Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • Page 68

El 2 THE HARTFORD COURANT: Sunday, October 31, 1993 Odds and ends How state colleges fared Taam (fcord) Saturday Naxtgama Central (3-5) def. Southern, 28-14 Saturday vs. St. Peter's Coast Guard (3-4) lost to Plymouth 31 -1 4 Saturday vs. WPI UConn (5-4) def.

Richmond, 21-3 Saturday at Rhode Island New Haven (8-0) def. AIC, 63-10 Saturday vs. Bowie State Sacred Heart (2-6) lost to Bentley, 30-0 Saturday at Stonehill Southern (2-6-1 lost to Central, 28-14 Saturday at Kutatown Trinity (6-0) def. Middlebury, 43-14 Saturday at Amherst Wesleyan (6-0) def. Bowdoin, 28-25 Saturday vs.

Williams Western (3-5) lost to Stony Brook, 33-6 Saturday at Albany Yale (2-5) lost to Penn, 48-7 Saturday at Cornell Against Richmond, UConn sophomore tailback Wilbur Gillian! had 252 yards rushing, including runs of 45, 33, 22 and 54 yards. Gilliard averaged 1 0.5 yards on 24 carries, and scored two touchdowns (3- and 1 -yard runs) in a 21-3 Yankee Conference victory. Penn coach Al Bagnoli, a 1975 graduate of Central Connecticut, was carrying the game ball in a glass case after the Quakers' 48-7 victory over Yale. The victory was the 100th of Bagnoli's collegiate coaching career (86-1 9 at Union College, 1 4-3 at Penn). Central cornerback Darlan Cotaman played despite a fever and diarrhea.

He threw up before the game, a 28-14 victory over Southern in which he scored the final touchdown on a 20-yard interception return. He also made eight tackles and broke up three passes. New Haven quarterback Jamas Wair, a junior, threw five touchdown passes in the first half to lead the Chargers to a 63-1 0 victory over American International. Overall, he completed 13 of 22 for 288 yards and six TDs. He has 25 touchdown passes and one interception this season.

Staff reports college fiooftfoall get a handle on Richmond, 21-3 Gilliard, By PHIL RIGGAN Special to The Courant RICHMOND, Va. Sometimes all it takes is some time to settle into the surroundings. UConn sophomore tailback Wilbur Gilliard certainly settled in after two early fumbles, rushing for 252 yards and two touchdowns as the Huskies routed Richmond 21-3 in a driving rain Saturday. It was the fourth-highest rushing effort in UConn history for Gilliard, who carried 24 times. Nick Gia- linebacker Damon Lewis (knee) and his replacement, freshman Dexter Martin (ankle).

"I have never been so proud of a UConn team as the one today," Jackson said. "We played under adverse conditions with all of the injuries but the players that filled in did one heck of a job." Gilliard opened the fourth quarter with a 1-yard touchdown dive as the Huskies pulled away. "Gilliard was unbelievable after those two fumbles," Jackson said. "He really carried the load for us." Yale no match; Penn wins, 48-7 The Huskies (5-4, 4-2 Yankee Conference) relied on the running game, outrushing Richmond 330 yards to 135, but threw when necessary to keep the ball moving against the Spiders (5-3, 3-3). "This is the most rain I think I have ever seen at a football game," UConn coach Tom Jackson said.

"If it had let up a little it would still have been a downpour." The game was sloppy and scoreless until junior backup quarterback Tony Valente threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Monte Nowden ft I 1 f'A I. 1 By TOM YANTZ Courant Staff Writer NEW HAVEN The rainy, cold, blustery conditions Saturday were symbolic of Yale's performance at Yale Bowl. Dismal. Yale's 48-7 loss to Pennsylvania before 7,249 was its worst in the Ivy League since formal league play started in 1956. "We did not play a lick," Yale coach Carm Cozza said.

