Kevin Whitcher '99 scored two tries and fullback Scott Whiting '99 had 13 points on five of six conversions and a penalty kick to lead Dartmouth to a 43-27 victory over Norwich in the first round of the Northeast playoffs. The Big Green (10-1) travel to Amherst next weekend for the final round of the Northeast regional and a chance to advance to the Sweet Sixteen of the national championship tournament.
Midway through the first period, winger Jeff Kinkaid '01 fielded a long Norwich kick. The sophomore winger then countered up the sideline, kicked ahead and tackled the Norwich winger in possession. Dartmouth recovered the ball at the breakdown and flanker Alex Magleby '00 set off on a long run passing to center Alex Kline '99 who ran down the sideline, passed back inside to Magleby, who drew the defender and passed to Whitcher for the try. Whiting kicked the conversion to give the Big Green an early 7-0 advantage.
At 15 minutes, Magleby recovered senior Captain Mark Oldham's dropout. The ball went to Rob Parham '99, who ran down the sideline and set a ruck. Lock Drew Gardiner '00 took the ball forward and set another ruck. This time Oldham sent the ball wide to winger Kinkaid, to Whiting and on to center Mark Kowalsky '99 who scored in the corner to make it 12-0.
Early in the second period, scrumhalf Carlos Escobar '00 ran a penalty. The ball went to Oldham, to Magleby to Whitcher and on to Kinkaid for the try. Whiting's conversion made it 19-0 and it looked as if the Big Green had the game in hand but Norwich fought back.
At 30 minutes, a Dartmouth knock- on gave Norwich the ball at midfield. Dartmouth went offsides at the scrum and Norwich kicked to touch. The Cadets drove the lineout and Dartmouth went offsides again. Norwich ran the penalty in for the try that brought them to 5-19.
Late in the half, Norwich was penalized just outside their 22. Whiting kicked the penalty to give Dartmouth a 22-5 lead at the break.
Lock Nate Stone '01 caught the second half kickoff and set the ruck. Hooker Dave Dexter '00 ran off the ruck and set another. Stone took it in again and set a third.
When scrumhalf Escobar was caught in the ruck, Whitcher fed lock Gardiner who threw a long pass outside to winger Mike Evans '00. Evans ran down the sideline, dummied to his support and finished off the 60-meter try. Whiting's conversion gave Dartmouth a 29-5 lead.
A win in the Northeast semi-final next Saturday will put Dartmouth in the Sweet Sixteen next April for the third year in a row. Another victory on Sunday will give the Big Green their second Northeast title in the last three years and a top seed in the Sweet Sixteen.
