October 2, 2000

MORAVIAN AT KING'S FOOTBALL PREVIEW

THE GAME: Moravian looks to bounce back from its first loss of the 2000 season in a Middle Atlantic Conference game when the Greyhounds travel to King’s College on Saturday, October 7th. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m. at Robert L. Betzler Field in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

THE COACHES: Scot Dapp (West Chester ’73) is in his 14th season at Moravian, with a career record of 85-51-1 (.624). He entered the season 42nd in winning percentage among NCAA Division III active coaches. Dapp has earned Coach-of-the-Year accolades from the MAC three times including Co-Coach of the Year honors in 1997 and has led the ’Hounds to two appearances in the NCAA playoffs.

King’s coach Rich Mannello (Springfield ’83) is in his eighth season at the school with an overall record of 18-54-1 (.253).

THE SERIES: Saturday’s meeting will be the 6th in the series with Moravian holding a 4-1 advantage. The Monarchs won last season’s game 21-19. Moravian won the first four meetings in the series after King’s brought back football in 1993

LAST TIME THEY MET: In Bethlehem last fall, Moravian behind 14-0 in the first half and 21-6 before rallying for 13 points in the final 3:37 to set the final score at 21-19 King’s. Greyhound quarterback Rob Petrosky threw three touchdown passes in the game including a pair to wide receiver Jarod Rhinehart (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills Regional HS), for 10 and 15 yards. Petrosky completed 11 of 25 passes for 174 yards with Rhinehart catching five passes for 81 yards. Running back P.J. Jankowicz (Belle Mead, NJ/Hillsborough HS) gained 6 yards on 27 carries in the game. For the Monarchs, Damon Saxon ran for 146 yards and one touchdown on 32 carries. Chris Shivery added 66 yards on 12 carries with one score. Quarterback Tom Pierantozzi completed six of 13 passes for 56 yards and he ran for King’s other touchdown. On defense for the Greyhounds, linebacker John Cupples (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic HS) made 18 tackles in his first collegiate start while safety Jason Goldan had 17 tackles. Andrew Wilson made nine tackles for the Monarchs.

LAST WEEK: The Greyhounds suffered their first loss of the 2000 season in a 46-20 defeat to Widener University in Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth action. Trailing 21-0, Moravian would strike on a five-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Charlie Bowden (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial HS) to freshman tailback Tim Barlok (Bethlehem/Bethlehem Catholic HS). Freshman Josh Miller (Boyertown/Boyertown HS) made the extra-point to cut the score to 21-7. Bowden completed 24 of 38 passes for 343 yards, a career best, and three touchdowns. Barlok led Moravian on the ground with 27 yards in nine carries. Senior running back P.J. Jankowicz had 12 yards on five carries to move within 74 of 2,000 yards in his career. Moravian, trailing 34-7, would make a game of it with a pair of touchdown passes from Bowden to junior wide receiver Michael Abbate (South Plainfield, NJ/Bishop Ahr HS). The first pass covered 21 yards and was followed by a Miller kick while the second score was from 41 yards and the extra-point failed, making the score 34-20 Widener with 7:24 to play in the fourth quarter. Abbate had seven receptions for 188 yards on the day, the third highest single game-receiving total in Moravian history. Freshman wide receiver Kevin Miltenberger (Carlisle/Carlisle HS) grabbed six passes for 56 yards while sophomore wide receiver Jarod Rhinehart had six catches for 43 yards. Sophomore linebacker John Cupples had 13 tackles in the game for Moravian. Sophomore safety Jarrod Pence (Livingston, NJ/Livingston HS) had one interception for the Greyhounds, his fourth of the season, and 11 tackles while junior safety Mike Wukitsch (Allentown/ Allentown Central Catholic HS) also had one interception to give the Greyhounds 11 interceptions in four games this fall. Sophomore cornerback Nate Pogue (Bethlehem/Liberty HS) made nine tackles in the game.

