Football Loses to OWU 47-6

Obie versus Obie: The Yeomen grind it out in practice in preparation for Saturday's season finale at Denison. (photo by Brian Hodgkin)

The Yeomen played their ninth game this past weekend against Ohio Wesleyan, emerging with their ninth loss, 47-6.

With only one game remaining and no wins thus far, many people have given up hope for the Yeoman football team. However senior team members Ryan Catignani and Jordan Kaltman have something else in mind.

Oberlin played Ohio Wesleyan this past weekend, a team that has played solid football this season as well as in years past. Oberlin entered this game knowing they would need a strong performance in order to pull off the upset but instead got their second-worst loss of the season. Ohio Wesleyan, primarily a rushing team on offense, had four backs run for over 50 yards, and another three backs run for over 20.

Oberlin, on the other hand, had only one rusher with significant yards on the ground, as first-year David Lightfoot had a net gain of 87 yards and scored one touchdown. Oberlin finished with 23 yards on the ground and 92 via pass, giving them a total of 115 yards on offense. OWU had 385 yards on the ground and 76 in the air, giving them a 445 yard total.

Oberlin scored after a double pass play from first-year Troy Dewitt to sophomore Cody McCoy, then McCoy to junior Chad Raver for a 46 yard gain, Oberlin's biggest of the day. On the next play Lightfoot ran the ball in from 12 yards out. This was a trick play that Oberlin tried unsuccessfully earlier in the season.

Ohio Wesleyan scored most of their points in the first half, but none in the fourth quarter. On defense junior Sam Hobi led the way with 12 tackles, four of those for a loss. Senior Ryan Catignani racked up 11 tackles and 1 for a loss.

In their final game of the season, the Yeomen will play the Denison Big Red. The Big Red are a lot like Oberlin this year in the sense that they too are struggling to win games, with only one win in nine games. Unlike the Yeomen, Denison has a great passing attack, averaging 320 yards per game, but their rushing offense averages a dismal 25 yards a game.

In comparison, theYeomen have a solid defense which is better against the pass than the run. The question is, will Denison's last- ranked defense be able to stop Oberlin's last-ranked offense?

Denison's defense gives up an average of 431 yards and 36 points per game, while Oberlin's offense averages 145 yards and 5 points per game. What these numbers suggest is that for Oberlin to win they must find an offensive groove, and play solid defense with as few mistakes as possible. Though the numbers may say otherwise, Denison is going to try to run the ball against Oberlin, and if the Yeomen cannot stop the run they will struggle. Hopefully, for the sake of the program and the seniors, Oberlin will be successful this weekend.

The last two remaining seniors on the squad aren't about to end this season without a fight. Catignani and Kaltman are the last remains of the '97 team that started off the season with an 18-17 victory over Thiel College. Both of them would like to end their college football career the way it started.

Catignani is the team captain and a four year starter at linebacker. He has been the guy that every teammate of his could go and talk to, or in most cases listen to (cause he always has something to say) when needed. He said he just wants to go out in his last game and give his all whether win or lose, knowing that he didn't save anything.

Kaltman, a four year starter at offensive line, with some time on the defensive line as well, is probably in the same mindset as Catignani. Kaltman has always been a very focused player, evident before and after every game when one couldn't say a word to him due to the fact that he was in his own world preparing himself for the game.

Fellow teammate junior Bob Montag had some generous words for his two teammates and friends saying, "I can remember those two guys welcoming me to the Oberlin football family when I first came here my freshman year. I got to know them well because "Cat" (Catignani) was my roommate and Kaltman was from western PA. So we had a lot in common.

"On the field, they have both stayed with the team to the end and that says a great deal about them. Although they won't be around to see the improvement in the win/loss column they can leave knowing they gave their all and there is only one direction for Oberlin football to go in the futureŠand that is straight to the top," Montag said.

All things considered, this is Oberlin's best chance for a win all season and it just so happens to be at a time when they want it and need it most. Sophomore Barya Schachter said, "It's our last game, and our last chance to prove to everyone that we have improved."

Oberlin will have to lay it all on the field when they travel to Granville, OH Saturday to play the Big Red at 1 p.m. on Deeds Field.