Tuesday, September 3, 2002

MORAVIAN COLLEGE GREYHOUNDS, 0-0 (0-0 MAC)

FDU-FLORHAM DEVILS, 0-0 (0-0 MAC)

1:00 p.m.; Saturday, September 7, 2002
Steel Field (c. 2,500); Bethlehem, PA

THE GAME: Moravian opens the 2002 season in search of its third straight victory dating back to last season, hosting FDU-Florham in a Middle Atlantic Conference home game.  Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Steel Field.

THE COACHES: Scot Dapp (West Chester '73) is in his 16th season at Moravian, with a career record of 93-59-1 (.611).  He entered the season 45th  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.

FDU-Florham coach Rich Mosca (West Liberty '70) is in his first season at the school and he makes his head coaching debut this Saturday.

THE SERIES: Saturday's meeting will be the eighth in the series with the Greyhounds owning a 6-1 lead.  Moravian won last season's meeting, 27-0, and the Greyhounds won the first four meetings in the series.  FDU-Florham's only victory came in 1999 with a 13-10 win. Last year's game was originally scheduled for September 15th but wasn't played until November 17th.  The school changed its name from FDU-Madison to FDU-Florham this summer.

LAST TIME THEY MET: In Madison, NJ last fall, tailback Cody Hendershot (Bangor, PA/Bangor HS) ran for 72 yards on 15 carries with one touchdown in his first career start to lead Moravian team to a 27-0 victory over FDU-Madison in Middle Atlantic Conference game. The game was a make-up game that was originally scheduled for September 15th. Moravian took the opening kickoff, after a 31-yard kickoff return by Eric Gustafson (Collingswood, NJ/ Collingswood HS), and drove 49 yards for the score. Hendershot finished off the drive with a two-yard touchdown run. Jim McIntyre made the extra-point for a 7-0 lead.  Hendershot started the game for Moravian due to injuries to tailbacks Josh Fick (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus HS) and Tim Barlok (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) and David Darmofal (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights HS). The Greyhounds took over on their second possession with just 27 yards to the end zone after a bad snap on the Devils punt attempt. Wide receiver Michael Abbate capped off the seven-play drive with a two-yard touchdown run. McIntyre's kick gave the Greyhounds a 14-0 lead with 6:59 remaining in the first quarter.  Moravian made its lead 21-0 with a one-yard touchdown run by tailback William Carasia (Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven HS) with 12:17 left in the third quarter. McIntyre added his third extra-point of the game. The Greyhounds final score came with 40 seconds left in the third quarter when quarterback Charlie Bowden (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial HS) picked up a fumble by tailback Ray Burgan (Egg Harbor, NJ/ Oakcrest HS) at the four yard line and ran into the end zone. Marc Roesch (Egg Harbor City, NJ/St. Augustine HS) missed the extra-point to set the final score 27-0. The touchdown capped a 15-play, 92-yard drive that took 9:28 of the third quarter. Burgan finished the game with 46 yards on 12 carries while Gustafson had 42 yards on seven carries.  Moravian had 229 yards on 56 carries in the game. Bowden ran for 33 yards on five carries and he was not sacked while completing 11 of 17 passes for 146 yards. Abbate had three receptions for 30 yards and 15 yards on five carries. Tight end Rick Kulp (Walnutport, PA/Northampton HS) led the Greyhounds with three receptions for 37 yards while wideout Jarod Rhinehart (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills Regional HS) had three receptions for 31 yards. Safety John Panikiewsky (Carteret, NJ/Carteret HS) led the Moravian defense with nine tackles with three tackles for loss and a half a sack. Defensive lineman Tom Blackledge (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge HS) had five tackles with one and a half sacks. McIntyre stop the final FDU-Madison drive with 2:55 to play with an interception in the end zone.

SEASON OPENING GAMES:  The Greyhounds will be looking for their second season opening victory in the last three years. The Greyhounds defeated Delaware Valley College, 19-10, in Doylestown to open the 2000 season. Moravian's last season-opening win at home was in 1995 versus King's, 31-0.

