Football Athletes of the Week - Week 9 (Oct. 25)
Millersville's Jamal Smith became the first Marauder to win the PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week award this year after he caught four touchdown passes to help Millersville to an overtime win against Kutztown. C.W. Post's Peter Manns is the East Defensive Player of the Week, becoming the second different Pioneer this year to earn that honor. Gannon's Jon Richardson set a couple of school records and scored three touchdowns in the Golden Knights' win over Lock Haven to earn PSAC West Offensive Player of the Week honors while Edinboro's Branden Williams came up with two big plays on defense to earn the PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week award.
PSAC Players of the Week - Oct. 25
(Week 9)
PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week
Jamal Smith, Millersville
WR, Jr., Camp Hill, Pa./Trinity
Smith tied a school record with four touchdown receptions and totaled 256 all-purpose yards to help Millersville to a 41-35 double overtime win over Kutztown. Smith made just five catches for 133 yards, four of which were TD catches and all four were from at least 23 yards out. He also ran five times for 28 yards (5.6 ypc) and returned four kickoffs for a total of 94 yards (23.5 ypr). His 52-yard TD catch on the first series of the game marked the longest pass play of the year for the Marauders. Smith also hauled in a 25-yard score later in the first quarter to give Millersville a 14-6 lead and his 23-yard scoring reception in the third gave MU a 21-9 lead. He also caught a 25-yard pass for a TD in the first overtime that gave Millersville a lead.
PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week
Peter Manns, C.W. Post
LB, Gr., Dorchester, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin
Manns made 12 tackles, including eight solo stop, and made two tackles for loss, including a sack for a loss of nine yards, and returned an interception for a touchdown to help C.W. Post to a 42-24 win over East Stroudsburg. Manns, who leads the Pioneers with 85 tackles this season to rank fourth in the PSAC, returned his pick for a touchdown with 2:59 left in the fourth quarter to ice the game for the Pioneers and put them up by three scores.
PSAC West Offensive Player of the Week
Jon Richardson, Gannon
RB, Sr., Warren, Ohio/Warren G. Harding
Richardson ran for 155 yards and three touchdowns on just 16 carries (9.7 ypc) and also caught four passes for 27 yards to lead Gannon to a 27-0 win over Lock Haven. With his 182 all-purpose yards, Richardson became Gannon’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards (3,720) and with his three TDs, became the all-time leader in points (222) in the final home game of his career. He also moved into third place all-time at Gannon with 2,632 career rushing yards. With Gannon leading just 10-0 at halftime, Richardson ended all doubt as he ran for two TDs in the first seven minutes of the third quarter to give the Golden Knights a 24-0 lead. His three TDs came from 29, 38 and 23 yards out and with his three scores, he also broke the Gannon record for single-season scoring with 96 points.
PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week
Branden Williams, Edinboro
CB, So., Eastlake, Ohio/St. Edward
Williams made just three tackles, including one for a loss, but made two big plays that helped Edinboro either stop Mercyhurst from a drive or led to a Edinboro score. Williams made an interception inside the Edinboro 20-yardline with under a minute to play in the first half to stop a Mercyhurst drive and help the Fighting Scots maintain a slim 14-8 lead heading into halftime. In the fourth quarter, Williams blocked a punt that was recovered in Mercyhurst territory and that led to an Edinboro touchdown that gave the Scots a commanding 32-15 lead early in the fourth. The block marked the second of the season for Williams and the fifth of his career, while the interception was the fifth of the season for him.
Team Notes
Bloomsburg Huskies
The Huskies had their nine-game regular season winning streak (dating back to last season) snapped with a loss to Shippensburg…TB Kenny Domzalski had a career-long 77-yard touchdown run against the Red Raiders...For the fourth time in two seasons Domzalski and Derrick Price both rushed for more than 100 yards in the same game. Domzalski finished with 121 and Price with 102…K Jon Koenig tied the Huskies’ career record for most field goals with 29 when he connected on two in the game with the Red Raiders…LB Anthony Smith had 14 tackles on Saturday making it the fifth game this season with 10 or more tackles…QB Dan Latorre lost for the first time in his collegiate career during the month of October. Latorre had been 14-0 going into the game with Shippensburg.
