Sure, riving can be controlled, it doesn't have to be a big pop. Especially in pine, which is probably the species. The split needs to be directed from the top to the bottom of the tree. In other words, score in 8 or 10 feet from the bottom and begin the split here, not at the bottom. Start with a couple of steel wedges and a nice long strong froe or flat iron bar of some kind. If there is lots of wood to come off, make multiple splits, or at least two splits so that you can see how the grain is going to run before you get close to your timber. Once the split is begun with iron wedges, have some wooden ones on hand and leapfrog the wedges along the split. If the split gets moving in the wrong direction, it's time to bring out the scoring axe and stop the rive by scoring in to the problem spot and restarting the split a bit further from the timber.
Are you actually doing this at UCV? I might be tempted to make a trip down and volunteer some help. Would be fun to chop a big one.....