PSAC Football Athletes of the Week - 7
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Zach Zulli (Offensive) and
Ronell Williams (Defensive) were selected as the East's athletes of the week for
their outstanding performances in Shippensburg and West Chester's 30+ score margin victories over their divisional opponents.
In the West,
Nigel Barksdale (Offensive) and
L.J. Stevens (Defensive) earn athlete of the week honors for the first time this season, as Barksdale played a part in three of Slippery Rock's four touchdowns, while Stevens stopped a Gannon offensive with a fumble recovery, interception, and five tackles.
PSAC Athletes of the Week - Oct. 14
(Week 7)
PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week
Zach Zulli, Shippensburg
QB, Jr., Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley
SPECIAL MENTION: Sophomore WR Trevor Harman set SU single-game records with 18 catches, 288 yards receiving and five touchdown catches, to tie PSAC single-game records. His 288 yards receiving marks the second-most by any NCAA Division II athlete this season.
Junior quarterback Zach Zulli tied the PSAC single-game record with nine touchdown passes, while also setting Shippensburg single-game records in each of the following statistics: 46 completions on 61 attempts (second-most completions in a game in PSAC history) for 581 yards passing, as a part of SU’s 73-35 victory over Kutztown. Zulli’s 581 passing yards are third-most in a game in PSAC history and second-most for a player in Division II this year. The last and only PSAC player to record nine touchdown passes in a game was East Stroudsburg’s Jimmy Terwilliger vs. LIU Post in 2005. Zulli’s passing yards and touchdown totals broke his own previous school records (six touchdowns at Cheyney in 2011 and 496 yards at East Stroudsburg this season).
Through seven games this season, Zulli has thrown for 33 touchdowns, nearly out-doing his 2011 campaign of 34 touchdowns in 11 games. The Red Raiders scored touchdowns on their first five drives of the game as Zulli began the day 11-for-11. Zulli also broke school records for consecutive games with a touchdown pass (15) and consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception (123).
PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week
Ronell Williams, West Chester University
LB, So., Chester, Pa./Chester
Ronell Williams registered a team-high 14 tackles in West Chester's 41-6 win over LIU-Post Saturday, recording three solo stops and 11 assisted tackles. Credited with a QB hurry, Williams aided WCU's defense to allow just one LIU touchdown and six total points in the divisional victory. His 14 tackles leaves him tied with Edinboro's Kenny Pettis for the conference lead in tackles with 78.
PSAC West Offensive Player of the Week
Nigel Barksdale, Slippery Rock University
QB, Jr., San Jacinto, Calif./San Jacinto HS
Nigel Barksdale led Slippery Rock to a 28-20 road victory over Clarion to snap a three-game losing streak and five consecutive road losses this fall in his second start of the season at quarterback. Barksdale had a hand in three of SRU's four TDs, including his own rushing touchdown at the 10:54 mark in the second quarter to lift the Rock to 14-0 over Clarion. Barksdale passed for 257 total yards, the second time in as many starts he has reached the 250-yard milestone. His TD pass to TE Josh Gardner with 14:11 left to play accounted for the game's eventual winning points.
PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week
L.J. Stevens, Mercyhurst University
S, Sr., Youngstown, Ohio / Ursuline
L.J. Stevens was all over the field on Saturday, helping Mercyhurst snap a two-game losing streak against its crosstown rivals, Gannon. Stevens finished tied for second on the team with five tackles, one solo and four assisted. Stevens registered a fumble recovery for 11 yards on Gannon's first possession of the game, which eventually led to a Mercyhurst touchdown. On Gannon's next posession, Stevens was there to upset the Golden Knights once again with an interception for nine yards. Stevens also played a role on special teams, as he returned a kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown to snap a 14-14 tie late in the second quarter. The 83-yard touchdown return is tied for the seventh-longest in program history. He finished the game with 113 all-purpose yards to go along with the fumble recovery and the interception.
