The Observer, November 17, 2006
Volume XXXIX, Issue 11
Spartans demolish playoff-bound Generals in season finale
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The Case football team needed a game like this. After a season filled with nail-biting wins and defeats marred by turnovers, the Spartans needed a breath of fresh air.
Last Saturday at Case Field, a smashing performance by their defense gave it to them in a 27-9 win over the Generals of Washington and Lee, the champions of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.
"That was the best we've played all season," head coach Greg Debeljak said. "What stood out was how well our defense played."
The defense terrorized W&L freshman quarterback R.J. Varner all game long, sacking him five times and limiting him to only 91 yards passing. Sophomore defensive end Brian Calderone particularly ravaged the freshman, recording four sacks.
The performance was Calderone's best of the season.
"[Calderone] was dominant," Debeljak said. "I'm sure he was a little frustrated at the beginning of the year because he was not able to train or lift during the off-season due to an injury. Obviously, he is a dominant player when he is healthy. He's always being double-teamed."
It was Case's offense, though, that gave the Spartans early momentum. On their opening drive of the game, the Spartans easily tore through the highly-ranked General defense. Dan Whalen completed all five of his passes for 66 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown to senior receiver Joe Brenner. The touchdown was Brenner's sixth of the season.
Along with Whalen's accurate passing, Case showed an early commitment to running the ball, as senior running back James Rosenbury had six carries.
"We had a good game plan," Debeljak said. "We knew that we would have to mix it up and be able to run the ball. The first drive was a good mix of what we wanted to do."
Case continued to move the ball well on its next possession. After the Spartans stuffed the Generals on their first drive, they marched downfield behind the strong running attack of Rosenbury, Whalen, and Greg Meyer. The drive stalled inside the W&L five-yard line, but Calderone converted a field goal attempt from 20 yards out to increase Case's lead to 10-0.
The lead marked the first time that the Spartans held the advantage after the first quarter since their game against Ursinus on Oct. 7.
"It was the first time in a long time that we played with a lead," Debeljak said. "Getting the lead was key because it changed the way they attacked us and the way we attacked them. It forced them to take more risks."
With the early lead and the strong play of the defense, Case's offense was able to cruise the rest of the way. The defense actually proved to be the Spartans' most formidable offense, scoring two touchdowns.
The first came in the second quarter. After the Generals scored a field goal to get on the scoreboard, Mark Snoddy intercepted his ninth pass of the season to give the ball right back to the Generals. With the apparent return of Case's turnover woes, the Generals looked to be gaining momentum.
Then came Case's defense. Senior linebacker Nick Decesare, making his return from a knee injury suffered in week three, forced Varner to fumble. Calderone picked up the loose ball and then scampered 32 yards to the endzone for a touchdown. Just as the Generals appeared ready to get back in the game, the Spartans pushed them even closer to the edge of defeat.
The play was one of the highlights of the day for Decesare, who showed just how much he means to the Spartans.
"Having him out there helped quite a bit," Debeljak said. "He is quite a leader and gives a real spark out there. He was nowhere near 100 percent, but he made some plays for us. I was happy for him that he had a chance to finish his career on the field."
The Case defense was not finished scoring yet, though. Early in the third quarter, John Tiemeier's 50-yard interception return helped set up another Case field goal, increasing the lead to 20-3. Later in the third, Bobby Bott intercepted a Varner pass and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown, the first of his collegiate career.
With a 27-3 lead after the interception, the Case offense played conservatively, concentrating on running the ball rather than throwing to run up the score. This helped Rosenbury have one of his better performances of the season statistically, as he gained 93 yards for the game.
"Offensively, we could have scored more points, but we felt it was best to play conservatively with the lead we had and the number of times we had turned the ball over," Debeljak said.
The Generals scored their only touchdown of the game early in the fourth quarter. Varner's pass for the two-point conversion failed, making the final score 27-9.
The victory was a meaningful one for the seniors, enabling them to walk off their home field for the last time with a win.
"We wanted to win the game for our seniors," Debeljak said. "That was the focus of the week in practice. We didn't make a lot of substitutions because it was their game."
The win finished a rollercoaster season for the Spartans. Their 5-5 record was a respectable one, and with a few less turnovers and injuries, it could have easily been better. This year's team was much improved compared to last year's version. That improvement, along with a core of talented younger players like Whalen, Calderone, and Tiemeier returning next season, make the future look bright for Case football.
