The Morning News from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 20

CunJay Nows Journal, Wilmington, November 12, 1V78 Poor Tialf puts Villanova in hole raJi vjtow ryfW Sk CIS? ir staff pholuK Krrri I omp(s By RAY FINOCCH1 ARO Villanova's football team played like losers in the first half yesterday in Delaware Stadium. Nobody had to say a thing about it in the Wildcats' locker room at halftime. The 23-6 deficit on the scoreboard said it all. "Nobody said much," Villanova quarterback Pat O'Brien said after the game, with no trace of the Knute Rockne blarney his acting namesake immortalized years ago. "Everybody realized these guys (Delaware) were sticking it to us and it shouldn't have hap- pened.

We all felt we had the better team. We still do. "We saw what was happening and just picked ourselves up in the second half. Football is a game of two halves, but we always seem to play one." Delaware won the first half in devastating, but not demoralizing, style. The Wildcats clawed back for a 16-0 second-half decision.

But it all came down to a missed extra point, a missed field goal both by freshmen Chuck Bushbeck and, when time ran out on Villanova's last-ditch drive, a 23-22 Delaware victory before 20, 189 screaming fans. "We deserved to win it," said O'Brien, who rushed 20 times for 83 yards and completed 11 of 21 passes for 170 more, all with a sore throwing hand. "You look back to this game and the loss to Colgate and you figure we should be 7-3 now, not 5-5. You see what could have been and it really rocks you." And it really rocked Villanova Coach Dick Bedesem, who had said the Wildcats had to have a winning record season or he wouldn't be back to coach them next year. The season-finale with Temple, a team that generally gives the Wildcats fits, would seem to hold the key to sem's future.

"This was a very tough one to lose," Bedesem said. "What the hell, we didn't play well the first half and they got that big lead. We got the momentum in the half and things went the way we wanted. We shut them down offensively and drove the ball. "The idea was to drive for the touchdown and not to panic.

We weren't going for anything quick or fancy. We wanted to show we could dominate them off the ball and we did it the second half." Unsaid, but not forgotten, was the fact that Villanova did little in the first half Delaware threw a nine-man line against the Wildcats, who hoped their Wishbone could cover the fact that O'Brien couldn't throw well with his sore hand. So Vince Thompson, the Cats' burly fullback, lugged the ball six times in a 14-play drive that made it 23-14 and a safety cut it to 23-16. Just 15 seconds into the final period, the Wildcats capped a three-play drive that featured a 61-yard flea-flicker by scoring on Thompson's one-yard dive. But Bushbeck's kick was wide left and the Wildcats trailed 23-22.

With 3:10 left. Bushbeck, a skinny blond whose field goal had won the opener at Richmond, had his chance to atone for the missed PAT with a 28-yard field goal from the left hashmarks. But the kick sailed wide right. "It was a perfect snap and a perfect hold on both of them," said Bushbeck, his eyes red in a tomb-like Villanova locker room. "I tried to go for the left post but I swung my leg too hard and shanked it to the right.

It was my fault. "There was a LOT of pressure," he said, his head down. "It's near the end of the season and Coach Bedesem said he wouldn't be back if we didn't have a winning season. That's why I feel bad. I feel I contributed a lot to our losing.

Right now I feel pretty low." O'Brien said he was too busy to think about his coach's win-or-I'm-gone ultimatum. "It didn't affect me today because I had too much to think about," he said. "But it will be a big motivating factor for the Temple game. Still, we should have won today. Then the winning season would have been guaranteed." Pat O'Brien's first game last season was against the Hens and he killed them.

He was hoping for an encore yesterday. "I really wanted to stick it to them again," he said. "It would have been even more satisfying to win down here." Delaware's Don O'Shea (92) floats like a butterfly next to Coach Tubby Raymond as the final second ticks off the clock in the Blue Hen's victory over Villanova yesterday. chance to be something special So, Delaware squeezes out a 23-22 victory over Villanova, a classic of sorts that will be talked about at tailgate parties for years to come. But how do you put it in perspective? What the victory means is that this team has another chance to become something special.