Team Notes
Bloomsburg
Franklyn Quiteh rushed 43 times for 282 yards and three touchdowns to lead the sixth-ranked Bloomsburg University Huskies to a 48-27 win over East Stroudsburg University on Saturday. He scored on runs of 1, 40, and 20 yards to help the Huskies remain unbeaten. The Huskies have scored 30 or more points in each of their seven victories this season, setting the school record for consecutive 30-point games in a single season. The 282 yards on the ground for Quiteh are the second most in school history and his 43 carries marked the first time that a Husky had 40 or more since Irv Sigler ran 41 times against Millersville in 1997. Bloomsburg totaled 603 yards, the most since it put up 685 against Kutztown in 2010. Redshirt freshman quarterback Tim Kelly threw for a career-high 267 yards and four touchdowns in the victory. Kelly had touchdown passes of 5, 37, 68 and 72 yards on the day. Junior Glenn Hutton Jr. and senior Ryan Dickerson each brought in more than 100 receiving yards against the Warriors. Hutton Jr. led the game with four catches and a career-high 120 yards and two touchdowns. Dickerson also had four catches with a career-high 117 yards and a score. The last time Bloomsburg had two receivers with more than 100 yards was in 2000 against Saginaw Valley. Defensively, senior Jarrett Pidgeon notched his third double-digit tackle contest of the season with a team-high 12 tackles. Fellow senior Dan Haverstock had eight tackles including five solo stops, as sophomore Justin Shirk rounded-out the Huskies' trio with seven tackles.
California
The Vulcans remain tied for first place in the PSAC West standings following a 30-0 Homecoming victory against Lock Haven, marking Cal U's eighth consecutive win on Homecoming. The Vulcans recorded their first shutout of the season and their first since Elizabeth City State in the 2011 NCAA Playoffs. Redshirt freshman quarterback Cody Schroeder finished with 252 passing yards and three touchdowns while making his first career start. Schroeder is the first freshman quarterback to start a game since Joe Ruggiero in 2004. Senior Lamont Smith and sophomore Cody Cook both eclipsed the 100-yard mark, as the Vulcans rushed for a season-high 221 yards on 51 attempts. The Vulcans allowed the Bald Eagles to total just three rushing yards, their lowest single-game rushing total by an opponent since 2010 (Edinboro; minus-four). Sophomore Cody Nuzzo became the first kicker to make three field goals in a game since Tyler Lorenz in 2007.
Cheyney
Cheyney rushed for a season high 245 yards on 48 carries with quarterback Blaze Wasserleben carrying a bulk of the load. The junior signal caller rushed for 113 yards on 16 carries. He was also six of 16 through the air for 30 yards. Marcus Jones also had a strong day running the ball, as he accounted for 88 yards on 26 carries. Three plays into the second quarter Millersville quarterback Ted Stachitas completed a seven yard pass to Dominic Sanders for the first points of the afternoon. The Marauders were able to double their lead late in the quarter. Millersville took deep in Cheyney territory after a punt return to the Wolves 20. Four plays later the Marauders scored from one yard out to take a 14-0 lead heading into the locker room. On the Marauders first possession of the second half the Marauders marched 71 yards capped with another eight yard pass to Sanders giving Millersville a 21-0 lead. Two fourth quarter scores by the Marauders rounded out the scoring.
Clarion
Clarion lost the third annual Milk Jug game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday 28-20. Slippery Rock has won all three meetings since the game kicked off in 2010. Clarion QB Ben Fiscus continues to have an outstanding season, as he rushed for 68 yards and notched one touchdown, while passing for 287 yards and another touchdwon in the Eagle loss. In his career he now has rushed for 1,876 yards and is 10th all-time behind Demetric Gardner's 1,961 from 1998-2001. He has also passed for 3,443 career yards which ranks 12th all-time. Tailback Bobby Thomas has missed the last two games with an injury - but hopes ot be back when Clarion visits Lock Haven this Saturday. Defensive end Julian Howsare leads the Golden Eagles with 11 tfl's and 10 sacks in only 6 games played this season.
