Depth, youth and inexperence.
These are the words that can best describe the CMU women’s basektball team
as it begins the 2000-01 campaign.
“I don’t know if a lot of people know about us,” Head Coach Fran Voll said.
“We don’t have what you would call a star on this team so people are writing
us off.”
The Chippewas are picked to finish sixth in the Mid-American Conference
West Division.
“We want to be a better team and a better program and this year we have
taken the steps to go in that direction,” Voll said.
Central only lost two starters from last season’s squad in center Shelly
Woods and guard Jodi Culbertson. Culbertson and Woods accounted for almost
26 points per game between them meaning the Chips will have to find more
scoring from the remaining three starters.
“Shelly and Jodi were really strong players for our program and will be
missed,” Voll said. “I see us getting scoring from other players starting
with the three returning starters.”
The trio of junior returnees include forward Vershaun Jones, guard Molli
Munz and forward Alicia Rozak.
“They don’t like being anything but successful so we expect a lot out of
these three,” Voll said.
Jones brings rebounding and dependability to the team. Last season she hauled
in 258 boards for a 9.2 per game average, putting her just 212 away from
breaking into the top 10 in the Chippewa record book.
Munz comes into the season just 36 three-pointers away from being tops in
school history. She made 64 shots from downtown last season, including a
.405 shooting percentage from three point range.
Rozak was third on the team in scoring last year overall with an 11.3 points
per game average. She led the Chippewas in scoring during MAC games upping
her average to 13.4.
With three starting positions down that leaves only a guard and a center
to round out the group.
Tara Petrie transferred from Oregon midway through last season and was redshirted
should provide depth at the guard position. However, Petrie had minor knee
surgery and will miss the first exhibition game. She is expected to return
in 7-10 days.
Rerturning from last season are sophomores Desiree Eidson, Abby Lawinger
and Laurie Henderson.
Eidson was the top reserve for the Chippewas last season and should she
a considerable amount of playing time, according to Voll.
Redshirt freshman Beth Kindel rounds out the returning Chippewas. Mandy
Elwer, Kasey Kraft, Raina Harmon, Christy Heintz and Jill Williams round
out the recruiting class.
“Aside from the three starters no one has a set role on this team,” Voll
said. “There is a tremendous amount of competition for playing time right
now and that’s very refreshing.”

This was the one that got away.
Ball State (4-4 overall, 4-1 in Mid-American Conference) kept its winning
streak alive while increasing Central’s losing streak to six games.
Not even a change in uniforms could help the Chippewas (1-7 overall, 1-4
in MAC). CMU Head Coach Mike DeBord decided to go with the road maroon
pants instead of the gold ones.
“I was trying everything,” DeBord said. “I wanted to get us on a roll.”
In the opening quarter it looked like the change was going to work for
the better when the Chippewas opened up a 7-0 lead.
On Central’s second possession of the game it tried a little trickery
when Ira Gooch executed a perfect reverse for 58-yards. The play brought
the Chips down to the Cardinal four-yard line.
Two plays later tailback Vince Webber knocked the ball in from one yard
out to put make the score 7-0 after an Adam Clyne kick.
The second quarter brought more of the same when Ball State running back
Marcus Merriweather fumbled on the Central 36-yard line and Ed Hillery
recovered the ball.
Central’s ensuing drive belonged to Webber once again. His two runs of
seven yards each and a reception of 33-yards from quarterback Derrick
Vickers.
A couple plays latter Vickers hooked up with his favorite target tight
end Eric Salani for a 10-yard touchdown strike putting Central up 14-0.
Ball State wasted little time answering back when Merriweather went on
a personal 18-0 run on his team’s next three possessions. Merriweather
scored on runs of 2, 13 and 1 to make the score 18-14 after all the extra
point attempts failed.
“We didn’t jump on them from the start and had to play from behind,” Merriweather
said. “We didn’t panic and kept fighting.”
Central didn’t panic either with 3:03 left in the half the Chippewas pulled
a few more tricks out of the bag. After a 13-yard pass from Vickers to
Webber brought the ball to the Ball State 21 yard line.
The trickery came when Gooch looked like he was going to run another reverse
only to throw across the field to a wide open Vickers. Vickers brought
the ball down to the 1-yard line setting up first and goal.
“They executed the trick plays very well,” Ball State Head Coach Bill
Lynch said.
Four plays latter Webber pounded the ball in for his second touchdown
of the game making the score 21-18 heading into halftime.
However, the second half proved to be disastrous as the Chippewas offense
could get nothing going.
Although the offense couldn’t get anything going the defense kept them
in the game.
On Ball State’s second possession Merriweather fumbled. It would cost
his team again when defensive tackle Marvin Smith recovered the ball and
returned it 20 yards for the score. The Clyne kick was no good making
the score 27-18.
If the first half belonged to Merriweather the second belonged to wide
out David Westbrook.
On the ensuing possession Talmadge Hill connected with Westbrook for a
39-yard touchdown making the score 27-25 after the point after.
In the fourth quarter the Chippewas defense again answered the call when
Rodrico Epps intercept a Hill pass and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown
putting Central up 34-25 with 9:41 left to play.
The Cardinal’s relied on Westbrook on their next possession when he caught
an 18-yard touchdown pass from Hill with just 5:24 left to cut the Chippewas
lead to two, 34-32.
“After the interception there was no nervousness in the huddle,” Lynch
said. “We are playing with tremendous confidence right now and it showed.”

