Temple University Athletics
WHITE DEFEATS CHERRY 29-24 IN TEMPLE SPRING FOOTBALL FINALE
4.16.05 | Football
AMBLER, PA - Senior running back Tim Brown rushed for a two yard touchdown on the final play of the scrimmage to give the White (offense) and 29-24 victory over the Cherry (defense) in the annual Cherry & White intrasquad game on Saturday, April 16. The White overcame an early 12-0 deficit to capture the contest, which marked the conclusion of the Owls' spring practice season.
"I thought the team looked really good today," said head coach Bobby Wallace. "We competed really hard and there was a lot of good hitting. I saw some plays being made, some nice catches, nice throws and breaks on the ball, as well as some good pass rushes and protections. As a coach, I can't win in this thing either way, but I'm happy that it was real close game played with confidence.
"It was a nice crowd," added Wallace. "There's a lot of people here, tailgating and having a good time. It's important to have our fans out here enjoying themselves and supporting the program."
Senior quarterback Mike McGann completed 16 of 25 passes for 163 yards and one touchdown (one INT) to lead the White. He was complemented by sophomore signal-caller Philip Simpson, who connected on three of eight aerials for 52 yards and one score.
"There's still some room for improvement," said McGann. "I forced that one interception and missed a couple of throws that I should have made, but our goal was to come out and win and we accomplished that. I think this spring went well, we competed and definitely got better as a team."
One of several defensive highlights belonged to junior Garrett Schultz, who picked-off a deflected McGann pass to garner six points for the Cherry, which halted each of the White's first four possessions en route to its early 12-0 lead. The scoring system provided the defense two points for halting a possession on downs, six points for forcing a turnover, three points for a missed field goal and one point for a failed extra point. Scoring for the White squad was standard.
Senior kicker Ryan Lux posted the White's first points with a 42-yard field goal. The team's first touchdown came courtesy of a three-yard Mike Neal scoring carry before wide receivers Jamel Harris and Travis Shelton also got in on the scoring action. Harris caught a game-high seven passes for 66 yards, including a 14-yard scoring toss from McGann.
Senior Michael Billops was the White's top ground-gainer, accumulating 82 yards on 10 carries. Fellow upperclassman Brian Allbrooks provided 68 total yards, rushing twice for 33 yards and catching four passes for 35 yards. Senior wideout Mike Holley made three receptions for 41 yards.
At halftime of the event, the Owls' presented their annual spring awards. Senior defensive tackle Antwon Burton earned the Mark Bresani Award for spirit and enthusiasm. The award is named for the son of Mark Bresani, a four-year letterwinner at center for the Owls and captain of Wayne Hardin's 1976 squad. Bresani's son Mark, then a senior football player at
"We still have some work to do and some holes to fill," said Wallace. "It's probably, overall, the best spring we have had since I have been here. We were able to do more things this year because of the new practice field, which proved very important this spring. The defense, overall, looks really good. Offensively, we lost some people with injuries this spring that left us thin in some areas and limited what we could do."
