“We were in a little bit of foul trouble at the end of the game but we had to foul to have a chance at winning,” said senior center Jenn Headley.
The Brits outscored Adrian 28-18, handing the Bulldogs their fifth  straight loss 52-41. Leading the way for the Bulldogs was Headley who had 14 points on the night.

In hopes to bounce back from the tough loss, the Bulldogs (6-11, 3-8 MIAA) faced conference opponent Olivet (6-13, 4-6 MIAA) Wednesday night.

“We just knew that we had to win tonight in order to even have a chance at the tournament,” said Headley. “That made us focus on just taking it one game at a time, starting with Olivet.”

In their previous meeting this season, the Comets squeezed out the win against Adrian winning 51-50 in a nail-biter. Would the Bulldogs get their revenge Wednesday night?

After stretching the lead to a 15 point deficit with 7:37 left in the first half, it looked like the Comets would extend the Bulldogs losing streak to six games. Finding some spark, the Bulldogs managed to battle back to within six by the end of the half.

The second half seemed to be a different story as Adrian showed a little more life. With 9:43 left, the Bulldogs cut the Olivet lead to two points with a pair of free throws from senior guard Katie Ross. With their double-digit lead gone, the Comets seemed to find themselves in a dog fight.

The Bulldogs quickly gained the lead with a successful three-point play from sophomore guard LaQwana Dockery. The game stayed close from then on out until the Bulldogs found themselves down one with 1:32 left in the game. After a steal by sophomore forward Seneca Scott, Ross drove through the Comet defense hitting a short jumper to put the Bulldogs up by one.

“Seneca made a great play, got a good rebound and made a great pass. I’m a senior, I knew the ball would go to me. The last time we played Olivet I had a chance to make the game-winning shot and missed,” said Ross.

That would prove to be enough with the Bulldogs stuffing the Comets’ last attempt at a game-winner as time expired.

With what would eventually be the game-winner, Ross finished with 10 points and five rebounds for the Bulldogs. Helping out Ross was Dockery who led the Bulldog offense with 14 points on the night.

The Bulldogs improve their record to 7-11 overall and 4-8 in MIAA play.

They hope to use the momentum to take down MIAA conference rival Trine University Saturday at 3 p.m.

“A win against Trine can help give us a chance to play in the conference tournament, so it’s a huge game for us,” said Ross.

Jan. 27, the Bulldogs faced off against Finlandia in the first of a two-game series. The Lions got off to a bad start when Nanci Crossman took a hooking penalty 3:12 into the first period. Just under a minute and a half later the Bulldogs made them pay when sophomore forward Nina Laurie scored a power play goal assisted by junior defenseman Kristin Maton and junior forward Ashley Gniewek. Senior forward Jenna Corbin rounded out the first period scoring at 16:35; she was assisted by Laurie, and senior defenseman Kelly Salis.

Freshman forward Hannah McGowan scored the lone goal of the second period. She was assisted by Laurie and Salis. Senior forward Olivia Rork recorded another Bulldog power play goal at 7:46 of the third. Sophomore forward Sarah Connelly and McGowan were credited with the assist. The final Bulldog goal was scored at 11:34 of the third by sophomore defenseman Amanda Gay. She was assisted by Gniewek and sophomore forward Danielle Smith. As the final horn sounded the Bulldogs came out victorious with a shutout.

Senior goalie Brittany Zeches played the entire 60 minutes in net for the Bulldogs, turning aside all 20 shots she faced in the process. Laurie led the team in points, recording one goal and two assists and Rork led the team in penalty minutes, aquiring four throughout the game.

Jan. 28, the Bulldogs once again took on the Finlandia Lions, with about the same results. Salis got the scoring started early for Adrian when she recorded a power play tally just 1:55 into the game. Smith and McGowan were credited with the assists.

