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North Carolina Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27804
SPORTS
November 16, 2007
Wesleyan Football Clinches NCAA Playoff Berth
J C J T. ^ k touchdown reception from Todd •' But CNU came back with back-to
Bulletin: The BLshojis spanked the
Greensboro College Pride, 55-14,
on Saturday, to finish with an 8-2
overall record after losing their first
two games, both non-conference
match-ups, to begin the season.
In its fourth year of existence, the
team claimed its first USA South
title, winning all seven conference
games and scoring more than 50
points on three occasions and more
than 40 points three other times.
The Bishops will face Washington and
Jefferson College Saturday afternoon in
Washington, Pa. in the opening round of
the NCAA Division III playoffs.
By James Randolph
Decree Staff Writer
The Wesleyan football team clinched
an NCAA playoff berth with a 24-17
win against divisional rival Ferrum
College on November 3.
Though the parking lot appeared full,
there was more than enough space for
the kids to run up and down the bleach
ers. The facility grounds seemed languid
of energy, ironic for a game where one
team was on the verge of clinching a
divisional title. By the start of the fourth
quarter, however, the bleachers and
the sidelines were as lively as in any
professional contest as students, parents,
faculty, and fans cheered for their home
team Battling Bishops.
The Bishops went up early in the
game, holding on to a 17-10 lead at the
end of the first half. Less than inspired
play from the Bishops’ offense allowed
the Panthers back into the game and led
to an intense nail-biter fourth quarter
On a second-down play that was
nullified due to a penalty, #27 Quentin
Pope anticipated a post route to make a
leaping interception. On the following
second-down play, Pope anticipated the
same route and made another intercep
tion to cap off an impressive defensive
stand by the Bishops.
Pope earned the USA South’s
defensive player of the week award for
his outstanding performance, which
included his interception, two forced
fumbles and six tackles.
The defen.se undoubtedly carried the
Bishops team, forcing five turnovers in
all, one which placed the offense inside
the Panthers’ five yard line resulting in
the only Bishops score of the second
half - a 1 yard touchdown run from run
ning back Bryan Haywood. Late in the
fourth after four consecutive botched
possessions by the Bishops’ offense,
each netting 20
yards or less, the
defense dug in their
heels again and took
it upon themselves
to stop the .surging
Panther offense.
A touchdown
pass by Ferrum
quarterback Matt
Dobson ended the
Bishops second-half
shutout with seven
minutes left in the
fourth quarter. The
Bishops’ defense in
the second half was
still nothing short of
heroic. Out of seven
Panther drives that
penetrated the Red
Zone, the Bishops
allowed only two
scores.
Even after several
impressive stands
from the defense, the
offense still seemed
to lack exuberance.
Wesleyan defensive
back Devon Whita
ker of the Bishops
team paced up and
down the sideline
screaming “do y’all
want a ring?” in an
attempt to inspire
vitality amongst his teammates. By the
end of the game, however, energy was
not an issue for the Bishops as they were
awarded the USA South title and the
gratification of a seventh straight victory.
NCWC42,CNU32
A week earlier, NCWC spoiled
Christopher Newport’s 2007 Home
coming with a 42-32 victory at Pomoco
Stadium, snapping CNU’s 20-game
league winning streak at home and
gaining sole possession of first place in
the USA South in the process.
The game marked a milestone in
the team’s four-year history. “It’s the
first big win, where we were not the
underdogs,” said head coach Jack
Ginn. “We didn’t sneak up on anyone
Saturday. It’s good to see that our
players can handle that.”
Ginn said that his team was
confident prior to the game, even with
Teron Bush (pictured) and fellow running back Bryan
Haywood have combined for 1,500 yards rushing this
S63S0D. Sports Information Photo
CNU’s success at home. “Our players
knew they could win, and expected to
win,” he said. “When you enter a game
at CNU, with their history of success, I
think that confidence is a big part of it.”
Assessing the keys to the Bishops
victory, he added that his team
protected the ball well and forced
critical turnovers by the Captains.
The Bishops struck first, marching
80 yards on 17 plays on the open
ing drive of the game. The drive
culminated in Steve Burant’s 16-yard
touchdown reception from Cedric
Townsend with 7:35 left in the first.
Christopher Newport (5-3,4-1)
evened the score at the end of the first
quarter on Jesse Bradshaw’s 70-yard
George Sisters Set High Standard
By Trevor Seibert
Decree Sports Editor
Kelly George never really had a
choice when it came to her decision
to choose a college. It’s not that she
didn’t want to come to North Carolina
Wesleyan College to play volleyball;
it’s just that her sister, Caitlin, wanted
her to play for the Battling Bishops
during her .senior year. Kelly chose
to come to NC Wesleyan and the
two helped produce one of the most
successful volleyball seasons in recent
memory.
