DePauw snares first outright SCAC title

Monday, November 8, 2010
Senior receiver Brayden Dahlstrom hauls in a touchdown pass from Michael Engle in the fourth quarter of Saturday's win over Austin.

GREENCASTLE -- On Saturday, DePauw captured its first outright SCAC title by defeating Austin 30-20 and moved to 9-0 on the season -- a first in the program's history.

In four years, 30 seniors for the DPU program have a record of 32-7, which is a school record for most wins by a class. The nine wins themselves tied the school record for most wins in a season set in 1981 and 1996.

When asked following the contest how it felt to capture the school's first outright conference championship, head coach Robbie Long said it hadn't sunk it just yet.

"It's a great feeling -- it really hasn't soaked in right now," Long said. "Just trying to get over what we went through in that game. But I'm proud of our guys and the adversity they fought through all year. We couldn't have done it without our 30 seniors that we got on our team. That's why we're 9-0 right now.

"I'm proud of the career that they've had. We've got more work to do," he added.

The Tigers got on the board when kicker Eric Malm connected from 29 yards out with 4:53 on the clock. Malm had a 35-yard attempt on the Tigers' first possession, but it caught the right upright and failed to go in.

Austin scored when quarterback Travis Zambiasi ran in from 26-yard out to give the Roos the lead at 7-3. But DePauw won't stay down for long.

On its next possession, Michael Engle hit Nathan Evans in the endzone to put DePauw up 10-7 with 8:33 in the second quarter. After Austin tied it up on a field goal, DePauw took the lead for good when Derrick Karazsia bulldozed in from six-yard out, making it 16-10 with 1:09 to go before the half.

DePauw tacked on another touchdown when Engle hooked up with Alex Koors with 2:53 remaining in the third quarter, giving DePauw a 23-13 edge.

The Tigers' final score came when Engle lofted a pass to the back of the endzone where Brayden Dahlstrom leapt and hauled in the offering to put the Tigers up 30-13 with 10:13 left in the game.

Austin added a score with less than nine minutes remaining, but it had little effect on the outcome of the game, with the Tigers winning 30-20.

Karazsia rushed for a career-high 133 yards and a touchdown in the win, with Engle throwing for 303 yards and three touchdowns. Koors and Dahlstrom combined for 15 catches, 197 yards and two scores in the win.

The team saw its fair share of yellow flags tossed, some of which the Tigers sideline and faithful objected to. But as Long pointed out, not every call was off and that's something the Tigers need to work on.

"We have to watch the film," he said. "Some of those calls were correct, they're not all bad calls. Those guys are professionals and they know what they're doing. So, some of those calls were legitimate calls and we have to watch the film and get it fixed. Because we can't continue to put ourselves in long yardage situations or give people 15 yards here and there on defense. We've got to do a better job of that and we will."

Up next for the playoff bound Tigers will be the Wabash Little Giants and the 117th Monon Bell Classic. Wabash sits at 7-2 on the season after its loss to Wittenberg over the weekend, but as Long pointed out following the game, records have little bearing when these two team tangle.

"Nothing," Long said. "The record doesn't matter when Wabash and DePauw get together -- it doesn't matter. That's the way we're going to approach it this week. It's a great opportunity for our kids to play in one of the best rivalries on the face of this earth and we're going to prepare to play a very good football team and go from there."

DePauw will travel to Crawfordsville to face Wabash Saturday at 1:07 p.m.

At Blackstock Stadium

Austin 7 3 3 7 -- 20

DePauw 3 13 7 7 -- 30

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

DPU -- Malm 29-yard field goal 4:53

AC -- Zambiasi 26-yard run, Anderson kick 2:09

Second Quarter

DPU -- Evans 5-yard pass from Engle, Malm kick 8:33

AC -- Anderson 21-yard field goal, 3:39

DPU -- Karazsia 6-yard run, kick failed 1:09

Third Quarter

AC -- Anderson 20-yard field goal, 8:37

DPU -- Koor 9-yard pass from Engle, Malm kick 2:53

Fourth Quarter

DPU -- Dahlstrom 9-yard pass from Engle, Malm kick 10:13

AC -- Funderburg 4-yard run, Anderson kick 8:47

Next game -- DePauw will travel to Crawfordsville to face Wabash Saturday at 1:07 p.m.