Football

BEREA, OHIO -- The new era in Baldwin Wallace University Yellow Jacket football began with a bang today as the Yellow Jackets defeated non-conference rival Allegheny (Pa.) College, 22-2, at the Robertson Field in Meadville.

"This was the third greatest moment in my life," said Head Coach John Snell. "The first was when I got married and the second was the day that my son was born. I have been preparing for this day my entire coaching career, and I am very happy with the way it (the day) turned out."

The Yellow Jackets scored first when junior Kevin Hille (Willoughby/ Lake Catholic High School) connected on a 27-yard field goal with 9:00 remaining in the first quarter. After an Allegheny possession, junior quarterback Dan Larlham (Brimfield/ Walsh Jesuit H.S.) scampered 55 yards for a BW touchdown with 1:09 left in the quarter. Defense ruled the second quarter as neither team was able to put any points on the scoreboard.

In the second half, senior running back Kyle Obendorf (Wadsworth H.S.) ran the ball in from a yard out and Hille added the extra point to give the Jackets a 16-0 lead. The Gators scored a safety when a BW ball carrier was tackled in the endzone. The Jackets closed out the scoring when Larlham connected with sophomore Nate Wilder (Youngstown/ Cardinal Mooney H.S.) from 22 yards out.

Larlham led the BW offensive attack as he rushed for 82 yards on 11 carries. He also completed nine of 15 passes, including five-of-five in the second half, for 87 yards. In the game, the Brown & Gold outgained the Gators in total yards and forced four turnovers. Junior Mark Anders (North Olmsted H.S.) led the ground attack with 78 yards on 17 carries and Wilder led all receivers with four catches for 56 yards. Defensively, junior Greg Koch (Olmsted Falls H.S.) had a team-leading 11 tackles, including five solo tackles.

BW will next play on September 21 when it hosts defending Division III national champions Mount Union College on Cummunity Night at 6:30 p.m. in George Finnie Stadium. The game can be heard on campus radio station WBW, 88.3 FM, or via the BW internet website at www.bw.edu/athletics.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact the Baldwin Wallace University Sports Information Office by telephone at (440) 826-2327, by FAX machine at (440) 826-2329 or by e-mail at kruple@bw.edu.

BW Football Game Notes #1:  BW vs. Allegheny (Pa.) College

Read the Game Notes in PDF format 

The Baldwin Wallace University YELLOW JACKET football team opens the 2002 season on Saturday, September 7 at Allegheny College of Pennsylvania at Robertson Field in Meadville, Pennsylvania. This is a non-league game. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. 

RADIO -- BW campus radio station WBW, 88.3 FM, will carry the game live from Meadville with the pregame show starting at 1:00 p.m. Senior Dave Droes will call the play-by-play and John Holko will add the color analysis. WBW broadcasts all home and away Yellow Jacket games. The live broadcast can also be heard live via the internet at www.bw.edu/athletics. 

Baldwin Wallace University
LOCATION: Berea, Ohio
NICKNAME: Yellow Jackets
2001 RECORD: 6-4
2001 OAC RECORD: 5-4
LAST WEEK: First game of 2002 season
HEAD COACH: John Snell
ALMA MATER/ YEAR: Baldwin Wallace / 1989
YEAR AT BW: First/ 8th overall
BW RECORD: 0-0
CAREER RECORD:  Same
IN TWO WEEKS: HOST MT. UNION in Berea; 6:30 p.m. 

ALLEGHENY COLLEGE
LOCATION: Meadville, Pennsylvania
NICKNAME: Gators
2001 RECORD: 5-5
2001 NCAC RECORD: 4-3
LAST WEEK: First game of 2002 season
HEAD COACH: Mark Matlak
ALMA MATER / YEAR: Allegheny / 1978
YEAR AT AC: First
AC RECORD: 0-0
CAREER RECORD: same
NEXT WEEK: HOST WASH. & JEFF. in Meadville; 1:00 p.m. 

SERIES BEGAN: first meeting
SERIES RECORD first meeting
LAST MEETING: first meeting
SERIES STREAK: first meeting 

The Pregame Notes -- The Baldwin Wallace University football team will be beginning a new era with first year head coach John Snell and will look for their 36th consecutive winning season. Last season, BW finished with a 6-4 record giving them their 35th winning season. The streak is the fourth-longest in college football and the third-longest in Divison III.

