seats. Off the in-bounds pass, the sophomore streaked down court and shot his own floater, which slid through the net to tie the game again at 55. The Quakers fouled Hawks forward Duval Simmonds, who drained both free throw attempts with just 9.9 seconds left. With the Hawks up two, the ball got into the hands of Romanczuk again. The forward was fouled with just 2.2 seconds left, giving him chance to tie the game. The first free throw followed the same fate as many 7-of-10 Saturday night -- missing. As the only possible shot at a victory, Romanczuk purposely missed the second, looking for a possible rebound to tie the game. "Figuring that we had to miss to get try to get a tie, I wanted Paul to miss it to the right side," Dunphy said. "Which he did a real good job, and Mike actually got his hands on the ball, obviously a little off balance? it almost went." Jordan nearly took the game in his own hands again, but came up a little short. When the guard circled in to the basket, he was off balance and barely got off a last attempt. The 57-55 final let 8,722 fans of the sellout crowd breath for the first time in minutes. But the result may not let the Quakers sleep for the rest of the week, as they came up just short of the Big 5 gods' favor. "There is not a lot of justification," Dunphy said. "We came to play, we played hard, but we've got to play a little bit harder and a little bitter more opportunistic. We want to win the game." It wasn't just foul shots which cost Penn the game. The Quakers inability to foul out any St. Joe's players, despite the fact that four of St. Joe's starters had four fouls by midway through the second half, was equally devastating. Other than the discrepancy in foul shots, the game was even in almost every aspect throughout the game. The Quakers came out poised to continue with their recent winning ways. After the Hawks won the tip, the familiar Penn three-point barrage began early and often. Penn's opening points came on a Jed Ryan three from the left corner. The Quakers' rotation tightened up, without the help of Matt Langel (out with a bruised thigh) and junior Frank Brown, out with soreness in his knee. In place of Langel, Plummer was asked step up early in his first start. Jordan (20 points) hit from behind the arc just two minutes later. Plummer got in on the action next, canning a trey to put the Quakers up by seven, 11-4. The Hawks settled down in front of their red-wigged following to make their own run. The Quakers hit a drought for 9:24 seconds.The Hawks' surge was led by junior big man Robert Haskins (11 pts., 8 rebounds). But the story -- Plummer. The freshman showed he had nothing but ice in his veins. In the last 2:46 he put up two huge three-point shots to surge the Quakers into the half -time lead, 28-22. "I am sure that they weren't going to allow us to shoot 7-for-11 again in the second half," Dunphy said. "I am sure they talked about that." The second half had an entirely different outlook. Plummer took a back seat to his Abington Friends teammate Jordan. "It was a total team effort," Jordan said. "Our big guys were stepping out, pushing the back door passes, giving me a chance to get to cut down low." St. Joe's changed their philosophy in the second half, trying to overpower Penn in the paint. Hawks' forward Duval Simmonds (13 pts.) brought his muscle underneath. But it was the six-foot man who countered for the Quakers. Jordan carried his team with 10 points in an eight minute span of the second half and shut down his counterpart. Bey was unable to get into rhythm. The 5'11" wonder was charged with two fouls early in the half and then picked up his fourth with only 11:45 left in the half. Bey then took an early seat on the bench at a crucial time -- with the teams locked at 43-43 tie. But the Quakers couldn't take advantage. Jordan continued his strong play, but the inside game couldn't get going despite the fact that Haskins was also in foul trouble. Romanczuk was unable to exploit the foul troubles of the Hawks. The 6'7" Quakers' big man (7 pts., 8 rebs.) was unable to establish his usually strong inside game, having trouble sat the line. "I can't explain it," Dunphy said of Paul's shooting, "I wish I could, if I could then we'd have another solution, and then maybe try to do something about it."
(01/19/98 10:00am)
Penn men's basketball made only four three-point shots, but won. Pottsville, Pa. -- Martz Hall was filled with 2700 fans wanting to see a rare spectacle, college basketball. They saw something more rare, a Penn victory without three-point dominance. In Penn's 69-62 victory over Bucknell, the Quakers didn't play on their usual strengths. The three-point shot was virtually absent from the offense. Instead, it was the oft-mentioned lack of size up front that proved a strength for Penn. It was not a typical Quakers showing by any stretch of the imagination. Penn attempted only ten three-point shots, easily its lowest total of the season. Only four were made. Penn coach Fran Dunphy has preached the need to develop every facet of the Quakers game all season. But to this point the stalwart of the Penn scoring was the three-pointer. Averaging 18.5 three point attempts per game entering the contest, the Quakers made fewer than four three point baskets only once (November 29 against Washington State with three), and attempted fewer than 13 treys in one game this season. "I guess they know we are a team that shoots threes," sophomore guard Michael Jordan said. "And they were jumping out on our plays so we had to go back door and get in the gaps." But the Quakers still managed to string together its second consecutive win. One example of the change in the Quakers style was senior guard Garett Kreitz, who has stood tall all year while averaging 12.9 points per game. The majority of his work has been done from beyond twenty feet out. Kreitz is shooting 45 percent from three point land, and accounts for 37 percent of the entire team's three point baskets. Against the Bison, Kreitz couldn't get his game in rhythm. The 6'1" guard was the high man on the Quakers with 38 minutes played. In that time he attempted only three shots, making one. What's more, he launched only one trey all afternoon, which missed. Kreitz finished with only five points. Kreitz was not alone in his struggles. Junior forward Jed Ryan, who had been trying 4.5 three-point attempts per game, took only two long-range shots. He canned one, and finished with only four points. With Kreitz dropping only one point more than his season low and Ryan posting his personal low, the Quakers had to look elsewhere. Two main reasons for success were a change in the perimeter game, led by Matt Langel, and the inside game of Paul Romanczuk. Sophomore guard Matt Langel delivered a season high 15 points. He did so while seeing extended minutes handling the ball when Jordan went down with his fourth midway through the second half. Langel, a team high 55 percent three point shooter, displayed a variety of moves in his arsenal. The 6'5" guard attempted only two three-balls, and landed one. His other four field goals came via a mid-range jump-shot and penetrations combination. "We had to take what Bucknell's defense gave you," Langel said. "They happened to switch on the perimeters." Langel got into the paint often. He tallied two points on a layup and another four with two perfect stints at the free-throw line. Langel also made a key running floater late in the game to keep Penn up for the second game in a row. "When we exchange away they're just switching on the perimeter," Langel said on the Bucknell defense. "So that wasn't necessarily open. So we had to look to go inside? and maybe get some of those mid range jumpers." A major key to the Quakers victory was an unusual advantage on the boards, 29-23. Jordan threw a twist into the story line as Penn's high man on the glass with ten rebounds. The sophomore finished with a double double, tallying 13 points, but he had no assists. A major remainder of the responsibility for the Quakers success on the boards was the play of Paul Romanczuk. Romanczuk had the rare luxury of facing a starting lineup with no player more than an inch taller than his 6'7" frame, and grabbed eight boards in the process. "I just got to use my quickness against guys that are bigger than me," Romanczuk said. "Show the ball, pump fake and get into their bodies so that they don't have that size advantage over me." Romanczuk was quick enough to take his counterparts off the dribble all game. The game plan worked as the West Chester native slashed past Bison forward Dan Bowen all afternoon, and likewise didn't allow him many easy looks. "I don't think it was a particular adjustment," Romanczuk said. "For a little bit down the stretch we weren't playing defensively on the perimeter or in the post." Romanczuk came away with 25 points. The junior got to the line 18 times, capitalizing on 15 attempts. The Quakers certainly didn't put on the shooting clinic the Pottsville natives may have expected; in the end they won, with a different style game.
