Highfill Named Academic All-American

Bridgewater College’s Jeff Highfill was named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American College Division First Team released Thursday.

Highfill, a junior quarterback, led the Eagles to an 8-2 record this season. Highfill led the ODAC and was ranked No. 24 in the nation in passing efficiency. He threw 14 touchdown passes and just six interceptions on the season. He also ranked third in the ODAC in passing yards with 172.3 per game and second in total offense with 207.7 yards per game. Highfill led all conference quarterbacks in rushing with 354 yards and ranked No. 10 overall in the ODAC in rushing yards per game. He scored nine touchdowns on the ground to rank No. 5 in the conference in scoring.

2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American College Division First Team

QB - Jeff Highfill, Bridgewater, Jr., 3.94 in Mathematics
OL - Nicholas Zappia, Rochester, Sr., 3.96 in Economics/Statistics
OL - Mike Butterworth, Slipper Rock, Jr., 4.00 in Secondary Edu./Mathematics
OL - Rick Drushal, Wooster, Sr., 3.71 in Mathematics/Computer Science
OL - Shawn Herrmann, RPI, Sr., 3.72 in Aerospace Eng./Mechanical Eng.
OL - Steve Leppert, Capital, Sr., 3.90 in Management/Marketing
RB - Danny Woodhead, Chadron State, Jr., 3.64 in Math Education/Coaching
RB - Dante Daniels, Monmouth, Sr., 3.69 in Physical Education
WR - Weston Dressler, North Dakota, Jr., 3.79 in Banking/Financial Economics
WR - Evan Earnest, Johns Hopkins, Sr., 3.74 in Mechanical Engineering
TE - Christopher Ruggiero, MIT, Sr., 4.00 in Mechanical Engineering
P - Jovin Kroll, UW-River Falls, Sr., 3.91 in English Education

DL - Ryan Meredith, Pittsburg State, Sr., 3.93 in Management
DL - Frank Marino, Wingate, Sr., 3.96 in Finance
DL - Leon Douglas, Missouri Western State, Sr., 3.89 in Physical Education
DL - Todd Eagle, Humboldt State, Sr., 3.91 in Liberal Studies Elem. Education
LB - Michael Klobucher, Ferris State, Sr., 4.00 in Applied Biology
LB - Bryan Vivaldo, Wilkes, Sr., 3.91 in Accounting
LB - Kyle Elsasser, Nebraska Wesleyan, Jr., 3.92 in Physics
LB - Jamie Steffensmeier, St. John's, Sr., 3.84 in Accounting
DB - Aaron Lewis, Carnegie Mellon, Sr., 3.93 in Business Administration
DB - Michael Greenwood, North Dakota, Sr., 3.94 in Biology
DB - William (Jake) Weller, Illinois College, Jr., 4.00 in Biology/Chemistry
DB - Ben Bollard, Central, Sr., 3.77 in Computer Science
K - Frank Leibfarth, South Dakota, Sr., 3.93 in Chemistry/Biology

Could Bridgewater beat Virginia Tech?

Well, no. But...

Bridgewater has a victory chain which traverses 20 teams connecting the Eagles to the No. 15 ranked team in the final Bowl Championship Series rankings for Division I-A:

Bridgewater beat McDaniel who beat Gettysburg who beat Ursinus who beat La Salle who beat St Peter's who beat Iona who beat Duquesne who beat Robert Morris who beat Central Connecticut State who beat Georgia Southern who beat Western Carolina who beat Eastern Kentucky who beat Western Kentucky who beat Southern Illinois who beat Indiana who beat Western Michigan who beat Virginia who beat North Carolina State who beat Boston College who beat Virginia Tech.

Thanks to Patrick Gaule's College Football Victory Chain Linker, you can try and link any two college football teams you like - no matter the division.

The Eagles even pass through 22 teams to connect to No. 4 LSU:

Bridgewater beat McDaniel who beat Gettysburg who beat Ursinus who beat La Salle who beat St Peter's who beat Iona who beat Duquesne who beat Fordham who beat Albany who beat Lehigh who beat Villanova who beat James Madison who beat New Hampshire who beat Northwestern who beat Iowa who beat Iowa State who beat Missouri who beat Mississippi who beat Vanderbilt who beat Georgia who beat Auburn who beat LSU.

So go ahead and have some fun at www.cfbanalyzer.com.