The Gators of Allegheny will also have a new head coach pacing the sidelines in Allegheny graduate Mark Matlak. Coach Matlak had spent the previous 18 seasons as an assistant at the Universtiy of New Hampshire. Allegheny will try to improve a 5-5 overall record of a year ago by beginning 2002 season with out of conference opponents Baldwin Wallace and Washington & Jefferson.

BW vs. Allegheny Series Notes -- This will be the first meeting between the Yellow Jackets and Gators in school history.

Scouting the Yellow Jackets -- The Yellow Jackets return 12 starters from last season. On offense, junior quarterback Dan Larlham (Brimfield/Walsh Jesuit) will be taking snaps from Sean Adamski

Larlham completed 126 of 226 passes for 1,773 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also ran for 371 yards and a team leading seven Tds. Kyle Obendorf (Wadsworth) was the leading rusher with 661 yards in 151 attempts with four Tds in 10 games. Mark Anders (North Olmsted) rushed for 401 yards and six Tds. He also had 181 yards receiving. Dave LaBahn (Strongsville)was the leading receiver with 30 catches for 518 yards and six Tds. Sophomore Dave Ehrman (Stongsville) was second in receiving with 32 catches for 398 yards and three Tds. Reliable junior placekicker Kevin Hille (Willoughby Hills/Lake Catholic) also returns. In addition, a host of solid offensive lineman, led by Academic All-American guard Matt Kish (Brook Park/ Middleburg Heights Midpark) and junior tackle Joe Harbour (Upper Sandusky).

On defense, junior end Rick Schontz (Butler, Pa./Butler), senior tackle Rob Wittensoldner (Alliance Marlington), junior All-OAC defensive backs Tom DeLuca (Norwalk Senior) and Greg Koch (Olmsted Falls) and junior punter Rob Becker (Dover) will be the top players.

Scouting the Opponent: Allegheny College -- The Gators finished last season with a 5-5 overall and 4-3 NCAC record. The team returns 20 starters from last season. There is a total of eight offensive starters led by junior quaterback Bubba Smith who completed 150 of 262 passes for 2048 yards and 21 touchdowns last year. The Gators will have to rebuild this season at the tailback position with the loss of Shane Ream. Running backs Jamie Sye and Brian Woods will be the ones called upon to replace Ream. Smith will also have support from wide reciever Jon Turner who had 802 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.

The Gators will return all but two defensive starters from last year led by seniors Joe Cowart and J.P. McFeeley who both finished with 46 total tackles last season.

THE YELLOW JACKET NOTEBOOK

The Seasonal Winning Streak -- Baldwin Wallace University has a seasonal winning streak of 36 years. The streak is third longest in NCAA Division III and the fourth longest in all of college football. BW has not had a losing season since 1966.

Yellow Jackets Picked to Finish Fourth by the Coaches and Fifth by the Media -- The Ohio Athletic Conference coaches picked BW to finish fourth in the conference at the annual Media Day on August 6, in Columbus. In the media poll, BW was tabbed to place fifth. At the North Coast Athletic Conference Media Day at Denison University on August 8, Allegheny was tabbed to place fourth in both the coaches and media polls.

All-American Candidates: One Preseason and Another Possibility -- The Yellow Jackets enter the 2002 season with one preseason All-American player -- junior kickoff return specialist Tom DeLuca. He was tabbed to the 2002 Football Gazette second-team.

Academic All-America (Verizon) Candidates -- BW has four possible candidates for 2002 Verizon Academic All-America team, including 2001 first-team Academic All-American Matt Kish. In addition, junior offensive tackle Joe Harbour (3.93 in education), sophomore wide receiver Dave Ehrman (3.69 in business administration) and junior placekicker Kevin Hille (3.38 in business administration).

Yellow Jackets Play Five Home Games in 2002 -- The Yellow Jackets will play five home games during the 2002 season. BW will open its home schedule on September 21 when it plays Mount Union College.

For More On Current BW Football -- The latest statistics and information about BW football can be found on the BW Sports Website at http://www.bw.edu/athletics. Offensive statistics will be posted on the website following all games and defensive statistics will be posted every Monday by 5:00 p.m.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BW FOOTBALL AND OTHER ATHLETICS, Please contact BW SID Kevin Ruple by either telephone by calling (440) 826-2327 or by FAX machine by calling (440) 826-2329. Kevin Ruple can also be reached via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu.

BW head football coach John Snell can be reached by calling (440) 826-2069 or athletics secretary Jackie Ryan at (440) 826-2184. The Athletic Department FAX machine can be reached at (440) 826-2192. John Snell can also be reached via e-mail at jsnell@bw.edu .