Monday, October 18, 2004

MORAVIAN GREYHOUNDS, 6-0 (6-0 MAC)

LYCOMING WARRIORS, 2-4 (2-3 MAC)

1:00 p.m.; Saturday, October 23, 2004
David Person Field (c. 3,700); Williamsport, PA

THE GAME: Moravian looks to win its seventh straight game of the season and have the best start in school history at 7-0 in a Middle Atlantic Conference game at Lycoming College. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. at David Person Field in Williamsport.

THE COACHES: Scot Dapp (West Chester ’73) is in his 18th season at Moravian, with a career record of 109-70-1 (.608). 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.
    Lycoming coach Frank Girardi (West Chester ’61) is in his 33rd season at the school with an overall mark of 243-78-5 (.753).

THE SERIES: Saturday’s meeting will be the 18th in the series with the Warriors owning a 12-5 lead. Lycoming has won the last three games the schools played with a 26-14 win last season, a 36-0 victory in Williamsport in 1998 and a 17-14 victory in Bethlehem in 1997. Moravian's last win in the series was back in 1994 with a 20-16 victory on the road.

LAST TIME THEY MET: In Bethlehem last fall, Moravian fell behind, 19-0 before the Greyhounds scored in a 26-14 loss to Lycoming College in MAC action at Steel Field. Moravian got on the scoreboard when defensive back Tyler Chomik (Allentown, PA/Allentown Central Catholic HS) returned a kickoff after Lycoming stretched the lead to 19-0 for a 96-yard touchdown. The 96-yard return was the second longest in Moravian history. Kicker Josh Miller added the extra-point to cut Lycoming’s lead to 19-7 with 9:36 remaining in the third quarter. Moravian forced the Warriors into a three down and out series before taking over on the Lycoming 45-yard line. The Greyhounds needed just four plays to cover the 45 yards. Running back Chris Jacoubs (Fair Haven NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven Regional HS) finished off the drive with a six-yard touchdown run off the right side. Miller’s extra-point cut Lycoming’s lead to 91-14 with 5:29 remaining in the third stanza. Jacoubs led Moravian on the ground with 69 yards on 17 carries. Moravian quarterback Jerry Venturino (Hopatcong, NJ/Hopatcong HS) completed just four of 22 passes in the game for 31 yards. Venturino was intercepted twice in the game, and he was sacked three times while gaining 14 yards on nine carries. Fullback Kevin Lukich (Ogdensburg, NJ/Wallkill Valley HS) added 18 yards on the ground. Wide receiver Jeff Lowry had two receptions for 17 yards. Defensive back John Panikiewsky led the Moravian defense with 14 tackles including one and a half sacks while defensive back Nate Pogue has 12 tackles and a forced fumble. Nose tackle Kevin McLaughlin (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic HS) added eight tackles while Chomik has three tackles and two pass break-ups to go with an interception and kickoff return for a touchdown.