Bridgewater Lands 15 on All-ODAC Teams

2006 ODAC Football All-Conference Teams & Awards

Offensive Player of the Year
Chris Barnette - Wide Receiver, Guilford

Defensive Player of the Year
Marshall Doss - Linebacker, Emory & Henry

Coach of the Year
Frank Miriello - Washington & Lee

Rookie of the Year
R.J. Varner - Quarterback, Washington & Lee

Scholar-Athlete Award
Jeff Highfill - Quarterback, Bridgewater


All-ODAC First Team
Offense
Josh Vogelbach, Quarterback, Guilford
Chris Barnette, Wide Receiver, Guilford
Micah Rushing, Wide Receiver, Guilford
Colton Ward, Wide Receiver, Washington & Lee
Charlie Omick, Running Back, Hampden-Sydney
Winston Young, Running Back, Bridgewater
Dane Williams, Tight End, Hampden-Sydney
Matt Capriani, Offensive Line, Bridgewater
Keaton Culver, Offensive Line, Bridgewater
Ben Niemaseck, Offensive Line, Hampden-Sydney
Paul Williams, Offensive Line, Hampden-Sydney
Hunter Whitfield, Offensive Line, Washington & Lee

Defense
Tony Burt, Defensive Line, Bridgewater
Matt Baldwin, Defensive Line, Emory & Henry
Gamal Alwan, Defensive Line, Randolph-Macon
Bryant Fulk, Defensive Line, Washington & Lee
Brandon Borst, Linebacker, Bridgewater
Bill Gross, Linebacker, Catholic
Marshall Doss, Linebacker, Emory & Henry
Earl Chaptman, Cornerback, Bridgewater
Mark Snoddy, Cornerback, Washington & Lee
Desmond Jalloh, Safety, Bridgewater
Nick Olivero, Safety, Catholic

Special Teams
Ben Long, Place-kicker, Washington & Lee
Travis Frazer, Punter, Guilford


All-ODAC Second Team
Offense
Todd Woods, Quarterback, Emory & Henry
Brandon Copeland, Wide Receiver, Bridgewater
Brennan Stewart, Wide Receiver, Emory & Henry
Drew Smith, Wide Receiver, Hampden-Sydney
Phillip Carter, Running Back, Bridgewater
Matt Gillespie, Running Back, Emory & Henry
Jeremy Keene, Tight End, Emory & Henry
Anthony Cotton, Offensive Line, Bridgewater
Frank Luton, Offensive Line, Emory & Henry
Blake Underwood, Offensive Line, Guilford
Chas Collins, Offensive Line, Washington & Lee
Robert Hetherington, Offensive Line, Washington & Lee

Defense
Michael Jackson, Defensive Line, Bridgewater
Mike Six, Defensive Line, Guilford
Jordan Sprouse, Defensive Line, Hampden-Sydney
Tom Matteo, Defensive Line, Washington & Lee
Craig Smith, Linebacker, Bridgewater
Nick Jones, Linebacker, Randolph-Macon
Kyle Harvey, Linebacker, Washington & Lee
Jamie Edlow, Cornerback, Hampden-Sydney
Jimmy Gift, Corner Back, Washington & Lee
Eric Dardozzi, Safety, Randolph-Macon
Kyle Luby, Safety, Washington & Lee

Special Teams
Luke Taylor, Place-kicker, Bridgewater
T.C. Stevens, Punter, Hampden-Sydney


All-ODAC Honorable Mention
Offense
Jeff Highfill, Quarterback, Bridgewater
Keith Ricca, Quarterback, Catholic
Jared Jackson, Wide Receiver, Emory & Henry
Joe Joyner, Wide Receiver, Guilford
Josh Simpson, Running Back, Hampden-Sydney
Ryan Neff, Tight End, Washington & Lee

Defense
Sean Green, Defensive Line, Catholic
Nate Shook, Defensive Line, Randolph-Macon
Walker Williams, Defensive Line, Washington & Lee
Kevin O’Sullivan, Linebacker, Emory & Henry
Jason Smith, Linebacker, Hampden-Sydney
Brian Cook, Defensive Back, Guilford

Special Teams
Reggie Moore, Place-kicker, Randolph-Macon
Scott Roebush, Punter, Bridgewater

Stars Fading At BC (Daily News-Record)

Daily News-Record - By Chris Simmons

Remember those superstars Mike Clark consistently lured to Bridgewater College?

Don’t exist anymore – at least not in Clark’s vocabulary.

After failing to reach the Division III playoffs for the first time in seven years, the BC football coach says he plans to emphasize the team concept above all else next season, a nod to two factors: 1) the Eagles don’t have the wealth of speedy talent they once had, and 2) the rest of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference is no longer filled with chumps.

"A year ago, I said you had program players, you had franchise players, you had development players," Clark said recently, "and from my perspective, from a head coaching perspective, I regret using that word – ‘franchise’ players."

Of course, franchise players are what turned Bridgewater from puny to powerful during Clark’s 12-year reign. Studs like Davon Cruz, Jason Lutz, P.J. Berry and Marcus Washington fueled a Formula 1 offense that simply sped past opponents. The Jermaine Taylors, meanwhile, gobbled up foes on defense.

The Eagles still have quality players, just not as many.

Clark pointed to one position -- wide receiver -- as an example. Brandon Copeland was BC’s deep-threat receiver, it’s only deep-threat receiver. Obviously, as the season progressed, other teams discerned they could cripple the Eagles’ defense if they stifled Copeland.