East Stroudsburg
ESU, coming off a 35-28 win over West Chester, fell 48-27 at #6 Bloomsburg on Saturday. The Warriors trailed 21-17 late in the 3rd quarter, but Bloomsburg scored on its last four possessions to pull away with the win. Jr. K Taylor Groff hit a 52-yard field goal, tied for his career long, and is the first PSAC kicker with three career 51+ yard FG, all of which have come on the road. Groff set ESU's career record with his 13th 40+ yard FG and is 34-for-48 in his career (21-26 inside 40, 13-23 over 40). Redshirt freshman QB Matt Soltes had 221 yards total offense (13-25, 167 yards, TD passing; 14-54 rushing). Soltes is the second Warrior with 1,000 passing yards as a freshman (75-126, 1,074 yards, 6 TD), joining Jimmy Terwilliger in 2003 (2,987). Senior TB Kendrick Williams became the 7th player in ESU history with 2,000 career rushing yards. Denny Douds coached his 403rd game (235-165-3), giving him 100 more games than the second-most in PSAC history (Gene Carpenter, Millersville). ESU hosts Kutztown in its final home game Saturday before finishing with three contests on the road.
Edinboro
Edinboro fell to 3-3 with Saturday’s 26-10 loss to 22nd-ranked Indiana (Pa.). All three of the Fighting Scots’ losses have come to nationally-ranked teams, with previous defeats to then 19th-ranked Bloomsburg and California (Pa.), who was ranked sixth at the time. Cody Harris had a string of back-to-back 300-yard passing games snapped as he was held to 185 yards. The junior once again accounted for Edinboro’s touchdown on a six-yard pass to Seth Hembree that capped an impressive 19-play, 90-yard drive that ate up eight minutes. It marked the first score for the Fighting Scots against IUP since 2009. Harris moved into third place in career completions with 500, trailing only his brother Trevor Harris and Justin Bouch, and is also now fourth in career pass attempts (723). Senior free safety Kenny Pettis finished with 13 tackles, marking his fifth game in double figures this season. Freshman Sean Seefeldt kicked a season-long 39-yard field goal. Brian Roberts, a fifth-year performer for the Scots, made his first career start at left guard. Roberts is the son of former long-time Edinboro athletic trainer George Roberts. When Nick Hall went into the game it marked the fifth tailback used this season. The Scots were without three tailbacks due to injury. Marcus Johnson caught two passes to move into 14th place in career receptions with 87 before going down with an injury.
Gannon
Gannon dropped its sixth consecutive game with a 38-29 loss to rival Mercyhurst, snapping a two-game win streak against the Lakers. The Golden Knights had 439 yards of total offense, the program’s most since having 476 against Kutztown on November 13, 2010. Redshirt freshman Liam Nadler threw for a career-high 428 yards, breaking the school’s single-game record that he previously set with 420 during the season opener against Lake Erie. Freshman Quad Law recorded career-highs in receptions (8) and receiving yards (82). Senior Ashton Jones made a career-high 12 tackles and has 22 stops during the last two games after making seven during the first five. Redshirt junior tailback Jansen Jones recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game with four receptions for 100 yards. Sophomore Abraham Ocasio became the third player in school history to record three 100-yard receiving games in the same season.
IUP
The 22nd-ranked Crimson Hawks won their third straight game, shutting down the Edinboro offense in a 26-10 win on Saturday. The win improves IUP to 6-1 on the season and 3-1 in the PSAC West. Senior RB Harvie Tuck tallied his fifth 100-yard effort of the season with 178 rushing yards and two touchdowns, moving into second place on IUP’s school rushing charts with 3,854 career yards. It also gives him a career-high 1,173 yards on the season, his third straight 1,000-yard season. The IUP defense held All-PSAC West quarterback Cody Harris to just 185 yards through the air, sacking him five times and picking him off twice. Junior LB Alexander Berdahl had a career-high 15 tackles along with a sack and an interception to lead the defense. Senior DT Carl Thornton had a pair of sacks, while a first quarter interception by sophomore Jerrell McFadden led to IUP’s first touchdown of the game. IUP returns home next weekend for a matchup against Mercyhurst (6-1, 4-0) on Saturday.
