David BrodyAfter starting off the season with a disappointing 1-3 record, the Washington University football team made a comeback in the second half of the season, winning four straight. Coming into the second to last week of regular season play, the Bears hoped to keep their winning streak alive as they traveled to Washington, PA, to take on the undefeated William & Jefferson Presidents on Saturday, Nov. 6. Despite their high hopes of success, the Presidents snapped the University’s win streak with a 28-6 win.
Despite the loss, the Bears were still able to achieve feats against the Presidents that few other teams can claim to be theirs. Four minutes into the first quarter, the Bears took a 3-0 lead as kicker senior Ben Lambert connected on a 23-yard field goal attempt. Through this field goal, the Bears became just the second team to hold a lead on the Presidents this season.
Their lead, however, would not hold. Washington & Jefferson took the lead for good three minutes later as a President receiver hauled in a screen pass from their quarterback and managed 34 yards for the touchdown on a fourth down and seven. Two Presidents runners each added rushing touchdowns as the Presidents moved ahead 21-3 with 1:25 left in the first quarter. The Presidents then increased their lead to 28-3 early in the second quarter with a 68-yard touchdown to round out the scoring for W&J.
Lambert ended the game’s scoring on a 31-yard field goal just 45 seconds before halftime. The Bears had another scoring chance early in the fourth quarter as the Bears drove to the Washington & Jefferson 15-yard line, but senior quarterback Adam Meranda was sacked for a 10-yard loss to halt the drive.
Regardless of the loss, it was a winning day for several Bears players. Junior wide receiver Brad Duesing had a career day as he tied his own school record with 14 receptions for 203 yards. Duesing also recorded 14 receptions in 2002 against Rhodes College. Meranda finished the day 27-of-52 for 269 yards and three interceptions as he moved into fourth on the all-time passing yardage list (3,853). Senior defensive back John Woock led the Bears defensive unit with 11 tackles while junior Ben Schaub added two fumble recoveries.
Last week Woock, the team’s captain, was named to College Football’s 2004 National Scholar Athlete Class, as announced on Nov. 1 by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. Woock is one of 15 scholar-athletes from all NCAA Divisions, I-A, I-AA, II and III, to receive the award. Each scholar-athlete receives an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship, and on the evening of the ceremony on Dec. 7, one will receive the Draddy Trophy as the top scholar-athlete in the nation, increasing the scholarship to $25,000. Woock, a biomedical engineering major who has a 4.0 GPA, is the third Washington University football player to receive this honor. Woock leads the Bears’ defensive unit with 70 tackles, 13 pass breakups and four interceptions. He also ranks 22nd in Division III in passes defended per game (1.6).
The Bears wrap up their 2004 season on Saturday, Nov. 13, at home against Greenville College. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Francis Field.