Nicholls State University - La Pirogue Yearbook (Thibodaux, LA)

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102 Football Barbaro, Magee first players in Senior Bowl Nicholls then returned home to face the North Alabama Lions and their losing streak. In a nip-and-tuck affair, the Colonels used an extra point to win 28-27. Bergeron accounted for all four Nicholls touchdowns, passing for three among his 16 pass completion and 260 yards while running 28 yards for the other. The game was tied 14-14 at half and 21-21 after three periods. North Alabama took the lead in the fourth quarter when Marc Merritt ran in from 12 yards out with two and a half minutes left. David Atkins' PAT was no good after a bad snap forced a poor kick. Behind Bergeron, the Colonels came back with 2:17 left. On three straight passes, Ber- geron moved his team from his own 28 to the Lions' 28. After missing two straight passes, Bergeron connected with Gerald Butler in the right corner of the endzone. With 1:10 left, Magee came in and kicked the winning point. Although North Alabama rushed for 343 yards, Nicholls' defensive end Tommy Bruhl was named GSC Defensive Player of the Week making 14 tackles, a quarterback sack, and one assist. With its first winning season assured, the Colonels moved back into the conference race. Their return to the race was begun with the Second Annual Biver Bell Classic against rival Southeastern University in the New Orle- ans Superdome. The meeting, for the trophy to be kept by the winner, was the first meeting in the Dome between two Louisiana colleges. Using a big play defense, including four interceptions, the Colonels beat the Lions 14-6 before a crowd of 21 ,000. After failing on two field goal tries, the Colo- nels scored late in the second quarter on a one-yard pass loft from Bergeron to Butler. Magee kicked the point after for a 7-0 lead. ln the third period, Nicholls drove 80 yards with Ted Bergeron scoring from a yard outg the PAT was good again for a 14-0 lead. South- eastern scored in the fourth period on a 78- yard pass from Don Griffin to Orlando Guss- man. The attempt for two points was stopped. With the win, Nicholls tied the Biver Bell series at 2-2 and combined with Livingston's loss to Troy State that week gave the Colonels a chance at the GSC crown. As the thought lingered in their mind, the Colonels knew they had to beat Delta State to win the championship. Nobody else would do it for them. A loss would mean Livingston and Nicholls would be co-champions. Nicholls scored first in Magee's 26-yard field goal. Delta State then took the lead on a four- yard pass from Bobby Barrett to Elbert Banks. The PAT was wide, but Delta led at the end of the first period, 6-3. A short Magee punt started the second period and Delta took over at the Colonel 30. Barrett again found Banks for a 26-yard score and for the two-point conversion for a 14-3 lead. Nicholls cut the lead to three by half time when Bergeron hit Eddie Davis for a 30-yard touchdown. Magee added the extra point. A halfback pass by Steve Stropolo to Artie l-lypolite for 29 yards gave the Colonels another touchdown in the third period. Magee hit the point for a 17-14 lead. Before the end of the period, Delta State regained the lead on an 11-yard run around right end by Frank Boyd. Pat Crawford kicked the point for a 21-17 lead. Early in the final period, Nicholls pieced together a 76-yard drive ending with Bergeron scoring from a yard out. Bergeron contributed a 50-yard run during the drive. Magee hit the Not exactly ballet, but punter Terry Magee and Southeast- ern's C. A. Hill hang in mid-air after his punt. Several times in practice Magee nearly hit the giant overhead screen. ' , WGS? ' ' f -i-' -' 1 1

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regained the lead when Barry McCay scored from five yards out to end a 48-yard drive. The two-point conversion was no good and the score was 12-7. Later, quarterback Ted Ber- geron fumbled at his own three where the Choctaws recovered, Dave Marler took the ball over and Nicholls had its first loss at 19-7 when Don Lofton added the PAT. The Colonels moved on the road to Living- ston, Ala., to play Livingston University and came away on the short end of a 13-7 score. After failing on a fake field goal attempt, Nic- holls had to play defense, but the Tigers were able to get a James Mullinax 26-yard field goal for a 3-O lead. Two plays later Stropolo fumbled and the Tigers recovered, Nicholls held inside the five yard line and took over the ball. ln the second half, Ted Bergeron fumbled and the Tigers again recovered at the Colo- nels' 15. Later, quarterback Willie Slater scored the Tigers' only touchdown, with Mulli- nax hitting the PAT for a 10-O lead. Following still another fumble, the Tigers added a Mulli- nax 36-yard field goal for a 13-O lead. After getting to the Tigers' 10-yard line, Nic- holls tailed to score, but came back minutes later on Stropolo's one-yard run. Magee hit the point after try with 6:15 left in the game. The Colonels' last chance of pulling the game out ended when safety Stanley King intercepted a Bergeron pass. Northwestern's Butch Ballard rolls to the outside in vain as Audie l-lymel closes for a tackle. Ballard's pass seconds later went incomplete. Waymond Waters stands in disgust as the referee signals his tackle means a safety for Nicholls, after he attempted to return a Terry Magee punt from his own goal line. 5 F 2 W i li., i YN 'YYZN

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point after with 12:28 left for a 24-21 lead. The defense stiffened and stopped the Statesmen from coming back to score. An interception with nine seconds left gave the Colonels the ball and the fans a good reason to pour onto the field. After only four years in intercollegiate com- petition, the Colonels had their first champion- ship and the fans had the joy of tearing down the home goalpost to mark the occasion. Statistics at season's end showed Gerald Butler led the team in receiving with 25 catches, one short of the season record, for 450 yards and five touchdowns. Steve Stropolo was the rushing leader with 761 yards on 210 carries and seven touch- downs. Ted Bergeron completed 87 of 180 passes for 1206 yards and nine touchdowns. He also rushed for 105 yards on 114 carries and scored four touchdowns. On defense, lineman Allen Danos and line- backer Busty Bebowe were the leading tack- lers with 86 and 81 respectively. Gary Barbaro was the leading interceptor with six while Fred Ftaiford had four. Stropolo was the scoring leader with 48 points on eight touchdowns, while Magee made 16 of 18 extra points and five of 18 field goals for 31 points. The 1975 season had ended and a ,title had been earned. The outlook for 1976 is the same with the return of quarterback Ted Bergeron, runningbacks Stropolo and Lovell, and the return of 14 out of 22 starters. Fourteen Colonel players started out as freshmen four years ago. After three years of more losses than wins, and many disappoint- ments, they closed their careers as champions. For the returning players next year, the experi- ence will be there for another title. Exhausted, but not the loser, sophomore quarterback Ted Bergeron rests during the River Bell Classic against Southeast- ern La, as the Colonels made their first appearance in the New Orleans Super- dome.