I*
Caitlin George Sports information Photos
Although the two never played
together comp)etitively in high school,
Caitlin knew her sister would have
an immediate impact on the Bishops'
squad. “She’s a good player,” Caitlin
said. “She’s very good at what she
does. She helps me out on the court
tremendously. She made a big
difference this season and 1 knew she
would.” Kelly certainly performed
up to her sister’s standards. Kelly led
the team in digs this season with 501
- the third most of any player in NC
Wesleyan history.
Both agree that having each other on
the court has a lot of benefits. “I know
that she’s going to perform well for the
team,” Kelly said. “She helps me calm
down when I need to.” Caitlin looks to
her sister for support when she needs to
blow off steam during the match.
Kelly - a libero -was able to
learn the offense and defense of the
team a lot more quickly because of
Caitlin. Caitlin has left her legacy at
NC Wesleyan and Kelly said that it
provides motivation for her to perform
to the best of her ability. “I look up to
her and hope that one day I can make
a name for myself,” Kelly said. “I
want to be known as Kelly and not as
Caitlin’s little sister.”
Caitlin thinks that Kelly will not
have a problem having a similar career
to Caitlin. “I would never bring (Kelly)
into a situation where she would fail,”
Caitlin said. “I knew she would come
in and start and contribute to the team
immediately, and she did.”
The two do have their quarrels on
the court, but usually the battle does
not last very long. Both remembered
a match during the season where the
two “went at it” in a huddle, but were
laughing with each other just 10 points
later The two resolve their differences
quickly and are close friends off the
court.
Caitlin points to their extreme
competitiveness as one of the reasons
the two get into fights sometimes. “I
expect a lot,” Caitlin said. “I expect
a lot out of the people I play with.
Hopefully, they will be playing well
and play to the best of their ability. She
knows I’m just trying to get the best
out of everybody.”
Kelly hopes that in a few years she
will be able to play a lead role, like her
sister did for the team this year. She
added that she isn’t quite as outspoken
as her sister, but Caitlin quickly cut in.
“She knows what she is talking about
out there,” Caitlin said. “She knows
what’s happening on the court. She’ll
be fine.”
The two remain friends off the court.
Kelly confides in Caitlin and Caitlin
Kelly George
is able to stay focused and entertained
with her younger sister around. But
soon, Caitlin will graduate and her
sister will be left behind next season as
a sophomore. Maybe, she’ll be setting
records of her own. Maybe, she will
be remembered as Caitlin’s little sister
But just as there will always be twelve
months in a year, the two will remain
close friends, sisters, no matter what
the field of play is.
touchdown reception from Todd
Faison.
In the second quarter the Bishops
out-scored CNU, 14-3. Teron Bush
scored the first NC Wesleyan TD of
the quarter on a 24-yard TD strike. The
second came on Bryan Haywood’s
1-yard plunge with 6:03 left in the half.
Between the touches, Graham kicked
27-yard field goal for the Captains.
In the third, each team scored once.
Townsend’s 10-yard scamper gave the
Bishops a 28-10 lead, but the Captains
responded on Tunde Ogun’s 3-yard score
with 4:11 left to cut the lead to 28-17.
Early in the fourth, Burant caught
his second TD pass of the afternoon
to extend NCWC’s lead to 35-17, this
time on a 10-yarder from Townsend.
The drive was set up by senior Justin
Augustin’s 51-yard run after a forced
fumble and recovery.
But CNU came back with back-to-
back touchdowns. Ogun scored his first
from one yard out and Faison’s second
TD pass was a 25-yarder to Bradshaw.
Ogun converted on the two-point
conversion, and CNU trailed, 35-32.
On the Bishops ensuing drive, senior
wideout Noah Parsons hauled in a
Townsend pass inside at the 10-yardline
that set up a fourth-and-short situation.
Townsend got just enough yardage on
the keeper for the first down to keep
the drive alive. He later scored from 11
yards to seal the win.
Townsend carried 20 times for 103
yards and two scores. He completed
15 of 26 passes for 215 yards and three
touchdowns. Linebacker Bo Brown
spearheaded the Bishops defense with
a game-high 13 tackles.
(Sports Information contributed to this report)
Young Volleyball Team
Meshes in Successful Season
Newport News, VA - North Carolina
Wesleyan’s volleyball season ended
November 2 as the Bishops fell 3-0
to top-seeded Christopher Newport
in the 2007 USA South Tournament
Semifinals.
Game scores were 30-13, 30-19 and
30-25.