SCOUTING FDU-FLORHAM: The Devils are under the direction of a new head coach this season in Rich Mosca. FDU-Florham, which was formerly known as FDU-Madison, has 52 letterman returning this fall including 13 starters. Leading the team offensively will be senior running back Ed Cracchiolo, who was a MAC Second Team All-Star last season. Cracchiolo had 1,095 yards and he has 2,338 yards in his career. Also back to guide the offense will be sophomore quarterback Mike Passero, who completed 63 of 190 passes last fall for 762 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Patrick O'Neill will also challenge for playing time at quarterack. The duo has three experienced wide receivers to pass to in Quadir Muhammed, Tim Carlock and Mike Daly. Muhammed led the team in receptions in 2001 with 23 and in yards with 322. Carlock had nine catched for 179 yards while Daly added seven grabs for 59 yards. Brian McCall returns at tight end and starting tackle Dave Hoffman anchors the offensive line. On defense, FDU-Florham is led by senior defensive back Frank Nolasco, the team's top returning tackler. Nolasco, who was a MAC All-Star Second Team honoree, made 80 tackles with 42 solo stops, two interceptions and three pass break-ups. Senior linebacker Mike Biancella returns after making 69 takles last fall with 11 for loss. Junior defensive tackle Mike Filosa had 24 tackles a year ago with a sack and four tackles for loss while sophomore Mike McDonaugh returns after making 18 tackles as a freshman. Senior cornerback Eric Eickhorst made 30 tackles last season with two interceptions and four pass breakups. Eickhorst is also the Devils kicker.  He had one field goal and he was nine for 12 on extra-points in 2001.

YOUNG, BALANCED & EXPERIENCED 'HOUNDS: Of the 105 players on the Moravian roster, 47 are freshmen, 17 are sophomores and 18 are juniors.  There are 23 seniors on this season's squad, the lasrgest number in years, and the Greyhounds return 44 letterwinners and 19 starters.

GREYHOUNDS IN THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC CONFERENCE: Beginning last season, the Middle Atlantic Conference became an 11-team conference instead of two separate leagues.  Moravian was selected to finish sixth in the MAC Preseason Coaches Poll this season while FDU-Florham was picked tenth in the MAC poll.  Widener University, which reached the NCAA quarterfinals last season, was again selected as the top team in the MAC.

BOWDEN LEADING THE 'HOUNDS OFFENSE: Senior quarterback Charlie Bowden, who has been the Greyhounds' starter for the last two seasons, completed 117 of 243 passes last fall for 1,413 yards with ten touchdowns and ten interceptions.  Bowden will be looking to regain the form from his sophomore year when he completed 167 of 299 pass attempts for 2,237 yards with 14 scores and 11 interceptions.  Also back at the quarterback position is junior Will Seng (Allentown, PA/William Allen HS), who completed 21 of 35 passes in 2001 for 294 yards with three touchdown throws and three interceptions.  Also backing up will be sophomore Mario Bevilaqua (Scranton, PA/West Scranton HS).

IN THE BACKFIELD: Senior tailback Josh Fick leads a backfield that returns six of the seven top rushers on the team last season.  Fick played in just five games last season but led the team with 468 yards and eight touchdowns on 79 carries.  Fick's career numbers include 910 yards and 16 touchdowns on 149 carries. Junior tailback David Darmofal gained 339 yards on 76 carries with two touchdowns while junior tailback Tim Barlok had 308 yards and two scores on 85 attempts. Barlok needs just 27 yards to join Moravian's 1,000-yard club after gaining 973 yards on 207 carries with ten touchdowns in his first two seasons. Also back in the backfield will be senior fullback Eric Gustafson, who had 288 yards and two touchdowns on 61 carries, sophomore tailback Cody Hendershot, who gained 72 yards on 17 carries, and junior fullback Ray Burgan, who had 60 yards on 18 rushing attempts.

THE WIDE RECEIVERS: Senior wide receiver Jarod Rhinehart leads a talented group of receivers for Bowden and Seng to throw to.  Rhinehart was second on the Greyhound squad last season with 27 receptions for 321 yards and two touchdowns.  In his career, Rhinehart, who needs 14 receptions to become the sixth player in Moravian history with 100 career receptions, has caught 86 passes for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns.  Junior wide receiver Jeff Lowry (Catawissa, PA/Southern Columbia HS) returns after grabbing 25 aerials for 281 yards and two scores.  Junior wideout Kevin Miltenberger (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle HS), who has been bothered by injuries the last two seasons, is also back after grabbing seven passes for 45 yards last fall.  The Greyhounds will be looking for a replacement of Michael Abbate, who graduated as one of the top three receivers in Moravian history and the Greyhounds' most dependable receiver last year, catching 39 passes for 543 yards and five touchdowns. At the tight end spot, senior Rick Kulp  returns for a third season as the team's starter.  Last fall, Kulp caught 11 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns and he will be backed up by junior Chad Opdyke (Bath, PA/Northampton HS) and senior Tom Lonergan (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Nativity B.V.M. HS).