SCOUTING KING’S: The Monarchs enter the game on Saturday with a 1-3 overall record after a 49-16 loss to Lebanon Valley College last weekend. King’s started the 2000 season with a 51-32 win at Hartwick College before losing its last three games. The King’s offense is led by senior running back Damon Saxon, who leads the MAC in rushing at 188.2 yards per game. Saxon has gained 753 yards on 124 carries this fall with ten touchdowns. Junior fullback Chris Shivery has 94 yards and two touchdowns on 21 attempts. Junior quarterback Tom Pierantozzi has completed 44 of 109 passes for 455 yards with one touchdown, however, Pierantozzi has thrown eight interceptions and been sacked six times. Sophomore wide receiver Chris Rispoli, junior wide receiver Jim Pio and junior tight end Merritt Carr lead the Monarchs with nine receptions each. Rispoli has 163 yards while Pio and Carr each had 91 yards and a touchdown. Freshman Matt VonTanhausen is the Monarchs’ place kicker and he has made three of four field goals and six of seven extra points this fall. VonTanhausen is also handling the punting duties this year and is averaging 35.9 yards per punt, fifth in the MAC. Sophomore Rubin Doster leads the King’s defense with 35 tackles, including 24 solo stops, 14 and a half tackles for loss and six and a half sacks. Senior linebacker Mike Sellitti also has 35 stops this fall with 19 solo tackles. Sophomore defensive end Steve Wilson has five sacks among this24 tackles while sophomore defensive end Chris Keene has five and a half sacks and 13 tackles. Sophomore cornerback Sean Frasier leads the Monarchs with two interceptions and five pass break-ups to go along with 21 tackles.

YOUNG, BALANCED & EXPERIENCED ‘HOUNDS: Of the 75 players on the Moravian roster, 25 are freshmen, 30 are sophomores and 13 are juniors. There are seven seniors on this season’s squad and the Greyhounds returns 35 letterwinners and 14 starters.

GREYHOUNDS IN THE MAC: The ’Hounds defense is fifth the Middle Atlantic Conference in scoring defense, allowing just 19.8 points per game. The Moravian defense also ranks seventh in rushing (118.8 yards per contest), third in passing (192.2 yards per game), third in total defense (311.0 yards per game), first in pass defense efficiency (83.01) and tied for third in turnover margin (+1.0 per game). The Greyhounds are a +4 in takeaway/giveaway this season. On offense, the Greyhounds are sixth in scoring (21.2 points per game), eighth in rushing (82.5 yards per game), fourth in passing (253.0 yards per game), sixth in total offense (335.5 yards per contest) and fourth in pass efficiency (132.17). Sophomore safety Jarrod Pence is tied for first in the MAC with 1.0 interceptions per game while senior cornerback Doug Joseph (Allentown/Parkland HS) is tied for third with 0.75 interceptions per game. Joseph ranks tenth in kickoff returns with 20.9 yards a run back. Senior linebacker J.D. Rhinehart (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills Regional HS) is tied for seventh in interceptions at 0.5 interceptions per game. Sophomore quarterback Charlie Bowden ranks fourth in pass efficiency at 132.17, fifth in passing at 233.8 yards per game and fifth in total offense at 222.0 yards per contest. Freshman wide receiver Kevin Miltenberger is seventh in the MAC with 5.25 receptions per game while freshman Tim Barlok is seventh in kickoff returns at 22.7 yards per return. Freshman punter Alex Myshak (Lake Ariel/North Pocono HS) is seventh in punting at 34.1 yards per kick. Junior Michael Abbate, who was named to the MAC Honor Roll this week, is third in receiving yards per game at 86.5 yards a game, seventh in all-purpose yards at 103.0 yards per game, tenth in punt returns at 5.7 yards a return and tied for seventh in scoring at 7.5 points per game. Junior kicker Marc Roesch (Egg Harbor City, NJ/St. Augustine HS) is tied for fourth in field goals per game (0.5) and eighth in points per game (2.5).

POLL POSITION: Moravian was selected to tie for fifth in the MAC Commonwealth preseason poll this season while Widener University was picked to tie for first in the MAC Commonwealth with Susquehanna University. Lycoming College was again selected as the top team in the MAC.

BOWDEN LEADS THE ‘HOUNDS OFFENSE: Sophomore quarterback Charlie Bowden has completed 69 of 120 passes this season for 935 yards and seven touchdowns with two interceptions, both thrown last week against Widener. Bowden’s 343 yards against Widener was the sixth highest game total in Moravian history and the first 300-yard game since 1997. Senior quarterback Jed Moyer (Dresher/Upper Dublin HS) has completed six of 11 passes for 77 yards and one interception this fall. Moravian’s quarterbacks have been sacked 17 times this fall.