After the Central offense was held to a three and out Ball State was given
one last shot to win the ball game.
With 2:02 left it looked like the Central defense came through again when
Wayne Dudley intercepted a Hill pass. However, there was defensive holding
on the play and the pick was taken away.
Hill and the Cardinal offense took full advantage of the call and with
57 seconds left Hill called his own number for a five-yard touchdown run
making to the score 38-34.
Pete Shepherd came in and threw four incomplete passes to end the game
for the Chippewas.
“It was a tale of two halves for us,” DeBord said. “In the first half
we executed well offensively. In the second half we didn’t do anything
offensively and it pretty much killed us.”
The second half Central was only able to muster one first down and only
had eight for the game compared to Ball State’s 34.
Vince Webber led the Chips in rushing with 84 yards on 23 carries and
had two touchdowns.
“We fell flat on our face in the second half,” Webber said.
Ball State racked up 609 total yards of offense with Merriweather who
had 257 yards on 42 rushes while Hill had 101 yards on the ground and
another 228 through the air.
“They did a good job keeping us off balance,” DeBord said.

Searching for answers.
That’s what the Chippewas (1-6 overall, 1-3 Mid-American Conference) will
be doing at 1 p.m. Saturday when they square off against MAC foe Ball
State (3-4 overall, 3-1 in the MAC).
Central is coming off one of its worse MAC defeats last week at the hands
of Ohio, 52-3. The loss was the worst for the Chippewas since 1986 when
they dropped a 59-6 decision to Miami. The points allowed were the most
since 1997 when Kent handed a 60-37 defeat to CMU.
In that game the Chippewas allowed the Bobcats to score 52 unanswered
points and seven rushing touchdowns.
The Cardinals come in as one of the MAC’s hottest teams. They are winners
of their last three after snapping a 21-game losing streak. The new winning
streak has included victories over Miami, Eastern Michigan and Buffalo.
“Ball State is playing with great confidence right now,” Head Coach Mike
DeBord said in a press release.
“It’s playing with emotion on defense and the change at quarterback has
charged up the offense. Talmadge Hill has given the entire offense a new
look with his mobility and ability to throw the ball.”
Central won its last meeting against Ball State with the help of a career-day
from quarterback Pete Shepherd. Shepherd threw for a career-high 312-yards
and two touchdowns, while Ira Gooch ran for 131 yards.
After seeing limited time in Ohio last week and not starting for the first
time since 1997, Shepherd’s status may still be up in the air.
Redshirt freshman Derrick Vickers had the first start of his career against
Ohio. Vickers completed just 12-of-28 for 142 yards and two interceptions.
Shepherd replaced Vickers late in the game, completing 6-of-9 passes for
37 yards.
The start for Vickers ended Shepherd’s streak of 28 straight games started.
The last quarterback other than Shepherd to start for Central was Tim
Crowley in 1997.
Also looking to bounce back will be senior free safety Brian Leigeb, who
had a season-low seven tackles last week. Leigeb needs just 20 tackles
to move into first place and surpass former NFL standout Ray Bentley’s
443 at Central. Leigeb also leads the team in tackles with 81 on the season.
Injuries have plagued the Chippewas all year forcing them to use five
different tailback this season. Vince Webber has moved back into the starting
role after gaining 58 yards on 11 carries at Ohio.
Webber will be joined in the backfield by true freshman Kenan Lawhorne
and sophomore Tyrone Dalton. Robbie Mixon is out with an injury, while
Alan Parks could also see action.
Next up for Central will be a road trip to Ypsilanti next Saturday for
a 1 p.m. game with Eastern Michigan.

ATHENS,
Ohio – Central was part of a record setting day in its 52-3 loss to Ohio
Saturday.
However, it wasn’t the Chippewas who were the ones setting those records.
Rather, it was the Bobcats who rushed for 444 yards and more importantly
seven touchdowns.
“That’s what we do,” Ohio Head Coach Jim Grobe said. “We run the football.”