"Basically, they kicked us all over the field," Yale cornerback Mark Meltz said. Penn, winning at Yale Bowl for the first time since 1985, improved to 7-0. The Quakers are 4-0 in the Ivy League and tied with Princeton, a 14-3 winner over Columbia, for first place. Penn and Princeton play Saturday at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. Playing on a slick field did not bode well for Yale (2-5.

1-3). The Bulldogs were ranked last in the league in pass defense (255.2 yards) before the game. Penn came in as the Ivy's top-ranked passing team (247.3).' The Quakers passed for only 129 yards, but three passes by Jim McGeehan (8 of 19) were good for touchdowns, including a 43-yarder to Chris Brassell that opened a 21-0 lead in the third quarter. Brassell caught four passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns. "You had to concentrate much more on the little things, like gripping the ball," McGeehan said.

"For a quarterback, this wasn't the best of days." Penn outrushed Yale 252-34. with tailback Terrance Stokes gaining 135 on 27 carries. Penn outgained Yale 381-166 and led in first downs, 20-10. UConn quinto set the record of 277 yards in 1976. Gilliard broke loose for a 45-yard gain on the Huskies first possession, but the ball slipped loose at the 6 on his way to an easy touchdown.

On the next possession, Gilliard ran for 33 yards before Richmond linebacker Edmond Mintah popped the ball loose at the 4. "After that I knew I had to hold on to the ball," Gilliard said. "It was a little slippery but I just lost the ball. The team told me to just keep my head up." McGeehan ran 1 yard on a bootleg to give Penn a 7-0 lead with 9 minutes, 3 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Yale drove to the 22 early in the second quarter, but quarterback Steve Mills overthrew tight end David Prybyla and was intercepted by Brian Sullivan at the 8.

Yale drove into Penn territory again on its next possession, but fullback Bob Nelson slipped and fumbled. Linebacker Pat Goodwil-lie picked up the ball and ran 57 yards for a touchdown. Penn, which led 14-0 at halftime, pulled away with a 21 -point third quarter. McGeehan connected with Brassell for 43 yards over the outstretched hands of strong safety Garrick Cox to give Penn a 2 1-0 lead with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter. Cozza thought that play was the turning point.

"I thought we had it (the ball. I don't know how he Cox didn't get it," Cozza said. Without an effective running game, Mills (11 of 23, 100 yards) was harassed by an aggressive pass rush. He was sacked four times and finally replaced by Kevin Mayer and Matt Swedick in the fourth quarter. Nelson scored for Yale on a 3-yard run in the third quarter to make it 21-7.

Penn then scored four times Brassell on an 11-yard catch, Miles Macik on a 2-yard reception, Mark Fabish on a 63-yard punt return and Aman Abye on a 32-yard run. "I didn't get sacked," McGeehan said. "I don't remember too many times getting hit." "We haven't played well in the Bowl, except for one half against UConn," Cozza said. "I can't say I was proud of the way we played." Other games Wesleyan won last year, 40-6. Plymouth Stat 31, Coaat Guard 14: Plymouth State turned a fortunate bounce Into a victory over Coast Guard in Plymouth, N.H.

Trailing 17-7 in the third quarter, Coast Guard (3-4, 2-2 Freedom Football Conference) failed three times to score from the 1-yard line. On fourth down, Adam Wasser-man's field goal attempt hit the upright and fell to the field. Plymouth State (5-2, 4-0) took over and drove 80 yards on six plays, capped by a 36-yard touchdown pass from Andy Jackson to Paul Carlow to make it 24-7. Coast Guard led 7-0 on a 6-vard pass from Wasserman to Jesse Morton and scored the final touchdown of the game on an 8-yard pass from Pete Melnick to Chip Lewin. Bafitlay 30, Sacrad Maart Ot Mike Rymsha passed for one touchdown and caught another to lead Bentley over Sacred Heart in Wal-tham, Mass.