LAST WEEK: Sophomore tailback Chris Jacoubs ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries to help Moravian celebrate its annual homecoming by improving to 6-0 for just the second time in school history with a 35-27 victory over FDU-Florham in MAC action at Steel Field. FDU scored the only points of the first quarter 2:12 remaining on a touchdown run. The Greyhounds tied the game on the first play of the second quarter when junior quarterback Jerry Venturino found sophomore wide receiver Ben Hawkins (Belmar, NJ/Manasquan HS) with a 55-yard touchdown pass on a third-and-13 play. Hawkins caught the ball at the line of scrimmage on a wide receiver screen play. Senior kicker Ken Macaulay (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge HS) added the extra-point to tie the game at 7-7. Hawkins caught four passes for 100 yards in the game while Venturino completed eight of 15 passes for 157 yards. On FDU’s first drive of the second half, Greyhound junior defensive lineman Mike Hurden (Spring Lake, NJ/Wall HS) sacked the Devil’s quarterback at the FDU 38-yard line and forced a fumble. Moravian junior linebacker Chad DiFelice (Pen Aryl, PA/Pen Argyl HS) picked up the ball at the FDU 40-yard line and raced down the left side line for a touchdown. Macaulay added the extra-point for a 14-7 Moravian lead. On FDU’s ensuing drive, the Devils scored on a third-and-ten play with a 60-yard touchdown pass. The extra-point and tied the game at 14-14 with 9:52 remaining in the third stanza. On the ensuing kickoff, Moravian senior wide receiver Jed Warsager (Andover, NJ/Newton HS) received the ball at the Moravian 15-yard line and raced up the right hash marks, untouched for an 85-yard touchdown return. Macaulay’s extra-point attempt failed, setting the score at 20-14 Moravian with 9:41 remaining in the third quarter. The Greyhounds forced FDU to punt on the next possession, taking over at their own 26-yard line. Jacoubs ran for four yards on the first play before bouncing the second play to the left sideline for a 70-yard touchdown. The Greyhounds went for a two-point conversion to build a two-touchdown lead. Jacoubs took the hand off from Venturino and sprinted towards the left sideline before finding senior tight end Chad Opdyke (Bath, PA/Northampton HS) in the back of the end zone with a pass to set the score at 28-14 Moravian with 7:10 remaining in the third quarter. After each team fumbled the ball, FDU scored another rushing touchdown to cut Moravian’s lead to 28-21 with 2:25 remaining in the third quarter. Moravian would put the game away on its next drive when Jacoubs scored on a five-yard touchdown run. Macaulay added the extra-point for a 35-21 Moravian lead with 13:38 left in the game. FDU scored again on its next drive but missed the extra-point giving the Greyhounds a 35-27 lead with 10:10 led in the game. After forcing Moravian to punt, the Devils took over on their own eight-yard line and put together a drive inside the Moravian five-yard line. The Greyhound defense stopped a pair of rushing plays for one-yard losses, and after an incomplete pass, the Devils attempted a reverse on fourth-and-goal from the five-yard line. However, the play was stopped at the seven-yard line by DiFelice and senior defensive end Richie Cline (Union Beach, NJ/Keyport HS) to turn the ball over to the Greyhounds on downs. The Greyhound offense, which led the MAC in time of possession coming into the game, was limited to 52 plays for 322 yards while handling the ball for just 23:11 of the game. The Greyhound defense, which was nationally ranked in turnover margin coming into the game, forced three turnovers. Senior linebacker Bill Carasia (Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven HS) led the squad with 14 tackles including four for loss while junior defensive back Gerald Weiss (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh HS) added 12 tackles and a forced fumble. DiFelice had ten stops with four tackles for loss, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries including the one for a touchdown while freshman linebacker Mike Prata (Little Ferry, NJ/Paramas Catholic HS) added nine tackles with four for loss.

SCOUTING LYCOMING: The Warriors enter the game with an overall record of 2-4 and a 2-3 record in the MAC after a 26-19 loss at Delaware Valley College last weekend. Senior quarterback Phil Mann leads the Lycoming offense having completed 86 of 154 passes for 968 yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. However, Mann did not play last week due to an injury. Sophomore quarterback Glenn Smith has completed 22 of 48 passes for 236 yards and two scores. Their top targets have been junior wide receiver Tony Kopp, who has 22 receptions for 252 yards and three scores, senior wide receiver John Moor, who has caught 20 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown, junior wide out Tim Brown, who has 18 receptions for 274 yards and two scores, and senior wide receiver Ray Withelder, who has 17 catches for 259 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore tailback Joe Cosmello leads the Warrior running attack with 181 yards on 56 carries while freshman tailback Dustin Heintzelman has added 129 yards and a touchdown on 41 carries. Mann has 98 yards three touchdowns on 49 attempts. Sophomore defensive back Matt Murdock is averaging 8.9 yards per punt return on 16 returns, and he is netting 19.8 yards per kickoff return with 13 returns. Sophomore kicker Chris Schrader is 16-of-17 on extra-points, and he has made four-of-nine field goal attempts with a long of 42 yards. Senior punter Dylan DuPuis is netting 34.5 yards per punt with 15 punts inside the 20-yard line. Senior defensive back Brian Kaspick leads Lycoming with three interceptions while Murdock has two interceptions including one returned for a touchdown. Junior linebacker Kevin LeSage leads the Warrior defense with 34 tackles, three tackles for loss, three pass break-ups, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Kaspick has added 33 tackles with two tackles for loss, six pass break-ups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Junior linebacker Mike Piotrowicz has contributed 32 tackles with three for loss, a interception, three pass break-ups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery while Murdock has 30 tackles and five pass break-ups. Junior defensive end Luke Sterling leads Lycoming with four sacks among his 30 tackles. Sterling has five tackles for loss and four pass break-ups.

