Gettysburg fuels rivalry, reclaims Little Brown Bucket
From the Patriot-News (Harrisburg, PA):
Gettysburg fuels rivalry, reclaims Little Brown Bucket
Sunday, November 06, 2005
BY BOB BLACKOf The Patriot-News
GETTYSBURG - Rivalries have their traditions and symbols. Buckets. Barrels. Wagons. Cowboy hats. You name it, there are symbols for practically any rivalry.
The one between Gettysburg and Dickinson is The Little Brown Bucket, which goes back to 1938. Dickinson has owned it so long, Gettysburg fans were convinced there would be a sizable hole in it by the time they got it back. Dickinson had an 11-0-1 record in the series over the last 12 years.
That's why Gettysburg football coach Barry Streeter clutched it so tight following the Bullets' 17-7 decision over visiting Dickinson yesterday at Musselman Stadium.
Records were not that important, since both came in at 3-5 and even with a win have only one more week to come away with a .500 record at best.
But for Streeter, who sat out last season with a family emergency, things like The Little Brown Bucket and yesterday's game are what Division III college football are all about.
"This is something I missed last season. It felt good to be back involved in it again this year," said Streeter.
It felt even better to watch sophomore running back Tommy Sturges go over 1,000-yards rushing for the season with a 140-yard effort and a 9-yard touchdown run.
"We've played well this season, even if our record doesn't show it," said Streeter. "A game like this shows how much progress we've made."
The most progress may have been made by Gettysburg's defense, which virtually shut down Dickinson in the first half, gave up an early touchdown in the third quarter, then clamped down every time the Red Devils threatened thereafter.
In the first half Gettysburg had 13 first downs to five for Dickinson, outgained the Red Devils 223-87 in total yardage and kept them from even getting past midfield while opening a 17-0 lead.
While Gettysburg's defense was the catalyst, Sturges was a constant whose 31 carries helped the Bullets maintain control of the football.
"Getting off to the kind of start we had in the first half was important if we were going to play the game we needed to against them," said Sturges. "Going over 1,000 yards for the season was nice, but it's never as important as winning a game like this. This is one we really wanted."
Gettysburg took control in the first quarter, when Josh Huson booted a 31-yard field goal and Sturges followed with his 9-yard touchdown run.
Early in the second quarter Jesse Jeffers followed Sturges' 17-yard gain with an 18-yard touchdown run, giving the Bullets complete control of the first half.
In the second half, Dickinson used just two pass plays from quarterback Matt Torchia to wide receiver Arwin Gbolie to convert. The first was good for 18 yards and the second was a 47-yard touchdown pass.
"I thought we could still come back on them," said Dickinson coach Darwin Breaux. "But we'd pick up some yardage and then not be able to convert when we got down in their territory. I give their defense credit for that."
And, after 11 years of futility for Gettysburg, it's back to being a rivalry again.
Gettysburg fuels rivalry, reclaims Little Brown Bucket
Sunday, November 06, 2005
BY BOB BLACKOf The Patriot-News
GETTYSBURG - Rivalries have their traditions and symbols. Buckets. Barrels. Wagons. Cowboy hats. You name it, there are symbols for practically any rivalry.
The one between Gettysburg and Dickinson is The Little Brown Bucket, which goes back to 1938. Dickinson has owned it so long, Gettysburg fans were convinced there would be a sizable hole in it by the time they got it back. Dickinson had an 11-0-1 record in the series over the last 12 years.
That's why Gettysburg football coach Barry Streeter clutched it so tight following the Bullets' 17-7 decision over visiting Dickinson yesterday at Musselman Stadium.
Records were not that important, since both came in at 3-5 and even with a win have only one more week to come away with a .500 record at best.
But for Streeter, who sat out last season with a family emergency, things like The Little Brown Bucket and yesterday's game are what Division III college football are all about.
"This is something I missed last season. It felt good to be back involved in it again this year," said Streeter.
It felt even better to watch sophomore running back Tommy Sturges go over 1,000-yards rushing for the season with a 140-yard effort and a 9-yard touchdown run.
"We've played well this season, even if our record doesn't show it," said Streeter. "A game like this shows how much progress we've made."
The most progress may have been made by Gettysburg's defense, which virtually shut down Dickinson in the first half, gave up an early touchdown in the third quarter, then clamped down every time the Red Devils threatened thereafter.
In the first half Gettysburg had 13 first downs to five for Dickinson, outgained the Red Devils 223-87 in total yardage and kept them from even getting past midfield while opening a 17-0 lead.
While Gettysburg's defense was the catalyst, Sturges was a constant whose 31 carries helped the Bullets maintain control of the football.
"Getting off to the kind of start we had in the first half was important if we were going to play the game we needed to against them," said Sturges. "Going over 1,000 yards for the season was nice, but it's never as important as winning a game like this. This is one we really wanted."
Gettysburg took control in the first quarter, when Josh Huson booted a 31-yard field goal and Sturges followed with his 9-yard touchdown run.
Early in the second quarter Jesse Jeffers followed Sturges' 17-yard gain with an 18-yard touchdown run, giving the Bullets complete control of the first half.
In the second half, Dickinson used just two pass plays from quarterback Matt Torchia to wide receiver Arwin Gbolie to convert. The first was good for 18 yards and the second was a 47-yard touchdown pass.
"I thought we could still come back on them," said Dickinson coach Darwin Breaux. "But we'd pick up some yardage and then not be able to convert when we got down in their territory. I give their defense credit for that."
And, after 11 years of futility for Gettysburg, it's back to being a rivalry again.
posted by Pat McConnell | 9:01 AM
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