(01/13/98 10:00am)
Penn coach Fran Dunphy handed friend and ex-assistant coach Frn O'Hanlon his sixth loss this season. After the pre-game shoot around, the Quakers straggled off the court in bunches, thinking about a desperately needed win. Freshman guard Lamar Plummer, one of the last off, bent over to remove a piece of trash of the Palestra floor, trying to keep it untarnished -- like the 22-0 home record of the Quakers against Lafayette. Penn (5-8, 1-1) needed to pick up the pieces against Lafayette last night after a tough opening weekend in the Ivy League. The Palestra floor was the right place to start. Though the Quakers came away with a 74-68 victory, the opening minutes were dismal. The home perfection against Lafayette (9-6, 1-0) looked like a thing of the past. "It's not their style that makes it difficult for us to play them, it's him," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said of his friend, Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon. "If someone said to me you never have to play, coach against him again, it would be fine with me? he's my friend." O'Hanlon's Leopards began the contest poised to take advantage of the struggling Quakers. Lafayette posted a quick seven points, to Penn's two, in under two minutes. Remnants of the weekend crept out of the closet. Penn guard Michael Jordan (15 pts., 6 assts.) turned the ball over on his second touch, continuing the ball handling difficulties present at Yale. Lafayette also took advantage of the Quakers lack of size inside. "He's got Stefan in there who is tough for us to guard, there's no doubt about it," Dunphy said of Lafayette center Stefan Ciosici. Ciosici, who had 25 points on the night, opened up his inside game immediately. One of his many layups on the night started the Leopards' scoring. After Dunphy took a twenty-second timeout in the initial two minutes of the game, the complexion changed. "Well, we weren't playing real well. We were kind of stinking the joint up," Dunphy said. "They were making their shots. We weren't playing real well defensively." After the quick timeout, the Quakers began to pick it up. The remainder of the first half, the Quakers found some success with an inside game. The rock was also taken care of by the guards, in addition to their generally consistent outside shooting. Penn committed only three turnovers in the first stanza. Penn's Paul Romanczuk, who finished the night with 14 pts., established a presence in the paint, with seven first-half points. His defense on Ciosici paid off as well. He held the 6'11" center to eight points and three rebounds. Both Romanczuk and junior Jed Ryan had four rebounds in the half. "He's a very good physical player," Romanczuk said of Ciosici. "It' s different, because in the Ivy League you don't see someone that size." Dunphy gave the Quakers a fresh look in the first half as well. In contrast to the six-man rotation used at Yale, Dunphy played nine Quakers in the first stanza, including little utilized senior captain Jeff Goldstein and Plummer. "Jeff Goldstein might be the finest human being I've met. He's never going to hurt you," Dunphy said. "It is up to me to give those guys a little more run. Lamar, to be honest with you, hasn't been ready," he added. "I need to give him a little more time to work the kinks out. The Quakers walked into the locker room with a four point lead, 38-34, but the second half started with a Lafayette run. Three-point shots by guards Tyson Whitfield and Brian Ehlers gave the Leopards a 43-38 lead. Penn battled back. Romanczuk kept the inside game alive with several low post finishes. Ryan and Matt Langel (9 pts.) got their strokes going, to keep the Quakers in the game. "It was a much needed win for us," Dunphy said, "and we needed it badly for obvious reasons." Lafayette had another run in them, though. With 5:10 remaining, the Leopards took a six point lead, behind Ciosici's broad back. The center converted six of his own points in less than a minute. The Quakers stormed right back behind two clutch treys by Garret Kreitz. The senior made up for his tough night shooting, 4-for-13 from the floor, by putting Penn on top for good, 67-66, draining a 21-footer in rhythm. The final blow that took the wind out of the Leopards' sail was a floater by Langel -- the very same shot he missed at Yale. "We made the shot tonight, we didn't make it at Yale," Dunphy said of the runner. "It is just one of those things that happens." With the shot clock at two, and 39.8 left on the game clock, Langel drove the lane and tickled the twine. The Quaker capped the badly needed win by keeping the ball clear of the press- picking up the last piece remaining from the weekend. The Palestra floor remained unscathed against Lafayette, 23-0. "We are playing okay. I am not displeased with how we are playing basketball," Dunphy said. "I think this is a very good basketball team tonight that we beat." The Palestra floor stayed clean thanks to Plummer's caretaking. More importantly, the record against Lafayette stayed untarnished thanks to improved play.
(12/11/97 10:00am)
After eight years of coaching at Penn, Feeney decided it was time to move on. The Margaret Feeney era of coaching will be put to rest to make way for her new era of pursuing dreams. The Penn women's volleyball coach announced her resignation yesterday after eight years at the helm of the team. Feeney's term will end December 31. Feeney plans to move from her current role on the sidelines to one in an office. Though she does not have a job lined up, she feels she has "done a lot of good networking" and hopes to find a position in athletic administration. "It has been a goal of mine for some time," she said. In her time at Penn, Feeney has amassed a record of 119-104 overall, and 54-30 in the Ivy League. In her first year, Feeney was able to lead the Quakers to their fifth straight Ivy League title. This year's team underachieved, finishing 11-14 overall and 2-5 in the Ivy League, good for only sixth in the standings. The Quakers were unable to put together more than three consecutive wins at any point in the season. "I've coached for, I don't even know how long? eight years here, and about 12 years total," Feeney said. "But this is something I have always wanted to do, and the time is right to do this now." The decision was discussed with the players yesterday during a team meeting, in which Feeney informed her players of the new intentions. "It was a difficult decision to make thinking about the team," Feeney said. "But I think they feel strongly enough about me that they are happy for me." The search for her successor will begin immediately. With all but two players returning to the roster next year, many Quakers will remain and have to adjust to a new method of coaching. Junior co-captain Megan McKay, a defensive specialist, stated that the reason for Feeney's resignation was a surprise to the team. The senior said that while she was not aware of the desire to move into the field of athletic administration, she knew Feeney had been exposed to the field because her father worked as an administrator. "She has been really helpful and done a lot of great things for a lot of us," McKay said. "So, we wish her the best and she feels the same way about us." The new volleyball coach will return to a team that fielded no All-Ivy League players and finished no higher than fifth in any offensive category (service aces). However, the Quakers' one strength -- a league-leading 2.86 blocks per game -- will be a good building point for Feeney's successor. Juniors Sue Sabatino and Karen Lewis will return, as well as sophomore co-captain K.C. Potter, heading up the the middle blocking of Penn. The players said they would like to have a new head coach in place before they begin their spring season.