It had Clark longing for the good old days – aka, 2001, when Bridgewater played for the national championship in the Stagg Bowl.

"I’ve got a picture in my office," Clark said. "We’re lined up in a formation where we have five wide receivers on the field – it’s in the national-championship game – and any one of the those five wide receivers individually can beat you."

Why BC hasn’t attracted as many skilled speedsters is anybody’s guess. Maybe the fairy dust from the Eagles’ miracle run to Salem has finally worn off. Maybe the region’s other D-III schools have bolstered their programs (think: Christopher Newport) enough to siphon off players who might otherwise have chosen Bridgewater. Or maybe it’s just cyclical.

Regardless of the reason, Clark is changing his outlook for 2007. It’s the year of the Everyman, or more accurately, the Everyplayer. Rather than a morality play, though, consider this an action-adventure film.

Which is where guys like Andy Ropp come in.

Ropp, a former Broadway High School standout who tried his luck at Division II Catawba before transferring to BC this year, may be the embodiment of the type of player Clark intends to emphasize next fall.

He’s definitely not the border-line Division I-AA player Clark sometimes lures to Bridgewater. But he is a very good D-III athlete, meaning he’s probably a bit too slow and way too little for the big time.

Ropp remembers being 58 pounds as a third-grade Pee Wee football player and 95 pounds as a 10th-grader on Broadway’s varsity squad.

Now? Well, he still won’t be mistaken for Howie Long. But he’s grown to 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds – perfect for a scrappy D-III dude.

"I’ve always been small, so you know I’m just fighting every day, go out there and fight with guys that are bigger than me, you know, and get knocked down," Ropp, a sophomore, said after the Hampden-Sydney game in late September. "I told the guys on the team I’ll get knocked down a million times. I mean, it’s happened to me all my life. Just get up and keep going. That’s what I do."

That’s what he’s going to have to do if Clark is right – if the Eagles indeed will need to rely on their foundation rather than their flashy skyscrapers in 2007. Spooked by BC’s problems in the ODAC this year – and, sadly, with extra time to ruminate – Clark appears to be serious about de-emphasizing the star system.

"Next year, in the recovery, as we chase and try to reclaim the ODAC championship, it’s going to be about the team, not the individuals within the team," Clark said. "With that as kind of an overview, the Andy Ropps of the world are not only going to be key players, but they’ve got to get better, too."

One reason, he said, is that the gap between the ODAC and BC has significantly narrowed.

"In the past, at least particularly in the conference, we could identify the two games where you had to be ready, you had to be ready for those two. Bluntly, the other five, you’d have to work real hard to screw up two of them. Now, the mode of operation is I’ve got to play every week." Clark said.

How bad did it get this season? BC had trouble defeating even mediocre teams.

"We had to fight our butts off the last two games to beat the sixth- and seventh-place teams in the ODAC," Clark noted.

Not that next year figures to be much different, not unless the Ropps step up.

Even if Clark eventually stockpiles the speed-burners who defined his program in the first half of this decade, he won’t have enough of them in 2007 to build a season around. So, it’ll be foundation kids – like Ropp and a 30-plus senior class – who’ll get at least equal billing to the Copelands.

One more point: Despite everything, it’s not panic time at Bridgewater. As Clark noted, the Eagles have won 85 percent of their games since the beginning of the 2000 season. Even this year, they finished 8-2.

But sitting home at Thanksgiving with nothing to worry about except dinner isn’t exactly how Clark likes spending late November.

"When the season ends on Nov. 12," he said, "it’s a long offseason."

Long and thoughtful, it seems.

BC Ranked No. 38 in Football Gazette Poll

Bridgewater moved up to No. 38 in Don Hansen's Football Gazette top 40 this week.

Click here for the entire poll.

Eagles Not Heading to 2006 NCAA Playoffs

Once the bracket was released by ESPNews on Sunday, Bridgewater (8-2) received final word that they in fact where not earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Their six-year streak of playing in the NCAA postseason comes to an end, as did a couple of other national powers.

Linfield (6-3), the 2004 National Champion, had their four-year run come to an end, while Trinity (8-2) had been in the playoffs every year since 1997 (nine years).

Bridgewater, Linfield and Trinity lost their de facto conference championship games to Washington & Lee (7-3), Whitworth (10-0) and Millsaps (7-3), respectively.

To view the 32-team Division III playoff field, click here.

Bridgewater, along with Linfield and Trinity, were among a group of seven or eight teams with two regional losses being considered for at-large bids. The only problem was that there were 13 teams with one or no regional losses also bidding for the 11 at-large berths. Cortland State (9-1) and Franklin (9-1) were the two one-loss teams that didn't get an invite, and obviously no two-loss schools received one either.

BC Still Ranked No. 39 by Football Gazette

Following Bridgewater's 20-13 win over Catholic to finish the regular season, Don Hansen's Football Gazette kept the Eagles at No. 39 in their top 40 poll.

Click here to view the entire poll.

