Matt RubinAt the outset of the 2006 Washington University football season, followers of Division III football circled two games on the Bears’ schedule as being the key contests which would determine the University’s post-season chances.
Saturday’s game on the road at 25th-ranked Wheaton College was one of those hyped-up battles, and despite the Red and Green’s dominating performances in its first two games, Wheaton proved that Wash. U. football fans may have gotten their playoff hopes up a bit prematurely.
The host Thunder steamrolled a University squad unprepared for the speed and size of its opponent before a crowd of 1,881 at Wheaton’s McCully Field. And while the score of 48-7 might not have been reflective of the difference in talent between the two squads, Bears coach Larry Kindbom was in no mood for making excuses.
“I didn’t do a very good job of preparing the guys for the task at hand,” said the veteran coach. “From the beginning, we were tentative. [Wheaton] didn’t see the best of Washington University football.”
Wheaton dominated the Bears on both sides of the football. Offensively, Wheaton racked up 441 yards of total offense, more than double the combined total Washington University’s first two opponents gained.
Wheaton’s virtually flawless game further highlighted the Bears’ struggles. Senior quarterback Nick Henry was intercepted twice, while fellow senior signal caller Pat McCarthy was picked off once.
“We can’t turn the ball over. We’re not a big play team. If you miss by a little bit in a game like that, you’re going to miss by a lot.”
The Bears trailed 6-0 after the opening quarter and the deficit remained just one touchdown until around the two-minute mark of the first half, when Wheaton quarterback Jeremy Chupp found Noah Dreyer for a 19-yard touchdown pass.
A successful two-point conversion pass gave the Thunder a 14-0 lead with 2:02 left in the half.
On the second play of the ensuing drive, a McCarthy pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown, giving the Thunder a commanding 20-0 lead. The point after the attempt was good, and Wheaton headed to the locker room in full control of the contest.
The third quarter proved no better for the Bears, with the momentum from the first half carrying over for the hosts. Chupp picked apart the Wash. U. secondary, tossing touchdown strikes of 53, 15, and 40 yards respectively. The last score came with just 16 seconds to go in the third quarter, and it gave the Thunder a 41-0 lead going into the fourth.
Wheaton added another score halfway through the final quarter before the Bears finally got on the board with just over a minute to go. Junior Michael Casper caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from McCarthy to cap the scoring.
“We didn’t come out with the attitude to play how we needed to play against a good opponent,” said Casper.
“On any given play, any given guy would make a mistake and the play would fall apart because of that mistake,” McCarthy added.