(12/08/97 10:00am)
WASHINGTON -- He was the only one that could stop the bleeding, literally. Penn senior guard Garett Kreitz took matters into his own hands as much as any player could in the Quakers' loss to George Washington last night. The Colonials came into the MCI Center as decided favorites, and left the MCI Center with a scare, squeaking out a 66-62 win. The center of attention for the Colonials: 7'1" Alexander Koul. The Belarusan Tower dawned grins in warmups and he won the opening tip, but first blood was drawn by Kreitz. The 6'1" guard, staring into the midst of the trees in the paint for the Colonials, pulled up and knocked down a three. It wasn't anything new for the Quakers offense, but the shooting display to follow would be. George Washington countered with a quick three by point guard Shawnta Rogers. Kreitz then decided it was time to one-up his counterpart. In the first 4:21 of the game, Kreitz pulled up for three three-point shots, and touched nothing but net every time. The kid simply had it going on. In the process, Penn built up a quick lead of 11-5. "He is a pretty good player," George Washington coach Mike Jarvis said, "and he is a tough kid." Kreitz made the Colonials, many of whom stood almost a foot taller than he, look up to him. He threw the exclamation on the half, knocking down the last shot of the half with his fifth three. Kreitz spelled perfection, going 5-for-5 from the field -- all beyond the arc. His fifteen points accounted for 44 percent of the offense, as Penn took a 34-29 lead going into the locker room. "They were 7-for-10 in the first half," Jarvis said. "If we let them do that again in the second half, we don't deserve to be playing this game." Kreitz didn't get a chance to continue his show in the second half as the Colonials took a tough route to shutting down Kreitz's offense. Less than five minutes into the half, Kreitz took an elbow in the nose from George Washington freshman Pat Ngongba. Kreitz's nose had already been broken in Puerto Rico against Washington State. The blood started pouring from Kreitz's nose on the bench -- and out of the hearts of the Quakers -- as the Colonials went on a run to take the lead. Kreitz sat on the sideline, holding towels pressed against his reconfigured nose, needing to stop the blood to get back on the floor. Burying his head in his towel was symbolically appropriate. The catalyst of the offense undoubtedly couldn't bear to watch as his team lost the lead without him. By the time he had enough tissue wadded in his nose so that he could re-enter the game, the Quakers were trailing 52-47. In Kreitz's 7:50 absence, Penn was outscored 18-8. "I've had surgery set up for Tuesday morning since last week to fix it," Kreitz said. "The elbow, I don't know who it was, shifted it a little bit more to the left." Kreitz started the Quakers' last surge with a long , rainbow-like three, leading to gold and drawing a foul. The shot put the Quakers ahead 56-53, but he was unable to convert the four point play. He built the Quaker lead to 62-58 with a floating banker a minute and a half later. However, Kreitz's scoring stopped there. The Quakers' game-tying shot attempt was drawn up for Kreitz with 26.1 seconds left. Mescheriakov slipped his screen and got his 6'8" frame in front of the Quakers' long-range bomber, altering his jumpshot. Despite the loss, Kreitz's final numbers were sparkling. The effort gave Kreitz a tie for his career high with 24 points.
(11/26/97 10:00am)
The Quakers head to Puerto Rico to take part in the San Juan Shootout during the Thanksgiving Break. Palm trees, lagoons, warm weather, beautiful beaches. These and other distractions will undoubtedly be on the minds of the members of the Penn basketball team while they lie awake in their hotel awaiting bed checks. Penn's destination this weekend is Puerto Rico, where the team will participate the 1997 Thanksgiving San Juan Shootout. The Quakers (1-0) may be giving thanks for their victory against Rice last Saturday, but not for too long. "It's three extra games that we otherwise wouldn't have," Penn sophomore guard Matt Langel said. "Guys are pretty excited. Granted, we have to be away from our families for Thanksgiving, but it's something we are excited about." The win Saturday may give the Quakers momentum to build on, but more importantly, it gives them a focus for the tournament which guarantees at least three games of competition. "The reason why we are going to the tournament is for a lot of issues to get taken care of," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said. "One is it gives these guys three extra opportunities to play games against quality opponents. The NCAA allows it, our administration supported it and hopefully it will turn out to be a real positive experience for them." Penn is again faced with improving the hindrance they dealt with in the Owls game -- its lack of height. The success they found in the Palestra, shooting the ball impressively from the outside, cannot be the focus as the season progresses, according to Dunphy. "I think we have got to be ready for any style of play and athleticism," Dunphy said. "It is important to give them as many experiences as possible." Their first test will be Dayton (0-2) Friday at 2 p.m. The Flyers are an Atlantic-10 team that may give the Quakers similar problems on the glass and down in the block as seen versus Rice. Their top returnee is senior Ryan Perryman, who at 6'7" doesn't present a height mismatch for the Quakers. However, Perryman has proved a rebounding machine, pulling down 13 boards per game in the Flyers' first two games, including a 19-rebound effort in a double-overtime loss to Miami (Ohio). Penn's Jed Ryan, George Mboya, Frank Brown and company will have to work on boxing Perryman out to keep him in check. His 13.5 points per game will also be a concern of the Quakers. Junior forward Paul Romanczuk, still recovering form a stress fracture will play sparingly, as he is day to day. While the big men are dealing with Perryman's presence, Michael Jordan and Garett Kreitz are going to have to deal with Dayton's freshman standout shooting guard Tony Stanley. The 6'4" A-10 Rookie of the Week in his first week of play, Stanley laid out 40 points in his first two games. Dayton has not been able to come away with a victory, losing its first game to Murray State, 76-69, in addition to the Miami loss. Perryman will be enough for the Quakers to worry about. "I think part of our problem on Saturday was that we made a lot of shots," Dunphy said. "Making a lot of shots gives you false sense of security a little bit." The Quakers hope their field goal shooting (51.9 percent) against Rice continues in the tournament. Their outside touch was even more devastating, nailing 52.9 percent of their treys. No matter which direction the Quakers move in the tournament bracket, the inside game will not be easy. If Penn can prevail against Dayton, it is likely to face the No. 2 seed of the tournament, Washington State on Saturday. The PAC-10 team has only seen game action once this year, demolishing Brigham Young, 78-49. The mainstays of the Cougars' offense are a pair of 6'7" forwards, Rodrigo de la Fuente and Chris Crosby. The two scored 22 and 21 points, respectively, against BYU. "Some of the teams we play early [in the season] have extremely big players, and the Ivy League won't have those type of players, so we will take what they give us right now," Langel said. "But we definitely want to work the inside-out game." The other option in Penn's bracket is South Florida (0-0). In two preseason games, the Bulls were powered by a core of youth. Four players averaged double-digits in scoring, none of whom were seniors. A duo of sophomores made their mark immediately. Dan Luczyko (6'9") averaged 12 ppg and Scott Johnson (6'10") came away with 11. Both would be taller than any Quaker guarding him. Artha Reeves, a 6'7" forward, has been their most dominating presence down low. The junior averaged 13.5 ppg and 11.5 rebound in the Bulls' victory over Lithuania Select (94-66) and their loss to the California All-Stars (76-78). While the success of the Quakers at home last weekend should give them reason to look ahead, the work yet to be done needs to remain their biggest concern. "Coach talks about when we are shooting the ball real well like we did, it kind of covers up some of the bad defensive plays we made, or the poor decisions we made, we can make up for them by making some shots," Langel said. "I think the team realizes that and will continue to work hard and get through it."
