The Quad

Issue date: 11/17/08 Section: Sports

For the fifth consecutive season, PSAC East Coach of the Year Bill Zwaan led the West Chester University Golden Rams (9-3) into an NCAA D-II Playoff game. For the first time since November 18, 2006, the Golden Rams came out on the winning end of a playoff game. This time the Golden Rams defeated the Southern Connecticut State University Owls 52-32 to advance to the second round of the tournament.

"We do so much stuff on offense out of so many formations," Zwaan said. "I know in one week's time it's tough to prepare for everything we do. So I always feel like when we're in that situation we have an advantage."

West Chester came out and scored quickly. Redshirt freshman Jackson Fagan ran off right tackle and scampered 61 yards to the end zone to open the scoring for the Golden Rams less than two minutes into the game.

The West Chester defense came out onto the field with the same intensity as the offense. Two plays into the Owls first offensive possession, senior defensive end Mike Walter forced Southern Connecticut's quarterback Chris Roberts to fumble. Nose tackle James Thorpe recovered the fumble for West Chester setting the offense up with great field position.

Two plays into their next offensive possession, junior quarterback Joe Wright found tight end Ryan Paulson for a 12-yard touchdown pass giving West Chester an early two touchdown lead.

"We had a good game plan going in," Wright said. "We saw a couple things that we like to take advantage of. We called the right plays at the right time and executed well. Our line played great and our receivers came up with big catches when we needed them to."

Southern Connecticut came out on their possession looking to get back into the game. Roberts hit wide receiver Andre Privott for 29 yards to put the Owls in Golden Rams territory. Roberts than hit Tyron Marshall for 20 yards to put the Owls inside the red zone. Following a series of runs by halfback John Wiechman, Roberts took a low snap and ran three yards into the end zone to put the Owls on the board.

Early in the second quarter, West Chester got fancy. On third -and-eight from their own 39-yard line, the Golden Rams executed a perfect double reverse, flea-flicker pass that went 49 yards to Darryl Canty to put West Chester at the 12-yard line. Four plays later, Wright found Harlon Hill Trophy Candidate and PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year Mike Washington for a 3-yard touchdown to extend West Chester's lead to 21-6.

Continued...

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