Monday, November 1, 2004

MORAVIAN GREYHOUNDS, 7-1 (7-1 MAC)

ALBRIGHT LIONS, 5-3 (4-3 MAC)

1:00 p.m.; Saturday, November 6, 2004
Steel Field (c. 2,500); Bethlehem, PA

THE GAME: Moravian looks to close out the 2004 Middle Atlantic Conference season with a victory and keep the team's chance for an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Playoffs alive versus Albright College. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Steel Field in Bethlehem.

THE COACHES: Scot Dapp (West Chester ’73) is in his 18th season at Moravian, with a career record of 110-71-1 (.607). 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.

Albright coach E.J. Sandusky (Penn State ’92) is in his eighth season at the school with an overall mark of 40-39 (.506).

THE SERIES: Saturday’s meeting will be the 60th in the series with Albright holding a 33-25-1 advantage. Albright won last year's game, 28-24 in Reading. Moravian won the last contest played in Bethlehem, a 28-7 victory in 2002, while the Lions won, 30-21, in Reading in 2001.

LAST TIME THEY MET: In Reading last fall, running back Chris Jacoubs (Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven HS) ran for a school-record 319 yards and three touchdowns on 51 carries but Albright College rallied from a 24-14 fourth quarter deficit to a 28-24 victory in Middle Atlantic Conference action at Eugene L. Shirk Stadium. Jacoubs broke James Evanko’s school record of 256 yards set on November 14th, 1953 against Wagner College. Jacoubs passed the mark on a 21-yard carry, his 39th attempt, with 12 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Jacoubs’ 319 yards was the second highest single-game in MAC history. The Greyhounds scored on their first drive of the game with six-yard touchdown run by Jacoubs with 9:46 remaining in the first quarter. Josh Miller added the extra-point for the 7-0 lead. On Albright’s next drive, defensive back John Panikiewsky forced a fumble at the Moravian 16-yard line and Richie Cline (Union Beach, NJ/Keyport HS) recovered the ball on the 20-yard line. The Greyhounds drove down inside the ten-yard line but quarterback Jerry Venturino (Hopatcong, NJ/Hopatcong HS) was intercepted inside the one-yard line. Jacoubs extended Moravian’s lead to 14-0 with 3:20 to play in the second quarter with an eight-yard touchdown scamper off the right side. Miller added the extra-point. The Lions took the ensuing kickoff and drove right down the field to cut Moravian’s lead to 14-7 with 1:59 remaining in the first half. Moravian would score again before halftime with Miller connecting on a 23-yard field goal with three seconds remaining in the half, giving the Greyhounds a 17-7 halftime lead. Albright cut Moravian’s lead to 17-14 with 11:42 to play in the third stanza before Jacoubs gave the Greyhounds the ten-point cushion back with 6:11 remaining on the third down on a five-yard run up the middle. Miller’s extra-point made the Greyhound lead 24-14. The Lions would score the next points, cutting Moravian’s lead to 24-21 with 13:24 remaining in the fourth quarter. Albright scored the winning score with six seconds remaining. Panikiewsky and senior Nate Pogue led the Moravian defense with ten tackles apiece.