(11/25/97 10:00am)
The Penn men's basketball team low-post duo was able to shut down taller Rice players. The story isn't always in the numbers, believe it or not. Five points and five rebounds is not typically a line for the star of the game. Against Rice last Saturday, George Mboya was key to the Quakers' victory, and that was his line. His play in the low post was crucial, as Penn posted a 78-73 victory. Mboya didn't even start the game. The Owls' imposing frontcourt made Penn coach Fran Dunphy choose another path for his team. Without a true center, due to the loss of Geoff Owens for the year, Dunphy chose to start his biggest body in the vacated slot. Mboya had to wait his turn, as that body took the form of 6'8" freshman Josh Sanger. "I thought he did terrific, to be honest with you. I think we are all happy that he made that first jump shot," Dunphy said of Sanger. "He needs to get some more understanding of how to get some more rebounds, but I think that will come." Sanger's role was one that no one in the Palestra envied. The freshman inherited the task of defending 6'9" forward Jarvis Kelley Sanni, a dominating low-post player. As the focal point of the Rice offensive attack against No. 4 Kansas, Kelley Sanni racked up 25 points while collecting 11 rebounds. Pre-season All-American Paul Pierce was the guy who couldn't handle him that night. "We stuck him on Kelley Sanni to start the game," Dunphy said. "That's not an easy job for him, and I thought he did terrific." While Sanger's performance may have been promising, it wasn't enough to stop Kelley Sanni from going about his business. In the first five minutes, 50 seconds of the game, Kelley Sanni came up with 10 points on five quick field goals. Sanger, while he had hit the jumper, racked up two fouls. "They need to use their speed and quickness by getting in peoples' faces a little more on their turnaround jump shots," Dunphy said. "I think they did a much better in the second half on that. Kelley Sanni is a pretty nice player." Kelley Sanni was showing the Quakers' just how nice a player he was. So Dunphy elected to go with Mboya in the low post when Sanger got into foul trouble and Kelley Sanni on the verge of dominating the game. A minute after the substitution, it seemed Kelley Sanni would continue his ways. The Owls' forward took advantage of Mboya, a transfer from Rice, this time. He put an easy layup off the glass. Kelley Sanni had 12 of Rice's first 22 points, as the visitors opened a 22-14 lead. "We really tried to contest the shots," Mboya said. "Sanni gets really high on his jump shot, so I just tried to get a hand up there in his face." After Penn called a 20-second timeout, Mboya swung the momentum in his favor. Two possessions later, the 6'6" senior forward brought out a little something from his offensive low-post repertoire, just to even the matchup. After converting a three-point play, Mboya seemed to own the low post, and Kelley Sanni. "A lot of the times the focus was on all three big guys, they are all three inches, maybe 4 inches, taller than us," Mboya said. "I just felt l like every time they got the ball, I had to get a hand in their face." The rest of the way, Kelley Sanni looked anything but dominating. In the final 23 minutes, he was able to rack up only another eight points, putting together no rhythm in his game. "The Penn defense, they played hard, they gave a great effort," Kelley Sanni said. "I think that they played just as hard as Kansas. Kansas just has taller guys." Junior forward Jed Ryan played a prominent role in this containment as well. The 6'7" small forward handled the task of guarding Rice's tallest man, Alex Bougaieff. At 6'10", Bougaieff was easily the tallest man on the floor, and a threat down low. "I thought in the first half, we weren't contesting the turnaround jump shot real well," Ryan said. "But as the game progressed, we understood more that we had to get really into the shot to disrupt it, not necessarily block it, but disrupt it." Maybe not, but Ryan still came up with three blocks on the stat sheet, including a crucial block on Kelley Sanni late in the second half. While his shooting touch was undeniable, nailing four of seven treys in a 17-point effort, his denial of the low-post games was equally important to the Quakers' success. The one arena in which the Quakers failed was in keeping the Owls off the glass. Rice racked up a total of 45 boards, to Penn's 30. More upsetting was that the 15-rebound discrepancy came completely on the offensive glass. The Quakers were only able to pull in six offensive boards. The Owls put on a clinic, reeling in 21. The Quakers' equal numbers in defensive boards tells another story, though. So many rebounds mean missed shots by Rice. Kelley Sanni and Bougaieff were both below 50 percent shooting, even playing what was supposed to be high percentage post-up basketball. Kelley Sanni finished 8-of-17 (47 percent) from the floor, and Bougaeiff was 5-of-13 (38 percent). Once they could not make up for the inches on the boards, Mboya and Ryan shifted plans to getting the big guys off the block and keeping the second shots tough. "We went through a stretch where we got way too perimeter-oriented," Rice coach Willis Wilson said. "Part of being a good offensive basketball team is learning how to make defenses collapse, and we didn't do that." Point guard Michael Jordan had 21 points, eight assists and a buzzer-beater. Mboya and Ryan's defense was the key, though. Mboya only had five points and five rebounds. But he taught his old teammates a lesson, and for Penn, it was worth the wait.
