SPORTS STORIES:
SPARTAN FOOTBALL—2008
no. 10 Case 53, wooster 32...
CLEVELAND, OH (October 10, 2009) - No. 10-ranked Case Western Reserve University hadn’t won a football game at The College of Wooster in over two decades (1987, 20-13) until tonight. The Spartans, who will bring back home the Baird Brohers Trophy, spoiled the Scots first home night game in school history with a 53-32 victory.
It was Case Western Reserve’s (5-0, 0-0 UAA) 26th consecutive regular season win and third consecutive victory over Wooster. They host Ohio Wesleyan University at Case Field Saturday, October 17 at 1:00 p.m.
Senior quarterback Dan Whalen (Willoughby, OH) threw for two touchdowns and ran for one in the first quarter to give the Spartans a 21-9 lead. Whalen found senior receiver Tim Cowdrick (Mentor, OH-pictured) on both tosses, at 11:59 and 3:34. The last one was a 94-yard bomb on third and thirty that put Case up 14-3. Cowdrick’s two scores were his seventh and eighth of the season. Less than two minutes later (1:51), Wooster (3-2, 3-0 NCAC) found the end zone for the first time. Senior quarterback Austin Holter hit senior receiver Mike Francescangeli from eight yards out, but the Scots missed the point after and trailed 14-9. Whalen then finished off a five-play, 84-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown leap with 17 seconds remaining in the quarter. It was Whalen second rushing touchdown of the season.
The Spartans, who have done most of their scoring this year in the first half (130-27), cooled off in the second quarter tonight. Junior kicker Sam Coffey (Middletown, OH) pushed Case’s lead to 15, 24-9, with a 22-yard field goal at 5:55, but that would be it. Wooster benefited from a muffed Spartan punt snap at 4:36, receiving two points for a safety. The Scots’ Holter then threw his second touchdown pass of the first 30 minutes, a five-yarder to sophomore tight end Cameron Daniels with 1:12 remaining in the half to pull within six, 24-18, at the half.
Wooster took its first lead (25-24) of the game and gave Case its first deficit [regular season] in two years at 11:02 as Holter and Francescangeli connected again on another eight-yard score. Senior running back Corey Checkan (Georgetown, PA) regained the lead for the Spartans, 31-25, at 7:06, but senior Bryan Albani put the Scots immediately ahead again, 32-31, on the ensuing kickoff with a 93-yard return. Whalen then threw his third touchdown pass of the game, a nine-yard strike to junior receiver Zach Homyk (Chicago, OH), at 2:15 and hit Cowdrick on a two-point conversion pass to give Case a 39-32 lead heading into the fourth.
Less than five minutes later, Homyk caught another Whalen bullet, this one a 34-yarder that put the Spartans up 46-32. It was Homyk’s sixth touchdown catch of the year. Checkan then added an insurance touchdown, his second of the game and 26th of his career, at 7:03 on a two-yard gallop that gave the Spartans a 21-point cushion, 53-32. Checkan had 11 carries for 57 yards, surpassing 1,000 yards in his career. Senior linebacker Jeff Brown (North Olmsted, OH) then ended Wooster’s upset hopes with an interception during their next possession. Brown led the Case defense with 11 solo tackles. Senior linebacker Lee Sasala (Kittanning, PA) added seven total (5 solo, 2 assist).
Whalen, who entered the game first in the country (All Divisions) in passing efficiency (217.50) and sixth (Div. III) in total offense (354.25), completed 26-of-37 passes for 396 yards and four touchdowns. Cowdrick caught eight passes 159 yards and Homyk six grabs for 119 yards.
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