California Vulcans
With their victory at Slippery Rock on Saturday, the Vulcans clinched at least a share of the PSAC West title for a fifth-straight year and secured their second-straight appearance in the PSAC Championship…Cal U joins IUP as the only PSAC schools to ever win five-straight divisional crowns, as the Crimson Hawks accomplished the feat from 1990-94 and 2000-04...The Vulcans now have won 19-consecutive games against PSAC West opponents dating back to the 2006 season…Against The Rock, QB Josh Portis threw a third-quarter interception to snap his streak of 157-straight pass attempts without an interception…Sr. DL Willie Walker now ranks second in school history with 29.5 career TFL, only 1.5 TFL behind the record set by Jim Luckas (1999-2001)…Cal U won the first all-time meeting against Mercyhurst last season
Cheyney Wolves
The Wolves suffered their worst defeat of the season...Cheyney gave up a season high 59 points...The Wolves rushing offense produced a season low 43 yards...Ron Hunter accounted for 39 of those yards...For the second game in a row and the third time this season Jack Petiton recorded double digits in tackles...Stan Banks recorded a season high ten tackles in the loss...The Wolves surrendered a season high 304 passing yards...Cheyney will conclude the 2009 campaign with a pair of home games...The Wolves host Shippensburg on October 31 and Clarion the following Saturday. Both kick-offs are slated for 1:00 p.m. in O’Shields-Stevenson Stadium.
Clarion Golden Eagles
Clarion toppled IUP 30-28…Alfonso Hoggard continued his torrid streak with 292 all-purpose yards and two TDs…He also had 162 rushing yards and two TDs against the league's top defense…Jacques Robinson had 3 grabs for 59 yards…He has 56 catches, 650 yards, four TDs in 2009…149 career catches (4th career) - tying him with former greats Steve Witte (149; 92-96) and Ron Urbansky (149; 86-89) - and 1,730 receiving yards (8th Career)...QB Tyler Huether has completed 455 of 884 career passes for 5,540 yards and 29 TDs…He ranks second in the PSAC in attempts, completions and passing yards…The win assures Clarion of its first winning season since 2002 when the team was 7-4…Clarion travels to Edinboro this Saturday for a 1pm game - on PA-Sportsfever TV.
C.W. Post Pioneers
C.W. Post earned its fourth conference win with a 42-24 decision over East Stroudsburg…The win ended a five-game losing skid against the Warriors dating back to 1981...Fr. RB Thomas Beverly carried the ball 31 times for a season-high 170 yards…Beverly now has 918 rushing yards this season… The Pioneers continue to lead the PSAC with 410.4 total yards a game…Jr. QB Eric Anderwkavich (15-25-0) passed for 232 yards that included three touchdown completions…The Pioneers totaled 468 offensive yards on 75 plays and were 3 for 4 in red zone chances and were 7 for 12 on third down conversions…Gr. LB Peter Manns and Billy O'Connor each made 12 tackles while Manns also added a nine-yard sack and a 44-yard interception return…The Pioneers return home to host two-game homestand, beginning with Kutztown on Oct. 31.
East Stroudsburg Warriors
C.W. Post ran for 236 yards, threw for 232 and returned two interceptions for touchdowns to break a five-game losing streak vs. ESU with a 42-24 win...The Warriors forced five turnovers, all fumble recoveries, and lead the PSAC with 22 takeaways...So. LB Taylor Cave had a career-high 13 tackles and Jr. OLB Matt Freed had 11 tackles (6th game with 10+ this year, 14th in 20 career starts)...Jr. DE Jeff Case (7 tackles, 2.0 TFL, sack, FF, 2 FR) leads ESU's defensive linemen with 35 tackles, 9.5 TFL and 3.5 sacks...Sr. WR Sam Shuman caught his 15th career TD pass and has 1,941 receiving yards...Four Warriors are averaging 90+ all-purpose yards this year - Jr. WR Jeff Giglio (112.0), Jr. TB Zach Krise (99.0), Fr. TB Kendrick Williams (92.8) and Jr. WR Ed Kiser (91.8).