(11/20/97 10:00am)
Eric Krawczyk will have a great career in teaching if he schools children the same way as cornerbacks. When Eric Krawczyk says he wants to be a teacher, you can only nod your head, and say, "Why not?" For the last three years, the Cornell senior wide receiver has mastered the art of teaching. Ask any defensive back in the game -- he is bound to have taken him to school at one time or another. In his final year at Cornell, Krawczyk has studied natural resources and education, and has completely rewritten the school's record book at the same time. "Through his career prior to this season, he has been an incredibly consistent performer," Cornell coach Jim Hofher said. "So that kind of consistency, frankly, is unusual, and he has been very fortunate to be healthy." The consistency has been sweet, and the 12 Cornell records that he now holds are even sweeter. This season, Krawczyk has piled up the numbers like no other receiver before. Career receiving yards (2,156), career catches (163), and catches in season (76) are among the 12 of note. This weekend when Krawczyk comes to Franklin Field he will have a chance to add to these records. Stopping Krawczyk and the rest of the Big Red passing game has to be a priority for Penn Saturday. Quarterback Mike Hood and Krawczyk are the focal points of the second-best passing offense in the league (250.1 yards per game). If Saturday plays out like the rest of the season, the Big Red are sure to throw nearly 45 passes into the midst of the secondary. It will be up to the likes of Quakers cornerbacks Joe Piela and Larrin Robertson to keep the ball out the hands of Krawczyk. This task may prove impossible as yet another one of his records is 29 consecutive games with a catch -- every game since he has stepped into the starting lineup. "He has been an unusual football player because he is not necessarily the fastest guy," Hofher said. "But he has been the most productive receiver in Cornell's 110-year history of football." At 6'3" and 205 pounds, Krawczyk has the receiver's build -- the receiving body molded after the Michael Irvins of the world. While he may not have the Dallas Cowboys' game-breaking speed, Krawczyk has made the most of his abilities. "I guess it is good for the quarterbacks, it gives them more to throw to, and it gives me much larger range than most receivers," Krawczyk said. "But I'm just fortunate enough to have had 30 healthy games, well, 29 healthy games so far, and I am hoping for one more." The last week of this fabled career will be away from home, and against a team that he helped put away in the final week of last year's season. At Ithaca, N.Y., Krawczyk played a key role, catching two touchdown passes (39 and 17 yards), in Cornell's 24-21 win. That week against the Quakers capped a season in which he garnered All-Ivy League second team honors. Any tallies he puts on the board this week will be icing on the cake, as the Big Red are not in a title hunt. Regardless of the acclaim that follows his career after the week, it will be a bittersweet ending for Krawczyk. "Unfortunately, there is only a week left," Krawczyk said. "I don't want to think about it just yet, we still have practice, and we still have the game left. Pretty soon I am going to be looking to the past." The same factors that have made Krawczyk the top receiver in Big Red history will help him as he leaves one of his greatest passions of life. "He's a very unselfish person, he gives of himself an awful lot for a variety of different causes," Hofher said. "He is very involved in a number of things outside of simply being a football player or being student. He is making the most out of his life, as well as his college career." Krawczyk has gained nothing but the respect of those around him. As a senior captain for the Big Red, he has been one to lead by example in all facets of life. The records, which are still accumulating, have not become the focus of his playing, or his life. "Football has meant a lot to me, and his has definitely been very rewarding," Krawczyk said. "Along with football, I have been able to be involved in a lot of different things on this campus?. I am grateful for the people I have met on the field and off the field." It is no wonder Hofher calls Krawczyk an unusual football player. He has focus and care off the football field, unparalleled by most athletes that have been able to demolish all records at a Division I school. Hofher feels more should learn from Krawczyk's example as a person, which includes participation in various outdoor recreation and education programs in the community. He has certainly taught the defensive backs lessons, and his coach feels he has even learned from him. The memories of Krawczyk in Ithaca will be of more than a great player, but of a down-to-earth person. Other Ancient Eight teams will remember being burned by a record-breaker. He, on the other hand, will remember the opportunities football brought him and teach others the same.
(11/18/97 10:00am)
Matt Rader and the Quakers' offense didn't pick up a first down on their first six offensive series. Most learn early, if something doesn't work, change it. If it means losing something good, change it fast. Saturday afternoon, the Quakers were unable to grasp this concept, at least until the sixth drive. Even at that point, it was far from fixed. For the first six possessions, Penn's offense made getting a first down as difficult a task as known to man, and the Crimson made it look routine. The Quakers ran 18 straight plays without earning a first down, punting the ball away for the Harvard offense to start its blitzkrieg. If you can't keep the ball on offense, you can't score -- simple. That was the beginning and the end of the problem for the Quakers. The Quakers were a textbook example, offensively and defensively, of how not to play third- and fourth-down conversions. "It was one of the the keys to the game," Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "I think we did OK on first downs, and we did OK on second downs, but we we did not do OK on third or fourth downs." The numbers make this story simple to understand. The Quakers eventually ended up with a first down, but in the end only nine of them. The Crimson, on the other hand, were able to move the first-down marker on 19 occasions. "They were able to keep the chains moving, and we were not," Bagnoli said. "I don't have many answers, I think [we should] just give them credit." But while the Harvard defense was good, the Penn defense kept making the same mistakes. The attack produced 2.2 yards per play. A quick use of the calculator will tell you that even with all four downs, they could only be gaining 8.8 yards. That of course would produce no first downs -- ever. "We just didn't get anything started all day, it was a struggle all day long," Penn quarterback Matt Rader said. "The defense just totally dominated us." On their first drive, the Quakers were ineffective on the downs one and two, and found themselves with a third-and-10. The physical execution was there. Rader completed a pass to freshman receiver David Rogers, but only for nine yards. The ball went back to the Crimson. The next two possessions, Penn was unable to produce on the first two downs of the series again. They found themselves with third-and-12 yards to go, then nine yards to go, respectively. Both third-and-long situations, must downs. Both failed. On the first of these two possessions, Rader threw incomplete to sophomore Brandon Carson, and on the next drive Rader was sacked on third down -- one in which the entire stadium knew the quarterback needed pass protection. "We just did not do good job with making some third- and making some fourth-down conversions, and of having some opportunities," Bagnoli said. "We didn't take advantage of any of them. You've got to give some credit to the Harvard defense." Penn was able to put together sporadic short-yardage passing packages to get several first downs. The overall result however was that the Quakers were 3-for-16 (19 percent) on third downs, and 1-for-5 (20 percent) on fourth downs. No points. The Quakers' problems with third- and fourth-down conversions continued on defense. In sharp contrast to the Red and Blue, the Crimson came up with 7-for-17 on the third downs (41 percent), and an astonishing 4-for-4 on fourth downs, with two touchdowns. "I simply felt like we would get it, it's not that I felt like we absolutely had to have seven instead of three," Harvard coach Tom Murphy said of one of the fourth-down touchdowns. "But I just felt like it was there to be had." The key to Harvard's success on converting was the heroics of Rich Linden, and his ability to execute a solid system. The sophomore quarterback was able to find the seams all day, until he came out with more than 13 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. "There was nothing they did differently than what we saw them do in previous weeks. We just didn't make the plays, that's what turned the game in their favor," Quakers cornerback Larrin Robertson said. "When they convert on that many fourth downs, there is only so much of a chance we're going to have, and that's what it comes down to." On third downs, Linden was nearly perfect, going 6-for-7, moving the Crimson 88 yards. Even more devastating was Linden's ability on fourth downs, 3-for-3 with two touchdown passes. The efforts of the offense certainly made the defensive job more difficult. As Rader and his unit were unable to move the chains, the time of possession became unbalanced, 26 minutes, 29 seconds for the Quakers, and 33:32 for the Crimson. One could only watch the Quakers defense beg to get off the field. The Quakers made their day one of learning an old lesson. If you can't convert on third and fourth downs, you can't win. The lesson was plain and simple -- so was the score of 33-0.
