Oregon State Destroys Cal

By: Michael Rivera
The LBCC Commuter
Video/Sports Editor

Corvallis, OR. 7:30 p.m:

Cold weather at Reser Stadium as the University of California-Berkley Golden Bears visit the #16 Oregon State Beavers. The Beaver Nation has much to cheer for as Oregon State easily breezes by Cal, 62-14.

Sean Mannion gets the start after Cody Vaz suffered an ankle injury in their last drive against Stanford. Riley describe Mannion as “chomping at the bit” during this week’s practice. Well, it definitely showed in this career performance. Mannion looked sharp after returning to the starting role, hitting 24 of 34 passes, 325 yards, 4 touchdowns and one interception. Freshman QB Richie Harrington got some playing time and capitalizes by throwing his first career touchdown. Harrington is a freshman walk-on could this year.

Cal basically handed Oregon State yards, getting called for 13 penalties for 159 yards. Many of these penalties lead to Oregon State scores. Beavers dominated the statistics columns this game, giving the Beavers a much needed boost in morale. Oregon State’s offense accumulated 559 yards and 9 touchdowns (5 passing, 4 rushing). Cal managed only 322 yards and two touchdowns.

The Oregon State defense looked strong as always, forcing 4 turnovers. CB Jordan Poyer receives his 6th interception of the season (17 total for Oregon State). Poyer also had 5 tackles, a broken up pass and a fumble recovery. Rashaad Reynolds and Anthony Watkins both had forced fumble and John Braun recovered a fumble as well.

Oregon State’s running game looks to be a tough machine to stop. Storm Woods went 64 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown as the starter. Terron Ward showed what he can do with a little bit of time, getting 14 carries for 128 yards and 2 touchdowns. FB Tyler Anderson also adds a score to make it 4 rushing touchdowns on the day for the Beavers.

Oregon State is came back nicely against Cal, as they lost a very physical game with Stanford, who beat #2 Oregon tonight in over time. Oregon State will have much built up momentum as they face a Oregon at home Nov. 24 at noon.

1st Quarter:

Beaver’s draw first blood after a couple Cal penalties move Oregon State into the Cal’s 17 yard line. Mannion hooks up with Markus Wheaton, who battles his way into the endzone for a 11 yard touchdown. With the extra point good,, Oregon State caps a 5 play, 44 yard drive, leading Cal 7-0.

Cal comes to answer the Oregon State. 1st & goal, Cal RB Isi Sofele runs in the 9 yard touchdown. With the extra point good, Cal finishes 82 yard drive in 9 plays as they tie the game 7-7 with 6:30 left in the 1st quarter.

Oregon State capitalizes on many Cal mistakes. RB Terron Ward breaks out a 38 yard run to the Cal 17 yard line. Illegal hands to the face brings the ball to the 8 yard line. Storm Woods takes it up the middle for a 7 yard gain, which looks like a touchdown, but is ruled short. Next play, FB Tyler Anderson punches it in the 1 yard touchdown. Romaine hits the extra point to take back the lead, 14-7. The Beavers went 68 yards in 9 plays.

2nd Quarter:

Cal’s Daniel Lasco fumbles the ball  and Oregon State’s John Braun recovers the ball at the Oregon State 38 yard line. Mannion throws a bomb downfield and Cooks pushes back to catch the ball and zig-zags his way into the endzone for a 48 yard touchdown. Romaine hits another PAT to cap a 62 yard drive in just 3 plays. Oregon State leads by 21-7 with 10:56 in the first half.

Oregon State ball at their own 31, with 9:17 left in the first half, Mannion hits Cooks for 12 yards to bring it to the Oregon State 42 yards line. Cal’s Josh Hill gets called for a 15 yard penalty moving Oregon State to Cal’s 48. Mannion finds Wheaton for 10 yards, pushing to the Cal 28. Cal Denadr Coleman called for a personal foul, moving Oregon State to the Cal 14. Mannion finds Connor Hamlett for a 14 yard strike. Romain hits his extra point and the Beavs push ahead 28-7, with 7:13 left in the game. Drive goes 6 plays for 69 yards in 2:12.

2:00 left in the first half, Oregon State still drives down the field. After a couple big runs  by Terron Ward, Oregon State lands on the  Cal 6 yard line. Mannion finds a Micah Hatfield for a 6 yard touchdown pass. With the go-ahead extra point, Oregon State leave the first half of play with a cozy 35-7 lead.
3rd Quarter:

Mannion continues to settle into his groove, hooking up with Hamlett for 15 yards, then Woods for 16 on the next play. Mannion fumbles the ball a couple plays later, but recovers it to keep the drive alive. Cal Steve Williams is called for a pass interference on Wheaton, moving Oregon State to the Cal 27. Mannion finds Hamlett again for a 26 yard gain right at the goal line. Storm Woods punches through the line, capping a 75 yard drive. Beavers lead 42-7 with the extra point.