The seven touchdowns ties an Ohio school record set back in 1953 against
Western Michigan.
The margin of victory (49) also set a record for the worse loss by either
team in the series, which started in 1972. The previous mark was held
by Central in a 52-7 win at home in 1990.
“They (Ohio) have a hard offense to adjust to,” CMU Head Coach Mike DeBord
said. “We had some people in places today, that were there to make tackles
and we didn’t make them.”
Central started the game on a positive note taking the opening kickoff
down the field on the arms and legs of quarterback Derrick Vickers. Vickers
was started in place of the injured Pete Shepherd.
Vickers hooked up with his favorite target David Hannah for passes of
16, 9 and 5 to march the Chippewas down the field.
With a first down on the Ohio 28-yard line Vickers through a pass that
was intercepted but a roughing the passer penalty over turned the call.
The penalty set up a first down on the Bobcat 14-yard line.
The Chippewas could do nothing with the excellent field position and had
to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Paul Savich. The drive took Central
69 yards on 15 plays and took 5:24 off the clock.
The good start quickly turned into disaster when the Bobcat offense finally
touched the ball.
Ohio quarterback Dontrell Jackson led his team down the field on the strength
of his legs rather than his arm. In the first drive Jackson had runs of
26 and 9 yards to set up a Chad Brinker seven-yard touchdown run.
The touchdown for Brinker was his first of three on the day.
After each team shut the others offense down Central found itself with
the ball again. This time in the final minute of the first quarter. On first down Vickers pass was intercepted by Chris London and returned 17 yards. The pick was Vickers first of two on the day.
Jackson wasted little time finding pay dirt when he called his own number for a 27-yard scamper to the end zone.
Ohio scored another touchdown and a field goal in the second making the score 24-3 at halftime.
The Bobcats put the game away in the third scoring on all but one of their possessions.
For the game Jackson had 141-yards on just 10 carries while Brinker had 81-yards on 14 touches and three touchdown.
Vickers ended the game completing just 12-of-28 and had the two interception. He was replaced late in the game by Shepherd who went 6 of 9 for 37 yards.
“Derrick came in the game and was playing very well he just made a couple of bad decisions,” DeBord said. “He did some things out there he has to learn from.”
Vince Webber was the leading rusher for a Central running game which only gained 111 yards on 32 carries. Webber had 58-yards on 11 touches.
Up next for Central is a 1 p.m. home game Saturday against Ball State.
“We have a lot of young kids playing right now,” DeBord said. “They’re obviously not as old as what they’re playing against. We’ll get better.”

Coaching

I give all the credit in the world to Mike DeBord he has taken this season
the way a championship coach should. He has placed the blame on himself and
has not let his frustration boil over to the press conferences yet.
Although the results have not been there yet DeBord has proven his commitment
to having a championship team. It will take time but with a 1-5 record patience
may be already running thin with the Chippewas fateful.
Grade – C+

Quarterback(s)

Pete Shepherd and Derrick Vickers have shared time this year and so far the
experiment has had mixed results.
Shepherd has yet to throw and interception a very impressive stat. On the flip
side he has yet to complete a long pass. Granted he does have an 86-yard TD
pass but it was a screen pass.
Vickers showed us a glimpse of what he is capable of against Kent State. He
completed 19-of-32 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns. One day these
are the numbers we will see every game from him.
Shepherd is playing the way a senior quarterback should play and continues to
be a leader on this team.
Grade – C

Running backs

The Chips are very banged up at the tail back position and were forced to use
true freshman Kenan Lawhorne against Kent. All Lawhorne did was run the ball
for 86 yards on 24 carries and catch it three times for another 87 yards and
a touchdown. Not bad for a freshman.
However, it was a good performance for a running game that can be best described
as inconsistent at best.
One game we see Robbie Mixon running the ball over 100 yards the next game he
only has 12 yards.
Another thing, what ever happened to Vince Webber?
Grade – C-

Offensive line

Their performance has mirrored that of the running game. One week they are
throwing guys out of the way like they should. The next week they are getting
man handled.
They have shown signs of things they can do but are just to unpredictable.
Grade – C-

Wide receivers

I said early in the year I wouldn’t say his name, but I have to: Jammarl
O’Neal. We are starting to see just how much he meant Central. He gave
the Chips big play ability something which has killed them all year.
Ira Gooch has been hampered by injuries and the inability to catch the long
ball. A few time this year he has drop touchdown passes.
True freshman Steve Messam have responded and will be a great receiver. But,
he has to demonstrate the ability to catch the long ball.
Grade – D

Offense

Central is among the nation’s worst in points scored, yards and about
every other offensive category. At times it has showed signs of moving the ball
but has a long way to go to get a passing grade.
Grade – D-

Defense

Other than senior free safety Brian Leigeb’s pursuit of the CMU tackle
record there isn’t much to be happy about here.
The Chippewa defense has been torched for 40 or more points three time this
year and has not show the ability to make the big plays when they are needed.
Granted, when the offense leaves the defense on the field for over half the
game it will get worn out.
Grade – D- (Leigeb gets an A)

Special teams

Place kicker Paul Savich has missed three field goals from middle range 30-39
yards. However, Savich is a perfect 7 for 7 on extra points. Punter Brian Brandt
has an average of 39.2 yards per punt, very respectable.
Grade – C-

Overall

Central has shown signs of the team it can be. For proof just look at the Akron
win. Everything went right and the Chippewas knocked off one of the best teams
in the Mid-American Conference.
However, it has been the lack of execution in the five losses that tell the
story this year. Injuries haven’t helped much either.
Grade – D
Just remember this grade can be changed with a turn around in the second half.