Junior forward Ashley Chinn added on another Adrian goal at 5:50 of the second, assisted by Laurie and sophomore defenseman Rebecca Smith. Under eight minutes later, freshman defenseman Courtney Millar scored the final goal of the game, and secured the sweep for the Bulldogs. Millar was assisted by Laurie and McGowan.

Sophomore goalie Emily Michelin recorded the win, stopping all 15 shots she faced in the process. Laurie and McGowan led the team in points, each recording two assists. Smith led the Bulldogs in penalty minutes, accumulating 14 during the game.

The team will once again be on the road this weekend as they take on Wisc.-Stevens Point Feb. 4 and 5.

Kentucky: It is a typical John Calipari team, almost all freshman that will be NBA-bound next year. Led by freshman forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and center Anthony Davis, these two are a force to be reckoned with come tourney time in March. Along with Doron Lamb in the backcourt, don’t be surprised to see Kentucky head to New Orleans for the Final Four. The only thing to be worried about is if this team will be mature enough to handle the Madness.

Syracuse: Lately, the Orange have been a little shaky, barely escaping West Virginia last Saturday after losing to Notre Dame the weekend before and sneaking by Cincinnati. Jim Boeheim isn’t a stranger to winning though he will get this team back on track. The Orange have three players averaging over 10 points per game and they have solid contributors off the bench in Scoop Jardine and CJ Fair. Look out for ‘Cuse to probably walk into at least the Elite 8, if not the Final Four.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes are 18-3, all three losses coming to teams who are at least nine games above .500. They lost at Kansas without big man and projected top-five pick, Jared Sullinger. On New Year’s Eve, Indiana took them out at home in one of the best games of the Big 10 season so far, and the Fighting Illini from Illinois upset them at home. Since then, Bucks have been nearly unstoppable. It should be interesting as they travel to Wisconsin, then play Purdue and Michigan State at home in the next 10 days. Things could heat up for the first-place Buckeyes.

Missouri: Probably one of the more surprising teams this year, Mizzou has proved they can compete with some of the best teams in the country. Their only losses are to a solid Kansas State team and Oklahoma State. Mizzou has the offense to make it deep come tourney time, shooting the lights out at .498 percent from the field and scoring 81 points a game. With five players in double digits, it would be surprising if this team didn’t win the Big 12.

North Carolina: If the Tar Heels could learn how to play a little defense, they would probably still be undefeated. The only problem is that they get lazy and let Florida State beat them by 32 points. Led by Kendall Marshall and Harrison Barnes, this team will be difficult to beat the rest of the year. Expect another great battle for Tobacco Road between the Heels and the Blue Devils. Roy Williams knows how to get this team ready for the tourney and most of the country would love to see a UK-UNC rematch at some point in late March which will include a possible 12 first-round picks in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Baylor: Perry Jones III, or PJ3, is one of the best players in the nation, and leading a good Baylor squad to their best year in the last decade. With only two losses, to Kansas and Mizzou respectively, it’s hard to believe this team would get upset in the tourney early. It is a great time to be a Bear fan though as RG3 won the Heisman Trophy and the women’s basketball team is No. 1. Expect the Bears to have both teams deep in the tourney.

Duke: The Blue Devils are having another typical year, being in the top 10 and bound to lose, at most, six games this year. Led by Austin Rivers and the Plumlee brothers, this team is destined to succeed in March. If they don’t, it would be another disappointing end to the season. With only one true upset loss this year to Temple, the Blue Devils don’t play sloppy basketball. Granted, they lost on a buzzer beater to Florida State, their only other loss was to Ohio State. The only thing hurting this team right now is the need to pass the ball more and rebound more. They are out of the top 100 in the country in both categories.

Michigan State: At the beginning of the year, I wouldn’t have even thought about putting the Spartans in the Top 10. Four losses, three of which were to teams in the top 25, is very respectable. It has been a year of players stepping up, as Delvon Roe was lost for the year due to a bad knee. Draymond Green is a force in the paint and Keith Appling has been shooting the ball well for the Spartans. Expect Tom Izzo to have his team make another run deep into March. MSU has made five Final Four appearances in the last decade.

