Box Score
MEADVILLE Pa. - The Allegheny Gators opened the schedule with a familiar foe Saturday night, under the lights of Frank B. Furher Field. The Bison of Bethany (1-0) came to Meadville looking to avenge last year's 28-0 defeat at the hands of the Gators (0-1), and did so with a 28-7 victory.
Things were looking good for the Gators in the early going, when on Bethany's second drive senior linebacker Doug Williams recovered a Raymear Pinchom fumble deep inside Bison territory. However, Allegheny could not capitalize, as Bethany would take the ball right back on the second play of the ensuing drive, when junior quarterback Jordon Fowler threw his first of two interceptions on the night to Jeff Joyce in the end zone.
The two teams traded punts in the beginning of the second quarter, and on their second drive of the quarter Bethony struck first blood on a 55 yard pass play by Matt Grimard to Daryl Powell. The Bison wasted no time getting back on the board, scoring on their next drive to make it a 14-0 game going into the half.
However, ven after a shaky first half the Gators still saw themselves only down by two scores. When both teams returned from the locker room, Allegheny looked poise for a comeback. Fowler came out of the gates firing on all cylinders, completing balls to three different receivers on the first drive of the second half, including a 31 yard touchdown strike to senior wide out Sean Griffin. On the drive, Fowler was 4-of-5, for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Unfortunately that would be as close as the Gators would get, as Bethany's defense would continue to stifle Allegheny's offense, causing 2 more turnovers in the final two frames and only allowing the Gators offense to get past the 50 yard line one more time.
Grimard would conduct two more scoring drives for the Bison to seal the victory, dropping Allegheny to 0-1 on the young season.
Senior tailback Taylor O'Brien led the Gators ground attack, rushing for 49 yards on 14 carries, good for 3.5 yards per rush. Senior wide out Sean Griffin also had a standout game for Allegheny, hauling in three passes for 46 yards, and the Gators only score of the ball game.
On the defensive side of the ball, junior linebacker Bill Delvin was all over the field, recording nine tackles, 1.5 for loss, and a half a sack. Senior safety Shane Heschke added six tackles, 1.5 for loss, and one sack; and junior end John Douglas contributed four tackles, 2.5 for loss, and an impressive one and a half sacks.
The Gators will be back on the gridiron next Saturday, September 10, as they travel to Pittsburgh to take on Carnegie Mellon in a non-conference tilt scheduled to start at 12 p.m.
