• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1984-01-26_Vol48_No18_06

6 Western Carolinian/January 26,1984 A Look Back... "How bout' them ."ats!" It rang from stadium to stadium at an car-piercing boom. It got stronger and ■stronger down highway upon highway faster then anyone ever icali/ed. Call it powerful, breath-taking or astonishing - Catamount in a ii i a r c m a i n s in Cullow lice. Western Carolina University's football team has lelt a mark on Western North Carolina that won't soon be' erased. I he Cats gained regional and national attention for finishing runner-up to the best NCAA Division l-AA school in the nation. A record of I I-3-1 will now go dow n as the best football record in WCU history. Sure, it was a let down not to win the national championship, but when it was all over, the smell ol victory remained. Besides, how many teams play 15 loot bill I games in a season'.' No one is prouder of the Cats than the students. I hey went down that road loo. and had the time ol their lives doing it. And because students operated the Western Carolinian, we now would like to again. thank-you team. You made 1983 one ol the most memorable years ol our lives. I he lollowing is a review ol your fabulous championship season: REGULAR SEASON: GAM! BY GAME NCAA the bench to pass lor I 14 yards and Kristy Kiser and Eric Rasliced each caught live passes. W A K l FOR IS I 2 I WESTERN 0 (Record: 0-2- 0) (September 17. Winston- Salem. NC. 2I.35I) - A Western Carolina football team was shutout for the first time in 64 games. I he Catamounts were plagued by a bevy of mistakes as they amassed 3I7 yards but had drives stopped at the Wake IO. 25. and 4 yard lines. I he- Cats were penali/ed nine times for 77 yards. Gilbert and Perkins combined for 200 passing yards and tailback Leonard Williams rushed for 86 yards. W I SI ERN 21 MARSHALL 7 (Record: 2-2-0) (October I. Huntington. WV. 10.027) -The Cats started slowly in then second Southern Conference game and trailed 7-0 late in the second quarter. I hen first score came with less than two minutes lelt in the lust hall when Jell (ill be it threw his first touchdown pass ol the season. Western took the lead lor good on their first possession ol the second hall on Williams' It) yard sweep. Williams finished the day with I 19 yards on the ground and scored twice and Gilbert completed I 6 of 23 passes for I60 v ards and two IDs. fhe Cats'defense held Marshall to I92 yards and sacked the quarterback six times as mover Richard Dukes, tackle Mark Buffamoyer and eorneiback Tiger Greene (2 intercepts) were the leaders. CI EMSON 44 Wl SI ERN IO (Record 0-1-0} (September 3. Clemson. SC. 7 1.500) - fhe Catamounts got into a hole early in this game and were never able to dig out. The Tigers scored on their first possess i o n a nil I o u r consecutive possessions laic in the first quarter and second quarter, file Tigers rolled up 494 yards and held the Catamounts' olfense scoreless until its last possession ol the game. Bernard Jones, playing the new Bandit position, accounted lor Western's t o u e hd own w he n hc intercepted a pass and returned it 17 yards for the score. Dean Biasucci kicked a 32 yard field goal to round out the Catamounts' scoring. Reserve quarterback Willie Perkins came oft Network WIS URN 17 EAST UNMSSli: STATE 16 (Record: 1-2-0) (September 24. Cullow hee.NC. 11.338)- Possibly the most dramatic comeback ever staged by a Western Carolina football team. I he Cats trailed E'ISU 16-6 with 4:32 to play when they look possession at their own 9. | hey drove 91 yards in 8 plays to score 'when wide receiver Ra sliced made what was labeled "The Immaculate Reception II" on a 37-yard pass from Perkins alter the football had been tipped twice by an E'ISU dclcndcr. A two- point conversion pass from Gilbert to tailback Mclvin Dorsey cut the disadvantage to 16-14. A perfectly executed on-side kick gave the Cats the ball again with 2:25 to play. Six plays later. Dean Biasucci kicked a 43 yard field goal and the Catamounts look the lead with 0:32 showing. Rasheed caught 7 passes for 103 vanls. WESTERN 17 FURMAN 17 (Record: 3-2-1)(October 15. Cullowhee. NC. 11.642)- 11 was the Southern Conic r c n cc s h o w d o w n between the first place teams. Furman continued its jinx over the Catamounts as the Paladins have not lost to Western Carolina since WCU joined the conference in 1977. The Catamounts built a 17-0 lead on a pan ol scoring runs by tailback Williams and a Biasucci Field goal. I he Paladins mounted a 90-yard drive late in the first half and trailed 17-7 going into halftone. I