Murray State: It’s always good to see a mid-major be undefeated this far into the season; this is what makes college basketball fun to watch. The game for this team to prove themselves a legitimate Top 10 team will be when they play St. Mary’s College in the BracketBuster game Feb. 8. The Racers remind me of San Diego State last year, who made a little run but ran into a powerhouse in the Sweet 16. Will Murray State be the next Virginia Commonwealth? We will have to wait and see.

UNLV: The Rebels deserve to be in the Top 10. With a record of 20-3 and wins over North Carolina and Illinois, this team should only see competition to their rival this year in San Diego State. Granted Wichita State beat them by 19 the game after they beat UNC, the Rebels rebounded and have only lost one of their last 12 games. Boise State and Air Force gave them OT scares, but this team should at least get a top-four seed when Selection Sunday comes around.

As of right now, I would predict the Final Four being Kentucky, North Carolina, Syracuse and Michigan State. Expect to see these teams perform big come tourney time.

Source: ESPN.com

 
This season, the team was hit with injuries, two of which were returning starters from last year, but that hasn’t stopped them from having a productive season.
“I’m proud of these guys, they have stepped up to every challenge. Especially for how young we are, it’s good to see them playing well together,” White said.

So far this year, the Bulldogs have only lost one game at home against the College of Wooster (Ohio), who is ranked sixth in the nation. The Bulldogs came into the first round of conference play with only three games out of seven at home and have won all three.

 
“We have been playing well at home, that’s a big factor for us. We’re showing that we are protecting our home court and making it tough to play here,” White said.
The conference is set up in two rounds during the regular season and only four teams go to the conference tournament. As of right now, the Bulldogs are in second place. If the team is able to keep hold of second going into the conference tournament they will be able to have a home game, which is something that the team is excited about.

 
Over winter break, the team played five games, only losing one at Division 3 No. 3-ranked Hope. Playing well over break has eased the strain on the team, with an additional boost coming from sophomore transfer student Richaud Pack.

 
“Having him coming to play for us was definitely a nice addition to the team. He brings a lot of depth. Before, we were only playing seven or eight guys a game,” White said. “Now we have the ability to go deeper into the bench as well. Richaud is a good addition to the team. He has a lot of versatility and can play guard or forward for us.”

 
The team is still young, but a lot of the younger players are starting to step up and gaining more experience each game they play at the collegiate level.
“I’m proud of how these guys have played this season. They’re young and they are only going to get better game by game,” White said.

 
Freshmen Adam Meier and Eric Lewis have stepped up for the team this year. Both  are receiving good playing time, especially for being freshmen.

 
Overall, the team is stepping in the right direction and becoming a steady contender to win the MIAA title each year.

 
“This team has a lot of focus and determination to win, and it is showing on and off the court this year,” White said.

 
The future is looking bright for the Bulldogs; the MIAA is starting to notice that this team is going to compete and be determined to win the conference.

On Sunday night, the Bulldogs used a strong first period to put the game out of reach for the Sabres.  The Bulldogs got the scoring started quickly as sophomore forward Josh Cousineau scored 4:23 into the first period to give Adrian a 1-0 lead.

 
“We knew if we came out hard early, we would have momentum allowing us to roll for the rest of the game,” said Cousineau.

 
The Sabres answered back, however, just over a minute and a half late, as they tied the game at 1-1. The Bulldogs once again found offense, as junior forward Zach Graham registered his 10th goal of the season with Cousineau picking up an assist to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead. The Bulldogs would get one more goal before the period wrapped up as senior defenseman Chris Stansik picked up a power play goal with :07 remaining in the period.

 
Special teams, especially the power play, have been a strong point for the Bulldogs this year as they have utilized the shots of Stansik and freshman forward Shelby Gray on the backside of the power play.

 
“We used the big ice surface to our advantage. We really utilized our speed and skill on that surface,” Gray said. “We just moved the puck around and put it on net whenever we got the chance.”