LAST WEEK: Moravian suffered its first loss of the season in MAC action, falling to Widener University 35-31. The loss snaps Moravian’s seven-game winning streak and drops the Greyhounds to 7-1 overall and in the MAC. Greyhound sophomore tailback Chris Jacoubs scored on a 39-yard run off the right side on the fifth play of the game to give Moravian a 6-0 lead. Senior kicker Ken Macaulay (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge HS) was wide right on the extra-point attempt. Jacoubs finished the game with 166 yards on 33 carries. On Widener’s first play from scrimmage, Greyhound junior linebacker Chad DiFelice (Pen Argyl, PA/Pen Argyl HS) intercepted a pass at midfield. However, the Greyhounds were forced to punt. Moravian junior cornerback Tyler Chomik (Allentown, PA/Allentown Central Catholic HS) would get the ball right back for the Greyhounds with an interception, his sixth of the season, at the Widener 30-yard line that he returned to the 11-yard line. The Greyhounds were stopped on three plays, and Macaulay attempted a 28-yard field goal but it was wide right. Widener would score its first points and take a 7-6 lead with 50 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Moravian would retake the lead with 5:59 remaining in the second quarter on a four-yard run by junior quarterback Jerry Venturino. Venturino’s two-point conversion attempt to sophomore wide receiver Ben Hawkins (Belmar, NJ/Manasquan HS) failed, leaving the score at 12-7. Hawkins did catch eight passes for 127 yards, the eighth highest single game total in school history. Venturino had the best day of his career in a Greyhound uniform, completing 18 of 31 passes for a career high 340 yards and two touchdowns. The 340 yards is the seventh highest single-game total in Moravian history. The Pioneers would cut Moravian’s lead to 12-10 on the final play of the first half on a 42-yard field goal that bounced off the cross bar. The field goal was the first three points Moravian has allowed in the second quarter this season. After forcing Widener to punt on the first possession of the second half, the Greyhounds drove 74 yards in nine plays, capped off by a six-yard touchdown pass from Venturino to sophomore wide receiver Shawn Martell (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS). Macaulay’s extra-point was blocked, leaving the score at 18-10 Moravian with 10:14 remaining in the third quarter. On Widener’s next drive, Moravian sophomore defensive end Matt Lieberwirth (Chester, NJ/Mendham HS) forced a fumble on a sack at the Widener 43-yard line that was recovered by senior defensive end Richie Cline. Six plays later, sophomore running back Marc Panepinto (Perkiomenville, PA/Boyertown HS) scored from 13 yards. Macaulay added the extra-point for a 25-10 lead with 5:34 remaining in the third quarter. The Pioneers would come right back on an 89-yard return for a touchdown to cut Moravian’s lead to 25-17 with 5:18 left in the third stanza. Widener would score again on the first play of the fourth quarter on a 37-yard pass and a two-point conversion pass to pull the Pioneers even at 25-25 with 14:53 remaining. Widener would retake the lead at 28-25 with 7:28 remaining on a 22-yard field. The Pioneers would score again on a 47-yard touchdown pass with 3:20 remaining to take a 35-25 lead. Moravian would answer right back with a 62-yard touchdown pass from Venturino to Jacoubs with 2:44 remaining in the fourth quarter. Macaulay’s extra-point hit the left upright to pull the Greyhounds within 35-31. Widener was forced to punt with 29 seconds remaining in the game. However, Venturino’s final pass of the game was intercepted at the Widener 25-yard line. Sophomore linebacker Cliff Garr (Easton, PA/Notre Dame HS) led the Moravian defense with ten tackles including one for loss. Senior linebacker Bill Carasia (Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven HS) added six tackles with three for loss while junior safety Gerald Weiss (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh HS) had five tackles.

SCOUTING ALBRIGHT: The Lions enter the game with an overall record of 5-3 and 4-3 slate in the MAC after a 34-27 loss to Susquehanna University last weekend. Junior quarterback John Port leads Albright on the field. Port has completed 204 of 314 passes for 2,876 yards with 25 touchdowns and ten interceptions this season. His top targets have been seniors wide receiver Nick Cushman, who has caught 67 passes for 1,129 yards and 13 touchdowns, senior wide out Steve Mocey, who has 50 receptions for 711 yards and five scores, senior tight end Justin Holland, who has caught 31 passes for 439 yards and a touchdown, and junior wide receiver Bryon Haupt, who has 20 receptions for 308 yards and five scores. Senior running back Adam Hubley leads the Albright running game with 492 yards and eight touchdowns on 137 carries while sophomore Darnell Hayes has added 346 yards and three scores on 89 carries. Sophomore running back Vincent Andrews has 128 yards and two scored on 32 carries. Hubley has also caught 18 passes for 118 yards while senior wide receiver Scott Shepperd has 12 catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Cushman has returned 17 punts for 95 yards while Haupt has 15 kickoff returns for 318 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Gainet Mata has returned 12 kickoffs for 234 yards. Senior punter/safety Paul Mohr is averaging 30.8 yards per punt on five kicks while sophomore Seth Kaplan has an average of 30.7 yards on 27 punts. Junior kicker Dustin Kaplan has made 35 of 39 extra-points this season and he is one-for-three on field goals with a long of 22 yards. Junior cornerback Bill Holden and junior safety Steve Butler each have three interceptions for Albright with Butler adding 58 tackles, two for loss and two pass break-ups and Holden contributing 32 tackles and six pass break-ups. Junior linebacker Pete Manotti leads the Lion defense with 74 tackles, including six for loss, a sack, two interceptions and three pass break-ups while Mohr has added 53 tackles and two pass break-ups. Sophomore cornerback Josh Benson has 42 tackles, one interception and seven pass break-ups while sophomore defensive tackle Mike Boles has 34 stops with nine and a half tackles for loss and one and a half sacks. Junior defensive end Matt Gill leads Albright with three and a half sacks this season among his 27 tackles.