BC Wins, Awaits NCAA Verdict (Daily News-Record)

Daily News-Record - By Jeremy Cothran

WASHINGTON – Now, all the Eagles can do is wait.

And cross their fingers.

Bridgewater College, its playoff hopes barely flickering, took care of business on its end with a gut-wrenching 20-13 victory over Catholic at DuFour Field in the nation’s capital and got the help it needed from one of its South Division rivals.

Senior tailback Winston Young scored on an 8-yard run with 15 seconds remaining to deliver the victory. But was it the last carry ever for the talented Eagles back?

To even be considered for an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs, BC needed Millsaps to upset Trinity (Texas) in Clinton, Miss., which it did 34-12.

The progress of that game was the topic of choice among the Eagles as they tucked into plates of ribs after the game. Many planned to gather together to watch the D-III selection show on ESPNews today at 2 p.m.

Not that Bridgewater (8-2 overall, 4-2 in the ODAC) is thrilled to be relying on outside help and an NCAA committee.

“I definitely don’t want to be in this situation again,” BC coach Michael Clark said. “I never believed in buying lottery tickets.”

Back-to-back losses in mid-season to Guilford and Emory & Henry killed BC’s bid for a sixth straight ODAC championship.

“We lose two games by nine points,” Clark said. “If you change a few plays, then this is a great celebration.”

On Saturday, Catholic (3-7, 1-5) wanted no part of playing the role of walkover opponent, designing a defensive game plan that frustrated the Eagles’ offense and notching just enough big plays on offense to have fans at DuFour Field whispering upset.

The Eagles were almost undone by 10 penalties, many of the costly variety that wiped out first-down plays.

After an early field goal by BC sophomore Luke Taylor, the Cardinals responded early in the third quarter with an 8-yard touchdown run by tailback Reuben Simmons to go up 7-3. The drive was set up after junior quarterback Jeff Highfill was intercepted in the flat by CU linebacker Bill Gross, who almost scored on his own but was ruled out at the BC 8-yard line. Simmons punched it in one play later.

Highfill was 11-for-17 for 122 yards, the one interception a black mark on an otherwise effective outing. He had two touchdown passes to wide receiver Brandon Copeland called back because of penalties and an out-of-bounds call by the referee.

The Eagles rebounded two minutes after Catholic’s score to make it 10-7 with an efficient three-play, 45-yard drive, capped by a 23-yard touchdown scamper by Young. The senior performed another one of his now trademark leaps, diving over defensive back Kolla Achille and into the end zone.

Afterward, Young vented about the Cardinals’ trash-talking.

“They didn’t want anything to do with us,” Young said. “They were talking the talk, but couldn’t walk the walk.”

Eagles freshman cornerback Seth Little said he was also the target of some verbal abuse, and responded with his best-ever game.

“They kept saying to me from the sideline, ‘We’re coming for you 14. We’re coming from you,’” Little said. “I didn’t give [Catholic receiver Ryan Bowman] nothing.”

The former Turner Ashby High School star led Bridgewater with seven tackles – including one for a loss – and two pass breakups. Senior defensive tackle Tony Burt made his presence felt on the defensive line with two sacks.

CU swung back ahead 13-10 with a 5-yard scoring burst by Simmons (23 carries, 82 yards) at 14:57 in the fourth quarter. The 14-play drive featured several clutch third-down conversions, but the Cardinals missed the extra point as it sailed wide right.

Taylor punched through a 41-yard field goal with 7:41 to tie the game at 13. The Eagles’ defense forced the Cardinals into a three-and-out, giving BC the ball at its own 44 following a punt. BC methodically marched down the field, taking advantage of a tired CU defense with six straight running plays, capped by Young’s 8-yard score.

“We didn’t make tackles,” Cardinals coach Dave Dunn said. “We played as hard as we could.”

After the game, Highfill reminisced about his backfield work horse, hoping his last run wasn’t his final one.

“We talked a lot before the game,” the junior from Roanoke said, choking up at times. “He kept talking to us throughout the day. Keeping everybody calm. He’s just a great senior leader. I don’t know, it’s so tough…”

Highfill Named to Academic First Team

Bridgewater College junior quarterback Jeff Highfill has been selected to the ESPN The Magazine District III Academic College Division Football Team first team released Thursday.

Highfill currently leads the ODAC and is ranked No. 19 in the nation in passing efficiency. With Highfill running the offense, the 7-2 Eagles are ranked in the Top 25 in Division III in scoring offense, total offense and rushing offense. He has passed for 14 touchdowns and ran for nine TDs. He has throw just five interceptions this season. Highfill is a Mathematics major from Roanoke, Va.

The District 3 college division includes Division II, Division III and NAIA colleges and universities in Virginia, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

BC Ranked No. 9 in NCAA South Region

The NCAA released their final public regional rankings this evening, with Bridgewater at No. 9 in the south region.