That's where these Blue Hens are. 1 1' 1 ft -O Heris get Continued from B-l to take a 3-0 lead with a field goal, it moved through Delaware's defense like a tank. The drive covered 83 yards on 19 plays, but a bad snap on the PAT attempt snuffed that it was 6-3. "Our theme all week had been not to panic, not to let early adversity set us back," said Raymond. "We knew we were not going to be able to shut them off.

We just wanted to stop the long play." Delaware, behind the almost flawless quarterbacking of Jeff Komlo, scored three touchdowns in the second quarter and when the Phillie Phanatic surprised the ware band to be on national te-levisi on and it was turned down. He just doesn't know." When 'Raymond was telling hit story about yesterday's appearance, a bystander remarked: "Don't worry about it, you're already a national hero. Nobody's ever heard of the Delaware band outside of Newark." The Phillie Phanatic will appear on TV's Gong Show on Nov. 28. Too bad the Delaware band is not playing.

David Raymond could bang the gong. crowd with his halftime appearance, it was a giddy 23-6. Delaware was shut out in the second half. And Villanova, with the running of bullish Vince Thompson and the throwing of O'Brien gradually wearing down the fatigued defense, arrived at the finish line with the victory on Bushbeck's foot. "I raised two kickers (David and Chris Raymond) myself," said Raymond.

"I really felt for that kid." But in a second breath, the coach added: "When Bushbeck lined up for that field-goal attempt, I decided not to look. I turned my head and started reciting, 'Our Father, who Then, I said to myself, 'Hell, Tubby, you might as well That's when I saw it shank to the right. Then, I had to live through those last 59 seconds whe. Villanova had possession. It would have only taken one long pass for them to get in field-goal position again." That the Hens did not score in the second half could be an indict- Hen stats VIIKnov 4 10 421 Delaware 1 20 0 023 Scoring sums: First period DELAWARE Brandt Kennedy kicked a 36-yard field goal with 10:41 left.

Delaware started on Villanova 27 after Jim Brandimarle recovered a Wildcat fumble. The Hens moved nine yards in three plays and on fourth and one. Kennedy got the call. DELAWARE 3, Villanova 0 VILLANOVA Vince Thompson drove 5 yards for TD to end 83-vard drive on 19th play. Six Wildcats carried in the drive, but the big play was a 12-yardpass from quarterback Pat O'Brien to end Paul Columbia on third and 7.

Villanova converted two third-down and two fourth-down plays Into first downs-The snap was tumbled and Bob Loscalzo. the holder, failed on two-point run attempt with 3:04 remaining in period. Villanova, DELAWARE 3 DELAWARE Pete Ravettlne caught 44-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jeff Komlo to end three-play, 55-vard drive. Tom Ciccone carried for and Ivory Sully carried for 6 on two other plays. Kennedy kick failed with 13:04 remaining.

DELAWARE 9. Villanova 6 Second period DELAWARE Bo Dennis broke for 14-yard touchdown on his first carry of day to end four-play, 48-yard drive. The TD was set up on shanked punt by Villanova and 15-yard penalty against Wildcats. Kennedy's first kick was negated by penalty, but second was good with 10:02 left In half. DELAWARE 16, Villanova 6 DELAWARE Komlo ran right, then after brief delay cut upfleld for 4-yard TD run that completed 81-vard drive with 17 seconds left in period.

The series took I plays highlighted by 47-yard pass from Komlo to Ravettlne on third and 7 from the Delaware 39. Kennedy's kick was good. DELAWARE 23. Villanova i Third period VILLANOVA Shawn Passman barged 3 yards for TD with 7:29 left to end 54-yard drive on 14th play. O'Brien completed two passes In drive, on a 13-yard toss to Dennis McCaffley and the other an a-yarder to Mike Gold on a third and 9 play.

O'Brien then hit Columbia on two-point conversion. DELAWARE 23, Villanova 14. VILLANOVA Villanova scored two points for safety after Delaware's punter, Mike Shonewolf, fell on his own fumble In end zone with 36 seconds left In period. Delaware began Its offensive series on Its own four and was forced to attempt punt after three plays. DELAWARE 23, Villanova 16 Fourth period VILLANOVA Thompson drove 1 yard for touchdown to close 62-vard drive on third play.