(11/13/97 10:00am)
The Crimson and Quakers football squads played key games in the 1980s in deciding the Ivy champ. There was once meaning in Harvard versus Penn football games -- really. Granted, the last time was 12 years ago, but the clash of the Crimson and the Red and Blue was serious business at one point. Now, don't get too hyped up -- this Saturday's game will be only the sixth meeting anyone has ever cared about. When the Quakers meet the Crimson at Harvard Stadium at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, the Ivy League title will be at stake. Very few, if any, on this campus or Harvard's, can remember the last time that happened. Those that can probably aren't football fans anyway. University President Judith Rodin had already graduated from Penn, done her graduate work and was a professor at Yale. The year was 1974. The series started in 1881 with a Harvard defeat of Penn, by a whopping 2-0 score. Finally, 44 meetings and 93 years later, Harvard and Penn matched up for the first time with anything at stake. · November 2, 1974: Cambridge, Mass. Harvard 3-0. Penn 2-0-1. It was early in the season, but the game had Ivy League title implications. Harvard's game-day program said it all. "This is Penn's final road game of the season, and a victory today would possibly put the Quakers in the Ivy driver's seat." The Quakers were primed for the encounter, undefeated in their last seven contests. By all accounts, Penn had the most devastating offense in the league. They were led by Adolph "Beep Beep" Bellizeare, the leading punt returner in the nation, and Harvard's worst nightmare. He had returned four kicks for touchdowns in two years. The Quakers also had the likes of Marty Vaughn, the best Ivy league quarterback, and a running back, Jack Wixted, who had an astounding three games (over 100 yards per contest) before the Harvard game. Can anyone say Jim Finn? The afternoon went the way of the Crimson, as they rolled to a 39-0 victory. See you later, Ivy League title hopes. The Quakers found themselves in the passenger seat, ending the year 4-2, as Harvard clinched the championship. Alright, so the first important game wasn't the one to set the precedent for Penn. Revenge would have to wait? eight years. · November 13, 1982: Philadelphia Ronald Reagan was president, and Boy George was well on his way to popularity, if not to choosing a sex. On a 48-degree, clear afternoon, none of that was on the minds of the Quakers. They were good and they knew it. What ensued was possibly the best Penn football game of all time. Franklin Field hosted 34,746 fans anticipating an Ivy League co-championship, Penn's first since 1959. Jerry Brendt was the coach of a Quakers squad which was less than mediocre the previous year and surprisingly competitive in the 1982 season. At the point of the Harvard game, Brendt's squad had racked up a 6-2 overall record, including a 4-1 tally in the Ivy Leagues. It set the tone for the clash with Harvard. The Quakers quarterback of the time, Gary Vura, led the charge. "When the Harvard game came up, we knew we were a halfway decent football team or we wouldn't have been in that position," Vura told The Daily Pennsylvanian in 1987. "We didn't lose at Franklin Field and we weren't going to lose to Harvard." Vura and his fellow Quakers made good on their secure approach. They piled up a 20-0 lead over the first 3 1/2 quarters. But the Quakers fell apart after 50 minutes of utter domination. The Crimson scored for the first time in the game with 8:40 left and went ahead 21-20 with 1:32 left in the game. The amazing seven minutes in which the Crimson scored three touchdowns took the wind out of the Quakers' sails. One can almost hear 34,746 fans get instantly silent. If not, think about how the stadium sounds at a typical game now. But the Quakers had one more chance. If Penn versus Princeton a week ago comes to mind, keep that thought ? almost. Vura stormed the resilient Quakers all the way to the Harvard 21-yard line after a series of medium-range passes. The two-minute drill had been run to a "T." With three seconds left on the clock and a 21-mph wind swirling around Franklin Field, in walked 1982's version of Jeremiah Greathouse, Dave Shulman. After a perfect snap and hold, Shulman watched his 38-yard attempt go wide. "I knew it wasn't good as soon as I kicked it. But I refused to believe the game was over," Shulman later told the DP. "I just wasn't walking off the field with Harvard ahead." No problem, a flag was down. The call: roughing the kicker. One more chance for Shulman to make good. It was questionable, but not one of the fans in Franklin Field was about to argue. Shulman now had a 28-yard attempt, and, after a timeout, a moment to think about it. Let's just say, three seconds later it was 23-21, the 36,000-plus fans rushed the field, and within 10 minutes, the Schuylkill was home to the goal posts. Penn had claimed a share of the Ivy League title. What's more, the 1983 Ivy Day stone was placed on the18-yard line, from where Shulman kicked the field goal. The 1982 game set the precedent for three more years to come. Quaker fans were given a monumental total of four years to look forward to the not so famed the Harvard/Penn rivalry. · November 12, 1983: Cambridge, Mass. The Quakers headed to the confines of Harvard Stadium at the top of the league. Tied with Dartmouth at 4-0-1, a win against the Crimson guaranteed a championship game with Dartmouth the following week. Of course, they had to get by Harvard, sitting quietly in third place at 3-1-1. The memories of the contest the year before were fresh in the minds of the Crimson. Apparently, the Crimson upperclassmen hadn't forgotten. The game was as one-sided as could possibly be. Behind 115 yards rushing from All-Ivy back Steve Ernst, the Crimson avenged the 1982 loss in malicious fashion. The Quakers were unable to post a single point, but Harvard ran up 28. Where was Dave Shulman? The Quakers had lost an opportunity, as they then shared the Ivy League title with Harvard for 1983, with 5-1-1 records. · November 10, 1984: Philadelphia At this point, it seemed this was a yearly occurrence, and it basically was. For the third straight year, the Puritans in football pads remained the sole obstacle in front of the Quakers' Ivy League title. The results were more like two years before. The temperature was much warmer, and so was the Penn offense. Mother Nature gave 64 degrees to work with at Franklin Field, and the Quakers produced 38 points on 404 total yards. The Crimson could only muster 199 total yards, losing 38-7. The result: the Quakers captured their third straight title after a Harvard game. No real excitement in this one. Just Quakers domination. · November 16, 1985: Cambridge, Mass. The unfortunate part of this game is that it didn't have any bearing on the title hopes of the Quakers. But it did pose arguably the two best teams in the Ivy League against one another for the fourth consecutive year. The story: Penn was 5-0, Harvard 4-1. Harvard and Penn were the only teams still in the hunt. With a weak Dartmouth on the schedule for the last week, the Red and Blue were almost assured a piece of the crown. But they didn't want an undefeated season fall by the wayside. Three quarters of utter domination by the Crimson could not be overcome by what some consider Penn's best athlete of all time, running back and lacrosse star Chris Flynn, then a sophomore. Harvard posted a 17-point advantage through three quarters, and Penn was cooked. Harvard won, 17-6. Penn held the title alone, after a Harvard loss to Yale, but the Quakers had let the perfect season get away. · November 15, 1997: Cambridge, Mass. That's right, this year will be No. 6. The two will clash for Ivy League supremacy once again. A Quakers victory will likely give them a share of the title, assuming a final-week victory at home versus Cornell. The history says it all -- big games at Harvard don't bode well for the Quakers (0-3). Franklin Field in big games against Harvard has been money (2-0). Do you believe the numbers? Yes, once again, Harvard versus Penn means something. It has been a long wait.
