Monday, October 4, 2004

MORAVIAN GREYHOUNDS, 4-0 (4-0 MAC)

WILKES COLONELS , 2-2 (2-1 MAC)

1:00 p.m.; Saturday, October 9, 2004
Ralston Field (c. 4,000); Wilkes-Barre, PA

THE GAME: Moravian looks to move to 5-0 for the first time since the 1940 season in a Middle Atlantic Conference game at Wilkes University. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Ralston Field in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

THE COACHES: Scot Dapp (West Chester ’73) is in his 18th season at Moravian, with a career record of 107-70-1 (.604). He entered the season 50th in winning percentage among NCAA Division III active coaches. Dapp has earned Coach-of-the-Year honors from the MAC three times including Co-Coach of the Year in 1997 and has led the ’Hounds to two appearances in the NCAA playoffs and the ECAC Southeast Championship game in 2002.

Wilkes coach Frank Sheptock (Bloomsburg ’89) is in his ninth season at the school with an overall mark of 51-37 (.580).

THE SERIES: Saturday’s meeting will be the 34th in the series with Moravian holding a 28-14-1 advantage. The Greyhounds have won the last five years, including a 22-20 win last year in Bethlehem, 22-7 victory in 2002 in Wilkes-Barre, 25-15 in 2001, 28-21 in 2000 and 28-22 in back in 1999.

LAST TIME THEY MET: In Bethlehem last fall, wide receiver Shawn Martell (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) blocked a Wilkes University punt attempt for a safety with 1:36 remaining in the fourth quarter to lift Moravian to a 22-20 MAC win. The Greyhounds jumped out to a 7-0 lead on their first possession of the game. Running back Chris Jacoubs (Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven Regional HS) had a 57 yard carry to the Wilkes one-yard line. Three plays later, quarterback Jerry Venturino (Hopatcong, NJ/Hopatcong HS) rumbled into the end zone with 12:07 left in the opening quarter. Kicker Josh Miller added the point after. Wilkes scored a touchdown on a 48-yard run after a fumble with 12:09 left in the half. The Colonels missed the point after and Moravian held a 7-6 lead. Moravian would add to their advantage with less than a minute to play in the first half when Miller came on to connect on a career long 28-yard field goal with 15 seconds left in the stanza to give Moravian a 10-6 lead at intermission. The Greyhounds extended their lead to 13-6 on their first possession of the third quarter with a 25-yard field goal by Miller with 10:25 left in the third. Wilkes would tie the game late in the third quarter and take a 20-13 lead with 9:32 left in the game. The Greyhounds used their air attack to knot game at 20-20. Venturino hit all three of his pass attempts during the drive, with all three of those completions finding wide receiver Jeff Lowry, who raced down the left sideline and snatched a 41-yard touchdown toss with 3:42 left. Miller converted the point after attempt to tie the game at 20-20. Jacoubs finished with 23 carries for 136 yards to lead Moravian. Venturino hit on 11-of-17 pass attempts for 165 yards and one score. Lowry had six receptions for 89 yards. Free safety John Panikiewsky had 11 tackles, while both defensive back Nate Pogue and linebacker Bill Carasia (Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven Regional HS) had 10 stops for the Greyhounds.