Kutztown
Kutztown's Kevin Morton continued his assault on the record books despite Shippensburg's air show defeating KU 73-35. He set single game records for pass attempts, completions, and passing yards in the contests and also joined the exclusive club of 10,000 passing yards and 100 career touchdown passes. He became just the 19th player in Division II history to reach both marks and only the 59 have done it in the history of college football at all divisions of NCAA football and the NAIA. He finished the game 45-of-63 for 479 yards and three touchdowns. Morton moved into 12th place in Division II history with 108 career touchdown passes and moved past current KU offensive coordinator Drew Folmar into fourth place in PSAC history with 10,877 yards of total offense. Colby Tuell had a big day receiving for KU with 12 catches for 167 yards and a touchdown. Josh Mastromatto also reached double figures with 10 catches covering 47 yards. Tuell (139) and Mastromatto (136) moved into fifth and sixth place all-time at KU in receptions. Tuell moved into sixth place all-time at KU in receiving yardage at 1,891. Sam Dixon-Dougan had 11 tackles for Kutztown. Adam Goeringer had a sack among his seven tackles on the afternoon. Justin Michalak scored on a five-yard touchdown catch and Zach Snyder caught a 25-yard scoring strike. Curtis Wortham scored twice and led all players with 73 rushing yards on just three carries, including a 30-yard scamper.
LIU Post
LIU Post was unable to undo its recent skid as it fell to West Chester, 41-6 on Saturday. The Pioneers matched the Golden Rams' first touchdown with a 13-yard pass from Steven Laurino to Anthony Brunetti early in the second quarter but were unable to break through for another score. The Pioneers totaled 386 yards of offense that included 189 passing yards from Laurino and 49 rushing yards from Brunetti. Meanwhile, junior Joe Botti led the receiving corps with five catches for 85 yards with his longest going for 36. Junior Evan Flowers led the defense with a game-high 18 tackles (7u, 11a). Post returns home to host Millersville next Saturday on Homecoming at 1 p.m.
Lock Haven
For the fourth time this season, the Lock Haven University football team was shutout as the Bald Eagles lost 30-0 at No. 15 Cal. It marked the third time this year LHU took on a nationally ranked team. LHU fell to 0-7 overall and 0-4 in PSAC West action. The loss marked the 49th straight for The Haven, to give the Eagles the longest active losing streak in college football and the all-time Division II record for consecutive losses. Last weekend, LHU lost to Mercyhurst 19-10 with the nine-point loss marking the slimmest losing margin of the year for Lock Haven. A huge bright spot for The Haven vs. Cal was the play of sophomore defensive back Derrick Watkins, who made a game-high 13 tackles (10 solo). The 13 tackles are the most all year for a Bald Eagle. Lock Haven hits the field next Saturday against Clarion. The game will mark Lock Haven’s 2012 Homecoming. The Golden Eagles are the last team Lock Haven beat as LHU took down Clarion 17-14 (OT) in the 2007 season-finale. Clarion has won four straight over LHU, who’s failed to win a game in each of the last four seasons.
Mercyhurst
Mercyhurst snapped a two-game losing streak against its crosstown rival Gannon on Saturday, winning by the score of 38-29. The Lakers improved to 10-5-1 lifetime against the Golden Knights. Mercyhurst is now on a six-game winning streak after losing in the opening game of the season. The six-game win streak ties the 1985 squad, under head coach Tony DeMeo, for the second-longest in program history. RB Brandon Brown-Dukes rushed for 192 yards on a career-high 30 carries and also scored his 10th touchdown of the season against Gannon. It was his fifth 100-yard game of the season and his fourth 150-yard game of the year - one shy of the school record. QB Anthony Vendemia had two one-yard touchdown runs in the first half - the first rushing touchdowns of his career. Mercyhurst registered five sacks and eight tackles for a loss, holding Gannon to 11 yards rushing. PK Steven Wakefield had eight points on Saturday, including a 36-yard field goal. He is a perfect 6-for-6 on field goals this season and now has 44 points this year to give him 164 for his career. He is two points away from becoming the school's all-time leading scorer as a kicker. Phil Scanlon (2004-07) holds the record with 165 points. Mercyhurst will put its six-game winning streak on the line next Saturday when the Lakers travel to Indiana (Pa.) to take on the Crimson Hawks. The two schools have split the prior four meetings, with IUP pulling-out an overtime victory last season at Tullio Field.
