Wolverines Stay Busy in Off-Season
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gridiron The Newsletter of the Grove City College Spring 2008 Vol. 2 No. 1 Wolverine Football Team Wolverines Inside ... stay busy in 2007 review, look ahead 2 Gregg in Aztec Bowl 2 off-season DiDonato sets records 4 2008 schedule 4 March, also known as the o-season, is the hardest time of the year for football fans and players alike. However, the 2008 Quick Click... Grove City College football team is hard Bookmark these links on at work. the Grove City College Both on and o the eld, the varsity Web site, located at www.gcc.edu team tries to impact the entire Grove . City community. That’s why this o- Sports season we’re looking to make a dierence. www2.gcc.edu/sports The team has started its o-season Wolverines Football workout program, which consists of a www2.gcc.edu/sports/ conditioning/lifting program run by Football/fb.htm Coach Todd Gibson ’02. In addition Alumni & Friends to this training, the ’09 seniors took it www.gcc.edu/alumni upon themselves to organize a Saturday morning team session to gain an edge Sweet victory over the competition. While the team has GRIDIRON The Wolverines celebrate their 14-13 victory over Thiel, a beneted greatly from these o-season Editorial Sta win that brought the Mercer County Cup back to Grove activities, we wanted to give more back to Christopher Smith ’72 City in 2007. To read more about the 2007 season and a the local community. Head Coach preview of the 2008 season, turn to page 2. Ryan Briggs ’01 Please see OFF-SEASON, page 3 Sports Information Director Design Rebecca Miller ’04 Standout football alumni inducted Communications Associate This year, the Grove City and quarter- “No. 7” a threat College Athletic Hall of Fame back. He twice any time he Printer Sharon Commercial Printing & inducted three former gridiron led the team touched the Mailing greats to its membership. Of the in scoring, and football. He set Sharon, Pa. 21 members of the Hall of the was its leader in school records GRIDIRON is the ocial newsletter Fame, seven either played foot- total oensive for passing yards of the Grove City College ball or had direct ties to football. yardage. A in a season and Wolverine Football Team. This year’s inductees include: four-year resi- Todd Alexander ’64 in a career. Jeff Cass ’89 Todd Alexander, Class of dent of Ketler Gym, he made As a punt returner, he set a 1964. Alexander’s versatility the gym rats proud. school record with an 82-yard may be unmatched in modern Je Cass, Class of 1989. punt return for a touch- Wolverine football history. He Cass broke in as a part-time down against Thiel in 1986. was a major contributor at half- starter his freshman season. Please see HALL, page 3 back, fullback, return specialist His speed and quickness made Team wraps up thrilling 2007, looks to 2008 The 2007 Grove City Col- The 2007 Wolverines out- lege football season was lled scored their opponents, con- with drama and excitement. trolled the time of possession, The Wolverines nished had a better third-down and third in the nine-team Presi- fourth-down conversion rate dents’ Athletic Conference. Two and both rushed and passed for of the losses came with just more rst downs than their op- seconds remaining in the game. ponents. Wolverine fans’ support The combined total was 22.7 helped the College to again lead seconds and those two wins the PAC in attendance. would have opened the door to The 2008 squad returns 36 a post-season playo opportu- lettermen and 15 starters, as well nity. Waynesburg scored with 13 Adam Eichler ’09 and the 2008 Wolverine football team will look to improve as the kicker and the punter. seconds remaining in the rst- on a third-place nish in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference in 2007. The season opener will be an ever night game at Robert E. came up with a key intercep- season for both teams. away game against Dickinson, Thorn Field, and Geneva scored tion. Chris Haley, Grove City’s Stellar senior leadership and the rst home game is in a controversial touchdown with All-Conference freshman kicker provided by Shane Coughlin, week two against longtime rival 9.7 seconds left on a clock that and punter from Butler High SS, from Medford Lakes, N.J.; Jay CMU. The College will again could not be stopped in the last School, added two extra points Yanak, SE, Upper St. Clair; Ian have a home night game against game of the season. with the nal one providing the Tobin, RB, Titusville; Bill Waugh, Bethany College on Sept. 20. The Mercer County Cup margin of victory. Grove City LB, Bellefonte; Matt