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 Albright College was picked to finish sixth. 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 second in the MAC in total defense, allowing 349.3 yards per game. The squad is fifth in passing defense at 211.0 yards per game, and the defense is fourth in rushing yards allowed at 136.8. The Greyhounds are second in points allowed at 19.2 per game, and the squad is fifth in points scored per game at 31.1. Offensively, Moravian is fifth in the MAC at 394.3 yards per game. The Greyhounds are ranked second in rushing offense at 248.9 yards per game and tenth in passing offense at 160.8 yards per game. Moravian is first in turnover margin with a +1.38 per game average as the Greyhounds have committed 15 turnovers while forcing 26 turnovers. The Greyhounds are also first in the MAC in kickoff returns, averaging 24.5 yards per return, net punting, 35.9 net yards per punt, opponent first downs, 134, and time of possession, 33:20. Individually, sophomore running back Chris Jacoubs is second in the MAC in rushing yards per game at 160.9, and he is second in all-purpose yards at 173.4, and second in scoring and touchdown scoring at 12.8 points per game. Junior quarterback Jerry Venturino is second in the MAC with a 144.9 pass efficiency rating, and he is eighth in passing yards per game at 156.6. Venturino is also ninth in total offense at 171.2 yards per game. Senior wide receiver Jed Warsager (Andover, NJ/Newton HS) leads the MAC in kickoff returns with an average of 32.7 yards per return. Senior punter/kicker John McLain (Belvidere, NJ/Belvidere HS) is first in the MAC in punting with an average of 38.7 yards per punt, and he is tied for eighth in field goals per game at 0.12. McLain is first in field goal percentage at 100 percent (one for one). Senior kicker Ken Macaulay is tenth in kick scoring at 1.7 points per game. Junior defensive back Tyler Chomik is second in the MAC with 1.62 pass break-ups per game and he is tied for first in the conference in interceptions at 0.75 per game. Chomik is fifth in punt returns with an average of 7.6 yards and tied for 41st in the MAC with 5.1 tackles per contest. Sophomore linebacker Cliff Garr is tied for 20th in the MAC with 6.9 tackles per game. Senior linebacker Bill Carasia is tied for second in the MAC in forced fumbles with 0.43 per contest, and he is tied for tenth in tackles with 7.9 per game while junior linebacker Chad DiFelice is tied for 45th in the MAC with 5.0 tackles per game and tied for third in fumble recoveries with 0.25 per game. Junior defensive back Gerald Weiss and sophomore defensive end Matt Lieberwirth are tied for fifth in the MAC in forced fumbles with 0.29 per game while junior defensive lineman Robert Stockley (Red Bank, NJ/Middletown South HS) is also tied for third in fumble recoveries at 0.25 per game.

THE QUARTERBACKS: Junior Jerry Venturino has completed 70 of 140 passes for 1,253 yards this season with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions. Venturino has been sacked nine times while scoring four touchdowns and a two-point conversion and adding 117 yards on 52 carries. Venturino threw for a career-high 340 yards in Moravian's 35-31 loss to Widener University, the seventh best single game in Moravian history. 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 a school record 1,287 yards and 14 touchdowns on 255 carries. Jacoubs has 2,338 yards (fourth all-time) in just 18 career games with ten 100-plus yard games in 14 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 against FDU-Florham, has broken the Moravian single season school record with 102 points this fall. He is third all-time with 144 points. Junior fullback Kevin Lukich (Odgesnburg, MD/Wallkill Valley HS), who is out for the season with an injury, has added 170 yards on 25 carries while sophomore tailback Marc Panepinto has added 186 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries. Sophomore running back Joe Costanzo (Barnstead, NH/Bow HS & Tilton School) has 79 yards on 17 carries while sophomore wide receiver Ben Hawkins has contributed 48 yards on seven 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.