he cut the lead to three points midway ol the fourth period and then tied the game of a held goal with 0:27 left, fhe Catamounts rolled up 339 yards ol offense to I in man's 296. Gilbert threw a school record 48 passes and completed 23 for 233 yards. Rasheed and Kiser combined for 12 more ea t.c lies. B u flu m oy er. Dukes, safety Steve Marshall and tackle Jimmy I tit her led the defensive unit in a solid performance. WESTERN 42 I ENNES- SI I I It II I (((Record: 3-2- 0) (October 8. Cookeville. Tenn.. 11.308) -Western exploded in the opening six minutes ol the second half for l h tee t ouchd ow ns enroute to a rout of the Golden Eagles. The Cais led 14-3 at halftone, but Gilbert led three quick drives to blow the game open as Waters cleared his bench for the last 25 minutes. Gilbert gav e signs of things to come with a 16 of 22 pcrtorMuo.cc lor 188 yards and two scores. Rasheed caught seven passes for 108 yards and Kiser caught fivefor 100 yards. Freshman tailback Milton Beck rushed for 97 yards, scored once and threw a ID pass off the tail back option. I iger Greene led the defense with an interception, a blocked punt, caused a fumble and broke up two passes enroute to being named conference ilelensiv e player ol the week. WESI ERN 37 WOF'FORD 20 (Record: 4-2-1) (October 22. Cullow hee.NC. 10.755)- fhe Catamounts spotted Wofford three-point leads twice in the opening 20 minutes then scored 24 unanswered points enroute to a non-conference win on homecoming day. fallback Dorsey led the Cats to their biggest rushing total ol the season to that point. 202 yards, as he picked up 117 yards. Quarterback Gilbert continued his hot passing with a 14 of 21 performance for 183 yards and a pair of scores. The victory ran Western's string of unbeaten games to live. WESTERN 25 TENNESSEE-CHATTANOOGA 15 (Record: 5-2-1; 20th in l-AA poll) (October 29, Cullowhee. NC. 9,245) - The Catamounts passed their From Page 1 and radio White said it takes six months to a year to really organize gooil coverage and that the news that the basketball Cats had lost their network ws dropped on him "like a bomb." He and the athletic department began trying to put the pieces back together as best they could...but there was a high price to pay. White said he's still not sure it was worth the gamble. As a result of being in limbo for a few weeks, the Cats lost some air time in Sylva to UNC. which has the largest basketball network in North Carolina, and, according to White, practices extremely aggressive methods to obtain TV coverage The AM station*) in Waynesville, usually loyal to WCU, has also begun broadgasting other college games, plus the Cats lost a possible market in Ashevillc. and the network is operating on three less stations than last season. Still, thingss aren't all that bad. The athletic department worked out a deal with Pamfilis and he, withb Carolinian Sports Editor Russ Randolph on color, is doing the play- by-play. Referring to the problems with Greene and Melville, Pamfilis said, "It's Pot like I was asking for too much, but they just didn't have enough money, which I can understand... there were no hard feelings on anybody's part." He is glad, though, that things are running smoothly now and that he's back working with Catamount sports. He has fun doing the^ames. but he especially enjoys working with people he respects. "The school, the administration, and the athletic department, everybody here has a lot of class and 1 like to be associated with a program like that." Russ Randolph, in his first year doing color commentary for the network, said he understood Cottrell's feeling about wanting Pamfilis back. "The thing that was at stake here was getting a name established for the team. Stan's associated now with football because this was his second year doing football and people know him, not only because he's on TV, but because he's on the radio now. He's the voice of the Cats, in other words. Well, Coach Cottrell wanted to keep that unity there with Stan doing that ( announcing)...He wanted to keep Stan because of his identity, who he is and what he means school.f/' Randolph went on to add.was an honor for methat:hey asked me to do it...This is a big opportunity for me and they're helping me out a lot because it's giving me a good chance to gain some experience." Randolph and Pamfilis both were also very optimistic about future Asheville broadcasts. "The fact that the tournament is in Asheville this year, I look for a couple of stations there to pick it up," Randolph commented. When asked if he thought that would open the Catamounts