Carnegie Mellon Drives over Hiram 27-6

Stats

Sept. 2 - (HIRAM, Ohio) – A wet and muddy field led to a slow start for the Carnegie Mellon Tartan football team but the scoring opened up in the second half, as they went on to win their eighth straight season opener by a 27-6 score over the host Hiram College Terriers. A big return game by senior Jonathan Menhart (Rices Landing, Pa./Carmichaels) led to three scores for the Tartans and the defense prevented the long plays to start the Tartans' 2006 season at 1-0.

The defensive effort was apparent early when on fourth and one for the Terriers on the Tartan 36, the defensive line stopped the rush attempt with 6:24 to play in the first quarter. Hiram had converted a first down while running nearly three minutes off the clock before the stand by the Tartan defense.

Carnegie Mellon broke the zero-zero tie with a 25-yard field goal by senior kicker Nathaniel Greenstein (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) on their third possession of the game. The Tartans started the possession on the Terrier 25 yard line after Menhart returned a punt for 22 yards. With the ball on the 16 yard line, a second effort by junior running back Travis Sivek (Traverse City, Mich./St. Francis) on third down and one led to a Tartans first down. After a third down stop by the Terriers, holder Jonathan Kline (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) controlled a low snap for Greenstein to put through the uprights with 43 seconds to go in the first quarter.

The Cardinal and Gray threatened again on their second possession of the second quarter when they marched 48 yards before punting away with four minutes to go in the half. The drive started on their own five when junior QB Kevin Mulkern (Springfield, Pa.) found junior RB Colby Whitman (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney) on second and ten for a 15-yard reception down the sideline. On third and long, Sivek broke two tackles along the outside for a 24-yard gain to push the Tartans to their own 45 yard line.

Head Coach Rich Lackner elected to punt on fourth and short and attempt to pin the home team deep with hopes of receiving the ball back with time left to add to their 3-0 lead. Junior punter Matt Adams (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Scioto) sent a 38-yard punt to the Terrier nine yard line starting the plan off right. The defense stood strong and with a five-yard sack by junior nose guard Mike Reggie (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) on third and eight, the Tartans forced the Terriers to punt from the six.

Lackner used two timeouts to secure enough time for the Tartans to mount a scoring drive and won the battle for field possession. "We learned something from Hiram's fourth and one play earlier in the game where we stopped them and ended up with good field position which is what this game was about. As a staff we thought it was best to pin them deep and stop them to regain good field position and punch it home. It was a critical decision on our part."

With 2:26 to go, Hiram's Gary Sheplavy's punt was received by Menhart on the Hiram 49 and returned to the Hiram 26. It was Menhart's second punt return of more than 20 yards in the game.

On first and ten, Mulkern completed a pass to senior split end Kline streaking across the field for a ten-yard pick-up. Sivek then picked up a six-yard reception before rushing on three straight plays ending in a one-yard touchdown with 32 seconds to go pushing the Tartan lead to 10-0 going into the half.

Hiram broke the shutout with a 25-yard rushing touchdown by sophomore quarterback Trevor Henderson. The seven-play, 43-yard scoring drive ran 3:50 off the clock and ended when Henderson got out of trouble and ran for the endzone. The Terriers tried for two on the extra point but were stopped well short of the goal line.

Carnegie Mellon wasted no time adding to their point total when Greenstein converted his second field goal of the day from 27 yards out after a 55-yard drive. The drive started on the Tartan 35 after the Terriers kickoff went out-of-bounds. Whitman recorded two straight first downs with a 14-yard rush and a 36-yard reception from Mulkern setting up Greenstein's kick for a 13-6 lead.

On the Terriers ensuing possession, Carnegie Mellon senior DB Aaron Lewis (Englewood, Ohio/Northmont) forced a fumble recovered by senior DB Nat Scarmazzi (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon McMillan) on the Hiram 46 yard line to pump up the Tartans who never looked back.

It was all Robert Gimson (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./The Benjamin School) in the fourth quarter for the Tartans, as the Carnegie Mellon junior running back converted the Terrier turnover into points as he had three rushes for two first downs and a touchdown of five yards. Gimson also scored on the Tartans next possession as he and the offensive line solved the Hiram defensive front and pushed the lead to 27-6 where the game ended.

Hiram did threaten to score on what would be their last possession of the game when Henderson connected with Greg Kibler three times, including a deep ball for 33 yards down to the Carnegie Mellon eight yard line. The Tartan defense regrouped and didn't allow Henderson to complete a pass again as he tried on three of four plays.

Menhart finished with 81 yards in punt returns with a long return of 36 yards. He credited his blockers with setting him up for the long runs. "Our wide guys did a great job of blocking and Jon Scholl would come up and crush someone on every return. With the sloppy field we had to pick and choose our spots to try and set up the offense in good field position each time."

Sivek was the leading rusher with 104 yards on the day and one touchdown, while Gimson followed with 43 yards, 24 in the second half, and two touchdowns. Whitman finished with 51 receiving yards as Mulkern completed six of 11 attempts.

Gimson noted the formation in the second half that helped him succeed in the fourth quarter. "We found a good formation that they couldn't adjust to and I don't believe I had to break a tackle. The O-line played great and Colby (Whitman) and (Jon) Cakert did a great job of blocking out of the backfield along with our lead guard J.P. White." On the big plays by Whitman, Gimson added, "In a game like this it's a game of field position and we were pinned down a couple times, so a big reception like his and the big run by Travis (Sivek) helped with the morale."

Linebackers James Rogers (Battle Ground, Wash./Skyview) and Jamie Ploetzner (Rathdrum, Idaho/Lakeland) led the defense with nine tackles apiece.

The Tartans stay on the road next week, as they make the trip north to Grove City College for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.