 |
Joe Ries (31), Tyler Friedrich (75), and Steve Valentino (7) were voted captains for the 2010 season |
DAYTON, Ohio – Red prevailed 14-7 over White in the University of Dayton’s annual Spring Football game Sunday at Welcome Stadium. Freshman running back Robert Washington provided the difference with an 18-yard scamper in the fourth quarter.
Head Coach Rick Chamberlin joined Flyer play-by-play announcer Larry Hansgen in the booth to provide commentary during the game on Newstalk 1290 WHIO Radio.
Before the game, the Flyers announced their 2010 captains – offensive guard Tyler Friedrich, linebacker Joe Ries, and quarterback Steve Valentino.
All three captains are fifth-year seniors and all three were First Team All-Pioneer Football League selections in 2009. Friedrich, a Dublin (Ohio) Jerome High School product, also played tight end and tackle for UD before settling in at right guard. Ries is a two-time First Team All-PFL performer. The Cincinnati St. Xavier alum was UD’s second-leading tackler with 70 hits in 2009. Valentino has also been twice named First Team All-PFL. Hailing from Solon, Ohio, he was an all-league receiver in 2008 and last year, after moving to quarterback, was named the PFL’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Former Flyer standouts Jim Overman and Bob Shortal served as honorary coaches. The game consisted of four eight-minute quarters.
Valentino (White Team) and Jeff Pechan (Red Team) both had solid first halves at QB for their respective teams. Valentino went 6-of-9 for 90 yards and Pechan went 4-of-9 for 87 yards.
Valentino’s first pass from scrimmage went 18 yards to sophomore Luke Bellman for the White squad to start the 2010 Spring Game.
Jeff Pechan completed a 50-yard pass to sophomore Tyler Hujik for the Red team to close out the first quarter. After a penalty and a pass break-up by redshirt freshman Bryan Bailin, Red faced a third-and-20. Pechan completed a 22-yard pass to freshman Jordan Boykin at the goal line. Pechan finished off the drive with a QB keeper up the middle. Nate Miller converted the PAT to put Red up 7-0 with 6:29 to play in the half.
The White team’s defense posted back-to-back sacks by Joe Janasek and A.J. Kaltenbach forcing Red to punt on fourth-and-19.
Valentino aired it out to sophomore Tyler Savisky for an acrobatic 45-yard catch to put White on the two-yard line. Valentino answered Pechan’s rushing TD on third-and-one at the goal line with 59.2 seconds left in the half. Nick Glavin’s PAT tied the score at 7-7.
“He’s a leader and he never tries to take the easy way,” said Chamberlin of Valentino. “He shows the guys that even though he’s a very successful player, ‘Hey. That was last year.’ He knows he has to continue to work at it to have another good year.”
At halftime, four senior members of the UD’s 2009 football team – Kalen Hemmelgarn, Scott Horcher, Matt Smyth and Dan Sullivan – represented their teammates in a ring ceremony honoring the Flyers’ 2009 PFL Championship Team. Members of the squad who played in Sunday’s game received their championship rings following the game in the Donoher Center.
The second half was a defensive battle and Chamberlin was impressed by the effort.
“When you have guys like Ben Welsh, Joe Ries and Brandon Wingeier; those are pretty sturdy foundation players on defense,” said Chamberlin. “Now we have to bring along the younger guys like Devon Langhorst. He was hurt last year but he has all the ability to be a very good defensive end for us. We made some position changes. I was pleased with Matt Pfleger’s play today at corner. He was a receiver and he came up and made some good tackles.”
Redshirt freshman Andre Crawford intercepted freshman Zachary Splain’s first pass of the game to set up Red at the White 42-yard line. Freshman Robert Washington closed out the drive with an 18-yard TD run. Red shirt freshman Pat Sankovic’s PAT was true to give Red a 14-7 lead with 7:54 to play.
Redshirt sophomore Eric Robbe intercepted a pass with 1:31 to play to give Red the ball on the 50-yard line and seal the win.
“We accomplished what we wanted to; one was to keep those veterans sound and focused on what they are to do, and secondly, to develop the young men so that can take that next step and they are ready for the fall. They did,” said Chamberlin of the team’s goals for this spring. “Tyler Savisky had an outstanding game. Robert Washington…he took a step.”
After the game concluded, the newest Flyers, approximately 25 UD signees, joined their new teammates on the field and were paired up with their “Big Brothers,” the veterans who will shepherd them through their first few weeks of Flyer football.
