<P><B>April 20, 2008</B>
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<P><b>DAYTON, Ohio</b> - The Dayton Flyers basked in the glow of its first Gridiron Classic Championship on Sunday with the Red and White intersquad scrimmage that bridged the past with the future.
<P>The spring game not only concluded spring workouts and drew a crowd that braved the rainy weather, but also served as the first official event for new Flyer head coach <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/chamberlin_rick00.html" >Rick Chamberlin</a>.
<P>With former Flyer footballers Dale Fouse and Tom Southard serving as honorary head coaches the Red defeated the White 17-7.
<P>For the Red squad, <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/gulick_joe00.html" >Joe Gulick</a> rushed for a touchdown and <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/valentino_steve00.html" >Steve Valentino</a> caught an eight-yard touchdown pass to lead the way. Quarterback <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/pechan_jeff00.html" >Jeff Pechan</a> went 9-for-11 for 108 yards and a touchdown.
<P>Valentino finished the game with six catches for 113 yards highlighted by a 52-yard reception in the first half. <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/bergfeld_bart00.html" >Bart Bergfeld</a> and <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/collins_nick00.html" >Nick Collins</a> each had five receptions.
<P>Meanwhile for the white team, <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/wirkus_steve00.html" >Steve Wirkus</a> rushed for a score and completed 7-of-9 passes for 89 yards. <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mackovjak_connor00.html" >Connor Mackovjak</a>, <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/jonard_jmichael01.html" >J Michael Jonard</a> and <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/millio_justin00.html" >Justin Millio</a> each recorded four receptions apiece. <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/bonner_kam00.html" >Kam Bonner</a> and <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/langhorst_devon00.html" >Devon Langhorst</a> each recorded six tackles.
<P>The scrimmage also served as a send-off for departing stars from a team that claimed the co-championship in the PFL, the school's ninth league title in the last 15 years. The entire 2007 team received rings from their Gridiron Classic championship after the game.
<P>It was just another payoff for a school that returns 11 of 22 starters from last year's 11-1 team that was voted the Sports Network FCS Mid-Major National Champions after defeating No. 3 Albany 42-21 in the Gridiron Classic Bowl Game.
<P>The atmosphere surrounding Welcome Stadium had a regular season feel to it. UD hosted a free cookout, live band, cornhole tournament taking place before the start, countless fans clad in red and then tailgating in the parking lot just as they would before a big game.
<P>Chamberlin spent a good portion of the scrimmage roaming the sidelines discussing aspirations for next season. Dayton opens Aug. 31 against Central State in Dayton.
<P>The 2008 season will be a special one at Dayton as it's the 30th anniversary of UD's first-ever NCAA playoff team, and both honorary coaches, along with Chamberlin, were seniors on that team.
<P>Before the game UD announced seniors <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/vossler_scott00.html" >Scott Vossler</a>, <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/florian_rob00.html" >Rob Florian</a> and <A HREF="http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mcdonald_steve00.html" >Steve McDonald</a> will serve as the team captains for the 2008 campaign. |
