SPORTS STORIES:
SPARTAN FOOTBALL—2008
#12/15 WABASH 20, #8/11 CASE 17...
CLEVELAND, OH (November 22, 2008) - A fourth-and-long conversion and 52-yard touchdown on back-to-back plays in the final minute stunned the Case Western Reserve University football team and ended the 8th-ranked Spartans’ season with a 20-17 loss to 12th-ranked Wabash College in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs Saturday at Case Field.
"It sure was a big swing," said Head Coach Greg Debeljak. "I have never really been in a game like it... where the tide seemed to turn back and forth like that in such a short time. I was in a lost for words when I was talking to my kids [after the game]. I didn't assume we had the game wrapped up, Wabash is a great team and that's what great teams do, but I don't think this has ever happened to us before. It's hard to take."
Junior quarterback Dan Whalen (Willoughby, OH-pictured), who rushed for two touchdowns in the final six minutes, scored from a yard out to put the Spartans (10-1) up 17-13 with 1:52 to go. But Matt Hudson hit Wes Chamblee for 21 yards on 4th-and-15 and connected with Chamblee again on the next play for the game-winner with 48 seconds left. Chamblee pulled the ball in around the Case Western Reserve 30, made several moves through the defense and raced to the front corner of the end zone, helping the Little Giants (10-1) eliminate the Spartans from the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
The first half was a defensive struggle, played in blustery conditions with freezing temperatures and blowing snow. The only points of the first 30 minutes were scored on a field goal by sophomore Sam Coffey (Middletown, OH) with 10:35 remaining in the first quarter. The Spartans’ defense twice turned away Wabash in the red zone, first on a blocked field goal by Zach Homyk (Chicago, IL) and the second on a goal-line stand in which Case Western Reserve held on four straight plays inside the five yard line.
Wabash gained 156 total yards in the half to the Spartans’ 132.
Wabash started the second-half scoring with a touchdown just 2:38 into the period, as Hudson hit Scott Liska for an 18-yard score. The extra point was blocked, giving the Little Giants a 6-3 lead. The remainder of the game’s scoring occurred in the fourth quarter.
Following a Whalen interception, Evan Sobecki’s two-yard run extended the Wabash lead to 13-3 with 8:58 remaining. But Whalen led the Spartans right back, capping a 9-play, 64-yard drive in just 2:39 with an eight-yard run with just over six minutes to go.
The Case Western Reserve defense, behind senior defensive end Brian Calderone (Broadview Heights, OH), forced a three-and-out on Wabash’s next possession. Calderone stuffed Sobecki twice in a row and then forced Hudson to rush an errant throw and give the Spartans the ball back with 4:21 left.
A 55-yard strike from Whalen to Homyk set up a first-and-goal inside the five, but the Spartans were stuffed on three straight runs. After lining up for a field goal attempt to tie on fourth down, Head Coach Greg Debeljak decided to go for the lead after a time out and sent the offense back out onto the field. Whalen took the snap and leapt over the center of the line for the score.
Following the big plays by Hudson and Chamblee, the Spartans got the ball back with 43 seconds left, but a 24-yard loss on a sack by Jared Lange put Case Western Reserve in a deep hole. The Spartans could not convert on a 4th-and-20, ending their second straight playoff appearance on a disappointing note.
Wabash defeated Case Western Reserve 38-23 in the second round last year.
Whalen completed 21-of-36 passes for 219 yards with an interception along with his two touchdown runs. In the process, he set a school record for career completions, moving passed Eli Grant with 495 completions heading into his senior season next year. Tim Cowdrick (Mentor, OH) was his main target on the afternoon, catching seven passes for 51 yards. Homyk hauled in five for 80 yards and Shaun Nicely (Willoughby, OH) added three for 50.
Corey Checkan (Georgetown, PA) led the Case Western Reserve ground game with 41 yards on 11 carries. The Spartans were held to a season-low 64 yards rushing. The 17 points were also the fewest scored by Case Western Reserve this year.
Senior linebacker Ben Chlebina (Uniontown, OH) had a team-high nine tackles and also picked off a pass to lead the Case Western Reserve defense. Calderone had three sacks among his eight stops and junior linebacker Jeff Brown (North Olmsted, OH) also had eight total tackles while breaking up two passes.
The Spartans held Wabash well below its season average in scoring, rushing total yards. Hudson completed 19-of-31 throws for 267 yards and a pair of TDs and an interception. Chamblee had eight catches for 171 yards. Sobecki picked up 85 yards on 18 rushes. Rich Lehman led all players with 11 tackles and had two of the Little Giants’ five sacks.
The Little Giants held a 354-283 edge in total yards and 33:34-26:26 advantage in time of possession.
Wabash will face Wheaton College next week in the second round.
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