The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 70

70 THE BOSTON SUNDAY GLOBE NOVEMBER 8, 1987 LEAGUECOLONIAL LEAGUE Marvar ross forms Holy "i Globe staff photoWendy Maeda Although Gordie Lockbaum did almost everything yester-i. day, he did let Holy Cross teammate Tim Donovan run back this punt return by handing off. (The i legend out of the half that way, that we might have a shot at it," Restic mused. "But we just couldn't get anything going." With halfback Tony Ilinz al- 1 ready missing and wingback Bob Glatz departing early with an in- jured knee, the Crimson had no chance at a running game, and ended the day minus-13 yards on 35 carries. So it was left to Yohe to scramble and improvise, and he i wound up throwing a school-re- cord 52 passes, completing 21 for 237 yards.

But he had trouble with a stiff wind and an alert Crusader de- -i fense that sacked him seven times and picked off three balls, two by cornerback Dave Murphy, who also blocked a Harvard punt and recovered it for a touchdown. By that point, the game was gone. Holy Cross, which has now outscored rivals, 109-14, in the I third quarter, went in for touch- downs on its first two second-half possessions (an 1 1 -yard pass from Wiley to Rick Lane, a 10-yard i Lockbaum run) to make it 27-0. Anything after that was Irrele- vant. Whether it was necessary I depends upon your opinion of the Crusaders, who seem destined to i finish the season undefeated, un- tied, unchallenged and unpopular (at least in Bethlehem, Providence, Hanover and points between).

"I don't know what everybody's jumping up and down about," said Duffner, whose varsi- ty has now outscored nine oppo- nents, 432-97. "All we're trying to do Is be a good football team." screen pass, then throwing to tight end Randy Pedro on an option. 1 The Crusaders could have run the ball in. Duffner thought otherwise. Lockbaum had never completed a pass (he'd tried two in his career).

So maybe Harvard wouldn't be expecting it. "If you're a good offensive coach," Duffner said, "that's just a good play when you're on the goal line." Thus did the Crusaders dispose of the last serious threat to their first perfect season ever unless you count the 1918 war varsity that bopped WPI and Tufts and finished 2-0. No anxiety, no mercy. Not that the Crimson were looking for charity. Duffner may have left his first-string in until the final 1:18, but so did Harvard coach Joe Restic, who said he wasn't bothered that Lockbaum (157 all-purpose yards) was still in the game toward dusk.

"Maybe people say the same thing about Yohe," Restic said. "You play the game and you take what conies." Restic had vowed his players would come to Mount St. James "storming" and they did. The Crimson defense, which lost safety Bryan Gescuk (knee) for the year in the first quarter, still sacked HC quarterback Jeff Wiley four times and picked off four of his passes. At halftime.

Holy Cross led only 14-0 on a 31 -yard pass from Wiley (17 of 37 for 318 yards and 2 touchdowns) to Lee Hull and a nice 23-yard run by fullback Willie Bradford. "I thought, corning By John Powers Globe Staff WORCESTER No, Mark Duffner didn't order an onside kick with a 35-point lead and 3:37 to pay. The kid just squibbed the ball by ac-COLONIAL LEAGUE cicent. League All "Talk to W-L-T W-L-T kirk- c-Holy Cross 4-0-0 9-0-0 Lehigh 2-1-0 4-5-0 er, the Colgate 2-2-0 6-4-0 pross Lafayette 2-2-0 4-5-0 nolv -ros! Bucknell 1-3-0 4-5-0 coach Said. Davidson 0-3-0 1-9-0 wasn't c-Clinched league title planne(j onside kick.

It wasn't, it wasn't." And what do people expect the Crusaders to do near the end zone in the waning minutes? Not let Gordie Lockbaum throw a touchdown pass? "What are you going to do on the goal Duffner said, after his unbeaten varsity had shredded 20th-ranked Harvard, 41-6, before 17,211 windblown witnesses at Fitton Field yesterday afternoon. "Are you going to fall down?" Not these people. The Crusaders didn't land atop the national Division 1-AA heap by being nice to folks (right, So they made sure the Crimson had no chance to create anything like the three-touchdown, 41-second miracle they pulled off up here two years ago. Holy Cross rolled up a 34-0 edge before Harvard finally got on the scoreboard with a 1-yard pass from Tom Yohe to Mark Blasetti nine minutes from the end. Then the Crusaders added an exclamation point, with Lockbaum running 75 yards after catching a grows Lockbaum saves his best for last (y LEIGH MONTVILLE fl.

JiV 1 H' Vi -f 4 v. 1 -v me," Gordie Lockbaum said. "I was a little surprised at exactly what they were yelling from the Harvard bench, but I don't mind. I kind of like it. It gets me going.

I like to do something and just turn back at them and give them the look." Wink. There is the thought that perhaps all of this should be frozen. Stop the picture here. Let Gordie Lockbaum stay here forever, winking at the end of 75-yard rambles. Never let the outside world Intrude.