(11/11/97 10:00am)
The "S" on his chest after the game said it all. Superman had come to play against Princeton. Hidden under the jersey, switched number (97 to 65) and all, Penn defensive tackle Mitch Marrow had his secret identity concealed on a blue T-shirt with a big yellow and red "S" the entire game. Maybe he just hadn't found the right telephone booth since he came back from injury and illness. Maybe his endurance and game legs had finally come back. Maybe Princeton just couldn't stop him. But whatever it was, Mitch Marrow did everything in Superman-esque fashion, save sporting a cape and tights. In the 20-17 thriller between the Quakers and Tigers, defense was not only a factor, it became the focus of the game. When Quakers quarterback Matt Rader fell victim to a concussion, the momentum of the game noticeably shifted away from the offense, and became a struggle to keep Tigers points off the board. "It started drizzling, the wind was picking up, we lost momentum," Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "It was like everything that could go wrong was going wrong." While everything was seemingly going the wrong way for Penn, the defense made sure the Tigers offense went the wrong way as well. Marrow and his fellow defenders held Princeton's rushing attack to only six yards on 36 attempts over the course of the game. That's .167 yards per carry. No mistake. Marrow was at the forefront of the attack. The 6'5'', 290-pound behemoth ate up double- and triple-teams all day. "I think you have a game plan for Mitch," Bagnoli said. "You aren't going to run too many plays at him. You are going to make sure you know where he is. When you try to protect, you have to do that stuff." The Tigers were intent on doing whatever it took. Meanwhile, Marrow was more intent on having his way no matter what. Marrow ran wild all over the field. The NFL prospect's form showed itself again. On Princeton's second drive of the game Marrow brought down Tigers quarterback Harry Nakielny with a sack for a loss of 18 yards. Marrow's effort also forced a fumble that cornerback Joe Piela recovered. "I think we all had great pressure," Marrow said. "Once we stop the run we can tee it up for the pass, and that's what we like to do. We have a lot of good pass rushers." The run stop continued, as the Tigers tried to push the ball away from Marrow. One could sense the awareness of "Superman" on either side. Princeton running backs Gerry Giurato and Kyle Brandt ran off tackles and dives right up the middle, while their lineman stacked up on Marrow. When Marrow didn't get through his multiple obstacles, the hole on the other side would be closed. Marrow's presence enabled Larry Rascoe, Doug Zinser and Adrian Puzio to rack up tackle after tackle. It also allowed linebacker Darren MacDonald and end Roger Beckwith to repeatedly fill the gaps. "Anytime you get doubled or tripled, it is going to open up some plays for the people," Marrow said. "Luckily the other kids stepped up, and the defense played well." No matter what the Tigers' offense did, it couldn't eliminate Marrow. In the second quarter, Marrow was constantly penetrating the line, seemingly getting to ball before the backs. Shortly before halftime, he caught Giurato up the middle, five yards behind scrimmage, on a monster hit. Marrow was a personal nightmare for Nakielny. Even when he could not get to the ball, he created havoc with his towering wing span, knocking down a pass. The half ended with Nakielny passing for 37 yards, and rushing for negative 32 yards, due largely to the pressure of Marrow and his partners in crime. Backup Tigers signal caller John Burnham was given the task of running from Marrow in the second half. "They were starting to run the sprint a lot. From my standpoint, I was getting cut block a lot more than I had been cut in a long time," Marrow said of Burnham's play. "It took a little bit away of just flying up field. You had to be weary of just flying up field. Not letting him get outside you." Burnham, who came in for the injured Nakielny, scrambled and made things happen. Princeton's passing numbers improved, as Burnham racked up 166 passing yards. He was also able to get out of the pocket more effectively, rushing for a net of 13 yards. But Marrow still couldn't be stopped. Burnham would have been the leading Princeton rusher with 35 yards had he not lost 11 yards on a Marrow sack late in the third and another 11 on a sack by linebacker James Hisgen to end the game. Even when Burnham got out of the pocket, Marrow was able to chase him down from across field, and keep him from getting a crucial first down early in the fourth. "I just tried to keep running after the ball; some of the guys pulled the carrier to the other side, and I wasn't able to get in on the play," Marrow said. "Something I wanted to work on this year was to keep going after the ball, and never give up." Marrow's game was that simple -- he tried to get to the ball every time. One has to wonder if it was the Superman shirt, or if he was just back to the form of old. "Ever since I have been healthy, it has been a little trademark," Marrow said of the T-shirt. "Actually the whole line wears it. Me, Adrian Puzio and Larry Rascoe." Six yards rushing by the opposition is a super feat, make no mistake about it. Marrow's game on Saturday marked his re-emergence as a dominating force. "He played well last week," Bagnoli said. "But statistically you're going to look at it and say there are a couple of sacks, there are some negative plays and things like that. Week by week, he is getting his reads down ? every game, every down, every play. When he is in the lineup we are obviously not only a better defensive team, but a different defensive team." Marrow will tell you he is back to full strength and quickness, but not quite back to full stamina. Superman could scare the remaining two Ivy League opponents if he can pull out all the stops for a full 60 minutes.
