Mount Union dominates in blowout of Allegheny, 52-7

Adamson finished 13-of-23 for 275 yards and three touchdowns for the Purple Raiders.
By MARK W. MILLER
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
ALLIANCE -- After a slow start in the first quarter, Mount Union College served notice that the defending Division III national champions have once again assembled a talented football team.
The offense put up 28 points in the second quarter for a 38-7 halftime lead and the Purple Raiders went on to blast Allegheny College 52-7 Saturday at Mount Union stadium.
Senior wide receiver Jason Candle, a West Branch High graduate getting his first start, caught five passes for 166 yards, which included 52 and 82-yard touchdown strikes from junior quarterback Rob Adamson.
Big run: Senior running back Chuck Moore rushed for 177 yards on 16 carries, which included TD runs of 5 and 75 yards.
"Adamson and I stayed here [Mount Union] this summer and worked hard," said Candle. "We threw a lot and came into camp a little ahead of the others with our timing."
A 25-yard field goal by Rodney Chenos gave the Purple Raiders a 3-0 lead just 2:30 into the game.
The Gators, on their second possession, marched 89 yards in 13 plays with Tim Carl scoring on a 3-yard run. Aaron Smith's placement gave Allegheny a 7-3 lead.
Right back came the Purple Raiders. Starting from their own 20, Candle caught an 11-yard pass from Adamson. After a rushing play got nothing, Moore caught a 5-yard pass from Adamson, who then threw a 12-yard pass to tight end Josh Liddel and hit Candle with a 52-yard TD strike.
Strong start: Mount Union coach Larry Kehres said of Liddell, who was starting for the first time (2 catches, 40 yards, 1 TD), "He had a good game and the catches he made, two on third down, were big for us."
Moore said, "I had a lot of nice holes to run through. After the first quarter, we settled down and our line started to wear them down and that opened up the holes for our backs."
Allegheny coach Blair Hrovat said, "After we pulled ahead and they answered our TD and we couldn't answer back, that was big and switched the momentum from us to them.
"They lost a lot of people last year, but they don't rebuild, they reload. They have a lot of talent that executes, that is well coached and well disciplined. They are just solid."
Adamson, who hadn't started a game since his senior year in high school (1997), was 13-of-23 for 275 yards and three TDs. The Purple Raiders finished with 529 yards of offense.
Senior linebacker Stan Watson, a Fitch High graduate, made four unassisted tackles for the Purple Raiders.
Allegheny7000--7
Mount Union1028140--52
First Quarter
MU--FG Rodney Chenos 25, 12:30
AL--Tim Carl 3 run (Aaron Smith kick), 2:14
MU--Jason Candle 52 pass from Rob Adamson (Chenos kick), :27
Second Quarter
MU--Josh Liddell 28 pass from Adamson (Chenos kick), 12:32
MU--Matt Campbell 15 interception return (Chenos kick), 11:38
MU--Chuck Moore 5 run (Chenos kick), 5:59
MU--Moore 75 run (Chenos kick), :26
Third Quarter
MU--Candle 82 pass from Adamson (Chenos kick), 8:07
MU--Dan Pugh 2 run (Chenos kick), 3:45
ALMU
First downs1823
Rushes-yards45-21542-235
Passing122294
Comp-Att-Int11-27-314-23-0
Return Yards139110
Punts-Avg.5-394-37
Fumbles-Lost1-10-0
Penalties-Yards5-277-68
Time of Possession29:1630:44
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Allegheny, Ream 28-143, Jones 6-39, Smith 6-32, Carl 2-8, Miller 2-4, Sye 1-1; Mount Union, Moore 16-177, D. Pugh 11-32, Deitrick 4-19, Ilacqua 5-9, Strauch 1-8, Miller 1-2, J. Pugh 1-0, Adamson 3-12.
PASSING--Allegheny, Smith 10-25-2-118, Spieler 2-1-1-4; Mount Union, Adamson 13-21-0-275, Burghardt 1-2-0-19.
RECEIVING--Allegheny, Ream 4-43, McNeilly 3-25, Jones 2-31, Turner 1-13, Carl 1-10; Mount Union, Candle 5-166, Liddell 4-78, Leach 1-19, Richards 1-12, Sirianni 1-12, Moore 1-5, D. Pugh 1-2.