Sports News: Fall 2000

October 9, 2000

MORAVIAN VS. JUNIATA FOOTBALL PREVIEW

THE GAME: Moravian looks to bounce back from back-to-back losses in a Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth game when the Greyhounds host Juniata College on Saturday, October 14th.  Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. in Moravian's annual Homecoming Game at Steel Field in Bethlehem, PA.

THE COACHES: Scot Dapp (West Chester '73) is in his 14th season at Moravian, with a career record of 85-52-1 (.620).  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.

Juniata coach Kevin Burke (Gettysburg '90) is in his third season at the school with an overall record of 11-14 (.440).

THE SERIES & THE LAST TIME THEY MET: Saturday's meeting will be the 46th in the series with Juniata holding a 22-21-2 advantage.  However, Moravian has owned the series over the last ten years with a 7-2-1 record. For the last five, 60 minutes of regulation football has not been enough to determine a winner in the MAC Commonwealth contest between the Greyhounds and the Eagles.  In 1995, the year before the NCAA instituted the overtime rules; the contest ended in a 15-15 tie at Juniata in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.  In 1996, the game went to overtime with the score tied 26-26 in Bethlehem.  It is believed that the game played on September 21st was the first played under the new NCAA rules.  Moravian scored first in overtime to take a 33-26 lead.  After a Juniata touchdown in the extra session, the Eagles tried for two points to win the game but Moravian's Tony Perilla intercepted the pass attempt and returned it 100 yards for two points and set the final score at 35-32, Moravian.

In 1997, the two schools were tied at 22-22 at the end of regulation in Huntingdon.  Moravian again had the ball first and scored a touchdown and the extra-point to take a 29-22 lead.  Juniata also scored a touchdown on its possession and again went for a two-point conversion and the win.  The first attempt was good except for an illegal shift penalty on Juniata that negated the play.  On the second attempt, Moravian's Todd Korlesky knocked the ball away in the endzone to preserve a 29-28 Moravian victory.

Back in 1998, it was Juniata's turn to win the overtime contest.  With the score tied 17-17 at the end of regulation, Moravian had the ball first for the third straight year but the Greyhounds could only manage a field goal on their home field.  On its possession, Juniata faced a third and 16 from the 18-yard line.  Quarterback Joe Montrella completed a pass to wide receiver Matt Eisenberg to the one-yard line where Eisenberg fumbled when hit by Korlesky, who jarred the ball loose.  However, Juniata's Matt Bowers fell on the ball in the endzone for the 23-20 Juniata victory.

Then came last season, Moravian trailed 14-0 late in the second quarter before scoring with 51 seconds left in the half to cut the score to 14-7 at halftime.  Juniata, playing on its home field, extended the lead to 21-7 before Moravian scored a pair of running touchdowns to tie the contest at 21-21.  Juniata would again take a seven-point lead before Moravian tied the contest at 28-28 with 9:05 left to play in the fourth quarter.  Juniata's Bill Reddinger missed a pair of field goals in the fourth quarter before Moravian's Jim McIntyre (Hackettstown, NJ/Hackettstown HS) connected on a 22-yard field goal with just 30 seconds left in the game.  Moravian tried to kick the ball low and on the ground to avoid a big kickoff return but the ball hit a Juniata player and the Eagles started their last drive at midfield.  With just eight seconds left in regulation, Juniata's Montrella tried to complete a pass to Eisenberg in the endzone for the win but Moravian defensive back Nate Pogue (Bethlehem/Liberty HS) knocked the ball away before Eisenberg could get his feet down.  The Eagles settled for a 31-yard field goal by Reddinger as time expired.  The game was tied at 31-31.  On to overtime for the fourth consecutive year and for the fourth straight year, Moravian had the ball first.  The Greyhounds scored in four plays capped by a one-yard touchdown run by running back Josh Fick (Emmaus/Emmaus HS) and the extra-point by McIntyre.  Juniata needed seven plays to score with its touchdown a 21-yard pass from Montrella to Jeff Craft to cut the score to 38-37.  Juniata, after losing the last two times it went for a two-point conversion, decided to try the extra-point and force a second overtime but it didn't work out.  Moravian College assistant coach Ron Cardinal had seen from the roof of the pressbox that Moravian had a chance to blocked the field goal at the end of regulation, but the player that broke through was just 5-8 feet tall.  On the extra-point, the Greyhounds inserted Mike Buscio, a 6-4 wide receiver, as the second player from the left-hand side.  As Reddinger attempted the extra-point, Buscio broke through and took just three steps before jumping and blocking the kick with his facemask.  Moravian's Jarod Rhinehart (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills Regional HS) recovered the ball to end the game.

