For as long as he can remember, there have been some certain constants in Andrew Rehwinkel’s life. The sun rises and sets, leaves fall in autumn, flowers sprout in spring, and football has always been there.
‘I’ve been playing football since the fourth grade, and I’m from Texas, so it’s been a huge part of my life for so long,’the Georgetown senior offensive tackle said. ‘Every summer has been cut short by two-a-days, every fall has been hectic because of practices.’/p>
Come Sunday morning, Rehwinkel will wake to find a huge void in his life: his football career will be over. Rehwinkel and the rest of the 13 senior Hoya football players just hope a win on Saturday can ease Sunday’s hangover.
Georgetown (2-8, 0-5 Patriot League) wraps up what has proven to be a trying season with a trip to the Big Apple to face Fordham (2-8, 0-5 Patriot League), another one of the Patriot League’s worst teams.
Coming off a 45-14 blowout loss to Lafayette last week in Easton, Pa., the Hoyas look to maintain what little dignity they still possess against a Rams squad that is suffering from many of the same ills that have plagued Kevin Kelly during his inaugural season as head coach of the Hoyas.
‘We are very similar,’Kelly said of his outlook for Saturday’s 1 p.m. matchup. ‘Both teams are young and have had losing seasons while struggling to learn under new coaching staffs.’/p>
Following the painful loss to Lafayette, Kelly told his team that there was nothing but pride on the line in this Saturday’s contest. Kelly left out one small detail ” last place in the Patriot League is at stake.
‘We better not lose,’junior running back Eric Carter said after practice Tuesday. ‘Losing means we finish in last place and no one wants that.’/p>
Feeble Fordham may present the best chance for victory since a malnourished Marist squad rolled into town for homecoming weekend. Like Georgetown, the Rams have only a win over the Red Foxes since the second week in September.
Fordham Head Coach Tom Masella has wrestled with mediocrity all season, juggling his starting lineup with consistency to try and piece together a successful unit. Masella started seven freshman in last week’s 45-14 loss to Lehigh, including running back Larry Dortch, who rushed for a season-high 70 yards in the lopsided loss.
The Hoyas sport their own first-year star in running back Charlie Houghton, who was name Patriot League Rookie of the Week on Tuesday for the third consecutive week. Houghton’s palpitating 81 yard pass-and-and catch from junior quarterback Matt Basseuner was one of the few bright spots in what was other wise a miserable day for Georgetown in Easton last Saturday.
‘He runs faster than any 200 pound back I’ve ever been around,’Rehwinkel said after spending his day clearing a path for Houghton. ‘He’s going to keep working hard and he’s going to be a real stallion in the future.’/p>
Fordham may have the answer to the talented Toronto native in senior linebacker Marcus Taylor, who leads the Rams in virtually every defensive statistical category. Houghton may want to take advantage of the open running lanes while he still has them, for the Hoyas will lose three stellar linemen to graduation in Rehwinkel, Robert Browning and team captain Liam Grubb. While Browning has been disappointed by the tribulations of his final season on the Hilltop, he is comforted by the fact that he is leaving something special behind.
‘We have had a bad season, but we have worked hard,’Browning said of the senior’s effort. ‘We know that we are the backbone of whatever is accomplished from here on out by this program and this coaching staff.’/p>
On defense, the Hoyas must mend the broken bones suffered in last weekend’s pasting and brace themselves for on final onslaught. Lafayette manhandled the unit both on the ground and through the air last Saturday, with senior running back Jonathan Hurt scoring four touchdowns and senior wide receiver Joe Ort setting a school record for single-game receiving yards with 274.
Luckily for senior defensive leaders Chris Paulus and Alex Buzbee, the Rams possess no threat as dangerous as Hurt or Ort. Although junior quarterback Derric Daniels is an experienced three-year vet, he has been slowed by injuries all season and should be corralled by Buzbee and junior defensive lineman Ndamdi Obiako.
The secondary suffered a huge blow when senior safety Brian Tandy injured his left leg during the first half against the Leopards. His best friend and fellow senior Derek Franks will lead freshman corner back Willie Bodrick and the rest of an inexperienced bunch against junior receiver Sylvester Clarke. Bodrick and Houghton are but two of a talented freshman class that sees a win Saturday as a great way to start another rigorous off season training program under Kelly.
‘It is really important to set the tone for next season on Saturday,’Houghton said. ‘We want to dig in to the off season knowing we’re headed in the right direction.’/p>
Saturday’s loss proved that special teams can play a big factor, as Lafayette sophomore wide receiver Shaun Adair returned a kick by junior Christopher MacGriff 90 yards for a touchdown, a play that swung momentum out of the Hoyas’ favor for the remainder of the contest. Sophomore wide out Kenny Mitchell, who leads the league in kickoff return yardage, will look to get back on his horse Saturday after being beaten down by a vicious Lafayette special teams unit.
One last trip down the road remains for a group of seniors who may one day be remembered as the group that got Georgetown football rolling under Kelly.
‘They don’t realize how hard it is,’Kelly said of saying goodbye to the game. ‘They are going to miss the team camaraderie more than they realize.’/p>
While he may not yet fully grasp the importance of the relationships football has created, Rehwinkel does not underestimate Saturday’s significance, a day that marks the end of a decade long chapter of his young life.
‘It will alter my life completely,’Rehwinkel said as he discussed job hunting over Thanksgiving break with his teammates. ‘I don’t know what I will do with all the free time.’/p>