 
Gray would pick up the lone tally for the rest of the game as he scored at the 7:48 point in the second period to push the Bulldog lead to 4-1. In net Sunday night, freshman goalie Scott Shackell stood tall making 33 saves on 34 shots.

 
On Monday, the Bulldogs played a rare weekday matinee game as the puck dropped at 3 p.m. in what would end up as a 4-2 Bulldog win. The first period saw lots of back and forth action as both teams recorded 10 shots, but no one was able to draw first blood in the first 20 minutes.

 
The second period, however, saw each team netting two goals apiece, leaving them right where they started as they went into the second intermission tied 2-2. Gray got his second of the weekend at 3:09 in the second period to put the Bulldogs up 1-0. The line of Cousineau, Graham, and Watts got back on the board as Watts scored to put Adrian up 2-0 with assists going to both Cousineau and Graham. Marian would answer Adrian’s goals with two of their own to put the score at 2-2 at the end of forty minutes of play.

 
In the third period, all of the offense belonged to Adrian as a pair of unanswered goals and strong defensive play helped the Bulldogs skate away with a 4-2 lead. The ever strong Bulldog power play made their presence felt again Monday as junior forward Dan Barczuk scored just under three minutes into the period to give Adrian a 3-2 lead.

 
“I think one of the keys to our success this weekend was our power play,” said Gray.

 
Cousineau scored at 10:50 to round out the scoring at 4-2. Defensively, the Bulldogs shut down the Sabres in the third, allowing only three shots. In net, freshman goalie James Hamby picked up the win, stopping 23 of 25 shots.

Picking up two wins allowed the team to inch closer to a fifth consecutive MCHA regular season title as they gained a four-point lead over MSOE.

 
“It was huge,” Graham said of getting two wins.  “Anytime that a team can put a gap between them and the team that is behind them in the standings, it’s always important.”

 
The big test for the Bulldogs comes this weekend, as conference foe MSOE travels to Adrian for a pair of games this weekend. One could say that this weekend is the biggest challenge this young program has ever faced. However, from the outside it appears that the team is confident and it’s business as usual for now.

 
“Our game plan for MSOE will remain the same [as Marian] with a couple of tweeks, likely on special teams. Both opponents are good teams and the same things will have to be in place for us to be successful on any night: hard work, and the will to win,” said Graham.

 
The teams will face-off at Arrington Ice Arena Friday night at 7 p.m. and again Saturday at 3 p.m.

Giants rookie linebacker Spencer Paysinger believes his team has great morale has been a key to the team’s postseason success.

“The team’s morale has been really high. I feel as if we’re peaking right now since seemingly shutting out the Falcons, frustrating the Packers, and gutting it out with the 49ers,” he said.

The Giants took a different approach than the Patriots on their season. With a 9-7 record they managed to pull it together just in time to squeeze out a divisional win and the No. 4 seed.

“This season has had its up and downs where we started off 6-2 then ended up losing five of the next six games. During the last part of the season we went back to [the] basics and started meshing really well on all three aspects of the games to the point where our confidence came back stronger than ever. It’s just been a magical journey getting to this point,” said Paysinger.

Las Vegas casinos already have the Giants at a three-point underdog to the Patriots. However, this seems to be a pretty close match up statistically.
In an article posted by Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com, Giants Coach Tom Coughlin said “the New England Patriots have won 10 games in a row, they are an outstanding football team, statistically we will have time to study and we know what we will find when we do study, a very good and talented football team that has put together real an outstanding string of wins”.

After their Week 9 loss to the G-men, the Patriots have been unbeatable, winning every game thus far.

“It hasn’t been perfect but they’ve never backed down,” said Coach Bill Belichick in a Foxsports.com report from Alex Marvez.

The Patriots have a great offensive threat with Tom Brady and his troublesome tag team of tight ends Rob Gronkowski and  Aaron Hernandez. In their previous meeting this season, the combo of Gronkowski and Hernandez caught 12 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns, according to ESPN.com.