Sacred Heart (2-6) was held to 96 net yards, Including 3 passing. Pioneers fullback Scott Warman rushed for 97 yards on 23 carries. Senior linebacker Jon Vercellone of North Haven, the ECAC's leading tackier, led Bentley with 14 tackles. Stony Brook 33, Weatem Connecticut 6z In Stony Brook, N.Y., Western (3-5, 1-4 Freedom Football Conference) couldn't get much going against SUNY-Stony Brook in the second quarter to give UConn a 7-0 lead. Valente, who was 4 of 7 for 96 yards and a touchdown, replaced Zeke Rodgers, who left midway through the second quarter with an injury to his left, non-throwing hand.

The second Huskies touchdown was set up when Richmond quarterback Greg Lilly was hit by Brian Gleason and fumbled at the Spiders 21. After an interference call, Gilliard ran 3 yards to make it 14-0. Richmond started the second half A i In the past three weeks, the Blue Devils averaged more than 100 yards in penalties. After the 72-18 loss to C.W. Post Oct.

23, several players ran extra wind sprints on a steep hill in practice. "I had players begging me not to throw them off the team," Central coach Sal Cintorino said. "It meant that much to them. They convinced me they wanted to play." The result was six penalties for 36 yards and one turnover, examples, players said, of how the team is capable of playing. Turnovers have plagued Southern (2-6-1) this season.

The Owls have 18 fumbles and 17 interceptions. Saturday, two interceptions were turned into touchdowns. Central linebacker Jay Perez caught an un-derthrown pass in the second quarter and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 Central lead. The Owls also lost two fumbles. And on fourth down early in the third quarter, Owls' punter Jon Di-Florio fumbled the snap and lost 13 yards scrambling for the recovery.

Central got the ball on the Southern 25. Ten plays later, quarterback Sam Tirone threw to tiht end Shane Contos for a 1-yard touchdown pass and a 21-7 lead. i with Jason Gabrels taking over for Lilly, who left with a shoulder injury. Gabrels drove Richmond 63 yards in 15 plays for a 26-yard field goal by Kevin Longacre. "This is the worst playing surface in America," Jackson said of Richmond's artificial surface, which will be replaced after the season.

"How many guys did we have fill in for injured players and do a great job? We looked like MASH after this one." The Huskies lost six players to injuries, including junior outside Southern's Chris Ortiz scored on a 2-yard run in the final minute of the third quarter, narrowing the deficit to 21-14. Then Coleman scored the winning touchdown. "There was extra pressure on the defense because of last week's loss," said Perez, who made nine tackles, one for a loss. "We knew we had to play our best game of the year." Central's defense took away Southern's option plays, which prevented any breakaways on the perimeter. But Southern did well with the inside game, rushing for 180 yards (led by Lester Dorris with 80 yards).

Burns completed 10 of 27 passes for 122 yards and one touchdown, a 7-yard pass to Ortiz in the second quarter that cut Central's lead to 14-7. Central went without a tight end, helping Tirone (14 for-33 for 148 yards, two touchdowns and one interception) get the ball to his wide receivers. His numbers would have been better but in the cold rain the receivers dropped several passes. As Central wide receiver Mike Leary left the locker room, he reached up and touched the Governor's Cup. which was on top of a locker.

He left whistling. If Statistics don't tell the story New Haven scores five TDs in 5:45 By JIM SHEA Courant Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD Mark Twain said there are three kinds of lies: "lies, damned lies and statistics." Certainly the first-half stats didn't tell the truth about New Haven's 63-10 victory over American International College Saturday. A1C (2-6) controlledthe ball for 24 minutes, 15 seconds, but New Haven (8-0) made its meager 5:45 time of possession count, scoring five touchdowns to take a 35-3 lead at the half. Led by junior quarterback James who threw five touchdown passes in the half, the Chargers had drives make that sprints of: is seconds (two plays, 53 yards); 19 seconds (two plays, 28 yards); 34 seconds (four plays, 76 yards); 35 seconds (three plays, 45 yards); and a WEIR clock-consuming 1:29 (seven plays, 44 yards). "They played a man-to-man defense, so I got to throw the ball a lot today," Weir said.