Let him stay in college. Let him play a schedule that never ends. Always have him a Heisman candidate, but never have the election. Let the present continue. "Would you like that?" he was asked.

"You can't do that," he said. "All you can do Is go through the schedule and then move on to other things. Enjoy yourself as you go. That's what I'm doing. "It's funny," he also said.

"At the beginning of he season, you look and you say you have 11 more games. Then, all of a sudden, you're into single figures. Then it's down to five. Then three and now two." The shadows lengthen. Two more games.

Standing in the huddle at the end of his 75-yard reception, Gordie Lockbaum was breathing hard. The next play that was called was a fullback dive. Holy Cross was called for Illegal procedure. Second and 10. The next play was called for Gordie Lockbaum.

The ball was snapped to quarterback Wiley. He shoveled It to Lockbaum, who started to run around right end. The Harvard defenders gathered. Lockbaum stopiH'd. He passed.

I le passed? 1 "We've always had that one in." Gordie Lockbaum said. "We've Just lxrn looking for a place to use It. It's my first completion." The ball landed in the hands of tight end Randy Pedro in the end zone. Touchdown. Lockbaum raised his arms In the air and two giant 10 foot arms followed.

Wink. Another picture for forever. U'Ujh Montvllte Is a Globe columnist. yards. He also had played every play on offense, returned punts, played on our nickel defense, returned kickoffs Who cares if he was caught from behind? Who cares if the pros might not follow him with stopwatches and big-money offers, agents ready to advance him a few bucks for a Trans-Am on the side? Who cares if the Heisman Trophy brought into the argument a year ago -is virtually out of the question with more famous statistics being put together by more famous players in more famous places? This was what he did.

He was a terrific college football player. The best on the field in virtually every game he played. As good as he could be. Who cares about the other stuff? Take away the stories and the Heisman standings and the nonsense. Go straight to the game and watch.

This was what he did. He caught little screen passes and ran with them for 75 yards. Forget the mountains of statistics. He ran away from the other people in the late-afternoon shadows. Again and again.

"I was trying to keep thinking about my form while I was running on that play," he said. "By about the 20," though, I couldn't think anymore. 1 was loo tired. The form was gone." This game was no different than most of his other games. He played in all of the different areas that one player could play.

He didn't touch the ball a lot eight carries, three pass receptions, two punt returns, one kickoff return but when he did, he made you sit at the edge of your scat, lie had that special look about him. He was more dangerous than anyone else out there. "Hey. Golden Hoy," the Harvard players were ycllingat him druring the entire day. Or something like that.

"Hey, Mr. Heisman." Or something like that. This was no different. Special attention was part of the package In every game he played in his last two years, lie handled that special attention and handled It well. "A lot of teams yell things at 4 i Globe staff photosWcndv Mawla Holy Cross' Rick Lane (22) hits the turf as Harvard's Don Heberle comes up with an interception (above).

In a happier moment, Lane celebrated a touchdown by teammate Lee Hull (42). WORCESTER The fourth-quarter shadows were 10 feet tall, stretching across Fitton Field at the far end of the cold November afternoon. Move an arm or leg or shoulder and a 10-foot arm or leg or shoulder moved with you. Every player was trailed by an individual giant in every move he made. Gordie Lockbaum was trailed by all the players and all the giants at once.

"There he goes." a voice said in the warmth of the press box in the closing stages of Holy Cross's 41-6 romp over Harvard yesterday. "Uh-oh. Watch him." The 17,21,1 frozen spectators moved forward and then out of their seals. There he goes. The pass was one of those little screens, back at the Holy Cross 20-yard line.

For a moment. Crusaders quarterback Jeff Wiley was going to be thrown to the ground by four Harvard tacklers. No. he was able to throw the ball. Gordie Lockbaum, coming across the field, right to left, was able to catch It.

Gone. lie ran down the sideline on the Holy Cross side of the field with one more valentine for all of these people. Senior year. One more home game afler this. One more on the road.

Finished. He ran this one almost as a victory lap for the mind. What did Gordie Lockbaum do during his four years at this place? This was what he did. This picture in the twilight. A 75-yard screen pass.

Dips and feints and cutbacks along the way. Caught from behind al the Harvard 5. "How'd he get caught from behind?" Holy Cross coach Mark Duffner was asked al the end of the game. "How'd he'd get caught?" DulTner asked in return. "He was tired.

