SPORTS STORIES:
SPARTAN FOOTBALL—2008
Case Defeats Denison, 38-13, for 25th straight victory...
CLEVELAND, OH (October 3, 2009) - The No. 9-ranked Case Western Reserve University football team won its 25th straight regular season game over Denison University, 38-13, in Granville, OH. The Spartans (4-0 overall) scored 28 unanswered points in the second and third quarter en route to the victory over the Big Red (1-3 overall).
The Spartans were again led by senior quarterback Dan Whalen (Willoughby, OH) who completed 22-of-31 passes for 284 yards and four touchdowns. Whalen has now completed 77% of his passes on the season (94-of-122) for 1341 yards and 19 touchdowns. He has not thrown for less than 284 yards or four touchdowns in any game this season. Entering this week’s action, Whalen was the NCAA leader in passing efficiency for all divisions with a 228.89 rating.
Junior wide receiver Shaun Nicely (Willoughby, OH ~pictured) was the biggest beneficiary of Whalen’s big day. Nicely had five catches for 52 yards to go along with a career-high three touchdowns.
The Spartans took the opening kickoff and marched into the Denison redzone to set up a 37-yard field goal by junior kicker Sam Coffey (Middleton, OH). Coffey would also go five-of-five on extra points in the contest. After a Big Red three-and-out, the Spartans drove 78 yards, capped two-yard touchdown plunge by senior running back Corey Checkan (Georgetown, PA). An 11-yard touchdown reception by Denison receiver Lucas Graham ended the first quarter scoring as Case Western Reserve led, 10-7.
Starting with the ball in the second quarter, Whalen would throw four touchdown passes in the next five Case Western Reserve possessions. Nicely caught all three touchdowns (7, 13, 7 yards) in the second quarter to give the Spartans a 28-10 halftime advantage. In the first Spartan possession of the third quarter, Whalen found junior receiver Zach Homyk (Chicago, IL) for a 12-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive. That one second half play represented Whalen’s only second half action as junior backup quarterback Joey Baum (Dalton, OH) guided the Spartans the rest of the game.
With the outcome no longer in doubt, the only other second-half score came via a five-yard touchdown run by Big Red running back Nick Krempasky late in the third quarter. Krempasky had 28 carries for 99 yards in the game while safety Drew Homyk, brother of Case Western Reserve’s Zach Homyk, led the Denison defense with 15 tackles.
Junior running back Billy Deitmen (Mentor, OH) led the Spartans ground game with 51 yards on six carries. Senior running back Greg Meyer (Clearwater, FL) carried the ball seven times for 47 yards to pass the 1,000 yard career rushing mark (1,045). Senior receiver Ryan Kolesar had a game-high 90 receiving yards on four receptions.
Defensively for the Spartans, senior defensive back Bradley Paramore (Garfield Hts., OH) and senior linebacker Lee Sasala (Kittanning, PA) each had ten tackles. Senior defensive back Mike Pelyak (Newton Falls, OH) and junior defensive back Greg Kingscott (Cabin John, MD) each added interceptions.
The Spartans are in action next on Saturday, October 10th when they travel to Wooster, OH to take on The College of Wooster at 7:00 p.m. The winner of that contest will be awarded the Baird Brothers Trophy. Case Western Reserve has won the last two meetings.
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