"I don't understand why teams play us man to man. I guess it's because they are so afraid of Roger Graham and AJ. Livingston running that they come with these eight-man fronts. For the season, Weir has 25 touchdown passes and one interception. Saturday, he was 13 of 22 for 288 yards and six touchdowns.

Graham, who rushed for 156 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, surpassed the mark with two games remaining in his third season "It feels great," Graham said. "I'm having fun, the team is winning, everything is falling into place. When they started keying on the pass today, it opened up the run." Livingston, who usually shares time at tailback with Graham, saw limited action. Coach Mark Whipple said the Chargers' big first half allowed him to rest Livingston, who has a sore right ankle. Another Charger who had a career, record-setting day was senior wide receiver Tony Willis, whose five receptions (98 yards, one touchdown) gave him 179, a New England Division II record.

Whipple said after the game, which was played In a cold, steady rain before a sparse crowd, that he is beginning to think about the postseason. New Haven is ranked No. 2 in the nation in Division II. "The important thing is to keep the No. 2 ranking," Whipple said.

"If we are the No. 2 seed In the tournament, then we would get to play three playoff games in New Haven." (Possibly at Southern Connecticut's field, although that has not been finalized.) New Haven's defense held AIC to 249 yards. The lone AIC touchdown came in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run by Jerry Watkins against Chargers reserves. New Haven's final two regular season games are at home against Bowie State (Saturday) and Shepherd College. Kirby leads Trinity to rout of Middlebury Patrick Flynn Special to Trw Courant Central' Tommy Power tria to maka a reception with Bob Forri of Southern defending.

Central recovers, beats Southern Staff and wire reports Trinity remained undefeated, beating Middlebury 43-14 Saturday in Middlebury, Vt. Junior halfback Shaun Kirby scored five touchdowns, including four on receptions, for the Bantams (6-0). Trinity fell behind 7-0 before taking a 14-7 lead at halftime. Middlebury (3-3) tied the score at 14 on a return of a fumble for a touchdown, but Trinity scored the final 29 points. Kirby scored on receptions of 32 and 22 yards and capped the scoring with a 52-yard run.

He had scored both of Trinity's first-half touchdowns on receptions of 4 and 7 yards. Trinity quarterback Steve Mikul-ski completed 20 of 4 1 passes for 311 vards. Trinity had 477 yards in total offense; Middlebury had 119. Trinity won last year, 43-0. Weeieyan 28, Bowdoin 25: In Brunswick, Maine, Wesleyan (6-0) won on a touchdown pass from quarterback Troy Robinson to James Yaker in the fourth quarter.

Robinson, who accounted for 189 yards of total offense and was a factor in all four Wesleyan touchdowns, gave the Cardinals a 14-0 lead on touchdown runs of 39 and 30 yards. Bowdoin (2-4) scored the next three touchdowns, missing extra points each time, to take an 18-14 lead. A I -yard touchdown pass from Robinson to Jeff Wilner put theCar-dini-ls ahead 21-18, but Bowdoin scowl again to go neud, 25-21. i By WOODY ANDERSON Courant Staff Writer NEW HAVEN Picture a football team coming off a 54-point loss having to face its biggest rival of the season and the coach is close to throwing some seniors off the team. And then have that same team turn things around in one week.

That's what happened when Central Connecticut defeated Southern Connecticut 28-14 for the Governor's Cup Saturday at Jess Dow Field. Southern leads the series, 31-13. Junior cornerback Darian Coleman scored the winning touchdown on a 20-yard interception return with 4 minutes, 58 seconds remaining. He caught Rob Burns' pass over his shoulder with one hand, spun toward the sideline and ran for the end zone. "This was the seniors' last chance," said Coleman of the three-year reign Southern has had with the Governor's Cup, which goes to the winner.

"The seniors got focused this week in practice. It came down to discipline." Discipline has not been a strong point for Central (3-5yhis season..