up to more Asheville coverage, he said he thought is would definitely help. Pamfilis replied, "I think that things are going to all pick up...A lot of people in Asheville want to hear it, it's just a problem of getting a network, because everybody's got his own basketball team he follows...It's just something well have to work for and hope for...it'11 come." So. as it stands right now, the Cats are on the air and things sound normal from the listeners' point of view. Coach Waters is extremely pleased everything worked out and had nothing but good things to say. "It's working fine. I'm not sure what kind of money we're going to make or lose on it, but it's working fine... As far as everybody in the listening audience will know it's just like always and we're going to keep it going." Coach Cottrell, just coming off an exciting win over Eff-C- Tuesday night, was eager ro express his feelings about the network. "This team deserves the very best it can get and that's what I want for them. We have no money and no outside influential support... We have to make do with what we have and I'm very glad we have the network back...l think the university and the students and the people involved should be very proud of the job Stan's done and the network, and what the program stands for. I am." last big conference test with flying colors and appeared in the NCAA l-AA poll for the first lime with this impressive victory. It was then sixth game without a loss. I he Cats used a big play defense and opportunistic offense to claim this crucial victory. The defense caused four turnovers and two other costly mistakes while the offense took advantage of all but one scoring opportunity. Q u a i t e i b a c k G i I b c r t completed only eight passes, but t h i c e w c n I I o i touchdowns. Linebacker Pate was voted Southern Coni ere nee Defensive Player of the Week with 20 tackles. I he kicking game- was another key factor as Biasucci booted a pair of clutch field goals and Steve Kornegay averaged 44 yards a punt. mf!* WESTERN 44 THE CITADEL 17 (Record: 6-2- I; 18th in l-AA poll) (November 5. Charleston. SC. 13.240) - Western moved up to 18th in the NCAA i-AA poll with this impressive victory. The d e lens e s c o red t wo touchdowns before the olfense reached the playing field as the Catamounts led 14-0 with only 1:53 elapsed as Miles Nicholson intercepted a pass on the first play of the game and returned for a I'D, and Ricky Pate blocked a punt and fell on it in the end /one for the second score. Tailback Dorsey rushed for 116 yards anil quarterback Gilbert completed lor 19 of 30 for 259 yards, fhe win ran Western's unbeaten string to seven games, kept the Cats in a tie for first place in the conference race and gave WCU its first win over The Citadel in Charleston since 1972. over this non-conference opponent. Quarterback Gilbert passed for 295 yards and accounted for five touchdowns in less than three quarters of play. He- threw three TD passes and ran tor two scores, the first time a WCU signal caller has scored two touchdowns in a game in 20 years Rasheed caught eight passes for 1 19 yards and a score, and Kiser had four receptions for 93 yards and two IDs. I he defense held the Bulldogs to 163 yards of olfense led by safety Marshall's two interceptions. quarterfinal round. Colgate- bolted to a 23-0 lead in the opening 28 minutes as they rolled up 281 yards of olfense in the first half. The Cats came back in the last 18 seconds of the first hall with their first score and trailed 23-7 at halltime. Ibe second hall was all Western as the Cats held the Red Raiders to 91 yards and lour first downs in the last 30 minutes. Meanw hilc. quarterback Gilbert passed almost at will as he totaled 376 yards through the air for three scores. Rasheed and Kiser combined for 15 catches. 272 yards and all three touchdowns. Specialist Biasucci kicked a record tying 51-yard field goal. Mover Dukes, c nil S i m m o n s a n d t a c k I c Bullamoy er kcyed the outstanding sceonl half defensive effort. WESTERN 41 APPALACHIAN STATE 15 (Record: 8-2-1; 9th in 1-AA poll) (November 19. Cullowhee. NC. 13,924) -Western locked up an NCAA l-AA playoff bill with another impressive win before a Whitmire Stadium record crowd. The win over their archrival* was the third in a row in the scries for the Catamounts and their ninth straight week without a loss. I he Cats led 20-0 before the Mountaineers got on the board, and the halltime margin of 13 points (20-7) was the closest the visitors could manage. Western rolled up 458 yards of offense including a season high 243 