LAST WEEK: Junior quarterback Jerry Venturino connected on a five-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Jed Warsager (Andover, NJ/Newton HS) with 29 seconds remaining to rally Moravian to a 21-18 victory over King’s College in MAC action. Venturino’s touchdown pass capped a wild second half that saw five lead changes and 36 of the game’s 39 points scored. The fourth quarter began with Venturino scoring on a six-yard bootleg run and a extra-point kick by senior Ken Macaulay (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge HS) giving the Greyhound a 14-12 lead. King’s retook the lead with 12:32 to play with a touchdown, however, the Monarchs missed a two-point conversion to keep the score at 18-14 King’s. The Greyhounds took control on their own 31-yard line with 1:44 remaining in the game after a King's punt. Venturino began the drive with a 13-yard pass to Warsager before hitting sophomore wideout Shawn Martell with a 19-yard pass to move the ball to the King’s 37-yard line. Venturino hit sophomore wide receiver Ben Hawkins (Belmar, NJ/Manasquan HS) with a 35-yard completion on fourth-and-13. Hawkins had five catches for 86 yards. After a pair of incomplete passes in the end zone, Venturino found Warsager for the go-ahead score. Macaulay’s extra-point gave the Greyhounds a 21-18 lead with 29 seconds remaining. Warsager had three receptions for 32 yards. Moravian junior cornerback Tyler Chomik (Allentown, PA/Allentown Central Catholic HS) intercepted King’s final pass attempt as time expired. King’s scored the only points of the first half on a 22-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter. Moravian scored on the opening drive of the second half when Venturino hit Martell with an 18-yard scoring strike and Macaulay’s extra-point gave the Greyhounds a 7-3 lead. Venturino completed 13 of 29 passes for 194 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while Martell caught four passes for 75 yards. King’s would pull within one-point on its first drive of the second half on another 22-yard field goal. King’s would retake the lead on a fake punt but the two-point conversion pass failed keeping the score at 12-7 King’s with 2:03 to play in the third. Venturino ran for 12 yards on nine carries and was sacked once. Moravian was limited to 127 yards on the ground on 37 carries. Sophomore tailback Chris Jacoubs had just 84 yards on 25 carries while sophomore tailback Marc Panepinto (Perkiomenville, PA/Boyertown HS) added two carries for 28 yards. Senior linebacker Bill Carasia has 12 tackles and two forced fumbles while junior linebacker Chad DeFelice (Pen Argyl, PA/Pen Argyl HS) added 11 tackles. Sophomore linebacker Cliff Garr (Easton, PA/Notre Dame HS) contributed nine tackles with two for loss and a sack.

SCOUTING WILKES: The Colonels enter the game with a record of 2-2 and a 2-1 record in the MAC. Junior quarterback Duran Porrino leads the Wilkes offense having completed 38 of 69 passes for 544 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Sophomore wide receiver Jim Jordan has been the top target with 16 receptions for 260 yards and two scores while sophomore tight end Matt Pizzaro has eight catches for 113 yards. Senior Brett Trichilo, the MAC's all-time leading rusher, leads the Colonels on the ground with 598 yards and eight touchdowns on 113 carries while senior Maleek Mills has added 142 yards and two scored on 23 attempts. Mills is also averaging 92 yards per punt return and 18.2 yards per kickoff return. Junior punter Kyle Devlin has an average of 38.0 yards per punt and he is four of six on extra-points and 0-for-2 on field goal attempts. Sophomore Ryan Yurewicz has added six-of-eight on extra-points and has made a 32-yard field goal. Sophomore linebacker John Darrah leads Wilkes with two interceptions while sophomore linebacker Tyler Henninger has made a team high 33 tackles with seven for loss and three sacks. Freshman linebacker Kyle Follweiler has added 32 stops with five tackles for loss while senior safety Jon Jamison has 25 tackles. Sophomore cornerback Bo Tkach has made 21 tackles with an interception, and he is averaging 15.3 yards per kickoff return.

YOUNG, BALANCED & EXPERIENCED ‘HOUNDS: Of the 84 players on the Moravian roster, 25 are freshmen, 25 are sophomores and 21 are juniors. There are 13 seniors on this season’s squad, and the Greyhounds return 58 letterwinners and 17 starters.

GREYHOUNDS IN THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC CONFERENCE: Beginning three seasons ago, the Middle Atlantic Conference became an 11-team conference instead of two separate leagues. Moravian was selected to finish seventh in the MAC Preseason Coaches Poll this season while Wilkes was picked second in the MAC poll and received five first-place votes. Lycoming College was selected as the top team in the MAC just one point ahead of Wilkes University.