The TD was set up on 61-yard special play In which O'Brien hit McCaulev 7 yards downfield, McCauley in turn lateralling to Gold who went to the 1 before being stepped by Bob Woods. Bushbeck missed the kick with 14:45 left In game. FINAL: DELAWARE 23, Villanova 22 Attendance 20,189. TEAM statistics Delaware Villanova First downs 16 20 By rushing I 13 Bypassing 7 7 By penalty I 0 Yards 302 39 Yards rushing 97 199 Yards passing 205 170 AttComp 1710 2111 Had Intecepted I 1 Puntsavg 33 1 37.8 Penaltiesyards 420 344 Fumblesball lost 21 21 Individual I enters RUSHING Delaware: Sully, 11 carries for 41 yards; Ciccone 7-21; Komlo 6-mlnus Wood 6-12; Marlanl 4-13; Dennis 3-22; Gumbs 3-7; Shoenwolf 1 -minus 10. Vlllano vo: Thomspon 26-70; Shelton 4-19; Passman 7-28; O'Brien 20-47; Crtenet 6-13; Bedesem 2-5; Gold 2-mlnus 3.

PASSING Delaware: Komlo 17-IO-I. Villanova: CBrlan 21-11-1. RECEIVING Delaware: Ravettlne S-122; Wood 2-38; Ciccone 1-1: Sully 1-21; Mill 1-9. villanova: Columbel 4pS7; Gross 2-21; McCaulev 3-25; Gold 1-65; Chenet 1-2. ment, but it was apparent Villanova's defense came onto the field recharged after the break.

"I was worried that we did not move the ball," said Raymond. "I could see how determined Villanova was. I think when you get a lead, like 23-6, you tend to be a little bit more conservative not on purpose, but it happens. The free-wheeling spirit that helped get that lead is not there." Delaware Continued from B-l against the running game." In the first half, Komlo hit spread receiver Pete Ravettine on a 44-yard scoring play for Delaware's first TD, then directed two other drives of 48 and 81 yards. Villanova drove 83 yards in 19 plays the second time it had the ball, but had only 18 plays the rest of the half.

Jim Brandimarte, a junior defensive back, played a major role in the Hens' defensive effort as he accounted for much of Villanova's minus 25 yards in the first half. "It was Sam Dolente's and my job to take the pitch away from them," explained Brandimarte of the early success. "Every time I came up I'd try to stay an extra step or two with the quarterback Pat O'Brien. A few times I could tell he had no intention of pitching, so I moved right in." But the Wildcats fired out in the second half. They held Delaware on downs right off and then quickly marched 54 yards to score.

They then intercepted Komlo four plays later in Villanova territory. The next time the Hens got the ball it was on their own 4-yard line. After three fruitless plays Schonewolf fumbled the snap, but recovered to avert a Villanova touchdown. The Wildcats had to settle for a safety. "There was nothing wrong with the snap," said a relieved Shonewolf after the game.

"Joe Booth did an excellent job of snapping all day. I just got ahead of myself and was kicking before I had control of the ball." Delaware was assisted by a 15-yard penalty against Villanova on the ensuing kickoff from the 20 and the Wildcats set up shop at their own 35. Villanova picked up three yards before the end of the quarter, but on the first play of the final period caught Delaware on a razzle-dazzle play that covered 61 yards to the Hens' 1. O'Brien hit wide receiver Dennis McCauley at the Villanova 45 and McCauley in turn flipped to Mike Gold who would have gone all the way if he hadn't been stopped by defensive back Bob Woods. On the next play Thompson scored, but the extra point was missed and Delaware still led, 23-22.

"We knew they had that play," said Brandimarte of the pass-pitch effort, "but we forgot about it. Against the Wishbone you have to concentrate on your regular assignment and it's easy to forget something like that." Delaware didn't score on its next series, but it did help itself by killing more than 4V minutes in a drive that went to the Villanova 39 before being halted. Schonewolf just missed the coffin corner and the Wildcats began a drive that reached the Delaware 11. Kicker Chuck Bushbeck got the call after an O'Brien pass failed on a third and 7 play, but his kick was wide right. "He just blew it," said Ed Braceland, a sophomore tackle; who played a major role in Delaware's defensive effort.