yards on the ground. Tailbacks Williams and Dorsey combined for 196 yards and four IDs. Quarterback Gilbert passed for 197 yards including seven times to Rasheed. Mover Dukes, enil Clyde- Simmons and tackle Buffamoyer led another outstanding defensive effort. WESTERN 43 GARDNER WEBB 7 (Record: 7-2-1: 13th in l-AA poll) (November 12, Cullowhee. NC. 6.212) - The Cats scored on their first three- possessions and then coasted to an easy 43-7 win WESTERN 24 COLGATE 23 (Record: 9-2-1) I he- Catamounts made one of the greatest comebacks, if not THE greatest, in WCU's 50-scason football history to edge the Red Raiders and advance to the NCAA's 1- AA football championship WESTERN 28 HOI Y CROSS 21 (Record: 10-2-1) The Catamounts came from behind twice then held off a furious rally by Holy Cross to advance to the semifinals. The Cats trailed by 7-0 in the second quarter and 14-7 in the third quarter and did not take the lead until early in the fourth period. Holy Cross came back to tie the game. 21-21. midway of the fourth quarter, but the Catamounts roared back oi their next possession to score the winning touchdown with 4:54 to play. After an exchange of punts. Holy Cross took over at its own I yard line with under three minutes left anil drove to the WCU 15 before defensive back Richard Dukes knocked away a pass intended for the Crusaders' tight end at the 5. Quarterback Jeff 'Gilbert completed 28 of 52 passes for 343 yards and three touchdowns. Split end Kristy Kiser caught nini passes for 94 yards anil i ID. Eight of his receptions were for first downs. Catback Eric Rasheed caught five passes for 89 yards and two scores. End Clyde Simmons, who returned a blocked punt 60 yards for a touchdown, led the defensive play along with backs Richard Dukes and Tiger Greene, bandit Bernard Jones and tackle- Mark Buffamoyer. WESTERN I4FURMAN7 (Record I 1-2-1) Defense! Western Carolina's fired-up defense was the story of this game that was televised in22 states and to 42 percent of the nation. I he Cats allowed Furman. one of the most explosive l-AA offenses, to just 18 yards rushing. Stanford Jennings, the Southern Conference Player of the Year, was held to just 25 yards rushing in 13 carries. David Charpia had three interceptions by the Catamounts including two key steals in the last quarter. The Cats, despite dominating the stats, only had 6-0 halltime advantage. The Paladins picked off a Jeff Gilbert early in the third period and with 10:59 left took a 7-6 advantage on Dennis Williams' two-yard run. With 11:20 left in the game. WCU started a possession from its own 10. but on second down Mclvin Dorsey ripped off a 43-yard run. Seven plays later the Cats kicked what looked to be a key field goal, but on the kick Furman was hit with a roughing the kicker penalty. WCU elected to take the penalty and subsequent first down, negating the three points, anil the big gamble paiil off two plays later when Dorsey scored from four yards out with 6:09 to play, fhe Cats elected logo for two and Jell Gilbert hit Eddie West with a crucial pass. Furman then suffered an interception, a drive starting on its own one-loot line alter a 5.7-yard Steve Kornegay punt, another interception and, finally, a muffed punt and WC U recovery aftc r a not he r Kornegay boomer. WCU had not beaten Furman since 1972. The two teams tied in regular season 17-17 as Furman finished first in the Southern Conference and Western Carolina second. In all Furman was held to just 12 first downs and only two rushing first downs. See A LOOK BACK, Page 12 Uncmwded SHiing atari Unheard of Price! Enjoy the free, open feeling of uncrowded skiing any day Monday thru Friday at this special rate at Cataloochee, in Maggie Valley, NC (just 45 minutes west of Asheville, less than 2 hours from Greenville and Spartanburg). Cataloochee has 7 slopes and trails, beginner to expert—longest run 5300 ft., vertical drop 740 ft. Three lifts (chair, T-bar, and rope), plus a full range of rental equipment for all levels of abilities. For ski conditions call (704)926-1401. Equipment Rental Area & Lift Ticket This coupon good for special rates, Mon.-Fri. only, when presented at Cataloochee Ski Area between Jan. 2 and March 15, 1984. One coupon per person must be presented for special rates I ites. I ■r

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1984-01-26
  • Date digitized: 2019-02-19
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 15"
  • Pages: 12 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1984-01-26_Vol48_No18
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library