Edinboro Fighting Scots
Trevor Harris threw for 261 yards at Mercyhurst and moved into second place in the PSAC in career passing yards (10,874). Harris also threw a touchdown pass for the 34th straight game…Fr. Marcus Johnson had a career-best day with 6 catches for 68 yards. He also returned a kickoff for 52 yards leading to a touchdown…Kenny Pettis made his first career start at strong safety, and finished with a career-high 10 tackles…Branden Williams intercepted his fifth pass of the season to halt one Laker drive, and blocked a punt to set up a touchdown. It was the sophomore's second blocked kick this year and fifth of his career…Michael Battles came off the bench in the second half and ran for a pair of TDs (4 and 3 yards)…Gary Nolen moved into 15th place in career receptions with 77, and is 12th in career receiving yards (1,109)…The Edinboro-Clarion game will be televised live by PA SPORTSfever, marking the fifth live telecast of a ‘Boro game this year.
Gannon Golden Knights
Gannon won its second consecutive game with a 27-0 shutout of Lock Haven, marking the second consecutive season the Knights have shut out the Bald Eagles...The Knights have won back-to-back home games for the first time since 2004...Jon Richardson became Gannon's all-time leader in all-purpose yards (3,720) and points (222) during the final home game of his collegiate career...He rushed for a season-high 155 yards, moving into third place all-time at Gannon with 2,632 rushing yards...True Fr. Matt Jones entered the game with 16 tackles, before making a season-high 11 stops against the Bald Eagles. Jones also recorded his first two career sacks...Gannon out-scored Lock Haven 14-0 in the third quarter and has now out-scored its opponents 76-44 in the third quarter this season...Matthew Neal-Mink recorded eight tackles and needs 18 stops to become the seventh player in school history to have 100 tackles in a season.
IUP Crimson Hawks
IUP had its eight-game winning streak versus Clarion snapped with a 30-28 loss…The Crimson Hawks must win their final two games at home versus Gannon and at Kutztown to avoid their first losing season since 1982…Prior to this year, IUP had never had a five-loss season in the PSAC West…Tobias Robinson rushed for 112 yards and became the 11th player in school history to reach 2,000 career yards, finishing the day with 2,109…Craig Burgess extended his extra point streak to 87 and is 104 of 105 in his career…Pat Smith and Mychal Skinner connected on a 60-yard touchdown strike in the second quarter, the longest pass play of the season for the Crimson Hawks.
Kutztown Golden Bears
This was the second time in three years that KU and Millersville have needed overtime to decide the outcome…Kutztown edged Millersville, 26-23, in three overtimes in 2007…The last time Kutztown played consecutive overtime games was in 1996 when it lost to Southern Connecticut State (24-21) and East Stroudsburg (27-20)…Jr. K Matt Dineen set the Kutztown record for most field goals made in a single-season when he made his 14th FG of the season, a 31-yarder with 7:43 remaining in the first half…Sr. RB Dontay Wilson gained 15 yards on three carries to move into seventh place on the KU all-time rushing list with 2,062 yards…Wilson passed Stephen Gammage (2,056), Phil Anthony (2,057) and Bob DiRico (2,057)…Fr. QB Kevin Morton had an effort to remember as he threw for a career-high 324 yards and four touchdowns. It was the second consecutive week Morton had a career best passing performance.
Lock Haven Bald Eagles
Lock Haven fell to 0-8 overall and 0-6 in PSAC West play after a 27-0 loss on the road at Gannon...With the loss LHU falls to 0-2 all-time vs. the Golden Knights...The loss also marks the 19th straight for Lock Haven, which sets a school record for consecutive losses...The previous record was 18 from 1925-27...Despite the loss, Kyle Lucas was the defensive star of the game and he finished with a game-high 14 tackles. He had five solo stops and one tackle for a loss...Lock Haven returns home next Saturday for its last home game of the 2009 season as the Bald Eagles host Slippery Rock.
