White Enjoys Colorful Afternoon in 27-10 Win Over NMU
October 8, 2005

Complete Box Score

So much for driving through the countryside to look at the fall foliage.

Ashland University fans couldn’t care less about what color the leaves are at this point. Their team is White, and that doesn’t mean the absence of color. It emphasizes that the AU football program is turning over a new leaf.

In Saturday’s (Oct. 8), 27-10 win over Northern Michigan at Community Stadium, Ashland University senior wide receiver Dalorean White caught four passes for a career-high 155 yards and a touchdown, carried the ball five times for 68 yards and a pair of scores and returned a kickoff 52 yards. That adds up to 275 all-purpose yards and the starring role for an AU team that’s 5-2, 4-2 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

White’s TD catch came on an 82-yard pass play with quarterback Nick Strance. The scoring runs covered 39 and 17 yards.

“That was the game plan,” said White, who’s had over 100 yards receiving twice in the last three weeks. “We had a couple of new plays this week. We worked on them in practice and they worked every time.

“Everybody has a role on this team,” continued the senior, who leads the Eagles with 36 catches. “The offensive line, if it doesn’t block, I don’t make those plays. I’m just doing my job.”

White’s job was made harder by steady rain and a 15-mile-per-hour win that made throwing into the north side of the stadium an adventure. Several times when White made catches it looked like he was calling for a fair catch on a punt. That’s how strong the wind was on that side of the field.

“We missed him a couple of times,” admitted AU head coach Lee Owens. “The weather made it tough, especially going this (north) way. On both picks (two Strance interceptions), the wind held it up. The one (Matt) Shem took back for a touchdown, it fluttered. It’s tough. The wind is so difficult.”

The AU defense was just as tough. The Eagles allowed only a 47-yard field goal by Kyle Marotz. Northern Michigan’s (2-4/2-4 GLIAC) other score came when Shem intercepted a Strance pass and brought it back 55 yards for a touchdown.

The Eagles limited NMU quarterback Buddy Rivera, one of the GLIAC’s most dangerous all-around threats, to nine completions in 21 passing attempts for 86 yards. They sacked him twice, both times by junior nose tackle Kyle Zelazny, and intercepted him once. Rivera rushed for 48 yards on 13 carries. AU held explosive NMU H-Back Vinney Mayfield, to three receptions for 24 yards.

“Watching film, you could see they were real shifty,” said junior defensive back Chris Holland, of Rivera and Mayfield. “But that was when they were in the dome, on turf.”

It didn’t take long for the turf at Community Stadium to look like it had done battle with a beserk rototiller. The team that got the early lead would have a distinct advantage because the footing would worsen as the game continued.

Ashland, which has outscored the opposition, 36-5 in the first quarter this year, led, 13-0 after the first frame Saturday. With 9:21 to go in the opening quarter, sophomore tailback Jon Schroeder scored on a 5-yard run. The lead stayed at 6-0 because freshman Jared Karrasch missed the extra point.

White scored his first touchdown of the game with 6:20 left in the quarter on a 39-yard run. Marotz’s field goal with 14:52 to play in the first half narrowed the Ashland lead to 13-3. White gave the Eagles some relief when he rambled 87 yards with a pass from Strance. That TD made the score, 20-3.

“I thought the defensive back was ready to tackle me,” White reported. “I just ran as fast as I could to the end zone.”

The Shem touchdown via an interception came with 5:48 to play in the first half. White’s final touchdown, the 17-yard scamper, was scored with 2:56 remaining in the half. Neither team would find the end zone in the second half.

That doesn’t mean the Eagles didn’t execute. Over the last few seasons, the Eagles didn’t have many opportunities to play with a lead. This team is getting more accustomed to doing that. AU held onto the ball for 10:15 in the third quarter and 8:22 in the fourth quarter. Senior tailback Jason Schwalm had 85 yards on 28 carries and Schroeder finished with 55 yards on 14 trips.

“I think offensively, we’re geared to this type of weather,” said Owens. “Our guys like to play in the trenches, run off tackle, do the things they grew up doing. It also plays to our defensive strength. When we’ve played in these conditions, teams have struggled to score.”

NMU was able to keep AU out of the end zone thanks in large part linebackers Chad Kurian and Jim Couretas. Kurian had 14 tackles – all solo. Couretas made 10 stops, nine solo.

The Eagles have now equaled last season’s victory total. Wayne State’s 25-14 win over Michigan Tech Saturday muddles the GLIAC race a bit and helps the Eagles as they look to move up in the conference race and the NCAA Division II regional rankings. A week ago, the Eagles were 10th in the regional listings.

“At this point last year, we decided to play some football,” Owens said, referring to 2004 when AU won three of its last four games. “To finish like we did last year would be a heckuva finish. That’s not going to be easy. Look what Wayne State did today.”

“We just have to stay focused on the game,” said junior linebacker Allen Lattimore. “You have to win your games first before you think about the playoffs. You have to keep your eyes on the prize and take no games for granted.”