The NCAA selection committee will have one more set of regional rankings after the final weekend of regular season games, but will not release it to the public. They will use it in their determination of who receives the 11 at-large bids, as well as seedings.

Here are the NCAA regional rankings for the south;

1. Wesley (5-0 regional record, 9-0 overall record)
2. Trinity, Texas (8-1, 8-1)
3. Mary Hardin-Baylor (7-2, 7-2)
4. Hardin-Simmons (7-1, 7-1)
5. Carnegie Mellon (8-0, 9-0)
6. Dickinson (8-1, 8-1)
7. Washington and Jefferson (7-1, 8-1)
8. Christopher Newport (7-1, 7-2)
9. Bridgewater, Va. (6-2, 7-2)
10. Washington and Lee (7-2, 7-2)

Click here to view the other three regions.

Copeland Named to D3football.com Team of the Week

Brandon Copeland hauled in seven catches for 217 yards and two scores in a 35-24 win against Randolph-Macon this past Saturday. He set a school record for receiving yards in a game, previously held by Marcus Richardson who recorded 183 against McDaniel in 2000.

He was named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week for his efforts. Click here to view the entire team.

Copeland now has 1,209 receiving yards for his career, No. 7 on the all-time receiving list.

Statistically Speaking - Week Ten

* Junior Brandon Copeland's 217 receiving yards this past weekend against Randolph-Macon set a school record. The previous record was 183 yards by Marcus Richardson on September 2, 2000, against McDaniel. Copeland's 217 yards vaults him to No. 7 on the all-time receiving list with 1,209 for his career.

* Senior linebacker Craig Smith tallied a team-high eight tackles last week, giving him 202 for his career. He becomes the 22nd player in school history with 200 or more tackles.

* Since people are still inquiring about Bridgewater's postseason chances, let me take a quick look at where we stand...

Assuming the current front-runners of the 21 conferences who earn automatic bids end up winning out, there is the list of the 31 schools with two or less regional losses that would be considered for the remaining 11 playoffs spots (listed to the right of each school is what group they are in (B or C), their quality of wins index (QoWi), their regional record, their overall record, and the game they have remaining). I have them listed in order of their QoWi:

Wesley (B/C, 11.800, 5-0, 9-0) vs 1-7 Morrisville State
Wheaton (C, 11.444, 8-1, 8-1) vs 3-6 Illinois Wesleyan
Hobart (C, 11.125, 7-1, 7-1) vs 7-2 Rochester
St. John Fisher (C, 11.111, 8-1, 8-1) at 7-2 Alfred
Hardin-Simmons (C, 10.875, 7-1, 7-1) vs 3-6 McMurry
Capital (C, 10.667, 8-1, 8-1) at 7-2 Baldwin-Wallace
Franklin (C, 10.444, 8-1, 8-1) vs 4-5 Hanover
Whitworth (B/C, 10.375, 8-0, 9-0) vs 7-2 Puget Sound
Alfred (C, 10.333, 7-2, 7-2) vs 8-1 St. John Fisher
Wabash (C, 10.333, 7-2, 7-2) vs 6-3 DePauw
Wartburg (C, 10.333, 8-1, 8-1) vs 5-4 Dubuque
Carnegie Mellon (B/C, 10.250, 8-0, 9-0) at 5-4 Thiel
Bethel (C, 10.222, 8-1, 8-1) at 9-0 St. John's
Coast Guard (C, 10.111, 8-1, 8-1) vs 10-0 Curry
Wash. & Jeff. (B/C, 10.000, 7-1, 8-1) at 4-5 Bethany
Wooster (C, 10.000, 7-2, 7-2) at 4-5 Kenyon
Baldwin-Wallace (C, 9.889, 7-2, 7-2) vs 8-1 Capital
Cortland State (C, 9.500, 7-1, 8-1) vs 7-2 Ithaca
Linfield (B/C, 9.500, 4-2, 5-3) at 0-8 Lewis and Clark
UW-La Crosse (C, 9.500, 5-1, 7-1) at 5-4 UW-Oshkosh
Rochester (C, 9.375, 6-2, 7-2) at 7-1 Hobart
Ithaca (C, 9.250, 6-2, 7-2) at 8-1 Cortland State
Bridgewater (C, 9.111, 7-2, 7-2) at 3-6 Catholic
Bridgewater State (C, 9.000, 7-2, 7-2) ---
Delaware Valley (C, 9.000, 7-2, 7-2) at 6-3 Widener
Puget Sound (B/C, 8.889, 7-2, 7-2) at 9-0 Whitworth
St. Olaf (C, 8.875, 6-2, 7-2) at 6-3 St. Thomas
Greenville (C, 8.500, 6-2, 6-3) at 5-4 Washington U.
Ursinus (C, 8.286, 5-2, 7-2) vs 8-1 Dickinson
Cal Lutheran (C, 8.125, 6-2, 6-2) at 3-5 Redlands
Minn.-Morris (B/C, 8.000, 3-2, 7-2) vs 3-6 Con.-Moorhead

Good news is that last week, Bridgewater was one of 39 schools with two or less regional losses being considered for the 11 at-large playoff bids. This week, that list shrunk to 31. Another good thing is that last week, there were 33 schools with a better QoWi than the Eagles - this week, only 22. So the list is getting shorter.