Mercyhurst Lakers
Mercyhurst dropped a 32-22 decision to rival No. 23 Edinboro…The Lakers allowed 412 yards of total offense, the most since giving up 413 against Edinboro a year ago in a 24-21 upset victory on Oct. 23, 2008…The 32 points allowed is the most since a 42-10 loss at IUP last year…So. WR Trevor Kennedy became the first player in Mercyhurst history to record a passing and a receiving touchdown in the same game…Kennedy connected with Josh Szeluga on the Lakers’ first drive for a 23-yard strike before hauling in a 15-yard touchdown bomb from Joe Laffey in the third quarter…Szeluga, Kennedy and Garrett Kensy each posted a touchdown reception to mark the first time since Sept. 20, 2008 that three different Lakers recorded receiving touchdowns...In a 41-7 win over Clarion, Kensy completed TD passes to Dave Stallard, Kirk Campbell and Szeluga...The Lakers had two players with passing touchdowns, the first since Oct. 13, 2007 when Mitch Phillis connected with Szeluga, and Laffey hit Neil Apfelbaum in a 38-22 loss at Findlay.
Millersville Marauders
Millersville picked up its third win of the season and second PSAC East victory with a 41-35 double overtime victory over Kutztown...It was Millersville’s first overtime game since 2007 and its first overtime win since 2003...Jamal Smith tied Kevin Cannon’s school record (set in 1995) for touchdown catches in a game with four. He caught five passes for 133 yards, rushed five times for 23 yards and returned four kicks for 94 yards, finishing with 256 all-purpose yards...Brad Lantz led the team with six catches and 90 rushing yards. He finished with 156 all-purpose yards, moving him into sixth on Millersville’s career list...Shane Gross tallied 10 tackles including two for loss, one sack and one pass break-up...Antwain Brown-Barnes recorded a sack to move his team-high total to 4.5...Matt Egenrieder scored on a blocked punt, giving Millersville its first special teams touchdown of the season.
Shippensburg Red Raiders
Shippensburg needs a win next week at Cheyney to earn the PSAC Eastern Division berth in the annual State Game after a 28-27 victory over No. 3 Bloomsburg…Sr. Mike Harris set a new university record for career receptions (187)…Shippensburg has scored 23+ points for the ninth consecutive game to open a season, a feat never before achieved in its 105 seasons of football…SU's 13-play drive in the third quarter matched its longest drive of the season in terms of plays…The Red Raiders converted two fourth-down conversions on the final drive while Bloomsburg had held opponents to 1-of-16 on fourth down this season...SU also scored three touchdowns against a team that had allowed just eight all season…Saturday marked the second game in three weeks that SU won with a TD in the final minute.
Slippery Rock - The Rock
So. SS Jayson Nickson recorded his third interception of the season Saturday vs. California to move into a tie with Robert Doiley and Brandon Watters for the team lead...So. QB Rocco Colavecchia scored his fourth rushing TD of the season vs. California. That is the highest total for a Rock QB since Randy McKavish ran for eight in 1999...The 37-point losing margin last Saturday vs. California was SRU’s largest since it suffered a 62-14 loss to Indiana in 1994...The Rock has allowed its last three foes a combined total of 122 points after yielding 112 in the first six games...The Rock will look to end its three-game losing skid and assure itself of a winning season when it travels to Lock Haven for a noon game Saturday...SRU has beaten LHU 20 straight times and owns a 40-12-1 all-time record against the Bald Eagles.
West Chester Golden Rams
West Chester now leads the overall series 41-2-1...The 59-0 verdict marked the 13th shutout in the overall series for the Golden Rams...WR Steve Miller caught two TD passes for the third straight contest...CB Kevin Garland returned an interception 43 yards for a score...It marked the fourth time this year that West Chester has scored a non-offensive touchdown in a game...West Chester has won 37 consecutive games when holding an opponent under 20 points...LB Sam Scott recorded three tackles for a loss...He currently leads the PSAC in that category...QB Jared Jorgensen set a career-high with two TD passes...FB Adam Young scored his first career TD...WR Tom Shrader caught his first career TD pass.