LAST WEEK: The Greyhounds lost to King's College, 17-14, on a field goal with 4:38 left in the fourth quarter.  Moravian did hold the Monarchs' and MAC rushing leader senior Damon Saxon to 107 yards on 28 carries, 81 yards below his season average.  Moravian jumped out to a 7-0 lead with 8:22 remaining in the first quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by senior running back P.J. Jankowicz (Belle Mead, NJ/Hillsborough HS).  Freshman Josh Miller (Boyertown/Boyertown HS) made the extra-point.  Jankowicz led Moravian on the ground with 41 yards on 12 carries and now needs just 33 yards to become the seventh player in Greyhound history to run for 2,000 yards in a career.  The Monarchs would take a 14-7 lead with 1:41 to play in the third quarter before the Greyhounds scored again.  The Greyhounds got a break early in the fourth quarter when junior defensive back Jim McIntyre blocked a punt and Moravian took over on the King's 45-yard line.  Moravian drove down to the 23-yard line where the offense faced a fourth-and-12.  For the fourth time this season, the Greyhounds connected for a touchdown on the fourth down play as sophomore quarterback Charlie Bowden (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville/War Memorial HS) hit freshman wide receiver Kevin Miltenberger (Carlisle/Carlisle HS) for a 23-yard touchdown.  Miller's extra-point tied the game at 14:14 with 8:40 to play in regulation.  Bowden completed 14 of 30 passes for 184 yards but he was intercepted twice and sacked six times.  Bowden fumbled three times, losing one and Moravian fumbled five times, losing two.  Sophomore wide receiver Jarod Rhinehart grabbed six passes for 82 yards in the game.  Moravian had two chances to drive down the field and win the game but one ended in a punt and the other by a sack of Bowden.  Senior defensive tackle Dustin Collier (Easton/Freedom HS) led the Moravian defense with 14 tackles and two pass break-ups while freshman safety John Panikiewsky (Carteret, NJ/Carteret HS) had 12 tackles and a pair of pass break-ups in his first collegiate start.

SCOUTING JUNIATA: The Eagles come to Bethlehem in search of their first win of the 2000 season.  Juniata is 0-5 overall and 0-3 in the MAC Commonwealth.  The Juniata offense is led by junior quarterback Jamie Campbell, who has completed 103 of 184 passes for 1,329 yards and seven touchdowns.  Campbell has thrown five interceptions and been sacked eight times.  Campbell's top targets have been senior wide receiver Matt Eisenberg, who has 28 catches for 434 yards and two scores, and sophomore wideout Nate Leach, who has grabbed 24 passes for 327 yards and two touchdowns.  Junior split end Andy Radomsky has 13 receptions for 241 yards and one score.  On the ground, the Eagles are led by freshman tailback Mike Leach with 171 yards on 68 carries.  Juniata has yet to score a rushing touchdown this season.  Sophomore Dusty Lehr has made six of seven extra-points this fall and he has connected on one of three field goals.  Junior Brandon Bateman is averaging 39.1 yards per punt on 29 attempts with a long of 66 yards.  On the defensive side of the ball, senior linebacker Ed Pfursich has a team and MAC leading 62 tackles with five for loss and two sacks.  Senior defensive tackle Jeremy Patterson has 36 tackles this season with seven tackles for loss and three sacks.  Junior linebacker Jason Stouffer leads Juniata with three interceptions and five pass break-ups while senior defensive end Dan Brady leads the Eagles with four and a half sacks and seven tackles for loss among his 26 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 second the Middle Atlantic Conference in scoring defense, allowing just 19.2 points per game.  The Moravian defense also ranks sixth in rushing (120.2 yards per contest), tied for first in passing (172.2 yards per game), second in total defense (292.4 yards per game), first in pass defense efficiency (85.59) and sixth in turnover margin (+0.20 per game).  The Greyhounds are a +1 in takeaway/giveaway this season.  On offense, the Greyhounds are seventh in scoring (19.8 points per game), eighth in rushing (77.0 yards per game), fifth in passing (239.2 yards per game), seventh in total offense (316.2 yards per contest) and fourth in pass efficiency (125.53).  Sophomore safety Jarrod Pence (Livingston, NJ/Livingston HS) is tied for second in the MAC with 1.0 interceptions per game while senior cornerback Doug Joseph (Allentown/Parkland HS) is tied for sixth with 0.60 interceptions per game.  Joseph ranks ninth in kickoff returns with 20.0 yards a run back and seventh in punt returns at 10.8 per return.  Sophomore quarterback Charlie Bowden ranks fourth in pass efficiency at 130.26, sixth in passing at 223.8 yards per game and sixth in total offense at 205.6 yards per contest.  Freshman wide receiver Kevin Miltenberger is ninth in the MAC with 4.40 receptions per game while freshman Tim Barlok (Bethlehem/Bethlehem Catholic HS) is sixth in kickoff returns at 22.0 yards per return.  Freshman punter Alex Myshak (Lake Ariel/North Pocono HS) is seventh in punting at 33.1 yards per kick.  Junior Michael Abbate (South Plainfield, NJ/Bishop Ahr HS) is eighth in receiving yards per game at 72.6 yards a game and ninth in scoring at 6.0 points per game.  Junior kicker Marc Roesch (Egg Harbor City, NJ/St. Augustine HS) is tied for fifth in field goals per game (0.4) and ninth in points per game (2.0).