THE WIDE RECEIVERS: The Greyhounds have had eight different players catch passes this season led by sophomore wideout Ben Hawkins, who has 23 catches for 486 yards and three touchdowns including a 127-yard performance at Widener University that ranks as the eighth highest single game total in school history. Sophomore wide receiver Shawn Martell has 18 receptions for 341 yards and four scores while senior wide receiver Jed Warsager has 12 catches for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman tight end Kris Bisci (Easton, PA/Easton HS) has seven receptions for 71 yards and a pair of two-point conversion catches while sophomore tailback Chris Jacoubs has grabbed five aerials for 100 yards and three touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Russ Demko (Hellertown, PA/Saucon Valley HS) has four catches for 108 yards and a touchdown while sophomore running back Joe Costanzo has one reception for 16 yards. Senior tight end Chad Opdyke (Bath, PA/Northampton HS) 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 248.9 yards per game on the ground while allowing just nine sacks.

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.

DEFENSIVE FRONT: Junior defensive tackle Mike Hurden (Spring Lake, NJ/Wall HS) has 31 tackles with four and a half for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble while senior defensive end Shawn Nelson (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) has 22 tackles, six tackles for loss, two and a half sacks and three pass break-ups. Junior defensive tackle Bryan Kohlbecker (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South HS) has added 17 tackles with four for loss while senior defensive end Steve Cline (Union Beach, NJ/Keyport HS) has 13 tackles, a tackle for loss, a sack, a pass break-up, a forced fumble and has caught a two-point conversion pass at Juniata College. Senior defensive end Richie Cline has added 21 tackles with three and a half for loss, one and a half sacks, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up while senior defensive tackle Kevin McLaughlin (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic HS) has 14 tackles with half a tackle for loss, a half a sack and a pass break-up. Sophomore defensive end Matt Lieberwirth has added 12 tackles, four and a half tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up. Junior defensive end Robert Stockley has nine tackles with one and a half for loss and two fumble recoveries.

THE LINEBACKER CORPS: Senior Bill Carasia leads the Greyhound defense with 56 tackles to go along with six tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and one interception while sophomore Cliff Garr has 55 tackles, six and a half tackles for loss, three and a half sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Junior Chad DiFelice has contributed 40 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, two interceptions 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 (Little Ferry, NJ/Paramas Catholic HS) has added 16 tackles with two for loss.

THE DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD: Junior cornerback Tyler Chomik leads the Greyhound defensive backs with 41 tackles, six interceptions, seven pass break-ups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery while sophomore cornerback Israel Aguila (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom HS) has 34 tackles, an interception and two pass break-ups. Junior safety Gerald Weiss has contributed 31 tackles, one tackle for loss, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and two pass break-ups while senior safety Bill Skriletz (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh HS) has added 23 stops, a half tackle for loss and three pass-break-ups. Senior defensive back Mario Bevilaqua (Scranton, PA/West Scranton HS) has added 18 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 33 punts for an average of 38.7 yards with a long of 64 yards and 12 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 12-for-18 on extra-points and has missed field goal attempts of 40 yards and 28 yards while Liccketto has missed his only field goal attempt this fall, a 26 yard attempt.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Junior Tyler Chomik has 16 punt returns for 122 yards with a long of 29 yards and ten kickoff returns for 197 yards with a long of 32 yards. Senior Jed Warsager has returned 14 kickoffs this season for a 458 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. Freshman running back Mark Peters (Mendham, NJ/Mendham HS) has returned four kickoffs for 64 yards while sophomore running back Marc Panepinto has two kickoff returns for 24 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Shawn Martell has contributed 11 tackles and a forced fumble on special teams this season

WINNING STREAKS: Moravian's seven-game winning streak to open the season was the second longest in school history and the first time The Greyhounds had won seven consecutive games in the same season. Prior to this fall, the Greyhounds had won six straight contests in a season five times with the last time being 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 other 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.

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 named the Starters Player of the Game after throwing for a career high 340 yards. Venturino completed 18 of 31 passes for two touchdowns. He was intercepted once but was not sacked in the game. Venturino also had a four-yard touchdown run. Starters is a sponsor of Moravian College Athletics and is located on Route 378 south of Bethlehem.