Conservative calls pay of for Matlak, Allegheny

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November 1, 2009

By Dominick DiRienzo The Meadville Tribune Sun Nov 01, 2009, 11:40 PM EST

When a team is 7-1 it’s not that a coach’s decisions are any easier, it just seems they work out better.

“It turns out I look pretty good,” Allegheny coach Mark Matlak said after his Gators rallied for 17 points in the second half to beat Wooster 24-21 Saturday at Fuhrer Field.

In a game full of decisions, two big ones stood out. The Gators elected to kick a field goal in the third quarter down two touchdowns. And they kicked an extra-point when a two-point conversion would have pulled the Gators within a field goal.

Matlak said, both times, he felt there was still time left in the game to adjust if either decision didn’t work out.

Wooster had built a 21-7 halftime lead based on two long passes and a punt return for a score.

Allegheny picked up 18 yards on five plays before stalling on its first drive of the second half.

On its second drive, the Gators went from their own 30 to the Wooster 22. Most of that drive came from Jake Vite’s leaping, one-hand catch that covered 45 yards. The drive stalled after two incomplete passes, setting up fourth-and-7 at the Wooster 22. The Gators were down 21-7 with 6:11 left in the third quarter.

Matlak felt like it was his team’s own mistakes that were undermining the Gators, and Matlak was confident the Gators could generate more points.

Allegheny kicker Ryan Zipf has been a dependable resource this season. The Seneca Valley graduate has hit 8 of 9 field goals this season, including 3 of 4 from between 30 and 39 yards, so even with a gusting, swirling wind that was blowing into his face, the decision was easy for Matlak — kick the three-pointer, even if it would still leave the Gators down by two scores.

Zipf nailed it to pull the Gators within 21-10.

“I just felt like there was time,” Matlak said. “I just think you have to make those decisions. I made up my mind. It worked out. Our kid kicked it into the wind. He made a good kick into the wind,” Matlak said. “Hey, sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t.

“This year, when you are 7-1, it’s working.”

Later, facing another tough decision, Matlak made the choice everyone thought he should, but it didn’t work out that way on the field.

Trailing 21-10, quarterback T.J. Salopek hit Jake Vite on a 3-yard fade route for a touchdown to pull the Gators within 21-16 pending the extra point. An extra-point still left the Gators down by four points and a failed two-point conversion would have left the Gators down by five points.

“I think you have to figure out when to decide the game,” Matlak said. “There was still eight minutes left in the game, and I just didn’t feel like … I said if we can steal it, great, if we could steal two, great, if not it will be OK. We’ll get another chance. So that’s what we did.

“(Holder) David Strawser got us out of the fake and got us the extra point. That was a really smart play.”

One of many that were made against Wooster, and on Saturday, the Gators travel to Springfield, Ohio to face unbeaten Wittenberg where more smart plays will be needed.

Dominick DiRienzo can be reached at 724-6370, ext. 274 or by e-mail at ddirienzo@meadvilletribune.com.

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Conservative calls pay of for Matlak, Allegheny

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