THE MAC STATISTICAL RANKINGS: The Greyhounds are third in the MAC in total defense, allowing 312.0 yards per game. The squad is fifth in passing defense at 203.8 yards per game and the defense is third in rushing yards allowed at 108.2. The Greyhounds are first in points allowed at 12.8 per game, and the squad is fifth in points scored per game at 28.5. Offensively, Moravian is third in the MAC at 419.5 yards per game. The Greyhounds are ranked first in rushing offense at 299.5 yards per game and 11th in passing offense at 120.0 yards per game. Moravian is first in turnover margin with a +1.50 per game average as the Greyhounds have committed eight turnovers while forcing 14 turnovers. The Greyhounds are also first in the MAC in net punting, 37.4 net yards per punt, kickoff returns with an average of 24.2 yards per return, time of possession, 34:28, and opponent first downs, 65. Individually, sophomore running back Chris Jacoubs leads the MAC in rushing yards per game at 174.0, all-purpose yards at 183.8, and he is tied for first in scoring and touchdown scoring at 13.5 points per game. Jacoubs is also eighth in total offense at 174.0 yards per game. Junior quarterback Jerry Venturino is fifth in the MAC with a 117.0 pass efficiency rating, and he is tenth in passing yards per game at 111.8. Senior kicker John McLain (Belvidere, NJ/Belvidere HS) is second in punting with an average of 37.9 yards per punt, and he is tied for fourth in field goals per game at 0.25 and seventh in kick scoring with an average of 2.2 points per contest. McLain is tenth in extra-point percentage at 60 percent (six of ten). Senior kicker Ken Macaulay is tied for ninth in kick scoring at 1.0 points per game and he is tied for first in extra-point percentage at 100 percent (three of three). Junior defensive back Tyler Chomik tied for first with 2.0 pass break-ups per game and second in interceptions at 0.75 per game. Sophomore linebacker Arturo Duran (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood HS) is tied for fifth in interceptions per game at 0.50. Sophomore linebacker Cliff Garr is tied for 23rd in the MAC with 6.2 tackles per game, and Garr is tied for fourth with 0.75 sacks per game. Senior linebacker Bill Carasia leads the MAC in forced fumbles with 1.0 per contest.

MAC WEEKLY HONORS: Senior punter John McLain was named the Middle Atlantic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week after his performance last week in Moravian's 21-18 victory versus King's while senior linebacker Bill Carasia was named to the MAC Weekly Honor Roll. McLain averaged 37.1 yards per punt on seven kicks while pinning King's inside the 20-yard line four times. Carasia had 12 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles.

THE QUARTERBACKS: Junior Jerry Venturino has completed 30 of 65 passes for 447 yards this season with five touchdowns and four interceptions. Venturino has been sacked six times while scoring two touchdown and adding 57 yards on 29 carries. Senior quarterback Rick Muschlitz (Easton, PA/Notre Dame HS) has attempted two passes with one interception while gaining five yards on two carries. Freshman signal caller Sean Hill (West Reading, PA/Wyomissing HS) did not attempt a pass, and he carried the ball once for no gain in the season opener at Juniata College.

IN THE BACKFIELD: In the backfield, sophomore tailback Chris Jacoubs leads the Greyhounds with 696 yards and seven touchdowns on 116 carries. Jacoubs has 1,747 yards (ninth all-time) in just 14 career games with six 100-plus yard games in ten starts. Junior fullback Kevin Lukich (Ogdensburg, NJ/Wallkill Valley HS) has added 149 yards on 22 carries while sophomore tailback Marc Panepinto has added 143 yards on 26 carries. Freshman running back Kyle Heffron (Stanhope, NJ/Hopatcong HS) has run for 51 yards on nine carries. Senior tailback Cody Hendershot (Bangor, PA/Bangor HS) has added 34 yards on eight carries. Sophomore running back Joe Costanzo (Barnstead, NH/Bow HS & Tilton School) has 11 yards on four carries while sophomore wide receiver Ben Hawkins has contributed 47 yards on four carries.

THE WIDE RECEIVERS: The Greyhounds have had seven different players catch passes this season led by sophomore wideout Ben Hawkins, who has eight catches for 180 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore wide receiver Shawn Martell also has eight receptions for 112 yards and a score while senior wide receiver Jed Warsager has five catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman tight end Kris Bisci (Easton, PA/Easton HS) has six receptions for 52 yards and a two-point conversion catch while sophomore tailback Chris Jacoubs has grabbed two aerials for 39 yards and two touchdowns.