The talented Captains tallied 51 kills
as a team and a .269 hitting percentage
in beating the Bishops. CNU then
defeated Greensboro, 3-0, to claim the
conference title after posting a 31-6
overall record.
“I told my team that 1 was impressed
with the way they handled the match,”
Coach Robin Pietryk said. “We
struggled from the beginning against
CNU, but the girls kept cheering and
stayed together as a team.”
Wesleyan finished the season with a
21-14 overall record—Pietryk’s second
20-win season—and an 11-7 confer
ence mark. The Bishops qualified
for the semi-final round by defeating
Ferrum, 3-0, in the quarterfinals.
Pietryk attributed the improved
record—last year the Bishops were
12-19 over all—to enhanced team
depth, which allowed her more options
when it came to making substitutions
at key moments in the match. “We had
quality players at all positions,” said
the coach.
The Bishops entered the season with
11 freshmen and only three veterans:
senior Caitlin George, junior Sydney
Bens and sophomore Brittany Insley.
As a resuh, coach and players alike
worried that the team might take a
while to mesh.
In the first weeks of practice, Insley
said, the team “was a little shaky.
But once we started playing games
and competing, we really got a lot of
confidence and saw that we had talent.
We knew we were going to have a
decent season.”
After a 2-3 start, the team won seven
of its next nine matches. “Once we
got used to playing with each other,
the team really began to click,” said
George, who teamed with younger
sister Kelly, a libero, to play an
instrumental role in this year’s success.
The CNU match marked the end
of captain Caitlin George’s career at
Wesleyan. With 12 assists and two aces
against the Captains, George finished
with a four-year total of 3,927 assists
(1st all-time) and 269 service aces
(2nd all-time). In 2(X)7 she set a school
single-season record with 1,260 assists.
Pietryk said that she will miss the
intangil5les that George brought to the
team, such as her work ethic and tenacity.
“Caitlin is a hard-working player,
who pushes to the very end of the
match,” Pietryk said.
During her four years at Wesleyan,
George impressed her coach with
her ability to run an offense. “She’s a
very smart player, which makes her
very dangerous to the opTOnent,” said
Pietryk, who noted that finding a new
setter is one of her top recruiting priori
ties in the off-season. “Caitlin could
always make plays” out of passes that
seemed “impossible to handle.”
Bens agreed with her coach’s assess
ment. “She always sees the game very
well and she’s a very consistent setter,”
she said, noting that it will be difficult
to replace her
Insley and Bens praised George’s
leadership skills and positive attitude,
crediting her with the team’s strong
chemistry. “We really fed off each other
the past two years,” said Insley, a sopho
more who became the first Wesleyan
player since 1997 to earn first-team
all-conference honors after establishing
a school record with 539 kills.
Despite losing George to graduation,
the team is optimistic about next season.
“We established a name for our
selves,” Insley said. “Now we just need
to keep pushing to get better as a team.”
Added George, “The team should have
really high expectations for next year.”
(Sports Information contributed to this report.)
Speak Your Mind:
Is Boston Top
Sports Town?
By Anthony DeGregorio
and Trevor Seibert
AD: How about my Red Sox! Who
would think that Boston would become
this nation’s sports capital?
TS: Beantown has provided plenty of
excitement this season in all sports. The
Red Sox are kings of the baseball world.
The Bruins have started quickly and the
Celtics are favorites in the East. The
Patriots (CHEATERS) are playing better
than anybody in football, and Boston
College has a leading Heisman Candidate
in Matt Ryan, who has the Eagles’ hoping
for a National Title bid.
AD: What do you think about the
Eagles’ chances of a National Champion
ship? Even if they finish the season with
one loss, shouldn’t they get a chance?
TS: One loss will ruin the chances
of Boston College going to a National
Championship. They’re going to have
to finish the season undefeated and even
then I don’t like their chances of winning
it all. The Eagles play in a weak ACC
Conference and the weak schedule will
hurt them in the end. Ryan still will win
the Heisman, however, after his stunning
comeback against Virginia Tech.
AD: I agree with your statement about
Ryan. He’s the most ready of any college
quarterback to play in the NFL. But I’m
not sure why you consider the ACC as. a
weak conference. The only conference
better in my mind would be the SEC. As
of right now the ACC has four teams in
the top 25, not including Virginia, which
leads the coastal division at 7-2 and is 4-1
in conference.
TS: Top to bottom the ACC has to be
considered the weakest. Look at UNC-
Chapel Hill, Duke and NC State (which
just beat Virginia). The bottom of the
ACC is a joke, period. The SEC and the
PAC-10 are stronger than the SEC, and I
still think that despite the struggles of the
Big 10, it’s a better conference.
See SPEAK page 7