Game Day:Wabash campus compact, rich in tradition

The campus of Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind., about 45 minutes northwest of Indianapolis in Montgomery County, is compact yet thoughtfully designed, studded with traditional brick structures distinguished by architecturally striking white-column entryway supports. Many of these overlook the mall (pictured at top) north of Byron P. Hollett Stadium, which sits near railroad tracks on the south end of campus.

These tracks serve as sort of a magnet for pregame activity on football Saturdays: Tailgaters gather on both sides of the ties. Some of the school's newer athletic facilities were developed south of the tracks in an area that, according to one longtime alumnus I talked to at halftime of Saturday's football game, had been hampered by neglect in the period before the new construction.

I saw no evidence of that onetime blight this past Saturday, when I visited Wabash to photograph the Little Giants' 28-17 North Coast Athletic Conference victory over previously unbeaten Wittenberg. What I did see in much of the area immediately adjacent to the railroad tracks was parked cars and tailgating in the hour or so before kickoff. Howard Hewitt, director of New Media/Web Content for Wabash College, told me that tailgating starts much earlier than when I arrived ... and is a lot more extensive than you'll find at other small colleges. Many alumni return to Wabash for football Saturdays, so it's a big deal.

The fact is, tailgating -- a fun way to reconnect with friends and to sustain tradition -- has become part of the experience wherever the game is played -- in the NFL and at college and high school stadiums alike. Only the names, team/school colors and weather -- OK, and possibly a menu offering or two -- might change from one place to another. And while most tailgating at Wabash was going on in the vicinity of the railroad tracks, there was one group tailgating outside a building at the southwest quadrant of the college mall, which you'll see pictured within the campus images below.

For a look at a full gallery of images of Wabash College and game day tailgating, visit this link.

Above: Pioneer Chapel famously situated behind the visiting school stands -- but in full view of the home crowd.

Above: The railroad tracks serving as a sort of tailgating gravitational force, aided largely by the roomy area to park vehicles. This view looks down from the top of the home team bleachers.

Above: Morris Hall (upperclass housing) on the left, and the back side of Frank Hugh Sparks campus center on the right.

Above: A long-range view of the back side of Frank Hugh Sparks campus center, the student union.

Above: The campus bookstore. You descend a staircase to get to the main entrance to the building from this view along the main, brick-covered pedestrian path.

Above: A look at the brick-paved walkway through campus, not far from the bookstore.

Above: At the south end of the college mall, with a little bit of the front of Pioneer Chapel on the left and a lone group of tailgaters straight ahead in the distance.

Above: Back side of the Frank Hugh Sparks campus center, which houses student recreational, cafeteria and lounge facilities.

Above: Front side of the Frank Hugh Sparks campus center. This side faces the campus mall.

Above: One front view of Pioneer Chapel.

A closeup of the pregame tailgaters at the southwest quadrant of the college mall along.

Above and below: Captures from the arboretum on the northeast fringe of campus.

Above: Looking north onto Wabash Avenue at the north end of campus.

Above and below: More captures from the arboretum on the northeast fringe of campus.

Above and below: Postgame activity back at the campus mall.

Above: Another front view of Pioneer Chapel.

Above: Heading home, lugging portable game-day seating through the arboretum.

Above: The Fine Arts Center, east of Grant Street. 

Game Day:Wabash wins battle of unbeatens

Last Saturday, I had another opportunity to visit the campus of one of Indiana's fine small institutions of higher education -- Wabash College. I photographed not only the nicely landscape grounds and buildings but a showdown of the last unbeaten teams in the North Coast Athletic Conference -- Wabash and Wittenberg. The winner would be declared conference champions for 2011.

The Little Giants prevailed, 28-17, scoring the first 21 points of the game ... and holding off a late challenge by the Tigers, an end zone block punt and touchdown sealing the decision. Wabash improved its record to 9-0 for the season and 6-0 in the league. It finishes the regular season Saturday in more dramatic fashion -- the storied annual meeting with DePauw University for the coveted Monon Bell. This year's tilt is at DePauw in Greencastle, Ind.

Today's post features some of the game shots, leading off with the Little Giants' first score of the game, a one-yard keeper by quarterback Chase Belton who, moments after nudging the ball over the plane of the goal line (shown in the lead photograph), had the ball knocked out of his grasp. For a look at a more complete gallery of shots, follow this link.

The next post will reflect my trip through the campus. Enjoy.

Above and below: A center snap sailed over the head of Wittenberg quarterback Ben Zoeller, forcing him to run backward to get the ball as Wabash defenders quickly approach to make sure Zoeller isn't able to advance the ball. He didn't; Zoeller wisely fell on it. 

Above: Not long after a would-be touchdown pass was called back on a holding penalty, Wabash quarterback Chase Belton scooted left and slipped past this Wittenberg's Jon Daniels to score this touchdown. 

Above: The Little Giants' Ian MacDougal is in fine form on this kickoff after the second Belton touchdown.

Above: Wittenberg kick returner Conner Wayne (22) was hit with such a jarring tackle by a Wabash special teams player that he coughed up the football. 

Above: The Tigers first ray of hope came with this 5-yard touchdown run by Corey Weber in the third quarter. 
 

Above and next two below: This Jonathan Horn reception of a touchdown pass from Belton in the second quarter was called back on a holding penalty. But soon afterward, quarterback Chase Belton scampered 4 yards and scored to give Wabash a 14-0 lead. 

 

Above: Wabash's Kyle Najar (16) blocked a punt by Wittenberg's Trey LaValley (92) in the end zone in the fourth quarter, and Najar's teammate Sean Hildebrant fell on the ball for the touchdown that put Wabash ahead by the final score, 28-17. 

Above: As Hildebrand (23) and teammates prepare to celebrate the blocked-punt touchdown, a photographer along the Little Giants' sideline is lending the game official an assist by declaring it a score.
 

Above: Although the weather was beautiful for football Saturday, sitting all day in the shade cast by the press box necessitated a little extra garb for the Wabash pep band. 

Above: An honors-studded helmet worn by Wabash offensive tackle Weston Kitley.

Above: Welcoming Little Giants football players onto the field before the game was this youngster attired in Wabash colors.

Above: Backlighting provides an element of drama in this picture of the bleachers in Byron P. Hollett Little Giant Stadium.

Above: The Wabash cheerleaders, doing what they do. 

Above and below: The Little Giants players join together for a chorus of the school song after the victory clinching the conference championship. Some players are a bit more moved to give their all to the vocals than others.

Above: A moving moment in the pregame introduction of football team seniors on Senior Day came when the parents of Josh Linthicum were introduced to the crowd. Josh would have been a senior this season; he died in January 2010, just after his second year of football, from complications during hip surgery.