Oregon State has had no problem running the ball tonight. Terron Ward breaks up the middle and breaks 3 tackles going 47 yards on the touchdown. Romaine kicks the extra point through the uprights as Oregon State relentlessly keeps the pressure on, leading 49-7.

4:58 in the 3rd quarter,  ball at the Cal 35 after Oregon State’s kickoff goes out of bounds. Cal drives to the Oregon State 1 yard line, where Solfele pushes in the go-ahead touchdown. Extra point is good and Cal barely slims the lead to 49-14.

4th Quarter:

Cal keeps adding up the penalties, going two back-to-back personal fouls, giving Oregon State and easy 30 yards. Ball on the Cal 17, Terron Ward continues his rampage with a 17 yard touchdown run. Romaine misses the extra point, but Oregon State still leads 55-14 (NOTE: This ties for the second highest score the Beavers have ran up since a 55-7 win over UCLA in 1999).

Freshman QB Richie Harrington comes into relieve Mannion. Harrington throws his first career touchdown to RB Malcolm Agnew for a 8 yard pass. PAT is good as the Beavers record their second highest score in their history, 62-14.

Oregon State Breezes by Lewis & Clark in Season Opener

By: Michael Rivera
The LBCC CommuterVideo/Sports Editor

Basketball season has finally started, as the Oregon State Beavers take on the Lewis & Clark Pioneers. Oregon State took a while to get warm, but once they did there was no stopping them as the roll over the Pioneers, 83-58.

Starting for the Beavers was Ahmad Starks, Eric Moreland,  Roberto Nelson, Angus Brandt, & Joe Burton. In the first half of play, Oregon State Forward Devon Collier looking hot coming off the bench. Collier finishing with 12 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steal in just 14 minutes of play. Starks showed why he is this team’s leader, putting up 14 points, going 4-5 for three pointers, and adding 4 assists.

Pioneers showing some resistance to Oregon State in beginning of the 1st half of play. The Pioneers outrebounded Oregon State 22 to 18, but Oregon State recorded 5 steals and 3 blocks.Pioneers were shooting 33% field goals, 18.8% for 3 pointers and and a staggering 50% from the free throw line. Oregon State has made 48.3% of field goals, a measly 20% for 3 pointers , but 83.3% at the free throw line.

In the second half, Oregon State dominated in scoring and defense against a very tired looking Lewis & Clark team. Ahmad Starks finished with 14 points as the Beavers finished off the Pioneers 83-58

Oregon State will be gearing up for the start of the regular season with two games against Niagara Nov. 9 and New Mexico State on Nov. 11.

Oregon State Bounces Back to Beat ASU, 36-26

"RB Terron Ward ignited, as starter Storm Woods
isat out the game, nursing a bruised knee." 
Courtesy: OregonLive

After Win Against Sun Devils, Oregon State Stays Put in Ranks

By: Michael Rivera
The LBCC Commuter
Video/ Sports Editor

After a tough defeat at Washington a week ago, Oregon State was looking for victory and spoils as the Arizona State (ASU) Sun Devils came into town. Being the very eventful Dad’s Weekend in Corvallis, the Beavers came to show why they are a top contender in the PAC-12 as Oregon State goes on to win 36-26.

For the first half of play, the Beavers struggled to stop ASU from scoring. In the second half, the Beaver’s started putting the pressure on ASU QB Taylor Kelly. Kelly finished with 22-41 for 153 yards and a TD and interception. ASU was able to rack up 150 rushing yards on Oregon State, matching them in the stats column.

Oregon State and ASU were basically similar in the stats columns in many aspects. Both had 19 first downs until the Oregon State offensive line buckled down and set Vaz up for huge gains for scores. Oregon State total offensive yards were 424 to ASU’s 303. Lot of this also has to deal with Oregon State being very successful on Special Teams.

Oregon State got it’s running game sparked when RB Terron Ward ignited, as starter Storm Woods is sat out the game, nursing a bruised knee. The Beavers were without lockdown cornerback and all-around star Jordan Poyer as well.Ward finished the game with 19 carries for 146 yards and a touchdown. Ward (5’7” 198 lbs.), a sophomore out of Antioch, Calif., gives the Beavers a similar look of Jacquizz Rodgers (5’6” 196 lbs.). Ward not only showed that he has great eye for open lanes & breakaway speed, but his ability to stop-n-go behind blockers and runs tough. Multiple times through the game, Ward put his put a Sun Devil on his back or when he sidestepped his way past a defender to break out his 53 yard touchdown run. As far as I can see, Ward looks to be a real good option with Woods still questionable.