“Gronk and Hernandez pose a missmatch no matter who they go up against. One thing that will always hold true is the fact that we have had success with playmakers when we are physical with them. Such as not letting them get off the line without being hit, tackling them hard, and using our defensive line to manhandle them against the run,” said Paysinger. “We feel if we can excel at those aspects of the game we will have a good chance at winning.”

To counteract the Patriot pass threat, the Giants are riding the talented and feared defensive line attack with Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, and Jason Pierre-Paul.  The trio is responsible for 30 of the Giants 48 sacks on the season. Getting after Brady will be a focal point for the Giants defense next Sunday.

“Our defensive line is our life line, we go as they go. With that being said, we know that we can get to Brady with a collection of different blitzes and disguises. If our D-Line can get Brady to move in the pocket, we will win the game,”  said Paysinger.

The Giants upperhand will come in the form of their explosive trio of receivers, and the leader of their offense, Eli Manning. Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, and Victor Cruz have connected with Manning for 695 total yards and seven touchdowns in the playoffs. With Victor Cruz being the standout in the NFC Championship game, it appears that any one of the three can light up the scoreboard on any given night. With the combination of the threatening receiver crew and Eli Manning’s superb performance in the playoffs thus far, it seems as if the casinos might have picked the wrong winner.

Yet, in the end, regardless of the strengths and weaknesses of each team, it’s anyone’s game come Super Bowl Sunday.

Sophomore guard LaQwana Dockery, shown in a photo from a previous game, lead Adrian in scoring (14) during their 46-43 loss to Alma on Wednesday. Dockery currently leads the team in points, with 37. (Photo courtesy AC website)

The Adrian College women’s basketball team lost a close one to Alma College on Wednesday night in Alma, 46-43. The loss is the Bulldogs third of the season, and brings their record down to 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

The Bulldogs got off to a solid start, leading 4-2 several minutes into the first half, however, Alma would go on to to lead for the remainder of this close game. Alma would also have their biggest lead of the game in the first half, when Morgan Henry made her second free throw giving the Scots a 20-11 lead at 9:39 of the first half. Alma would also take another nine-point lead as they headed into halftime up 34-25.

In the second half, the Bulldogs would continue to struggle, as Alma refused to relinquish their lead for the remainder of the game.

Adrian fought back hard throughout the half and pulled the game to within two points after senior forward Jenn Headley successfully completed two free throws with 13 seconds left in the game.

“Since we have everyone returning, we have a big advantage over other teams that are losing a lot of players. Tonight we played hard but couldn’t finish. As long as we play together we will have a solid season,” she said.

Although the Bulldogs would ultimately lose 46-43, sophomore guard LaQwana Dockery almost sent the game into overtime when she just missed a three-point attempt with two seconds left in the game.

Adrian had a 31.4 percent shooting average from the floor in the game, making 16 of 51 attempts. The team was also 26.1 percent on three-point field goalss, making six of 23. The team also shot an amazing 71.4 percent from the free throw line converting five of seven attempts. Adrian and Alma tied in turnovers, with each team committing 24.

Dockery led the Bulldogs in scoring with 14 points, followed by Headley with 10, and senior guard Katie Ross had seven.

The team will have a few days off  from competition before their next game on Dec. 3, at Calvin at 1 p.m. Being a conference game, the team knows what’s at stake when they show up to play on Saturday.

“We have a big challenge this year with only the top four (teams) going to the MIAA tournament. This year is going to be super competitive amongst all the conference schools,” said Ross.

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, argues with an official after being ejected from Detrioit’s 27-15 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving day, resulting in a two-game suspension. (Photo Courtesy NYTimes.com)

The Detroit Lions, currently 7-4 and tied with the Chicago Bears for second in the NFC North, have had a tumultuous season so far. After roaring out of the gates to a 5-0 start, they have since dropped four of their previous six contests.

