Oct. 7, 2004
By Dan Tomlin
Sports Editor

The St. Ambrose Fighting Bees have given the NAIA a reason to rank them in the top 10.

After coming into the season ranked in the top ten, four consecutive victories have the Bees sitting at no. 6 in the national rankings behind a defense that has established themselves as one of the best in the country.

The Fighting Bees defense has surrendered an average of just seven points a game through their first four games.

In their final pre-conference schedule tune-up the Fighting Bees traveled to Taylor University to take on the Trojans.

The Fighting Bees would struggle in the first quarter before finding their rhythm and rolling over the Trojans 48-7. The Bees were denied their first shutout of the season due to a late 50+ yard touchdown toss by Taylor.

The Bees defense allowed just 25 yards of rushing the entire game.

The Bees were able to score 24 points in a matter of 4 minutes to end the first half and virtually put Taylor out of commission.

In the second half St. Ambrose passed the ball just once, on a shovel pass. That luxury coupled with a dynamic rushing attack led to a profitable as well as clock controlled second half for St. Ambrose.

In the victory the running duo of Joe Schimmel and Larry Williams each rushed for over 100 yards and each found their way into the end zone.

Schimmel amassed 141 yards and tacked on a touchdown, while Williams rushed for 121 and parlayed those yards into three scores.

In the game J.T. Bucy also threw for his first touchdown pass of the season, a 53-yard bomb to Andy Ford who caught the ball at the Trojan 20 and shook off a tackler before reaching the end zone.

The win would give the Bees their first undefeated record going into conference play since 1996.

In their next contest the Fighting Bees would take on the Saints of St. Francis University (Ill.).
The Saints came into the game with just one win in four tries, and the Bees took advantage of the mismatch by getting to an early lead and sustaining it as the defense shut out the Saints in a 41-0 victory.

This would be the first shutout of the season for the veteran clad defense.

Highlighting the defensive stands were a number of sacks as well as a pair of interceptions by Matt Hunt.

The Bees would score 21 points in the second quarter, as their scoring in that quarter alone would again be enough to hang on and get the victory.

SAU’s special teams also set up two big scores that would change the tempo of the game drastically.

After being stuck in what seemed to be a defensive struggle for the first 20 minutes the Bees would take advantage of a poor snap and fall on the ball, which led to a 12-yard Joe Schimmel touchdown run.

On the next possession the Saints again muffed their punt attempt, this time Brandin Smith picked up the ball and scampered 47 yards with it into the end-zone, giving the Bees what would be a 24-0 lead at that point.

Schimmel and Williams again each reached the end zone, with Schimmel doing it twice. In the fourth quarter, Bucy had his second touchdown toss of the season, a 23-yard pass and catch to tight end Jason Lynch.

Matt Webster continued his near perfect season as he booted two more field goals and added seven extra points.

For Webster, his extra point miss against Loras is the sole miss in 23 XP attempts. He is also a perfect 8-8 on field goals including a 42-yard kick against Taylor.

Webster also leads the team in scoring having kicked his way to 46 total points.
The Bees next do battle with Trinity International University who defeated the Bees in 2003.

The Bees will look to remain undefeated on the season and in conference as they take on the Trojans of Trinity International University who enters the game with an undefeated record of 4-0.

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