He'd run about 90 'V I Holy Cross, 41-6 Worcltr Holy Cros (9-0 7 7 JO 7-41 Harvard (6-2) 0 0 0 6 6 HC Lw Hull 31 past from Jetl Wiley (Scoll Kama kick I HC Willio Bradford 23 run (Kama kick) HC Rick Lane 1 1 pass from Wiiey (Kama kick) HC Gordie lockbaum 10 run (kick tailed) HC Dave Murphy recovered blocked punt In end zone (Kama kick) Mark Blaaelti 1 pass liom Tom Yohe (rush tailed) HC Bandy Pedro 10 pass from Lockbaum (Kama kick) Attendance 17,211 HC HARV, First downs 18 18 Rushes-yards 30-1 35-(-13) Passing yards 318 237 Return yards 60 38 Passes 18.38-4 Punts 8 12-25 3 fumbles-los! 4-3 3-1 Penalties-yards 13-111 10-70 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing Alt. Yds Avs IQ Lockbaum, HC 8 tU 14 Tom Kotloher, HC 1 46 S8 17 Bradford. HC I 40 6 7 23 Dav Btinrang, 1) 22 1.7 8 Passing Com All Yds TO Inl Wiley, HC 17 37 318 4 lockbaum. HC 1 1 10 1 0 21 62 237 1 3 Receiving No Yds, TO Brian Bsrhnoer, 11 119 0 lane, HC 8 1 lockbaum, HC 3 0 Hull, HC 3 1 7 i 4t yan hoists Yale into tie for Ivy League lead Yale, 23-9 Cerntll 0 14- YeH Ya $tewl I fun (Owtov klfk) Yale Stewnrl 2 run Derby kick) Corn PO Ounrlei 71 yi Mow I 1 rim (Oftty kick) Yale run (Owny Mi I Corn Ready It past from Dai (pats tnihxll CrnM Vlt rW down 71 fthi yard 74 St Passing raids JV Koturn yards IOJ Pa.sps 1'4 14-JM Puntt I-JJ 4-11 rumHikit J-l penmiipt yards 4 1 t0 ptmasswn 74 17 41 liv Ron Doigcs Glolie Staff NEW HAVICN Half of Cornell's delen-slve plan worked as designed yesterday, bottling up the Vale running game until every yard gained carried with it a high price tag In pain. Hut unfortunately for the Dig Red.

their strategy dovetailed so nicely with Yale's of tensive game plan that the price was not nearly as high or as painful as the one extracted by hll quarterback Kelly Ryan. Ryan, passing for more than 200 yards for the third time In four weeks, drilled Cornell early and often to lead his team to a 28 victory at Yale Howl that poshed the Ktis inlo a tie with Harvard lor the Ivy League lead. If Yale can hold off Princeton Saturday and Harvard can do the same to Pennsylvania, It would transform "The Game," lulo The Grime, all hough Yale coach Carm Cma will hear nothing of It, "We'd lieller not iiMik ahead," Coa saH, "Anyone who thinks ahead Is going to have his hat handed to him. We have to be very careful mil in even consider that (liar vard) this week and Harvard belter not look ahead, ell her," What Harvard might do Instead Is listen to Vale running back Mike Stewart, who scored three short -yardage touchdowns, despite gaining only 45 yards In 19 carries afler lliree straight games running for 05 and 138 yards. "They gave us the pass and Kelly look advantage of it," Stewart said, "I think learns will try to slop our pass from now on." That would seem to be a logical conclusion, bul as Maxle Haughan's Cornell defense learned, doing II Is considerably more difficult than It might appear.

"Ryan Is too good," Baughati said. "We fell we had a pretty good defense, but they found some weaknesses ontl look advaif tage of them." What Vale did was come out of the blocks passing rather than running, choosing not to challenge Cornell's powerful de fensive front early. Instead, they had Ryan rolling right and left and throwing, throwing, throwing. "We felt wc had to loosen them up to run." Conn said. "We felt If we didn't establish the passing game early, we really would have trouble," With that In mind, Ryan opened the game with a 20 yard completion to Tom Szuba (7 catches, 101 yards) oil a sprint -out that set Cornell's defense back on lis heels, II was on address the Illg Red defense would Ix-come all too familiar with ns the day wore on.

For the next seven minutes. Vale eon trolled the ball with Ryan's rollout passing, converting a third down and a fourth-down situation iH'fore Stewart vaulted over left guard from Inside the I to) a 7 0 lead. Midway through the; second quarter, Ryan went alter Cornell again, completing passes of 10, 1 7 and 20yaids iKTore hitting a final 15 yardcr to tight end Dean Athana-sla on fourth and 1 1 at the Cornell 28 to set up Stewart's second touchdown, a 2 yard sweep. By fiow. Cornell's offense was barely stirring, while Kelly was controlling the situation with Just enough runs to keep the Hlg Red's minds muddled.

"They were able to control the ball at times that were very critical with their run." Haughan said, "'t hat was a big blow to our defense." Hut the biggest blow came lair In the third quarter with Vale leading. Cornell quarterback Have Dasr had Ih-cii Inter-crpted twice In the quarter (live for the day), and nil that was keeping the game close was Haughan's brave but bruised defense. But II finally crumbled under another Ryan assault ris the quarter ended. Completing passes of 22, ami 22 yards. Ryan moved his team to the Cornell 2 lc-fore Stewart went airborne for the third time from the half yard line to push the score to 21-3.

"Once we got that third touchdown we relaxed some." Cmm said. It Is something he will suggest they no! do tit Princeton Saturday i INDIVIDUAL ITATUTICt Hushing Cnrneti, wit I MctMvlll 4 owmiind l. Din Hit a-la. Hawkins I VW, Brir Is s. Stewart It.

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