Their recent struggles have made the road to the playoffs that much more difficult. There are, however, many other factors to consider in examining why they have played poorly as of late.

Leading the offense has been third-year quarterback Matt Stafford, who has bravely played through injury most of the season and somehow still thrown 26 touchdown passes. His main target this season is wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who has already surpassed 1,000 yards on the season; if he continues on his current pace of touchdowns per game he could shatter many single-season receiving records.

Kevin Siefert of ESPN.com wrote that, “I’m not sure if it’s reasonable to expect Johnson to keep scoring at his current pace of 1.8 touchdowns per game. But he doesn’t have to in order to break Randy Moss’ record (of 24).”

The Lions have struggled the most in establishing a run game to balance out their potent passing attack. Starting running back Jahvid Best was recently lost for the season due to concussion-like symptoms, and backups Maurice Morris and Keiland Williams are not long-term solutions at the position. Recently, Kevin Smith was claimed off waivers and showed some production, but he too has been addled by the injury bug. These problems have been further complicated by an aging offensive line that includes mainstays like center Dominic Raiola and left tackle Jeff Backus.

On the defensive side of the ball, the group as a whole has performed better than expected in some areas, but certain positions have fallen short of the pre-season expectations. For the majority of the season, the Lions have led the league in turnover differential; that is, how many turnovers they cause compared to how many they give up. The defensive line as a whole has performed well, with defensive ends Kyle Vanden Bosch and Cliff Avril combining for 13 sacks so far. The group’s Defensive Rookie of The Year, Ndamukong Suh, has struggled to garner 19 tackles and three sacks. Suh was recently suspended for two games for an unsportsmanlike penalty on Thanksgiving when he inadvertently stomped an opponent on the ground.

Similarly, even though defensive backs Amari Spievey and Chris Houston have combined for seven interceptions, this has been overshadowed by numerous big plays being surrendered by Eric Wright. To compound matters, starting safety Louis Delmas was injured in the blowout Thanksgiving loss to Green Bay.

Dave Birkett said, “The injury problems in the Detroit Lions secondary aren’t getting any better. Delmas and Houston missed practice for a second straight day today with knee injuries sustained in last week’s Thanksgiving loss to the Green Bay Packers; backup cornerback Brandon McDonald, who suffered a quad injury in the same game, returned to practice briefly but left during individual drills to work on the side with trainers.”

A lone bright spot for the defensive unit has been the consistent play of the linebacker corps. Stephen Tulloch has stepped up in the clutch with both sacks and interceptions; DeAndre Levy leads the team in tackles and both Bobby Carpenter and Justin Durant have produced quality minutes when called upon.

The rest of the season will not be kind to the Lions, says Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.

He wrote that, “Among Detroit’s final five opponents are playoff locks Green Bay Packers (11-0) and New Orleans Saints (8-3), as well as AFC West leader Oakland (7-4). Always dangerous, but underachieving San Diego (4-7) is on the horizon as well. The Lions’ final opponent, the 2-9 Minnesota Vikings, might seem like a gimme, but anything can happen when division opponents collide.”

These games are important because the Lions’ main competition for the Wild Card spots in the playoffs, the Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears, have a much easier schedule ahead of them. Only time will tell, weather or not the Lions can keep it together for an entire season and finally make it back to the playoffs.

Auburn graduate, and current Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley poses with the 2011 BCS Championship Trophy after Auburn defeated the Oregon Ducks. Once again people are questioning if the NCAA should develop a new college football playoff format. (Photo courtesy Washingtontimes.com)

This year in the BCS has been probably the most entertaining since it was put into place in 1999. There are only two undefeated teams left in the Top 10 in LSU and Houston. In a realistic normal bowl matchup, these two teams would play.

The only thing though, is that this isn’t how the BCS works. As of right now it would be LSU and Alabama in a rematch of their Nov. 5 game in Tuscaloosa, AL.

There are a lot of problems with the BCS, and a lot of people are starting to wonder if this is the best system for college football.