If you aren't familiar with how the Division III playoffs are set up or how the NCAA committee chooses the 11 at-large teams, go to D3football.com's FAQs before you read any further.

If the regular season ended after this past weekend, Wesley, Whitworth, Carnegie Mellon and Washington & Jefferson would likely get the four Pool B bids. That would place the remaining Pool B teams (Linfield, Puget Sound and Minn.-Morris) into Pool C.

Of the remaining teams, 11 have only one regional loss. Since all 11 have a better QoWi than the Eagles, that would pretty much guarantee that Bridgewater (or any two-loss team) would not even be considered.

But since there is one week remaining, eight of the one-loss schools have their regular season finale against a team with a winning record - and some even play one another.

If Bridgewater wins their final game against Catholic, and all the favored teams win their respective games, the Eagles will be one of about 20 schools being considered for the seven Pool C playoff berths. That sounds like our chances aren't that good, but with a win over a playoff-bound team (Washington & Lee), the committee might seriously consider the Eagles if they need to choose a two-loss team.

JV Defeats Gallaudet, 20-19

Bridgewater's JV team defeated visiting Gallaudet by a final of 20-19 on Sunday afternoon.

On the Bison's first offensive possession, Eagles' defensive back Kyan Johnson intercepted a pass which would lead to a three-yard touchdown run by freshman running back Brad Jones to make it 6-0.

A 22-yard field goal by the Bison cut the lead in half with 1:48 remaining in the first quarter.

Gallaudet would take a 10-6 lead when their quarterback found a wide receiver down the sideline for a 51-yard touchdown with 7:44 left in the first half.

Bridgewater would answer when freshman quarterback Patrick Smoot connected with freshman wide receiver Dave Hewitt on a 41-yard score, sending the Eagles into the half with a 13-10 lead.

In the second half, Smoot made it 20-10 on a four-yard scamper at the 9:33 mark of the fourth quarter. Then to the delight of the his teammates, wide receiver Michael Colaw was put in on defense at safety, only to intercept a pass at the Eagles' one-yard line.

The Bison made it 20-13 by hitting a 27-yard field goal with 4:02 left in the game. On the Eagles' next possession, the Bison ripped the ball away from the ball carrier and took over with a little under two minutes to go. Their quarterback would run in a 19-yard score with 17 seconds left - but failed to connect on the two-point conversion, giving Bridgewater the 20-19 win.

With the win, the Eagles JV team finishes the season with a 3-1 record.

BC Ranked No. 39 by Football Gazette

Following Bridgewater's 35-24 defeat of Randolph-Macon, the Eagles found themselves back in a Division III national ranking as Don Hansen's Football Gazette brought the Eagles back in at No. 39.

To view the complete Top 40, click here.

BC Wins Without Suspended Ex-HHS Star (Daily News-Record)

Daily News-Record - by Jeremy Cothran

ASHLAND – The prevailing question swirling around Day Field was not the breakout performance of Bridgewater College’s aerial attack in its 35-24 comeback victory over Randolph-Macon, or the sudden disappearance of its star cornerback.

Instead, attention was focused on the Washington & Lee game against Emory & Henry in Lexington, a game the Generals won 24-6 to clinch their first Old Dominion Athletic Conference title since 1985, denying the Eagles a sixth straight championship.

For weeks, BC’s players and coaches had seemed resigned to their ODAC streak ending, so they accepted news of W&L’s victory without much sorrow.

“Well, you enjoy what we all accomplished in the past,” Eagles coach Michael Clark said. “Congratulations to Washington & Lee. It’s a great accomplishment. But I want them to know that I’m chasing them.”

Normally, it’s been the Eagles being chased, but two straight losses in mid-October effectively put the skids on any thoughts of a league championship. BC (7-2 overall, 3-2 in the league) still has a slim chance at an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs, but it would need to rely on several higher-ranked teams in the South Region losing this weekend.

Another question Eagles players and coaches had to answer was the absence of senior All-American cornerback Josh Knight, who did not make the trip to suburban Richmond.

According to Clark, the former Harrisonburg High School star’s collegiate career is over.

“Josh was suspended for a rules violation,” Clark said, refusing to elaborate. “It will be for the remainder of the season. We’ve appreciated the energy that he’s given us.”

Ex-Turner Ashby player Seth Little started in place of Knight, finishing with five tackles, including one for a loss.

Players said they were not given details of Knight’s booting, but said it wasn’t a distraction.

“It wasn’t necessarily during the game,” senior linebacker Brandon Borst said. “[Knight’s] one of the best who ever walked in here. He’s a stud, an absolute stud.”

Clark said Knight was suspended Friday, but he refused to elaborate.