(11/06/97 10:00am)
Princeton senior linebacker Tim Greene is only 5'8", but that hasn't kept him from being All-Ivy. It is one of the classic confrontations in sports. The gritty, gargantuan linebacker staring down the quarterback. The look in the eyes that says, "You're mine," and the thought of giving the opposing quarterback a concussion. Matt Rader could tell you what it's all about. He has faced the likes of Zack Walz, the 6'5'' monster linebacker from Dartmouth. Last weekend, it was Isiah Wilson, the 6'2'' senior from Yale. Princeton senior co-captain Tim Greene isn't this typical linebacker -- you can't see his stare over the heads of the defensive line, even if they are in a three-point stance. Unfortunately, you can only hear the footsteps after it is too late. At only 5'8'' and 210 pounds, built more like a running back, Greene has overcome the stereotypes of needing size to fill up the middle. "In our opinion, he is one of the best linebackers in the Ivy League this year," Princeton coach Steve Tosches said. "He runs; that is his forte. He is a strong kid, he's not tall." In his third year starting, Greene has made it clear that his game deserves recognition among the elite in the league. In 1996, Greene was a first-team All-Ivy League selection, and team MVP. "Tim is not the most talkative kid; his leadership is definitely by example," Tosches said. "His leadership is by his work ethic. The team obviously had seen those qualities in him for three years and he is the guy they chose as captain." His emergence has been a secret to no one at Princeton. Greatness was prophesied by those who watched a raw freshman run all over the field on special teams. Greene's touchdown off of a blocked kick at Bucknell in 1994 showed Tosches and his assistants the speed that has made Greene a defensive mainstay until the present. As one of seven returning seniors on Princeton's defense, Greene has been crucial to the Tigers' success. With 107 tackles last year, Greene was tops on the squad. He has set the pace again this year with 65 tackles, 44 of which are solo. Coming to Franklin Field this weekend, Greene's play will be key for the Tigers to stay in the game with the Quakers. Princeton has been unable to put points on the board consistently, but has allowed more than 13 points in only one game, a 31-28 defeat of Colgate. "I think defense has been the mainstay the last couple years," Greene said. "This year we have a lot of returning starters and a lot of guys with experience, a lot of good players." With the emergence of Quakers running back Jim Finn, and the polished play of quarterback Matt Rader, the Tigers' defense will need to be firing on all cylinders. Expect Greene to be in the thick of it all. "We have so many vocal leaders on our defense, for me it is an easy job getting the defense ready," Greene said. "It is a job that does itself. Through seven games to this point, I think every game our defense has played really well. It has been seven pretty good games." After Finn's 187 yards on the ground at the Yale Bowl, Greene and his teammates will be expecting a running game. The Tigers will need to keep the duo of Finn and McGee closer to their opponents average of 107 yards per game than the Quakers' 239 rushing yards last week to have a chance. "[Penn] has done a pretty good job running the ball of late. Finn is a very good runner, a big guy, a powerful guy," Greene said. "I think the key to the game is going to be stopping the run and making them throw the ball?it should be a good challenge for us." It is what they can't see that may hurt the Quakers. Greene's ability to get to the hole, and close it, has been as good as anyone's. With only 2.5 sacks on the year, his remaining nine tackles for a loss have been from simply getting through the line without being picked up. It has cost opposing teams more than two yards a hit behind the line of scrimmage. "I think for me, speed is my best attribute. I look to beat people with speed, instead of power. I will use power if I have to," Greene said. "I really try to key off my reads, study a lot of film so I know what the other team is going to do and beat the other team to the punch." For Penn to effectively run the ball, and control the tempo of their game, Greene will have to be accounted for on every play. Rader's ability to throw the ball will be determined by the success of the running game, and the time he has in the pocket. Greene will be up front all day, whether you see him or not. "Being a smaller linebacker, I think it is an advantage," Greene said. "At times it is harder to find me, sometimes I can slip through the lines." Well on his way to another All-Ivy acknowledgement, this approach has obviously worked. Greene would rather that no one see his 5'8", 210-pound frame until he's in his face. The Quakers hope they can see him, before they hear the footsteps.
(10/31/97 10:00am)
On paper, Yale should be a pushover, but Penn is not taking a win over the 1-5 Elis for granted. Yale represents a test of mental fortitude for the Quakers football team this weekend. Marching up to New Haven, Conn., for a 12:30 p.m. game at the Yale Bowl will prove to be anything but relaxing, even though the Elis have been unable to post a league win. The play of the Quakers (3-3, 2-1 Ivy League) in their 31-10 manhandling of Brown last weekend certainly rekindled hopes of an Ivy League title run. However, every game remains a must-win situation, regardless of an opponent's record. "We've been telling [the players] that we have absolutely no margin for error," sixth-year Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "Yale Bowl has always been a difficult place for a Penn team to go to play, historically speaking." Yale (1-5, 0-3) has been far from impressive in its play this season, but it has more incentives to defeat a Quakers squad just beginning to reach the top of their game. In addition, the coaching staffs of the two squads are uncommonly familiar with each other and feature similar styles of play. The Penn coaches have a friendship with those that will be on opposing sidelines tomorrow. Yale head coach Jack Siedelecki and assistants Rick Flanders and Duane Brooks (both former Penn assistants) should have their players juiced for this game for personal reasons and for a glint of Ivy League respect. "Anytime you play a team that has nothing to a lose, it becomes a much, much more difficult game," Bagnoli said. "We fully expect it to be a very hard game, and that is what we are trying to impress upon our kids." The Quakers' approach this week revolved around fine-tuning the methods that were successful against Brown. Holding the Bears to only 62 passing yards in the first three quarters, the Penn defense gave the offensive side of the ball adequate chances to move the length of the field. The task will come against the young left-handed signal caller of the Elis, sophomore Jack Walland. The defense will also need to contain the running of Jake Fuller, who has stepped in as the main ball carrier for Yale. The defense held the Bears to only about 23 minutes of possession time. The Penn offense impressed in the other 37 minutes with the ball, posting a season-high 31 points. The Quakers can credit this successful ball control to the turnaround of a once suspect ground game. The rediscovery of junior Jim Finn as a running back has given the Penn offense a legitimate way of controlling the clock, and likewise made the passing game more effective. "I think we are going to have to establish the run," Penn quarterback Matt Rader said. "That will establish the play action so we can open it up, spread it out, and pass the ball." Keeping the Yale defense honest with a running game will be necessary, as their one strength thus far has been defense. The Elis have shown hints of excellence on this side of the ball with 21 sacks. In light of that, the offensive line will be called upon to continue its improvement. "I think it is just experience for [the lineman], because coming in they really didn't have a lot. [Mike] Soyster was the only one that had any," Rader said. "They've really come together, and that is really why our offense has clicked, along with the receivers starting to be able to catch the ball has really helped us a lot." This offensive line has played a large part in the surging Quakers offense. Rader's 334-yard passing performance came at the hands of only one sack. The previous week the offensive line was nearly as successful, allowing only two sacks at the hands to Columbia. "Everyone speaks of the inexperience at running back and the inexperience at wide receiver," Bagnoli said. "Our offensive line only had two starters. It took a little while for [Adam] Conish and [Chris] Cooney to kind of gel with [Jason] Lebron. But as they get better and better, we get better opportunities." As four of the starting linemen are seniors, the emphasis on the present is clear. "I think we have developed a tougher mental attitude as a team in general, but especially the offensive line," Quakers right tackle Chris Riley said. "We're not going to try to finesse a team, we are going to try and power them." The trip to New Haven will give the Quakers a chance to show this "power" mentality, and prove that last week will be a gauge for the rest of year. Riley best described the significance of tomorrow's game. "If we don't win now, we don't have a chance at anything," he said.