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 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 fifth in the MAC in total defense, allowing 360.5 yards per game. The squad is third in passing defense at 196.3 yards per game, and the defense is seventh in rushing yards allowed at 164.2. The Greyhounds are second in points allowed at 17.5 per game, and the squad is fourth in points scored per game at 30.5. Offensively, Moravian is fifth in the MAC at 399.7 yards per game. The Greyhounds are ranked first in rushing offense at 266.0 yards per game and tenth in passing offense at 133.7 yards per game. Moravian is first in turnover margin with a +1.67 per game average as the Greyhounds have committed ten turnovers while forcing 20 turnovers. The Greyhounds are also first in the MAC in kickoff returns, averaging 25.0 yards per return, net punting, 36.0 net yards per punt, and time of possession, 33:06. Individually, sophomore running back Chris Jacoubs is second in the MAC in rushing yards per game at 169.8, and he is second in all-purpose yards at 176.2, and second in scoring and touchdown scoring at 13.0 points per game. Jacoubs is also tenth in total offense at 169.8 yards per game. Junior quarterback Jerry Venturino is second in the MAC with a 141.8 pass efficiency rating, and he is ninth in passing yards per game at 128.2. Senior wide receiver Jed Warsager leads the MAC in kickoff returns with an average of 34.8 yards per return. Senior punter/kicker John McLain (Belvidere, NJ/Belvidere HS) leads the MAC in punting with an average of 38.9 yards per punt, and he is tied for seventh in field goals per game at 0.17. McLain is tied for first in field goal percentage at 100 percent (one for one), and he is tenth in kick scoring with an average of 1.5 points per contest. Senior kicker Ken Macaulay is ninth in kick scoring at 1.6 points per game and he is eighth in extra-point percentage at 80.0 percent (eight of ten). Junior defensive back Tyler Chomik is third with 1.50 pass break-ups per game, tied for third in interceptions at 0.50 per game, fourth in punt returns with an average of 7.8 yards, tied for ninth in kickoff returns with an average of 20.1 yards per return and tied for 30th in the MAC with 5.8 tackles per contest. Sophomore linebacker Cliff Garr (Easton, PA/Notre Dame HS) is tied for 25th in the MAC with 6.2 tackles per game. Senior linebacker Bill Carasia leads the MAC in forced fumbles with 0.60 per contest, and he is seventh in the MAC in tackles with 8.6 per game while junior linebacker Chad DiFelice is tied for 30th in the MAC with 5.8 tackles per game.

MAC WEEKLY HONORS: Junior linebacker Chad DiFelice and senior wide receiver Jed Warsager of Moravian were named the Middle Atlantic Conference Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for their performances last Saturday. DiFelice helped lead the Greyhounds to their six straight win to open the 2004 season in a 35-27 victory versus FDU-Florham. DiFelice opened the scoring in the second half when he returned a fumble 40 yards for a touchdown. He finished the game with ten tackles (six solo stops) with four tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. Warsager put Moravian ahead for good in the second half when he returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown, just 11 seconds after FDU-Florham had tied the game. The kickoff return for a touchdown was the second this season for Warsager and the third of his Moravian career. Warsager had a total of four kickoff returns for 157 yards in the game, and he caught one pass for 17 yards on a fourth-and-15 play that setup the Greyhounds’ final touchdown of the game. The win lifted

THE QUARTERBACKS: Junior Jerry Venturino has completed 46 of 91 passes for 769 yards this season with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Venturino has been sacked nine times while scoring two touchdowns and a two-point conversion and adding 65 yards on 42 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. Sophomore wide receiver Ben Hawkins has completed one pass for 33 yards and a touchdown.

IN THE BACKFIELD: In the backfield, sophomore tailback Chris Jacoubs leads the Greyhounds with 1,019 yards and 11 touchdowns on 187 carries. Jacoubs has 2,070 yards (seventh all-time) in just 16 career games with eight 100-plus yard games in 12 starts. Jacoubs, who became the eighth player in school history to reach 2,000 rushing yards in a career and the only player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons, has tied the Moravian single season school record with 78 points this fall. Junior fullback Kevin Lukich has added 170 yards on 25 carries while sophomore tailback Marc Panepinto (Perkiomenville, PA/Boyertown HS) has added 154 yards on 31 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 46 yards on nine carries while sophomore wide receiver Ben Hawkins has contributed 51 yards on five carries.

THE WIDE RECEIVERS: The Greyhounds have had eight different players catch passes this season led by sophomore wideout Ben Hawkins, who has 15 catches for 359 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Shawn Martell (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) has 12 receptions for 185 yards and two scores while senior wide receiver Jed Warsager has seven catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman tight end Kris Bisci (Easton, PA/Easton HS) has seven receptions for 71 yards and a two-point conversion catch while sophomore tailback Chris Jacoubs has grabbed three aerials for 38 yards and two touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Russ Demko (Hellertown, PA/Saucon Valley HS) has one catch for 19 yards while sophomore running back Joe Costanzo has one reception for 16 yards. Senior tight end Chad Opdyke also has one catch and has also grabbed a two-point conversion versus FDU-Florham.

