Top seed kicked out
For the first time in the short history of the 32-team bracket, a No. 1 seed went down in the opening round, as bottom-seeded North Carolina Wesleyan upset top seed Washington and Jefferson 35-34. Another one of this year's unusual suspects, Case Western Reserve converted three fourth downs and scored a touchdown with two seconds left to beat Widener 21-20. Widener had taken the lead with under two minutes left. Fifth seed North Central drove 65 yards in 68 seconds and scored as time expired, beating fourth-seeded Franklin 44-42 (Photo gallery) and East No. 6 TCNJ kicked a field goal with 12.8 seconds left to knock off No. 4-seeded RPI 17-14 (Photo gallery). Mount Union had little trouble advancing, though the Purple Raiders gave up a season-high 18 points in a 42-18 win against Ithaca. Check out the Scoreboard for more game stories. Muhlenberg took advantage of two Salisbury fourth-quarter fumbles, taking the ball over twice in Salisbury territory and breaking a 21-21 tie to win 31-21 (photo gallery. The Mules will travel to Wesley, which got touchdowns three different ways from Larry Beavers in a 45-17 win against Hampden-Sydney. (Photo gallery.) Curry got an entire conference off the schneid, beating Hartwick 42-21 for New England Football Conference pride and knocking the second of three Empire 8 teams out of the playoffs (photo gallery). St. John Fisher survived from the group, beating Hobart 24-7. St. John's jumped up big on Redlands with a flurry at the end of the second quarter and rolled to a 41-13 win, while UW-Eau Claire continued the Midwest Conference's playoff struggle with a 23-20 win at St. Norbert (Photo gallery). Playoff toolbox: 2007 bracket | Pick 'em contest | Playoff team capsules | |
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Case takes pride in win
 Case receiver Jeff Mayer reaches for the end zone with two seconds on the clock, scoring the game-winning touchdown. Photo by Matt Florjancic, D3sports.com |
By Matt Florjancic
D3football.com
CLEVELAND -- Behind three touchdowns in the game’s final frame, including one in the waning seconds, Case Western Reserve overcame two fumbles and an interception from sophomore quarterback Dan Whalen for a 21-20 victory over Widener (8-3). Next Saturday afternoon, the Spartans (11-0) host the Wabash Little Giants (10-1), champions of the North Coast Athletic Conference and 31-21 winners over Mount St. Joseph.
“We had talked about the pressure being off,” said Case coach Greg Debeljak. “We had so many firsts this year. Winning our conference was a first. Undefeated was a first. There was a lot of pressure in those games to accomplish those things. I felt after we won the last game that the pressure was off.
“No one expects us to do anything in the playoffs,” he added. “We were an underdog at home as a two seed, so why is there any pressure? I think the guys just went out and they had fun and played their game.”
“You’re always going to think about it for a few seconds,” Whalen said of the turnovers. “It’s happened before. The first one, I stepped up to avoid that guy and ended up hitting the ball against my leg. I dropped the ball when I shouldn’t have and the interception right after coach told me to throw it away if nothing’s open and I forced it. I’m just glad that we had another shot in the fourth quarter after they scored.”
Despite scoring with 1:27 left in the fourth quarter, Widener could not stop the Spartans on their final drive. Case took over at its 23-yard line, but Whalen threw three consecutive incomplete passes. On fourth-and-10, Whalen found wide receiver Shaun Nicely over the middle for a gain of 20 yards. Two more completions took Case into Widener territory at the 44.
Whalen could not connect with a receiver on first and second down. Facing a third-and-10, the sophomore was sacked by Widener senior defensive end Tom Gallo for a loss of 3 yards. After a timeout from both teams, Case converted the second fourth down of the drive when Whalen hit Jeff Mayer on the sideline for 28 yards.
The last-second heroics were just beginning for the Spartans. Whalen drew Case within 7 yards of the end zone on a pass to Brian Webster. On fourth-and-4 from the seven, Whalen and Mayer connected near the goal line. Mayer spun to his right, extended his arms and broke the plane for the go-ahead score.
“We’ve been in the situation before,” Debeljak said. “I
think it’s a situation that Dan really responds to. He likes the freedom of the two-minute [offense] and the kind of things happening on the run.
“I knew we definitely had a chance as long as the line held up and they did a great job,” he added. “This team’s so tight. I really don’t have to do a whole lot of talking, whole lot of motivating because they’re self-motivators. They know what to do.”
Whalen finished the day 26-for-47 for 306 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the only drive to feature a fourth down conversion in the final minutes. Despite failing to convert on two previous fourth downs, the Spartans went three-for-three on the final drive.
Whalen’s counterpart, Widener’s Matt Campbell was 20-for-36 for 183 yards, one touchdown and an interception.
“You’ve got to feel that hunger every time you play,” Widener coach David Wood said of his defense in the final minutes. “At times, we fall asleep. The last seven weeks have been like this. We didn’t blow anybody out. [When it was fourth-and-12], the game should have been over then. We should have put up points against this team. You let somebody have time, they’re going to make plays.”
Case left guard Tom Zagorski was part of an offensive line that gave up just three sacks against Widener’s aggressive defense.
“We just believed,” Zagorski said. “Right from the get-go, we talked about set[ting] the tone. We struggled at first, but I think there was a 17, 18-play drive we had there.
“I think that really let them know that we meant business,” added the senior lineman. “They came in and they were hooting and hollering. I talked about it in my pregame speech. Usually a team that yells and are like cheerleaders are trying to overcompensate for something. They came in here strutting their stuff, acting like they own the place. We showed them who we are and we sent them on a long bus ride home.”
