2007 ECAC Division III Southwest Football Bowl
Carnegie Mellon University 21, Gettysburg College 20

Box Score

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Sophomore quarterback Phil Pantalone's (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff) second touchdown strike and third score of the afternoon with 2:09 to play lifted the Carnegie Mellon University football team to a 21-20 come from behind victory over Gettysburg College, Saturday, November 17 on the turf of Gesling Stadium.  The Tartans claim the 2007 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Southwest Bowl Championship with the win.  The Tartans finish the year with a 7-4 record, while the Bullets wrap up their season with a 6-5 mark.

Gettysburg struck first, taking the opening kickoff and driving 68 yards on 15 plays, as senior tailback Tom Sturges took it in from one-yard out on fourth and goal giving the Bullets a 7-0 lead.  The Bullets added to their lead with 1:19 to play in the first quarter when junior place kicker Josh Huson drilled a 24-yard field goal giving Gettysburg a 10-0 lead.  Huson's field goal came five plays following a muffed punt by the Tartans.

Sturges would give the Bullets a 17-0 advantage on their first possession of the second quarter.  This time the senior took it in from seven yards out capping a ten-play 60-yard drive at the 6:48 mark of the second quarter.

On the ensuing possession Carnegie Mellon ended any hopes for a Bullet shutout, cutting Gettysburg lead back to ten.  Pantalone found junior tight end Derek Wisnieski (Indiana, Pa.) in the back of the end zone on a six-yard touchdown pass, as the two teams headed into the locker room with the score 17-7 in favor of the visitor.

After a scoreless third quarter, Gettysburg, like the second quarter, scored on the first possession of the fourth stanza increasing their lead to 20-7 with 11:42 to play in regulation.  Huson converted his second field goal this time from 20 yards away.

Carnegie Mellon did not give up, as they scored on their next two possessions lifting them to the 21-20 victory.  Their first score came with 9:04 to play when Pantalone scampered five yards into the endzone wrapping up a seven-play 65-yard drive.  After a three and out for the Bullets, the Tartans regained the ball with 7:13 left on their own 37.  Carnegie Mellon drove down to the field and was forced into a fourth and goal from the Gettysburg eight.  Pantalone took the snap out of the shotgun formation and found sophomore Brendan Howe (Grosse Pointe, Mich. Grosse Point South) on a backside curl in the back of the end zone.   

"Brendan made a great catch and I couldn't have had more time to throw, it was great," commented Pantalone.  "I got so excited because he was so wide open."

Pantalone (pictured) was named Most Valuable Player of the game after finishing 12-of-14 for a career-high 140 yards and two touchdowns.  The sophomore also finished the game with 17 yards on the ground and one score, accounting for all three of the Tartans touchdowns.  Howe was the Tartans leading receiver with five catches for 64 yards and the winning score, while senior Jeremy Doo (Cambridge, Mass. Phillips Exeter Academy) recorded four catches for 54 yards.   Senior fullback Travis Sivek (Traverse City, Mich./St. Francis) headed a backfield that rushed for 209 yards.  The senior fullback ended the game with a team-high 82 yards on 24 carries, as he finishes his Tartan career with 4,183 yards, the school's all-time leading rusher.

Defensively the Tartans held the Bullets to 249 yards of total offense.  Junior defensive lineman Clay Crites (Tuscarawas, Ohio/Indian Valley) led the charge with 12 tackles and senior linebacker Jonathan Bodnar (Cheswick, Pa./Deer Lakes) recorded nine in the win.

Gettysburg compiled 188 yards on the ground with Sturges leading the way with 114 yards and two touchdowns.  Junior defensive end Conor Quinn recorded 15 tackles including three for a loss of 14 yards with 2.5 sacks and added two fumble recoveries in the loss.

The Tartans held the edge in time of possession 37:06 to 22:54 and had 23 first downs to the Bullets 13.

(Courtesy of Carnegie Mellon University Sports Information)