2008 Woodie Awards
"Stunned and shocked"
Despite big win over Edinboro, Rock denied national playoff berth
By Phil Swartzlander
Rocket Assistant Sports Editor
Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: Sports
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The Rock was left out of the playoffs after winning against Edinboro University 59-34 last Saturday, but the pollsters placed SRU seventh in the region, while only the top six make the playoffs.
"It was a disappointment that we didn't get in," senior quarterback Nate Crookshank said. "We did what we had to do, and it was out of our hands."
Head Coach George Mihalik echoed the same ideas.
"We were stunned and shocked (when learning of not making playoffs). We deserve to be there," Mihalik said.
The PSAC will have three teams in the playoffs with California (Pa.) (11-0) and Indiana (Pa.) (8-2) making it from the west joining PSAC East Champion West Chester (9-2) from the east.
IUP made the playoffs despite losing to Bloomsburg, 41-35, last Saturday.
"In the past years when we were selected, we learned that you don't lose late," Mihalik said.
Both players and coaches were under the impression that an IUP loss, combined with an SRU win, would be enough for the Rock to qualify for playoffs.
"We were told if IUP lost we were in, so during the second half, coach pulls us aside and said IUP lost, we thought we were in, but we weren't." Crookshank said. "That was the most disappointing part."
Another complaint the Rock has is with the selection of Southern Connecticut State for the playoffs. SCSU, from the Northeast 10 conference, was the only three-loss team in the northeast region to make the playoffs.
"Even though one of their losses was against a (NCAA Division) I-AA school, we should be in the top six instead of them." Mihalik said. "The PSAC conference is a lot stronger than the Northeast 10."
Mihalik also said that the rankings are compiled by a variety of numbers, but believes that numbers should merely play a role in the selection process and not be the only determinant.
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