ALMA, Mich. - It was a 45-point blowout.
And the half wasn't over yet.
Heidelberg opened its 2012 campaign in midseason form, dominating Alma in an almost flawless first half. Behind a dominant effort on both sides of the ball, the Student Princes slammed into the Scots with 28 first quarter points and buried them 45-0 at the break.
Neither team scored in the second half - giving the Student Princes their first shutout win since 1998 - and Heidelberg coach Mike Hallett remained perfect in his season openers at the school.
Cartel Brooks, in his first game as HU's No. 1 running back, galloped for 155 yards and two touchdowns. But the passing game also came up with big plays. Quarterback Michael Mees completed a pair of touchdown passes - one to Christian Dominguez and another to Nate Haase.
"A couple of those catches in the end zone were ridiculous," Hallett said. "Guys were making plays."
And, in a sign of a maturing team, players were giving input to coaches that went beyond "get me the ball."
Hallett said receiver C.J. Powell picked up on some things that the Alma defense was doing, and made suggestions to the coaching staff on how to combat it. The result?
"Hasse's touchdown came from feedback we got from C.J. Powell," Hallett said.
Of course, Powell is far from just a coach on the field. He caught a 47-yard touchdown pass from Colin Bultinck, and Bultinck also rambled 31 yards for a score of his own.
Then there was the defense, which held the Scots to an average of just 3.3 yards a play.
Mike Bodyke was relentless, with a pair of sacks and three tackles for a loss. Andy Lovins also had a pair of sacks, while Craig Sykes and Tim Littles each had interceptions. Chadd Williamson made eight solo tackles and had a sack.
"They were locked in," Hallett said. "Great effort, intensity, attention to detail."
Dragons even up record
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Freshman Tiffany Buchinger handed out 77 assists as Tiffin won twice Saturday at the Christian Brothers Invitational to even its record.
The Dragons (2-2) beat West Georgia 25-23, 20-25, 25-20, 25-20 and Ouachita Baptist 25-21, 25-14, 25-20.
Danielle McQuade tallied 14 kills and 17 digs against West Georgia, Buchinger turned in 43 assists and eight kills, Rachel Reamer came up with 16 digs and Maureen Kurtz added 12 digs and four aces.
Kurtz led the attack against Ouachita Baptist, registering 11 kills and 11 digs. Buchinger added 34 assists and Reamer had 14 digs and three aces.
Grove City knocks back 'Berg
Sam Weber scored a pair of goals in a five-minute span to key Grove City's 3-1 win Saturday over Heidelberg.
Weber snapped a scoreless tie in the 16th minute, and put the Wolverines up 2-0 in the 21st minute off a crossing pass from Kristin Thomas.
The Student Princes cut the gap to 2-1 in the 57th minute. Stephanie Crossman sent a corner kick into the penalty area and the ball deflected off several players before Jeannette Jinkinson booted it home.
Grove City answered eight minutes later when Shanon Bishop served up an assist to Holly Spofford.
Heidelberg goalkeeper Julie Cross tallied eight saves.
'Berg women 2nd, men
3rd at Polar Bear Invite
ADA - Heidelberg's women ran second in their race and the men claimed third Saturday at the Ohio Northern University Polar Bear Invitational.
Bobbi Custer led the Student Princes in the women's 4,000-meter race by capturing fourth in 15:02.7. Sophie Goobic added a 10th (15:10.4) for Heidelberg. Erica Miller ended in 16:10.6 and Lorin Conti crossed the line in 16:11.1.
Team scores were not provided.
David Kindall's 11th (20:03.2) paced Heidelberg's efforts in the men's 6,000-meter race.
Brad Palock finished in 20:03.3, Carson Schaffer ended in 20:16.6, Dustin Kuess ended in 20:24.8 and Hopewell-Loudon graduate Avery Gatchel crossed the line in 20:42.7.
