Rams overcome pesky Bears, 30-21

Rams overcome pesky Bears, 30-21

Athletics Football

This article describes a football game where WC defeated Kutztown 30-21.

Ed Miller

Quad Angles

Special Collections, Francis Harvey Green Library, West Chester University

10-29-1974

Randall Cream

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https://digital.klnpa.org/digital/collection/wcnp01/id/15211

Former West Chester assistant Coach George Baldwin almost made his homecoming to Farrell Stadium, on Saturday, a happy one. Fortunately for the West Chester homecoming crowd the Baldwin coached Kutztown Bears fell short in their bid to upset the undefeated Golden Rams by a 30-21 count. With West Chester leading 14-0 at halftime, Kutztown almost made a comeback similar to the one that the Rams had made the week before at American International. For the second week ir row the West Chester defense gave , 21 points, but the Warren Mays led offense kept its poise and barely managed to stay out of the Bears' Claws. Mays was his usual brilliant self as he completed 16 of 22 passes for 208 yards and one TD. The poise and confidence of the Rams proved the difference in an unexpectedly close game. The Ram gridders marched downfield the first time they had the ball but were stopped by a surprisingly tough Bear defense at the two yard line. With purple shirts blocking their every move, Kutztown punted to their own 44 and the Rams This time John Furlow's team got as tar as the 28 and Steve Cook came on to try a field goal. When the attempt fell short, K-town took over on the 20 and two plays later John Barr intercepted Mike Daher's pass to give the Rams the ball on the 34. It took West Chester only four plays to score with Guv Van Alstine carrying the pigskin over from five yards out. Cook's on-target kick gave the Rams a 7-0 lead. Kutztown was held to three downs and West Chester again was on the march. The offense got as far as the 26 before Cook tried his second field goal. This one barely fell short and Daher and big Bruce Harper passed and ran the Bears to the West Chester 36, picking up Kutztown's only first downs of the half. Defensive back Ken Batdorf killed the Bear threat when he stole a Daher pass. West Chester quickly marched 78 yards to score. Mays completed four passes in this drive including two to Mike O'Connor for 46 yards. Van Alstine scored his second TD of the afternoon when he wiggled into the end zone from seven yards out. The kick was true and the scoreboard showed 14-0 at 3:41 of the second quarter. Once more K-town went nowhere and Daher had his third pass of the day picked off by Kevin McAneny. Whatever happened in the Bear locker room at half-time changed the course of the game. Kutztown took the second half kickoff 85 yards in 13 plays to score. Actually the Rams stopped K-town at the 23 but a roughing the kicker penalty gave the ball back to the Bears and after the penalty the Ram defense resembled a sieve. Kutztown had a fourth down at the ten but another West Chester penalty gave the Bears first and goal at the five. It only took the speedster Harper one try to score. With Gary Gisondi's point after, K-town narrowed the score to 14-7 — shades of a comeback. But with Zawoiski, Van Alstine and Warren Sothern lugging the ball, the stillpoised Rams quickly went 86 yards to tally. Mays' on-target pass to Van Alstine from six yards out provided the touchdown. With the extra point good, West Chester led 21-7 and things seemed safe enough. However, Kutztown must have listened to the Rams come from behind win over AIC and decided if West Chester could do it — they could do it. It only took Daher 8 plays to march his squad in to score. The touchdown came on a Daher pass that bounced off the hands of Ram defender Ken Batdorf and into the waiting arms of Dave Buttero. Gisondi's kick was good and shades of AIC it was only 21-14. The Rams reflected confidence as they took the ensuing kick 82 yards to score. Herb Mills was the workhorse in this drive as he carried three times for 48 yards and the TD. Again, it was a May aerial that was the sparkplug of the drive. The 23 yard dart to Mike Gowan put the ball on the six. Cook's kick was good and the Rams had breathing room 28-14 — or so it seemed. A comedy of errors followed the Ram kickoff and gave the Bears their next T.D. Daher, Harper, and Gary Grant took the Bears to the 5 yard line as 6300 fans held their breath. Then with nothing but open space in front of him, Daher had the ball knocked loose and Rich Kirby recovered it for West Chester. Mills took the ball to the 10, but offsetting penalties killed Van Alstine's long gainer and Mills only picked up a yard on his next carry. Mays, dropping back to pass, was hit from behind and the Bears recovered for a first down on the 5. Harper bulled in for the score and after the kick West Chester only led 28-21. Kutztown stopped the Rams this time and Cook was forced to punt for the first time in the game. But what a punt it was — Kutztown took over on the four and the Rampage crowd grew quiet. Harper picked up short yardage and then Daher dropped back to pass. Unfortunately for the Bears, Daher was in the end zone and Mel Hinton, Mike Green, and Tom Hennessey buried him for a safety. WCS led 30-21, Kutztown had to punt and so much for comebacks. West Chester took the punt, moved to the three on the legs of Clarence Miller and then, time ran out. Stat-wise, the Rams looked pretty impressive against the Bears. West Chapter gained 321 yards rushing and 208 yards passing for a total offensive yardage count of 529 yards. Kutztown's stats were a little over half of West Chester's; a total of 273 yards gained during the afternoon. Guy Van Alstine recorded three touchdowns in his 72 yards of rushing, Herbie Mills made the other TD and ran 74 yards, and Warren Sothern was the biggest yardage gainer with 84 yards. It was West Chester's seventh straight win and the Rams will have a week's layoff before trekking seven miles to Cheyney. The Wolves are the only team to stand between the Rams and the Pennsylvania Eastern Division crown. After the Cheyney game is the showdown trip to Newark Delaware. West Chester is currently ranked number two in the Lambert Cup voting and on Nov. 16 will face number one rated Delaware, a grudging 21-17 loser to Temple, Saturday.