Aug. 28, 2003
Final Stats?|? Quotes
VILLANOVA, PA. - In the 2003 season opener for the Villanova football team on Thursday night August 28th under the lights at Villanova Stadium, the 11th ranked Wildcats used a well-balanced offensive and defensive effort to defeat the visiting Hampton Pirates by the score of 41-6. Sophomore quarterback Joe Casamento performed exceptionally in his first collegiate start for the `Cats, completing 24-of-30 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore running back Moe Gibson had a career day as well, rushing for a career-best 129 yards on 13 carries to go along with one touchdown.
Villanova got on the scoreboard early and often, scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter to stake claim to a 14-0 advantage. The Wildcats took the opening kickoff and marched 74 yards on 11 plays in 4:57, scoring on a one-yard Casamento run to take the contest's first lead at 7-0. With just 1:12 left in the first quarter, Gibson took a handoff at his own 42 yard line and scampered 58 yards for a Wildcat score to give the `Cats a 14-0 lead after one quarter of play.
Villanova had the same type of success in the second quarter punching the ball in the end zone twice more to lead handily at halftime, 28-0. Casamento threw two touchdown strikes in the quarter - 34 yards to Noble Champen and 18 yards to J.J. Outlaw - to break the game open at intermission.
On their second drive of the third quarter, the Wildcat offense struck again driving 50 yards on eight plays in 3:19. On a second down and goal at the Hampton nine, Casamento hit junior fullback Phil DiGiacomo with a nine-yard scoring pass to increase the Villanova lead to 34-0.
Hampton finally got on the board with 38 ticks to go in the third quarter as Alonzo Coleman plunged in from two yards out to trim the Villanova lead to 34-6. A missed extra point by the Pirates kept the Wildcat advantage at 28 points as the third quarter came to a close.
The score remained at 34-6 until the 4:34 mark of the four quarter when sophomore wide receiver Curtis Waltman took the ball off a reverse and scampered five yards for his first career score. Waltman's touchdown run increased the Wildcat lead yet again, as Villanova went on for a 41-6.
In addition to Casamento and Gibson's outstanding offensive performances, DiGiacomo set career-highs for catches and receiving yards as he hauled in nine catches for 69 yards and one score. In addition, Champen caught six passes for 77 yards and one score in the game, and Outlaw registered 178 all-purpose yards. The Villanova offense recorded 519 yards of total offense in the game - 234 on the ground and 285 in the air.
The Wildcat defense was dominant holding Hampton scoreless for the first 44:22 of the game. Villanova held the Pirate offense to 132 total yards in the contest including just 12 passing yards. Sophomore linebacker Brian Hulea posted 12.5 tackles in the game to lead the defense. The Wildcat defense also sacked Hampton quarterback Kerry Dixon six times.
On offense for the Pirates, Coleman had 76 yards rushing and one score.
Villanova will get back action on Saturday, Sept. 6th, traveling to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to take on the Division I-A Temple Owls at 4:00 p.m.