Oregon State got to the a rough start and showed little answer to a severe pass rush by ASU. Oregon State QB Cody Vaz was sacked 6 times in the game, along with a couple hits after pass (one which was call roughing the passer). Vaz, how has taken over the starting role as Sean Mannion continues to heal his knee, may have shown the Beavers that he is the right quarterback for the team, right now.

Vaz has shown solid performances throughout all the games he’s played at qb. It’s hard to say right now if you should put a healthy Sean Mannion back in for the season. After he faced his 1st quarter woes, Vaz came out and owned the football field. After what seemed to be struggle with protection up front, Vaz was able to get lots of time in the pocket, buying time for his receivers to get open.

That’s a key factor to Vaz’s game; the wisdom and the curse: he will hold onto the ball as long as possible to make that throw. This can be detrimental to his health, though, with Mannion still recovering. Vaz getting sacked so many times has to make the team and fans cringe. Yet, this is a great indicator of why Vaz has only one interception and has one touchdown less than Mannion in less starts. Brandin Cooks and Markus Wheaton were able to get in sync with Vaz, who ended up 14 completions on 33 attempts, 267 yards, 3 TDs and threw his first career interception.

Oregon State, now ranked #11 in the BCS, gets ready this week as they face Cal this weekend, for what should be an easy win right before they travel to play the very tough Stanford team, who is ranked #14.

Game Recap:

First Drive of the game, 3rd & 8,Cody Vaz fumbles that snap forced by ASU DT Will Sutton. Ball is recovered by ASU DE Junior Onyeali to put Arizona State on the board first. ASU leads 7-0

Next Drive, 14:33 in the 1st quarter,  Oregon State shows signs of life as Markus Wheaton breaks out for a 35 yard run lead a charge down to the ASU 27, where Trevor Romaine hits a 41 yard field goal to make it a 7-3 game, ASU lead.

11:21 in the 1st quarter, ASU QB Taylor Kelly leads all the way to the Oregon State 1 yard line. On 3rd & goal, ASU RB Cameron Marshall dives over the Beaver’s D-Line and gets into the endzone. With the extra point good, ASU extends their lead to 14-3.

8:36 in the 1st, Oregon State gets the Beaver Nation back into the game as Cody Vaz hooks up with Markus Wheaton for a 50 yard pass over the heads of a two ASU defenders. Trevor Romaine kicks the extra point good to put the Beavers back into fighting position. ASU leads 14-10.

3:02 in the first, the Sun Devil’s push Oregon State back to their 1 yard line, forcing a punt. Punt is blocked in the endzone by ASU S Kevin Ayers. ASU gets the safety, putting their lead up to 16-10.

2nd Quarter:

Oregon State starts to make a comeback as Vaz hooks up with Connor Hamlett for an 11 yard gain. Next play, Oregon State RB Terron Ward breaks a run 53 yards for a touchdown. Trevor Romaine’s kick fails at the extra point, but Oregon State caps an impressive 3 plays for 65 yards to make it a one score game. ASU still leads 19-16

5:47 in the first half of play, Oregon State moves the ball downfield well, but is shown some hinderance as Vaz gets sacked twice for losses. With only seconds left, Romaine manages to kick a 45 yard to tie up the game at 19-19

3rd Quarter:

Oregon State comes out gunning on their first drive. Vaz hooks up with Cooks for a 25 yard gain bringing the ball to the ASU  20 yard line. 2 plays later, ball on ASU’s 17, Vaz tosses a 17 yard touchdown to Wheaton. Extra Point is good as Oregon State leads 26-19.

7:31 in the 3rd,  ball on the Oregon State 4 yard line, Vaz connects with Cooks for 15 yards, getting the ball to their own 23 yard line. 2 plays later, Wheaton sweeps for a nice 18 yard gain, putting the Beavers up to their own 41 yard line. After another first down conversion, Colin Kelly gets called for holding as the Beavers have to settle for a Romaine 33 yarder to make the game 29-19, Oregon State lead.

4th Quarter:

Oregon State’s running game shows its legs as Terron Ward finds room to violently gain 29 yards, bringing the Oregon State to the ASU 49. Vaz shows his touch as he bombs a deep pass to Brandin Cooks for a 49 yard touchdown. With the extra point, Oregon State gets comfortable after the push ahead, 36-19.

ASU Kelly shows that the Sun Devils still have some fight left as Kelly hooks up with Marion Grice for a 2 yard touchdown. With the extra point good, the Sun Devils cap 77 yards in 9 plays as Beavs lead and win 36-26.