Delaware moved from its 20 to its 35 in six plays, but with 1:08 was forced to give up the ball on a punt by Shonewolf to the Villanova 35. The Wildcats got the ball with 59 secotids, but had no time-; outs remaining. "That's the longest 59 seconds I can ever remember," said linebacker Al Minite. "It seemed like 10 minutes. I was so afraid they were gonna catch one on us." But the Wildcats didn't catch the Blue Hens and Delaware still appears within reach of being a special Delaware football team.

"Everybody knew what our potential was and today we finally played at or above that potential," said Sully, who led the Hens running game with 41 yards in 11 carries. "We might have had a little luck, but I think we deserved a little after some of the things that have happened to us this season. "My goodness, I'm still shaking. That was a long 59 seconds." QUICK KICKS Villanova's first-half touchdown was the first. TD scored against the Hens in Delaware Stadium since the third game of the season against Western Illinois Komlo threw for 205 yards, marking the fourth time this season he's gone over 200 yards in the air Six Villa-; nova backs participated in the Wildcats' opening 83-yard TD drive Kennedy's seventh field goal of the season yesterday tied him with record-holder Hank Kline This was the first time any of the 21 seniors on the Delaware roster had played in a winning effort against Villanova.

Allen could go to SF SAN FRANCISCO (AP) George Allen, fired by the hos Angeles Rams last summer, is being considered as a future coach of the San Francisco 49ers, it was reported yesterday. "There's no truth to that at said Joe Thomas, general manager of the National Football League team. "He hasn't been contacted by us." The Palo Alto Times said in a story yesterday there was "an excellent chance" that Allen would be the 49ers' head coach in 1979 and that contact already hgd been made between the team and Allen. Pete McCulley was fired 3s 49ers coach Oct. 31 and Fred O'Connor is serving as interim coach.

Allen rejoined the Rams this year after coaching the Washington Redskins several seasons. Wilmington rolls Ed Stewart's 7-point scoring performance helped Wilmington Rugby Club to a 27-6 win over Lancaster Rugby Club yesterday; Five Wilmington players scored four points apiece in the winning cause. PA steals show at Delaware By HAL BODLEY Sports Editor It had been a busy morning for David Raymond. He was up early, off to Philadelphia for a personal appearance as the Phillie Phanatic, that feathery creature that delighted millions from coast to coast last baseball season. Who will ever forget the night at Dodger Stadium when the Phillie Phanatic took on Don Rickles and Frank Sinatra and won! But David Raymond is Tubby's son and it is a must for him to attend most Delaware football games.

A year ago, David was the Blue Hens' punter. Once the appearance was completed yesterday, David stashed the costume in the back of his car and sped to Delaware Stadium for the battle with Villanova. "When Jeff Komlo scored that touchdown late in the second period and 'we' went up 23-6, I was beside myself," said David. "All of a sudden I got a bright idea. I decided to put on the suit and go out on the field.

Nobody knew was going to do it not even me By the time the last feather in place, the Villanova band finishing its routine and Dela- ware's was ready to come on with its show. The Delaware halftime shows will never make it to Broadway. Tn fan mnct rt Ihnm aro fnrflotfa. ble to say the least. But yesterday the Phillie Phanatic made it.

The largest Delaware Stadium crowd of the year, 20,189, was treated to the most hilarious half-time show in decades. The Phillie Phanatic danced with a Golden Girl, he swiped a Villanova majorette 's baton and it. Well, almost. Then, when the band was trudging around the field, he livened it up by marching along and sticking out that crazy tongue at tuba players. "The band members kept coming over to me saying, 'Great job, we loved Raymond related after the game.

"They were really excited about the Phanatic coming to Delaware Stadium." The band director, Dr. David P. Blackinton, however, did not see much humor in the Phanatic's spontaneous appearance. "He told me after it was over that he was really unhappy. He was really upset," said Raymond.

Delaware football fans got an unexpected treat yesterday when the Phillie Phanatic really ex-Hen punter Dave Raymond, Tubby's son made an unscheduled halftime appearance. "I kept telling him I was sorry, but it didn't help. All the time he's giving me all this static, the band members are congratulating me. "You know, it's really funny. I've worked with over 50 bands this year and they have all loved me except for this idiot today and that idiot in Los Angeles at the playoffs.

"This same guy was invited to bring the Delaware band to Veterans Stadium for the playoffs and turned down the invitation, saying they would be too tired. It was a great opportunity for the Dela.