Weil, RB, Homecoming will be on Oct. was once again won by the College holds a 15-9 edge over Fombell; Wes Basham, RB, 18 against Thomas More, and Wolverine football team. In a Thiel in the 24-year history of Nokesville, Va.; Gregg Frisch, OT, the annual Parents’ Day game hard-fought contest, Grove City the Cup. Bloomingdale, N.J.; Matt Gregg, will be the season nale against College edged Thiel 14-13 in The PAC will change the OC, Aliquippa; Justin Fowler, Thiel on Nov. 15. There will Greenville. For the Wolver- conference schedule beginning Newton Falls, Ohio; Ross Mc- be another night game for the ines, Brian Mercer led the way the fall of 2008. The last week Cracken, DL, Lancaster; Brandon Wolverines when they travel with 92 yards rushing and two of the season is now “rivals McCall, P/K, Pittsburgh; and Jon to Washington, Pa., to play the touchdowns. Bill Waugh con- week.” From now on, the Grove Gallante, DB, Butler, provided Presidents on Sept. 27. tributed a game-high 11 tackles, City College/Thiel College the Wolverines the right ingredi- The 2008 season promises Tony Clark had the second- game for the Mercer County ents for a team that played hard to be a great one for the fast- most with nine and Ian Minster Cup will be the last game of the and played together. charging Wolverines. Matt Gregg helps U.S. top Mexico in Aztec Bowl Senior center Matt Gregg helped the City, he earned First Team All-Presidents’ United States earn a 39-17 victory over Athletic Conference honors in 2006 and the Mexican All-Stars in the Aztec Bowl 2007 after earning Second Team All-PAC Dec. 8 in Chihuahua, Mexico. in 2005. Gregg lettered all four seasons The Aztec Bowl is the traditional season- and was a team co-captain in 2007. He ending game for Mexico’s college football started the final 28 games of his career. season. The game has been played 36 Gregg earned Grove City’s Offensive times since 1947, with the last 11 meet- Player of the Year award from his team- ings featuring a team of Division III all-stars mates. He twice earned the team’s Offen- playing the Mexican College All-Stars. sive Player of the Week award in 2007. Gregg was one of 50 Division III players He is the fourth Grove City player to chosen to play in the Aztec Bowl by the participate in a postseason all-star game American Football Coaches Association. this decade. In 2000, fullback R.J. Bowers Gregg played extensively at center for played in the Hula Bowl while cornerback the U.S. squad and helped the Americans Brock McCullough played in the Aztec accumulate 397 yards of total offense. Bowl. Two years ago, safety Aaron Margo Matt Gregg ’08 is the fourth Grove City player chosen A three-year starter at center for Grove also played in the Aztec Bowl. to play in a postseason all-star game in this decade. gridiron Page 2 Wolverines lift for a cause in off-season From page 1 After a short meeting, the seniors decided to hold a lift-a-thon, in which each player was responsible for collecting pledges over the Easter Break. These pledges would be based on an amount of weight lifted by each athlete. As a group, the seniors decided to donate this money to a cause that was very personal to everyone involved with Grove City College athletics. While working at Grove City College, longtime equipment manager Jimmy Richardson gradually lost the sight in both of his eyes. Richardson never missed a beat and has continued to be of great service to the College and to the athletes. Thus, it is with great pleasure that the pledges received though the lift-a-thon were donated to the Keystone Blind Association From left, Stephen Mercer ’09, Jerry Neilly ’09, Dave Salera ’09 and Jake Siple ’09 were among those located in Sharon, Pa. This association who participated in the lift-a-thon to raise money for the Keystone Blind Association, in honor of long- is dedicated to helping those who have time equipment manager Jimmy Richardson. lost their sight and also helping prevent better ourselves as teammates, but also in all aspects of life we must continually blindness in others. The lift-a-thon was to better the community that supports strive to walk with God in such a held the week after Easter break. us. However, we must not forget that manner as to “win the prize.” As you can see, the Grove City College everything we do is for the glory of football team is hard at work this o- God, both on and o the eld. As Coach – Jerry Neilly ’09 season.We are striving to not only Smith often says, not only in athletics but & Stephen Mercer ’09 Football standouts inducted into Athletic Hall of Fame From page 1 At the end of his football by a knee injury.