On Nov. 12, the Oberlin football team ended the 2005 season on Senior Day with a 52-17 rout of Hiram College. The Yeomen had big days from its seniors and the game saw a new school record set.

The first half was sloppy as the two teams combined for seven turnovers, five coming from the Yeomen. Oberlin was leading 13-10 at the break when Coach Ramsey decided to switch quarterbacks, giving the ball to first-year Greg Mangan.

The switch paid off as Oberlin scored 17 points on its first three possessions of the second half. Oberlin gained complete control of the game with these three drives and rolled to a 35-point win. Senior receiver Chad Cutting scored his first career touchdown for the Yeomen with 6:15 left in the game.

Senior Vance Murphy, with 13 tackles, led the dominant Yeomen defense, which forced four turnovers. Sophomore Chris Pisani had four sacks on the day to bring his season total to 13, which is a new Oberlin single-season record.

The offensive explosion was led by Mangan’s 165 yards and three touchdowns. First-year R. V. Carroll had 108 yards on 21 carries with two touchdowns and junior Ray Cummerlander had 86 yards on just nine carries with a touchdown. Sophomore Chris Schubert had another big game at wide receiver, netting 87 yards on just three catches, two of which scored touchdowns.

The day was a great way for the seniors to end their college careers.

“I feel that this last win was a great way to end the seniors’ college football careers and for the underclassmen to have a good feeling going into the off-season,” said Murphy.

“It was really nice to send our seniors out with a win,” said sophomore Geoff “Sweet P” Peterson. “But for next season, we have a chance to be one of the best teams in our conference [with a great off-season].”

With the win Oberlin finished its season at 3-7, a vast improvements on last year’s 1-9 overall record, and went 2-5 in the NCAC. The team is hoping this year starts the trend of improvement for Oberlin College football.