IN THE BACKFIELD: Sophomore tailback Josh Fick (Emmaus/Emmaus HS) has 25 carries for 118 yards and one touchdown this year while freshman Tim Barlok has 119 yards on 27 attempts. Senior tailback P.J. Jankowicz needs just 74 yards to become the seventh Greyhound player to run for 2,000 yards in a career. Jankowicz has 87 yards and a touchdown on 36 carries this season. Senior fullback Frank Starner has added 31 yards on 20 carries.

THE WIDE RECEIVERS: The Greyhounds have had ten players catch a pass this season led by freshman Kevin Miltenberger, who has 21 receptions for 195 yards and one touchdown. Junior wideout Michael Abbate has 15 catches for 346 yards and four touchdowns while sophomore wide receiver Jarod Rhinehart has grabbed 11 aerials for 138 yards. Sophomore tight end Rick Kulp (Walnutport/Northampton HS) has six catches for 93 yards. Senior tailback P.J. Jankowicz has six catches for 53 yards while freshman wide receiver Jeff Lowry (Catawissa/Southern Columbia HS) has five receptions for 93 yards and a score.

OFFENSIVE LINE: Moravian has three starters back on the offensive line this season including senior tackle Adam Smith (Allentown/Parkland HS). Smith will anchor the line which averages 6’0", 253. Junior Matt Gray (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant HS) is moving from center to the other tackle position. Junior Jon Williams (Allentown/Parkland HS) returns to one guard spot while sophomore John Giacchi (Franklin, NJ/Pope John XXIII) will move into the starting role in the other guard position. Sophomore Josh Zagorski (Morris Plains, NJ/Parsippany Hills HS) will be the starting center.

DEFENSIVE FRONT: Junior defensive tackle John Kwiatkowski (Whitehall/Whitehall HS) leads the Greyhounds front four with 21 tackles, seven for loss and two and a half sacks. Sophomore defensive tackle Pat Mancini (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley Regional HS) has added 19 tackles, including three for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Senior defensive end Dustin Collier (Easton/Freedom HS) has 19 tackles with one sack and two tackles for loss while sophomore defensive end Brian Cascioli (Center Valley/Southern Valley HS) has 17 tackles with one for loss. Cascioli also blocked a punt against Lebanon Valley College and earned a 36-yard return for recovering the block. Sophomore defensive end Tom Blackledge (Sellersville/Pennridge HS) has 12 tackles with three for loss and one sack.

THE LINEBACKERING CORP: Senior J.D. Rhinehart leads the Greyhound defense with 42 tackles including five for loss, two and a half sacks, two interceptions, three pass break-ups and two forced fumbles. Sophomore Bill Engler (Coopersburg/Southern Lehigh HS) has 37 tackles this season with four for loss and one and a half sacks. Sophomore John Cupples has added 32 tackles this fall with two for loss.

THE DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD: Sophomore safety Jarrod Pence has made four interceptions this fall to lead the Greyhounds and he has added 36 tackles, one forced fumble, seven pass break-ups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, which he returned 29 yards for a touchdown against Lebanon Valley. Senior cornerback Doug Joseph has three interceptions to go along with 29 tackles and 12 pass break-ups. Junior safety Mike Wukitsch (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic HS) has 18 tackles, one two interceptions and seven pass break-ups while sophomore cornerback Nate Pogue (Bethlehem/Liberty HS) has 22 tackles and seven pass break-ups.

KICKING GAME: Junior Marc Roesch is four of seven on extra-points and two of five on field goal attempts this season. Roesch has made field goals of 28 and 33 yards. Freshman Josh Miller is three for fourth on extra-points and he missed his only field goal attempt. Freshman Alex Myshak is the Greyhounds punter and he is averaging 34.1 yards per kick with a long of 45 yards against Widener.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Freshman Tim Barlok has ten kickoff returns for 227 yards while junior Michael Abbate has returned seven punt returns for 40 yards while. Senior Doug Joseph has seven kickoff returns for 146 yards and three punt returns for 42 yards. Sophomore Josh Fick has returned two punts for 52 yards.

OVERTIME ‘HOUNDS: Moravian has played a total of seven overtime games since the NCAA instituted the rule for the 1996 season and is 5-2 all-time in the extra-session.

ON THE AIRWAVES: For the fourth straight year, the Greyhounds football game will be aired on WGPA, Sunny 1100 AM. Phil May will handle the play-by-play call with color commentary from Jim Wills.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact SID Mark Fleming, either at Moravian’s sports information office (610/861-1472) or King’s SID Bob Ziadie at (570/208-5934).