Football
Football: Gators Shut Out Big Red, 14-0
Jon Berg gained 88 yards on the ground Saturday against Allegheny.
Date: September 29, 2007
Location: Meadville, Pa.
The Big Red offense couldn't find their groove Saturday against the NCAC's second ranked defense, as Allegheny downed Denison 14-0.
Much of the first half was a defensive struggle between the two sides. Allegheny quarterback T.J. Salopek found a hole in the Big Red defense and scampered 54 yards for the first half's lone score.
Midway through the third quarter, junior running back Jon Berg (Washington, Pa./Trinity) shouldered the load of the Big Red's most promising drive. Berg carried the ball on all six plays, pushing the Gators back to their own nine yard line until a fumble would halt the drive.
Late in the fourth, Salopek again came up with a huge play, finding Jake Vite on a 40 yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 14-0. Salopek was 18 of 30 on the day for 171 yards and a score.
The Big Red's last minute scramble for the end zone was stopped when Gator Nick Jones picked off a Tom Simeone (Bethesda, Md./The Potomac School) pass to wrap up the game.
Junior safety Bert Bathiany (Ft. Thomas, Ky./Highlands) had an incredible day on the defensive side of the ball. He recorded 11 tackles, including a sack, and intercepted a pass. Defensive end Josh Hamperian (Lexington, Ky./Lafayette) had seven tackles, three of those for loss.
The offense was led by Berg on the ground, who carried the ball 18 times for 88 yards. Junior wide receiver Nick Thompson (East Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids) had three catches for 22 yards to lead the air attack.
The Big Red fall to 1-3 on the season. They will return to action Saturday as the Oberlin College Yeomen will visit Granville for a 1 p.m. kickoff.