Millersville
Ted Stachitas returned to the lineup and threw a career-high three TD passes in Millersville’s 35-0 win over Cheyney. It was the Marauders’ widest margin of victory since defeated Cheyney 48-6 in 2008. The shutout was also the first at Millersville since blanking Cheyney on Oct. 27, 2007. The defense generated five turnovers including four fumble recoveries. Quinn West recorded the first interception of his career. Millersville has recovered a fumble in four of seven games and has generated at least one turnover in six of seven games. The four recoveries were the most since Oct. 10, 2009 at Cheyney. Connor Casey threw a touchdown pass for his second consecutive game, giving him three TD’s and no interceptions in two appearances. Pat Cantrell’s blocked punt was Millersville’s first since the season opener of the 2010 season. Mike Reichenbach entered Saturday with just one career catch but caught a 17-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Mike Jones continued to rack up points, scoring one rushing and one receiving TD, giving him seven total scores on the year. The last Marauder had at least three rushing and three receiving scores in a season was Terrance Trogdon in 2001 when he scored six receiving and five rushing touchdowns. Jones has seven of the team’s 17 touchdowns. Dominic Sanders’ two TD’s were the first of his season but it was the second time he has caught at least two TD’s in a game in the last two seasons. Pat Maloney recorded 12 stops for his ninth career game with double-digit tackles.
Shippensburg
No. 16 Shippensburg extended Division II’s longest active winning streak to 11 straight games by tying school single-game records for points and touchdowns (10) in a 73-35 road victory at defending PSAC champion Kutztown and broke at least 12 school records in the process while tying three others. Ship recorded 723 yards of total offense – tied for the most by a Division II team this season and second-most in SU history – the Raiders scored the most points ever against Kutztown. SU totaled a school single-game record 38 first down. For the second consecutive season, the Shippensburg defense forced five turnovers from Kutztown quarterback and two-time PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year Kevin Morton. Trevor Harman’s 288 receiving yards are fourth-most in a game in PSAC history and second-most by a Division II player this season. Harman’s 18 catches are also the most for a Division II player this season. The five touchdowns scored by Harman are the most by a Division II player in a single game this season. SU’s 603 team passing yards is tied for the fourth-most in PSAC single-game history. Through seven games this season, Zulli has thrown for 33 touchdowns; he threw for 34 touchdowns in 11 games last season.
Slippery Rock
Rock snapped string of three consecutive losses this fall and five consecutive on the road with a 28-20 victory at Clarion. Rock is now 6-1 against Clarion head coach Jay Foster, who served as Rock's defensive coordinator from 1988-2005. Saturday's win extended Rock's current win streak over Clarion in the Golden Eagles' nest to 10 games dating back to 1993. SRU is unbeaten in three "Milk Jug" games vs. its backyard rival Clarion since award originated in 2010. After playing back-to-back road games at Indiana and Clarion, Rock return home to entertain Edinboro next Saturday in SRU Homecoming Game. Rock is 20-4 in SRU Homecoming games under current head coach George Mihalik.
West Chester
West Chester tied the all-time series with LIU Post at 4-4 with its win Saturday. The Golden Rams have equaled their win total from a year ago with their fifth victory this fall. West Chester remains unbeaten at home in 2012 with its third win at Farrell Stadium. Junior RB Rondell White rushed for over 100 yards and racked up more than 100 yards receiving in the same game for the first time in his career. His 343 all-purpose yards on Saturday was a career-high for the local product and is fourth all-time at WCU in a single game. White also eclipsed 3,000 career all-purpose yards, and now has 3,027 career all-purpose yards. White also has 881 yards rushing on the season - establishing a new season high. White also has 12 TDs on the year. PK Shawn Leo made two field goals, giving him 28 in his career, and is now second all-time at WCU just two field goals behind John Marotta's record of 30 set between 1987-90.