Towson State Tiger Tracks, November 13, 1979

TIGER CLUB Towson State University Tiger Tracks Published exclusively for Tiger Club members by the Athletic Department. November 13, 1979 TIGERS PREPARE FOR FINALE The Tigers will seek their ninth consecutive victory of the season this Saturday afternoon when they travel to Kings Point, New York to meet the Mariners of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in the final game of the 1979 campaign. We notched our eighth straight win this past Saturday by beating C.W. Post 22-15 in the Towson Stadium. "I think we've got to quit being humble and come right out and say we deserve to be ranked in the top 10 now," says coach Phil Albert, whose squad has been listed among the NCAA Division II honorable mentions for the past six weeks. "We've won eight of nine football games and beaten some pretty good folks in the process. I think we've earned the recognition. " Our lone loss came at the hand of fourth-fanked Moraan State in the opening game of the season. "Every time we win people refer back to the Morgan game," Phil says. "That line is beginning to wear thin. We're a much better team now. I think we've shown that over the season. " During that stretch we have won all of our road games and put together a string of 21 consecutive quarters in which we did not allow a touchdown. It was difficult keeping C.W. Post (4-4 on the year) out of the end zone. The Pioneers opened the scoring with a first quarter touchdown, only the second TD allowed by us in the first period all year. We came back with Ron Meehan throwing to Hernando Mejia for a touchdown and Randy Biel ski returning a Pioneer punt 47 yards to put us out front 13-5 at the half. The Pioneers then bounced back in the second half, netting six points on a third quarter touchdown pass and three more on a field goal. Randy booted a 24-yard field goal with 5:10 left to play in the game to nudge us ahead 16-15. The game breaker finally came with 2:39 remainino to be played when freshman tailback Ray Walsh scooted 61 yards for a touchdown. We close out the season against the Mariners, a hapless group which has gotten whalloped 8 times this season. Their only victory came in a 28-7 decision over New York Tech. "We have to be mature in victory," says Phil. "You can look at the records and say this is one of those games we should win. But anything can happen. We're going to pre¬ pare ourselves with the same enthusiasm and intenseness that we always do and then go up there and do our best to win the game." The Mariners are coming off a 24-24 tie with Rhode Island. After being down 17-0 at the half, the Mariners rallied to tie the contest with 2:37 left to play. They missed the conversion and an opportunity to win the game, leaving them with a 1-8-1 record. Saturday's aame begins at 1:30 p.m. and will be broadcast back to Baltimore by WCVT- FM (89.7). A trip is being planned for Tiger fans. For information and reservations call 321-2244. The worst we can finish the season will be 8-2 which would tie our second "best reoular season record. If we beat Merchant Marine and close out 9-1 it would become their second best mark ever next to 1974' s 10-0 record. Ray Walsh's 61-yard touchdown run against the Pioneers is the second longest run from scrimmage in Tiger football history. The record is 85 yards set by Dan Dullea against Federal City in 1974. Randy's 47-yard punt return for a touchdown against C.W. Post was the first touch¬ down of his career despite the fact that he is Towson 's all-time leading scorer. He now has 160 points on one touchdown, 62 extra points, one rushing conversion and 30 field goals. In addition to his touchdown on Saturday, Randy closed out his career in front of the home folks with a field goal, an extra point and 16 tackles from his full-time spot at weak safety. His 16 stops give him 267 tackles in his career to give him another record - all-time leading tackier. He surpasses Don Redman (1973-76) who held the mark with 263. _n _