20 for 20: Football Tales

The 2020-21 athletic year is the 20th year that I (Paul Welker) have served as Alfred State's Sports Information Director. During this school year I plan on writing a 20-part series on my time covering the Pioneers.

College football kicked off this past weekend and the NFL kicks off this week. As I stated in past stories in this series, covering football was new to me when I came to Alfred State. I have always enjoyed watching football but I had never played it and had never kept stats for a game. It didn't take long for me to enjoy the craziness that revolves around gameday.

I have decided to highlight four of my most memorable games revolving around the football program at Alfred State - if you reread my first story in this series you will see another one of my top five games.

November 12, 2011 - Alfred State 26 Erie CC 20 - Pioneers Claim Region III Championship

In this era of Pioneer football Alfred State was a member of the Northeast Football Conference and for a couple years the three members of the NJCAA Region III (ASC, Erie CC, and Hudson Valley CC) developed a championship game that would pit the top teams in an extra game to determine a Region III Champion. In 2011, the Pioneers defeated Hudson Valley CC 48-26 in the final regular season game of the season to claim a spot in the Regional Championship game vs. Erie, a team that lost a tight 23-21 battle to early in the season.

Alfred State entered the game 2-12 all-time vs. Erie. Both of those victories came in seasons when the teams played twice and both of the wins were in second contest of the year. 

ECC scored first but the Pioneers scored the next 26 points to take a commanding lead. After a field goal by Colter Johnson got on the board, Greg Hamtpon connected with Devin Simmons on a five-yard pass play to give ASC their first lead. Late in the 1st quarter, Kevin Wilkes dove in from one yard out to make it 17-7. Neither team scored in the 2nd quarter and Johnson connected on three field goals (42,31, and 32 yards) in the 3rd to give the blue & gold a 26-7 lead heading into the final quarter. 

The Kats cut the lead to 26-20 with 2:53 remaining and looked like they had recovered an on-side kick but a penalty negated it. ECC did have one more chance after a defensive stop but couldn't do anything with it. 

Key to the victory were four interceptions, two by Alonzo Joyner and two by Rilwan Onabanjo.

Normally I don't leave the press box during a game but I wandered to the sideline in the final moments to get victory reaction shots. The three minutes of game time I was on the sideline were stressful as the Kats scored to bring it to a one possession game and had chances to tie or win the game in the final seconds. 

The stress was worth it as I was right there for the reaction shots and the gatorade shower they gave Coach Mick Caba as they celebrated making program history.

September 6, 2008 - Alfred State 21 Stevens Tech 14

During my first seven seasons covering Alfred State football, there was never a home game played on campus. The team played home games at Wellsville High School, Hornell High School, and very rarely at Alfred University.

Pioneer Stadium was completed in the spring of 2008 and football made its debut on campus as the Pioneers opened up the 2008 season. The debut of football at Pioneer Stadium didn't include the nice entry way and bathrooms (they were built the next summer) and for this one contest it didn't include a press box. We set up a make shift press box on the top row of the bleachers near midfield. (The press box was delivered and installed the next Friday, hours before the first on-campus Homecoming).

Geoff Hicks connected with Josh Griffin on a 9-yard scoring strike on the first possession of the game to give the Pioneers an early lead. After Stevens Tech tied it late in the 1st quarter, Hicks and Griffin connected on a 32-yard pass play just over three minutes into the 2nd to give ASC a lead they would never relinquish. Early in the 2nd half, Hicks threw his third scoring pass of the game, this time to Preston Washburn (37-yards) to make it 21-7. The Bulldogs were able to get within seven but never closer.

Rod Streater, who went on to a career as a wide receiver in the NFL and was inducted into the ASC Hall of Fame, sealed the victory with an interception with 57 seconds left in the game.

The Pioneer defense came up big all day as they stopped four Bulldog scoring chances deep in their own territory.

The game featured over 1,200 spectators and started to generate the excitement around football Saturday's on campus. Luckily for me and my game day staff the storms that were in the area danced around the hills and never soaked our open air press box.

September 9, 2017 - Coast Guard 34 Alfred State 7

You might wonder why a game that Alfred State didn't win would be on my list but this game is on my list for two reasons - playing at a military base and playing the first game as official members of Division III.

The game featured the pomp and circumstance that you expect at a military service branch. The visuals of the campus were unbelievable as the field sat above the waterway in New Berlin, CT. (I have attending an Army-Navy football game on my sports bucket list.)

• In a pregame ceremony the whole freshmen class marched into the stadium.
• The Bears ran onto the field with the American flag and through the freshmen cadets on the field.
• The cadets, the cadet band, and cheerleaders were all together and cheered from opening kickoff to the final horn.
• At the end of the game, the Pioneers joined the Bears as the band played the alma mater.

This contest was played on a Thursday evening and was one of only a few games played that evening on the opening day of the 2017 season. The game marked the beginning of the true NCAA DIII Era at Alfred State. The five-year journey to become a full member came to an end that evening.

The game started off fast as Alfred State received the opening kickoff. Austin Parker ran the kick back for a 102-yard touchdown but offsetting penalties negated the play. The rest of the 1st quarter didn't go well for the Pioneers. The Bears built a 21-0 lead but the rest of the game was a a more even battle. 

Of all the road venues I have been to Coast Guard is on my top four list along with Cornell (ASC played Cornell JV), Eastern Michigan (ASC played Concorida), and Williamson Trade (based more on total campus atmosphere).

September 28, 2013 - Alfred State 55 Apprentice 41

This homecoming contest featured nearly 2,000 fans and a breakout performance by transfer running back Rasheed Williams. Williams rushed 36 times for a school record 335 years and three scores in the game as the Pioneers recorded their first victory in the NCAA DIII Era.

After falling behind 28-21, the Pioneers scored the games next 27 points to take a lead they would never give up. Williams scored his first of three touchdowns from eight yards out with 8:39 remaining to tie it up. Greg Hampton dove in from one-yard out to give the Pioneers a 35-28 halftime lead.

Williams accounted for both scores in the 3rd quarter with Barry Sanders like runs. He scored from 27-yards out with 9:07 remaining and scored from 41-yards out with 23 seconds left to make it 48-28. After a Builders scored, Khris Greggs scored on a one-yard sweep play with 7:12 remaining to seal the victory.

The contest featured 96 points, 1,087 yards, 54 first downs, 22 penalties, and seven turnovers.

Williams went on to rewrite the rushing record book. He rushed for 2,688 yards for his career and 26 touchowns he also holds the record with 1,671 rushing yards in a season and 16 TD's. He finished his career with six games of over 200 yards rushing.

At the end of the 2014 season, I was able to be part of a pro day for Williams prior to him signing with the Detroit Lions. 

There have been plenty of highlights and memorable games during my time covering Pioneer football. Watching the players and coaches work hard toward team and individual goals has been the part no matter if they were part of the winged helmet era or the ox head helmet era.