The BCS basically takes strength of schedule, conference and non-conference games on top of wins more than anything to figure out who plays for the title. The only problem is that there are always one or two “mid-major” teams who go undefeated and finish third and fourth in the standings while a team with one loss is second and plays for the title.

There’s something wrong with this picture.

Remember when Boise State beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl in 2007 on the liberty pass? This is a perfect game example as to why undefeated teams should be able to play for the national title. Boise State finished eighth in the standings that year and Ohio State was the only other undefeated team. It just shows that the mid-major teams basically get pushed aside by the major conferences like the SEC, Pac-12, Big 12 and Big Ten.

The BCS needs to change in the next few years to support the mid-major teams to be able to compete for the title. The BCS could possibly do a bracket and have the top eight teams in the BCS play almost as if it was the NCAA basketball tournament. The No. 1 team plays the No.10 team, the No. 2 plays No. 9 and so on. This would be a little more realistic for the BCS to do this instead of basically forgetting about the mid-major teams.

This would create more entertaining games for the fans to watch as well. The only thing that would change would be the choosing of the teams who play in the other BCS bowl games. There are five BCS bowl games; they could have the first two teams to lose play in the Sugar Bowl and the next two teams to lose play in the Rose Bowl. This would create more media buzz for every game because of how good the games would be. It would be the best ten teams in the nation playing each other.

If the NCAA were to move to this particular format, it would be a dream come to fruition for many college football fans. It also wouldn’t be leaving the mid-majors in the dust and it would give them a chance to prove themselves as a legitimate college football team.

The “Big Six” aren’t enough to keep all the fans entertained for much longer. Granted, there are basically super conferences being formed, it would still be more entertaining to watch the best teams in the country play in a tournament instead of a computer deciding who plays for the national championship.

This game was a showcase of defensive dominance by the Bulldogs, who did not allow the Scots to score a single point for the second straight meeting. The football team ended the season 8-2 overall while recording a 4-2 record in the conference. The entirety of the game’s scoring came in the first half of play; senior placekicker Logan Mitseff set a career-high in field goals made in one game with three and scoring more than half of the team’s overall points for the game.

After giving his team a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter, freshman Charles Fleck forced a fumble on the Scots’ punter. This opportunity was not lost as junior quarterback Brandon Miller scored on a one-yard dive to make the score 10-0.

Later in the quarter, the Bulldogs once again capitalized on an opportunity created by senior linebacker Darren Walter. He forced another Scot fumble, which was recovered by sophomore Aaron Gray. Mitseff once again had his number called for a short field goal, making the score 13-0 at the close of the first quarter.

The final points were scored early in the second quarter with an  interception by senior defensive back Keman Jacobs. The Bulldogs once again turned to the right foot of Mitseff to conclude the scoring of the game at 16-0.

The remainder of the game was a chance for the Bulldogs to assert their dominance on defense. Senior linebacker Brian Garbarino intercepted the Alma offense and junior Kevin Klein later denied a fourth down conversion with a tackle for loss. The game concluded with the Scots accruing only three total yards of passing offense and struggling to convert third down opportunities; going only 1-for-12 on the day.

Senior defensive lineman Steve Mauk was a standout performer in the game, compiling five tackles and a sack.

“Obviously we didn’t get the results of the MIAA champions that we wanted, but I think this year was a major stepping stone for the program by proving Adrian can put together a championship caliber team. I think all the young guys definitely got a taste of what can be accomplished through hard work during practice and should be more than motivated to go out and get the job done next year,” said Mauk.

Senior Chris James also reflected on the season but emphasized that the young players are going to be counted on to contribute next season.

We are proud of what we accomplished in our four years here at AC and what we did this year…we have a real solid group of young players on the defense like Hunter Juntanen, Dionte Bridgeman, Aaron Grey, Joe Makowski, and AJ Gill that are coming back next year. On offense there are a lot of good running backs and wide receivers coming back. I have high expectations for the team next year,” said James.