SPORTS STORIES:
SPARTAN FOOTBALL—2008
NO. 10 CASE 41, oberlin 6...
CLEVELAND, OH (September 19, 2009) -
The No. 10-ranked Case Western Reserve University football team won their 24th consecutive regular season game in epic style this evening at home. The Spartans (3-0, 0-0 UAA) scored 41 points in the first half alone en route to a 41-6 victory over Oberlin College (0-2, 0-0 NCAC). The Yeomen have not defeated Case Western Reserve since the 1983 season.
With the win, Head Coach Greg Debelajk (pictured) became the University's all-time winningest modern-era coach. He surpassed Jim Chapman, who posted a 36-7-1 mark from 1982-86. Debeljak, who’s only head coaching position has been at Case Western Reserve, is 37-19.
The Spartans have a bye this week. Their next game will be October 3 at Denison University at 7:00 p.m.
Dan Whalen (Willoghby, OH), who threw for 331 yards (22-28) and five touchdowns in Case Western Reserve’s 45-14 win at the University of Rochester last Saturday, threw for 317 yards (20-26) and a career-high six touchdowns in the first 30 minutes of, ironically, Fireworks Night at Case Field. In the Spartans first win of the season, 33-21 at home against Kenyon, Whalen threw for 409 yards (30-37) and four touchdowns. Whalen also led the Spartans in rushing tonight with 53 yards on five carries.
Whalen, a 2009 Gagliardi Trophy candidate [Div. III Player of the Year], has completed an extraordinary 79.1 percent of his passes on the season for 1,057 yards and 15 touchdowns. He entered the game tied for first in the country in total touchdowns, ranked third in passing efficiency and ninth in total offense.
In the first quarter, Whalen hit senior running back Corey Checkan (Georgetown, PA) from five yards out at 10:05, sophomore tight end Bryce Coleman (Solon, OH) from ten yards out at 6:43, junior wide receiver Zach Homyk (Chicago, IL) from four yards out at 2:49 and senior wide receiver Ryan Kolesar (Mentor, OH) on a 32-yard touchdown pass at 2:36 to lead 28-0 at the end of the quarter.
Whalen found his fifth and sixth touchdown targets of the game in the second quarter. He hit junior wide receiver Shaun Nicley (Willoughby, OH) on a 29-yarder at 7:51. After a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Tim Cowdrick (Mentor, OH) with just under two seconds remaining in the half was called back due to a penalty, Whalen found Cowdrick again from 42 yards out with no time on the clock to give Case Western Reserve a 41-0 lead at the half.
Junior kicker Sam Coffey (Middleton, OH) was 5-of-6 in point after attempts in the first half.
The only score of the second half occurred with 5:55 to play in the fourth quarter when Oberlin sophomore running back Sean Curtis found the endzone on a ten-yard run. The Spartans blocked the extra point attempt.
Cowdrick was the biggest beneficiary of Whalen’s monster day as he hauled down seven passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. Homyk caught five passes for 77 yards and a score.
Defensively, the Spartans were led by junior linebacker Lucas Sasala (Kittanning, PA) with 13 total tackles. Sophomore defensive lineman Dale English (Middleburg Hts.) and senior linebacker Lee Sasala (Kittanning, PA) each added nine tackles. English was constantly in the Yeomen backfield and recorded six tackles for losses and a sack.
-end-