ALMA SCOTS FOOTBALL LOSES TO ILLINOIS WESLEYAN 43-7
Alma College’s Football team hit the field this afternoon for their home opener at Bahlke Field and ran into a buzzsaw called Illinois Wesleyan University. On a sunny and warm Saturday in Mid-Michigan, the Scots dropped a 43-7 decision to a Titans team that was determined from the beginning to grab a road win and spoil Alma’s day. The Scots are now 1-1 on the season, while IWU is 2-0, with Alma next playing at Rockford (IL) College next Saturday afternoon.
“That was a very good football team out there today,” said Alma Head Coach Jim Cole. “They have talent, size and speed on both sides of the ball and they are very well coached. We did some things that allowed them to be successful and we just need to watch some film and get back to work for next week. This is why you challenge yourself in non-league games.”
The highlights were few and far between for the home team as Illinois Wesleyan jumped out to a 13-0 lead after one quarter and extended their advantage to 27-0 before the Scots got on the board. With one second remaining on the clock in the first half, Alma Sr. QB Mackenzie McGrady connected with Sr. WR Tyler Wise on a four-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 27-7 at the half.
After the teams traded punts to start the third quarter, the Titans pretty much sealed the fate of the game when they blocked an Alma punt on the Scots’ second possession of the final half, and ran it back three yards for a score and a 34-7 lead.
The vaunted Scots offense just had one of those days and could not generate enough to get back into the game, and the Titans methodically took time of the clock and kept Alma at bay. IWU used multiple players in the second half and was able to close out the game and head back to Bloomington, IL, with the win.
McGrady finished the day with 19 completions on 40 attempts, with one touchdown and three interceptions, while Jr. WR Andrew Schaar had six receptions for 84 yards. Wise finished with five catches for 57 yards and a score, and Sr. RB Tyler Periard was the Scots’ leading rusher with seven carries for 18 yards.
Defensively, Alma So. LB Conrad Bovee was credited with seven solo tackles and five assists, while Sr. LB Brent Willis finished with six solos and six assists, inlcuding 2.5 tackles for loss. Sr. DB Bart Blystone contributed four solos and six assists (0.5 for loss) and So. DB Scotty Cole had five solos, two assists and a pass break-up on the afternoon.
For Illinois Wesleyan, QB Kraig Ladd had five touchdown passes on 18 of 22, while WR Chris Messina was the recipient of four of those scores and finished with nine catches for 67 yards. Brien Rooney led all Titan rushers with 97 yards on 12 carries.
Posted: Sat, September 12th, 2009 at 4:48PM