OFFENSIVE LINE: Senior Josh Zagorski, a 2001 Middle Atlantic Conference All-Star and center, will anchor the offensive line which returns four of five members from last season. Zagorski was also named to the Don Hansen's Football Gazette Division III Preseason All-American Third Team. Also back on the front line will be seniors John Giacchi (Franklin, NJ/Pope John XXIII HS) and Jeff Andruczyk (Hampton, NJ/Voorhees HS) and sophomore Andrew Leska (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh HS).  Senior Marc Zimmerman (Macungie, PA/Emmaus HS) will fill the open positions in the line. The returning quintet gives the Greyhounds a formidable line, averaging 5'11" and 260 pounds.

DEFENSIVE FRONT: Senior defensive end Tom Blackledge anchors the defensive front three after making 45 tackles last season with 17 for loss including five and a half sacks.  Joining Blackledge up front will be senior nose tackle Pat Mancini (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley Regional HS), who had 37 stops last fall with six for loss and three sacks.  Mancini also forced two fumbles.  Senior lineman Brian Cascioli (Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh HS) will have a chance to move into the open line spot.  He made nine tackles a year ago with one sack.  Sophomore Shawn Nelson (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) will also see some playing time after making 27 tackles, three for loss, in his debut for the Greyhounds last fall.

THE LINEBACKER CORPS: Moravian moved to a 3-4 defense last season because of the talent in its linebacker corps and the Greyhounds will use the same formation with all four back. Senior John Cupples (Allentown, PA/Allentown Central Catholic HS), a MAC All-Star last season, led Moravian with 79 tackles from his inside position.  He also made 17 tackles for loss with four sacks and Cupples had one interception, four pass break-ups and two forced fumbles. Joining Cupples on the inside is senior Bill Engler (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh HS), who had 69 tackles with ten for loss and three sacks. On the outside, junior Steve Maslanek (Stockholm, NJ/Vernon Township HS) and senior Vince Cowlishaw (Chatham, NJ/Chatham HS) return to their starting positions. Maslanek made 57 tackles with nine for loss and five and a half sacks while Cowlishaw contributed 45 stops with eight for loss and two sacks. Junior Josh DiGiacomo (Zionsville, PA/Emmaus HS), who had 16 tackles, can play any of the positions.

THE DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD: Senior cornerback Jarrod Pence (Livingston, NJ/Livingston HS), who was a MAC All-Star last fall and has been named a D3Football.com First Team Preseason All-American for 2002, led the nation in pass break-ups last season with 3.6 per game.  He had 31 pass break-ups and five interceptions from his cornerback position.  Pence also contributed 51 tackles, including two for loss.  Junior cornerback Nate Pogue (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS), who did not play last season, will get a chance to start at the other corner position.  In 2000, Pogue made 62 tackles and added three interceptions and 19 pass breakups.  Junior John Panikiewsky and sophomore Bill Skriletz (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh HS) will return to the safety positions.  Panikiewsky was a starter last season and contributed 39 tackles with seven stops for loss while Skriletz served as a reserve and still made 35 tackles and two interceptions.

KICKING GAME: The biggest question mark for coach Dapp and the Greyhounds will come in the kicking game. Moravian had both of its kickers graduate and the only player returning is Skriletz, who punted eight times for an average of 29.9 yards per kick. Moravian will likely fill the kicking void with freshman Nate Strohl (Coplay, PA/Whitehall HS) while junior John McLain (Belvidere, NJ/Belvidere HS) returns from an illness that kept him out the entire 2001 season to handle the punting duties.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Moravian will look to junior Kevin Miltenberger and junior transfer Jed Warsager (Andover, NJ/Newton HS) to handle kickoff and punt returns this fall.

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.  Last year was the second time since 1996 that the Greyhounds did not play at least one overtime game.

WINNING WAYS: Moravian had 11 consecutive winning seasons-all under Coach Scot Dapp, from 1987 to 1997 and has had 12 winning seasons in Dapp's 15 years. The 11-straight winning seasons is the longest in school history. Dapp ranks third among Greyhound coaches in winning percentage.