OFFENSIVE LINE: The Greyhounds front five of juniors Scott Burke (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel HS), Brenten Runne (Stanhope, NJ/Hopatcong HS) and Salvatore DeWalt (Allentown, PA/Allentown Central Catholic HS) and sophomores Michael Abruzzo (Newton, NJ/Kittatinny Regional HS) and Andrew Remsing (Bath, PA/Northampton HS) have helped the Greyhounds average 299.5 yards per game on the ground while allowing just six sacks.

DEFENSIVE FRONT: Junior defensive tackle Mike Hurden (Spring Lake, NJ/Wall HS) has 14 tackles with one and a half for loss and a half sack while junior defensive tackle Bryan Kohlbecker (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South HS) has added nine tackles with three for loss. Senior defensive end Shawn Nelson (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) has nine tackles, three and a half for loss, one sack and two pass break-ups while senior defensive end Steve Cline (Union Beach, NJ/Keyport HS) has eight tackles, a pass break-up, a forced fumble and has caught a two-point conversion pass at Juniata College. Senior defensive end Richie Cline (Union Beach, NJ/Keyport HS) also has eight tackles with two for loss, one sack and a pass break-up while senior defensive tackle Kevin McLaughlin (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic HS) has six tackles. Sophomore defensive end Matt Lieberwirth (Chester, NJ/Mendham HS) has added six tackles, three and a half tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up.

THE LINEBACKER CORPS: Sophomore Cliff Garr has 25 tackles, four and a half tackle for loss, three sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery to lead the linebackers while senior Bill Carasia has 23 tackles, three forced fumbles and one and a half tackles for loss. Junior Chad DeFelice has contributed 20 tackles with one and a half for loss and two pass break-ups while sophomore Arturo Duran has 12 tackles, one tackle for loss, a fumble recovery and two interceptions.

THE DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD: Junior cornerback Tyler Chomik leads the Greyhound defensive backs with 24 tackles, three interceptions and five pass break-ups while senior safety Bill Skriletz (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh HS) has added 16 stops, a half tackle for loss and three pass-break-ups. Sophomore cornerback Israel Aguila (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom HS) has 17 tackles and an interception while junior safety Gerald Weiss (Gilbertsville, PA/St. Pius X HS) has contributed six tackles a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up. Senior defensive back Mario Bevilaqua (Scranton, PA/West Scranton HS) has added nine tackles, three pass break-ups and a fumble recovery.

KICKING GAME: Senior John McLain is six-for-ten on extra-point attempts and has made his only field goal attempt of 26 yards. McLain also has 14 punts for an average of 37.9 yards with a long of 63 yards and seven that have landed inside the 20-yard line. Junior punter Corey Czerniak (Randolph, NJ/Randolph HS) has averaged 39.5 yards on two punts with a long of 43 yards and one inside the 20 yard line. Sophomore Michael Liccketto (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights HS) and senior Ken Macaulay also have been kicking for the Greyhounds. Macaulay is three-for-three on extra-points while Liccketto has missed his only field goal attempt this fall.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Junior Tyler Chomik has seven punt returns for 53 yards with a long of 15 yards and seven kickoff returns for 150 yards with a long of 32 yards. Senior Jed Warsager has returned five kickoffs this season for a 156 yards including a 79-yard touchdown. Warsager also has the longest kickoff return for a touchdown in school history with a 98-yard return at Lebanon Valley in 2002.

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 third 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 13 winning seasons in Dapp’s 17 years. The 11-straight winning seasons is the longest in school history. Dapp ranks third among Greyhound coaches in winning percentage.

ON THE AIRWAVES: For the eighth straight year, the Greyhounds football game will be on the radio. However, this fall Moravian's games will be aired on WKAP Oldies 1470 AM. Phil May calls the play-by-play call with color commentary from James Vaughn and technical assistance from John Elliott.

STARTERS PLAYER OF THE GAME: As part of Moravian's new radio contract with Oldies 1470 WKAP, the announcers will select the Starters Player of the Game for Moravian during the St. Luke's Hospital Post-Game Show. Last week, Jerry Venturino was the Player of the Week after completing 13 of 29 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns and an interception. Venturino also ran for a six-yard touchdown in the game. Starters Restaurant, a sponsor of Moravian College Athletics, is located on Route 378 South of Bethlehem.