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 266.0 yards per game on the ground while allowing just nine sacks.

DEFENSIVE FRONT: Junior defensive tackle Mike Hurden has 26 tackles with three and a half for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble while senior defensive end Shawn Nelson (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) has 18 tackles, four and a half for loss, one sack and two pass break-ups. Junior defensive tackle Bryan Kohlbecker (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South HS) has added 11 tackles with four for loss while senior defensive end Steve Cline (Union Beach, NJ/Keyport HS) has ten tackles, a pass break-up, a forced fumble and has caught a two-point conversion pass at Juniata College. Senior defensive end Richie Cline has 16 tackles with three and a half for loss, one and a half sacks and a pass break-up while senior defensive tackle Kevin McLaughlin (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic HS) has ten tackles with half a tackle for loss and half a sack. Sophomore defensive end Matt Lieberwirth (Chester, NJ/Mendham HS) has added eight tackles, three and a half tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up. Junior defensive end Robert Stockley (Red Bank, NJ/Middletown South HS) has seven tackles with one and a half for loss and two fumble recoveries.

THE LINEBACKER CORPS: Senior Bill Carasia leads the Greyhound defense with 44 tackles to go along with three and a half tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and one interception while sophomore Cliff Garr has 37 tackles, five and a half tackle for loss, three sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Junior Chad DiFelice has contributed 35 tackles with four and a half for loss, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries including one returned 40 yards for a touchdown versus FDU-Florham, an interception and two pass break-ups while sophomore Arturo Duran (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood HS) has 13 tackles, one tackle for loss, a fumble recovery and two interceptions. Freshman linebacker Mike Prata has added 15 tackles with two for loss.

THE DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD: Junior cornerback Tyler Chomik leads the Greyhound defensive backs with 35 tackles, three interceptions, six pass break-ups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery while sophomore cornerback Israel Aguila (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom HS) has 30 tackles, an interception and a pass break-up. Junior safety Gerald Weiss has contributed 24 tackles, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and two pass break-ups while senior safety Bill Skriletz (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh HS) has added 19 stops, a half tackle for loss and three pass-break-ups. Senior defensive back Mario Bevilaqua (Scranton, PA/West Scranton HS) has added 16 tackles, a half tackle for loss, four 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 21 punts for an average of 38.9 yards with a long of 63 yards and nine 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 eight-for-ten on extra-points and has missed a 40-yard field goal attempt while Liccketto has missed his only field goal attempt this fall.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Junior Tyler Chomik has ten punt returns for 75 yards with a long of 15 yards and ten kickoff returns for 197 yards with a long of 32 yards. Senior Jed Warsager has returned nine kickoffs this season for a 313 yards including touchdowns of 85 yards and 79 yards. Warsager also has the longest kickoff return for a touchdown in school history with a 98-yard return at Lebanon Valley College in 2002. Sophomore wide receiver Shawn Martell has contributed seven tackles on special teams this season

WINNING STREAKS: Moravian has won six straight games in the same season for the sixth time in school history. Prior to this fall, the last time the Greyhounds won six straight contests was in 2002 (10/5 to 11/9). Other six game season winning streaks have occurred in 1940 (9/27 to 11/1), 1955 (10/15 to 11/19), 1988 (10/15 to 11/19) and 1993 (10/9 to 11/13). The longest winning streak in school history spanning more than one season was in 1939 and 1940 when Moravian won eight consecutive games (11/11/1939 to 11/1/1940) and put together a ten game unbeaten streak that included four games in 1939 (10/28 to 11/25) and six wins in the first six contests of 1940 (9/27 to 11/1). The Greyhounds have had three seven-game winning streaks that span several seasons (10/20/1900 to 10/19/1901; 11/15/1955 to 9/29/1956; & 11/1/1975 to 10/6/1976). The longest unbeaten streak in school history is from the final game of the 1899 season until October 19th, 1901, a span of 13 games without a loss.

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 now had 14 winning seasons in Dapp’s 18 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 Jim Wills 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, Chad DiFelice was selected as the Starters Player of the Game after he lead the Greyhounds to their six straight win to open the 2004 season in a 35-27 victory versus FDU-Florham. DiFelice opened the scoring in the second half when he returned a fumble 40 yards for a touchdown. He finished the game with ten tackles (six solo stops) with four tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. Starters is a sponsor of Moravian College Athletics and is located on Route 378 south of Bethlehem.