Midway through the fourth quarter, Case took its second lead of the game. On first-and-10 from the 3-yard-line, Case took to the air. As Whalen scrambled to avoid pressure, he found Nicely open over the middle. Ninety-seven yards later, the Spartans held a 15-14 advantage.
“It wasn’t exactly broken,” Whalen said of the play to Nicely. “It was not my first read. The outside linebacker ended up taking away the hitch and I turned around and saw Shaun up field. I scrambled a little bit, probably four or five steps before I let go of the ball, just led them
and it worked out.”
Sandwiched between the Case passing touchdowns was an eight-play, 50-yard drive by the Pride. Sophomore fullback Ian Decker carried Widener toward the goal. The Pride moved down to the 1 and gave the ball to their workhorse in Decker who ran the ball through the A gap on the right side of the line for the score.
“They were a good, solid team,” Debeljak said of Widener. “You look at their stats and they definitely move the ball through the air. They run the ball just enough that you have to respect it. I think all of the athletes on both teams were on defense.”
D3football.com
CLEVELAND -- Behind three touchdowns in the game’s final frame, including one in the waning seconds, Case Western Reserve overcame two fumbles and an interception from sophomore quarterback Dan Whalen for a 21-20 victory over Widener (8-3). Next Saturday afternoon, the Spartans (11-0) host the Wabash Little Giants (10-1), champions of the North Coast Athletic Conference and 31-21 winners over Mount St. Joseph.
“We had talked about the pressure being off,” said Case coach Greg Debeljak. “We had so many firsts this year. Winning our conference was a first. Undefeated was a first. There was a lot of pressure in those games to accomplish those things. I felt after we won the last game that the pressure was off.
“No one expects us to do anything in the playoffs,” he added. “We were an underdog at home as a two seed, so why is there any pressure? I think the guys just went out and they had fun and played their game.”
“You’re always going to think about it for a few seconds,” Whalen said of the turnovers. “It’s happened before. The first one, I stepped up to avoid that guy and ended up hitting the ball against my leg. I dropped the ball when I shouldn’t have and the interception right after coach told me to throw it away if nothing’s open and I forced it. I’m just glad that we had another shot in the fourth quarter after they scored.”
Despite scoring with 1:27 left in the fourth quarter, Widener could not stop the Spartans on their final drive. Case took over at its 23-yard line, but Whalen threw three consecutive incomplete passes. On fourth-and-10, Whalen found wide receiver Shaun Nicely over the middle for a gain of 20 yards. Two more completions took Case into Widener territory at the 44.
Whalen could not connect with a receiver on first and second down. Facing a third-and-10, the sophomore was sacked by Widener senior defensive end Tom Gallo for a loss of 3 yards. After a timeout from both teams, Case converted the second fourth down of the drive when Whalen hit Jeff Mayer on the sideline for 28 yards.
The last-second heroics were just beginning for the Spartans. Whalen drew Case within 7 yards of the end zone on a pass to Brian Webster. On fourth-and-4 from the seven, Whalen and Mayer connected near the goal line. Mayer spun to his right, extended his arms and broke the plane for the go-ahead score.
“We’ve been in the situation before,” Debeljak said. “I
think it’s a situation that Dan really responds to. He likes the freedom of the two-minute [offense] and the kind of things happening on the run.
“I knew we definitely had a chance as long as the line held up and they did a great job,” he added. “This team’s so tight. I really don’t have to do a whole lot of talking, whole lot of motivating because they’re self-motivators. They know what to do.”
Whalen finished the day 26-for-47 for 306 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the only drive to feature a fourth down conversion in the final minutes. Despite failing to convert on two previous fourth downs, the Spartans went three-for-three on the final drive.
Whalen’s counterpart, Widener’s Matt Campbell was 20-for-36 for 183 yards, one touchdown and an interception.
“You’ve got to feel that hunger every time you play,” Widener coach David Wood said of his defense in the final minutes. “At times, we fall asleep. The last seven weeks have been like this. We didn’t blow anybody out. [When it was fourth-and-12], the game should have been over then. We should have put up points against this team. You let somebody have time, they’re going to make plays.”
Case left guard Tom Zagorski was part of an offensive line that gave up just three sacks against Widener’s aggressive defense.
“We just believed,” Zagorski said. “Right from the get-go, we talked about set[ting] the tone. We struggled at first, but I think there was a 17, 18-play drive we had there.
“I think that really let them know that we meant business,” added the senior lineman. “They came in and they were hooting and hollering. I talked about it in my pregame speech. Usually a team that yells and are like cheerleaders are trying to overcompensate for something. They came in here strutting their stuff, acting like they own the place. We showed them who we are and we sent them on a long bus ride home.”
Midway through the fourth quarter, Case took its second lead of the game. On first-and-10 from the 3-yard-line, Case took to the air. As Whalen scrambled to avoid pressure, he found Nicely open over the middle. Ninety-seven yards later, the Spartans held a 15-14 advantage.
“It wasn’t exactly broken,” Whalen said of the play to Nicely. “It was not my first read. The outside linebacker ended up taking away the hitch and I turned around and saw Shaun up field. I scrambled a little bit, probably four or five steps before I let go of the ball, just led them
and it worked out.”
Sandwiched between the Case passing touchdowns was an eight-play, 50-yard drive by the Pride. Sophomore fullback Ian Decker carried Widener toward the goal. The Pride moved down to the 1 and gave the ball to their workhorse in Decker who ran the ball through the A gap on the right side of the line for the score.
“They were a good, solid team,” Debeljak said of Widener. “You look at their stats and they definitely move the ball through the air. They run the ball just enough that you have to respect it. I think all of the athletes on both teams were on defense.”