As for Saturday’s game, the Eagles got off to a slow start. Senior tailback Winston Young (66 yards, one touchdown rushing, one receiving) fumbled the opening kickoff at the BC 25 and the Yellow Jackets (2-7, 0-5) quickly capitalized with a 1-yard TD run by tailback Steven Ahonen.

Bridgewater countered on the arm of junior quarterback Jeff Highfill, who had his best game of the season through the air. The Roanoke native zipped a 35-yard pass to receiver Brandon Copeland on a skinny post to even the score.

Highfill finished 15-of-21 for 319 yards and four TDs. Copeland had a career-high 217 yards and two touchdowns,

Still, the Eagles trailed 10-7 at halftime, thanks to a 36-yard field goal by Reggie Moore. BC wasn’t concerned with the deficit, or some of the first-half struggles in the running game.

“Nothing, no worries at all,” Borst said. “They got nothing on our defense. We knew we were going to make up for it.”

The Eagles’ offense heated up in the second half following another R-MC field goal, with Highfill hooking up with Copeland for a 69-yard pass to put BC ahead for good at 14-13.

The duo continued to connect, thanks to Randolph-Macon’s insistence on playing nine-man fronts and positioning the free safety just yards off the line of scrimmage, leaving Copeland in single coverage for most of the game. The problem with R-MC’s coverage philosophy was an ineffective pass rush, which gave Highfill ample time to pick out receivers.

“Well, I think stopping the run is our No. 1 priority,” Yellow Jackets coach Pedro Arruza said. “But on that thought, we did let the quarterback hold the football too long.”

Copeland, naturally, was a big fan of the single coverage he received.

“Oh, I loved it,” the junior from Greensboro, N.C., said.

Young pushed the score to 21-13 with an 18-yard, tackle-breaking touchdown reception. Last year, he burned R-MC for 198 yards rushing and five touchdowns (four rushing), and while he didn’t come close to equaling those stats, he said Randolph-Macon is just one of those team’s he feels comfortable against.

“Everyone said they had a good defense,” Young said. “We just wanted to show them what we were made of.”

Young followed with a 2-yard rushing touchdown after R-MC quarterback Bradon Braner gave the Eagles great field position after he was intercepted by BC safety Desmond Jalloh. The Eagles capped the scoring with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Highfill to backup tailback Phillip Carter.

With just one game remaining – a trip to Washington to face Catholic this week -- the Eagles know they may be playing out the string. Still, there’s hope.

“Obviously, we want to win,” Copeland said. “And then we’ll just have to see how the other teams do. It depends on the other guys. It’s not in our hands anymore.”

Statistically Speaking - Week Nine

Our 27-8 win over Washington & Lee last week certainly helped our cause - even if it was just to vindicate that we're still a dominant force in the ODAC and the country.

Let me once again breakdown our chances for an ODAC title and the postseason.

With Emory & Henry squeaking by Catholic last week 31-27, that eliminated the chance for the Eagles to be the outright champion and earn the automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs. But there is a very realistic scenario remaining that would force a five-way tie in the conference standings in which Bridgewater would share the ODAC crown...

If the following happens over the next two weeks;

November 4, 2006
Bridgewater defeats Randolph-Macon
Guilford defeats Catholic
Emory & Henry defeats Washington & Lee

November 11, 2006
Bridgewater defeats Catholic
Guilford defeats Emory & Henry
Hampden-Sydney defeats Randolph-Macon

Then these would be the final standings:

1) BC 4-2
1) E&H 4-2
1) GC 4-2
1) H-SC 4-2
1) W&L 4-2
6) CUA 1-5
7) R-MC 0-6

To determine the conference champion, the league then takes a look at the head-to-head records of the tied teams at the top. All five 4-2 teams would have a 2-2 record:

BC beat H-SC and W&L
E&H beat BC and W&L
GC beat BC and E&H
H-SC beat E&H and GC
W&L beat GC and H-SC

Thus, all five schools - including Bridgewater - would be named ODAC champions.

To determine who earns the automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs, the conference manual says they would then go to a five-point tiebreaker, which I won't explain because it ends up leaving all five schools still tied. So then the ODAC goes to the "Rose Bowl" rule which awards the automatic bid to the team who has not appeared in the NCAA Division III playoffs most recently. Both Guilford and Washington & Lee have never been, and because W&L defeated Guilford a couple weeks ago, the Generals would get the ODAC's automatic bid.

Now as far as the Eagles' chances of an at-large bid to the postseason - that's a lot less likely, unless a lot of unlikely things occur across the country. Let me try to explain...

