Allegheny 10, Ohio Wesleyan 7

Nov. 15, 2008

Sophomore quarterback Mike Fisher (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) scored on a 23-yard run to erase a 7-0 deficit, but Allegheny kicked a field goal during the first overtime period to edge Ohio Wesleyan in North Coast Athletic Conference action on Saturday in Meadville, Pa.

After a scoreless first half, Allegheny forced an Ohio Wesleyan punt from deep in Bishop territory and took over on the Ohio Wesleyan 46-yard line. Gator quarterback T.J. Salopek moved the chains with a third-down completion to Brian Tamburlin, then ran for 13 yards on a third-and-7 call before Matt Cellini's third-down carry gave the Gators a first-and-goal from the Bishop 2-yard line. On the next play, Salopek found Terry Hartford for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Ohio Wesleyan responded with a drive of its own, with Fisher hitting senior split end Grant Geib (Brecksville/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) for 12 yards on a third-and-10 play before senior running back Kyle Adams (North Canton/Hoover) gained 7 yards for another first down. On the next play, Fisher ran for 10 more yards and a Gator personal foul moved the ball to the Allegheny 26. Two plays later, Fisher scored from 23 yards out and senior Chris Kras (Aurora) converted the point after to tie the game at 7-7 with :24 left in the third quarter.

Each team missed a field goal attempt for the lead during the fourth quarter.

The Bishops had the first chance, with Fisher's 38-yard run providing a first down at the Allegheny 27-yard line and senior running back Jerell Cephas (Las Vegas, Nev./Centennial) picking up 3 yards on the next play. On second down, Adams was tripped up for a 5-yard loss, and Fisher's third-down pass fell incomplete. Kras came on for a 46-yard try, which was short with 10:55 left in regulation time.

Allegheny responded with a drive into Ohio Wesleyan territory, with Salopek hitting Pat Kahle for 23 yards and finding Hartford for 31 more and a first down at the Bishop 14, but senior defensive tackle Julian Strother (Warren/Kennedy) forced a fumble by Tamburlin, which sophomore defensive tackle Taylor Smith (Marengo/Highland) recovered at the Ohio Wesleyan 9-yard line.

Later in the quarter, after a punt from deep inside Ohio Wesleyan territory, the Gators took over at the Bishop 39-yard line with 1:39 to play. Facing a fourth-and-3 from the 32-yard line, Salopek hit Hartford for 10 yards, and after a pair of incompletions and a Gator penalty, Ryan Zipf came on to try a 44-yard field goal for the win, but his kick was wide right and the game went into overtime.

Ohio Wesleyan had the ball first, but Fisher's third-down pass was picked off by C.J. Bell at the 5-yard line.

Allegheny picked up 9 yards on 3 rushing plays, and on fourth-and-1 from the 16, Zipf's 33-yard field goal ended the game.

The Bishops marched into the Allegheny red zone during the first quarter, highlighted by a 12-yard Fisher run and a 10-yard pickup by senior running back Zachary Rojek (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors School). Fisher hit Geib for 4 yards and a first down at the Allegheny 18, but the drive stalled there and Kras's 37-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

Freshman defensive back Eli Cowan (Galena/Columbus DeSales) intercepted a Salopek pass at the Ohio Wesleyan 40-yard line, ending a second-quarter Gator threat, and after an exchange of punts gave the Bishops their best field position of the day at the Allegheny 45, Ohio Wesleyan picked up a first down on Fisher's 6-yard run, but junior running back Steven Brown (Redford Township, Mich./Redford) fumbled at the Allegheny 29-yard line.

Fisher shared the Bishop rushing lead with 85 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, and completed 6 of 10 passes for 36 yards. Adams also finished with 85 yards on the ground, gaining that in 17 carries. Brown had a team-high 4 catches for 23 yards.

For Allegheny, Tamburlin ran for 71 yards on 21 carries and caught 4 passes for 19 yards. Salopek completed 15 of 25 passes for 142 yards, with 4 of those completions going to Hartford for 60 yards.

Andy Schleihauf led the Gator defense with 15 tackles, while Aaron Walter finished with 12 stops, including a sack, and Craig Lawrence had 8 tackles, including 3 1/2 for loss.

Box Score