Assuming the current front-runners of the 21 conferences who earn automatic bids end up winning out, then here is the list of the 39 schools with two or less regional losses that would be considered for the remaining 11 playoffs spots(listed to the right of each school is their quality of wins index (QoWi), their regional record, their overall record, and the games they have remaining):

Alfred 9.625 6-2, 6-2 (vs 7-1 Ithaca, vs 8-1 St. John Fisher)
Baldwin-Wallace 9.500 6-2, 6-2 (at 4-4 Otterbein, vs 7-1 Capital)
Bethel 10.500 7-1, 7-1 (vs 0-8 Augsburg, at 9-0 St. John's)
Bridgewater St. 8.875 6-2, 6-2 (vs 3-5 Mass.-Maritime)
Bridgewater 8.625 6-2, 6-2 (at 2-6 Randolph-Macon, at 3-5 Catholic)
Cal Lutheran 8.143 5-2, 5-2 (vs 2-5 Pomona-Pitzer, at 3-4 Redlands)
Capital 11.250 7-1, 7-1 (vs 1-7 Muskingum, at 6-2 Baldwin-Wallace)
Carnegie Mellon 10.286 7-0, 8-0 (vs 4-4 Bethany, at 4-4 Thiel)
Carthage 8.500 6-2, 6-2 (vs 7-1 Wheaton, at 6-2 North Central)
Christopher Newport 9.429 6-1, 6-2 (vs 6-2 Averett, vs 2-5 Ferrum)
Coast Guard 10.125 7-1, 7-1 (vs 1-7 Framingham State, vs 9-0 Curry)
Coe 9.250 6-2, 6-2 (vs 8-0 Central, at 2-6 Cornell)
Defiance 9.250 6-2, 6-2 (vs 7-1 Franklin, at 3-5 Bluffton)
Delaware Valley 9.125 6-2, 6-2 (vs 1-7 Juniata, at 6-2 Widener)
Franklin 9.625 7-1, 7-1 (at 6-2 Defiance, vs 3-5 Hanover)
Greenville 8.571 5-2, 5-3 (vs 2-7 Concordia (Ill.), at 5-4 Washington U.)
Hardin-Simmons 11.143 6-1, 6-1 (at 5-3 Texas Lutheran, vs 3-6 McMurry)
Ithaca 9.286 6-1, 7-1 (at 6-2 Alfred, at 8-0 Cortland State)
Linfield 10.200 4-1, 5-2 (vs 8-0 Whitworth, at 0-7 Lewis and Clark)
Puget Sound 8.500 6-2, 6-2 (vs 3-5 Menlo, at 8-0 Whitworth)
Rochester 8.714 5-2, 6-2 (vs 5-2 RPI, at 7-0 Hobart)
Rockford 9.625 7-1, 7-2 (at 3-5 Colorado College)
Rowan 9.000 4-1, 5-2 (vs 8-0 Cortland State, vs 1-7 William Paterson)
RPI 8.286 5-2, 5-2 (at 6-2 Rochester, vs 6-1 Union)
Springfield 11.375 7-1, 7-1 (vs 3-5 Hartwick, at 2-6 Norwich)
St. Olaf 8.714 5-2, 6-2 (vs 4-4 Carleton, at 5-3 St. Thomas)
Sul Ross St. 9.500 4-2, 5-2 (vs 3-4 Louisiana Col., at 4-4 Mississippi Col.)
Union 10.286 6-1, 6-1 (at 7-0 Hobart, at 5-2 RPI)
Ursinus 7.833 4-2, 6-2 (at 3-5 Frankling & Marshall, vs 7-1 Dickinson)
UW-La Crosse 9.800 4-1, 6-1 (vs 3-5 UW-River Falls, at 4-4 UW-Oshkosh)
UW-Platteville 9.857 5-2, 5-3 (at 4-4 UW-Stevens Point, vs 2-6 UW-Eau Claire)
Wartburg 10.625 7-1, 7-1 (vs 2-6 Cornell, vs 4-4 Dubuque)
Washington and Jefferson 9.429 6-1, 7-1 (vs 5-3 Thomas More, at 4-4 Bethany)
Wesley 11.400 5-0, 8-0 (vs Chowan, vs 1-7 Morrisville State)
Wheaton 10.750 7-1, 7-1 (at 6-2 Carthage, vs 3-5 Illinois Wesleyan)
Whitworth 9.429 7-0, 8-0 (at 5-2 Linfield, vs 6-2 Puget Sound)
Widener 9.000 6-2, 6-2 (vs 3-5 Salisbury, vs 6-2 Delaware Valley)
Wittenberg 10.286 5-2, 5-3 (vs 5-3 Allegheny, at 0-8 Hiram)
Wooster 10.000 6-2, 6-2 (vs 3-5 Earlham, at 4-4 Kenyon)

The QoWi and regional record are two of the most important pieces of criteria the NCAA selection committee considers. And as you can see, there are 33 teams with a better QoWi and 19 with a better regional record than Bridgewater. So with two weeks remaining, things aren't looking good. But, there are two weeks remaining, which means those teams listed above could lose. And as you can also see, many of those teams play each other.

So in summary, for the Eagles to have any shot at the postseason, they would need to (1) win out and (2) have a lot of those teams listed above lose.