POLL POSITION: Moravian was selected to tie for fifth in the MAC Commonwealth preseason poll this season while Juniata College was picked to finish third in the MAC Commonwealth.  Lycoming College was again selected as the top team in the MAC.

BOWDEN LEADS THE 'HOUNDS OFFENSE: Sophomore quarterback Charlie Bowden has completed 83 of 150 passes this season for 1,119yards and eight touchdowns with four interceptions, however, Bowden has been sacked 21 times this season.  Bowden threw for 343 yards against Widener University 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 23 times this fall.

IN THE BACKFIELD: Sophomore tailback Josh Fick, who missed last week's game with bruised ribs, has 25 carries for 118 yards and one touchdown this year while freshman Tim Barlok leads the squad with 154 yards on 38 attempts.  Senior tailback P.J. Jankowicz needs just 33 yards to become the seventh Greyhound player to run for 2,000 yards in a career.  Jankowicz has 128 yards and two touchdowns on a team high 48 carries this season.  Senior fullback Frank Starner (Nazareth/Nazareth HS) has added 35 yards on 23 carries.

THE WIDE RECEIVERS: The Greyhounds have had ten players catch a pass this season led by freshman Kevin Miltenberger, who has 22 receptions for 218 yards and two touchdowns.  Junior wideout Michael Abbate has 17 catches for 363 yards and four touchdowns while sophomore wide receiver Jarod Rhinehart has grabbed 17 aerials for 220 yards.  Freshman wide receiver Jeff Lowry (Catawissa/Southern Columbia HS) has seven receptions for 148 yards and a score.  Sophomore tight end Rick Kulp (Walnutport/Northampton HS) has seven catches for 94 yards while senior tailback P.J. Jankowicz has seven catches for 58 yards.

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) moved 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) moved into the starting role in the other guard position.  Sophomore Josh Zagorski (Morris Plains, NJ/Parsippany Hills HS) is the starting center.

DEFENSIVE FRONT: Senior defensive end Dustin Collier leads the Greyhounds front four with 33 tackles with one sack and two tackles for loss after a 14-tackle performance at King's last Saturday.  Junior defensive tackle John Kwiatkowski (Whitehall/Whitehall HS) has added 28 tackles, seven for loss and two and a half sacks.  Sophomore defensive tackle Pat Mancini (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley Regional HS) has added 25 tackles, including three for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery while sophomore defensive end Brian Cascioli (Center Valley/Southern Valley HS) has 19 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 19 tackles with four for loss and two sacks.

THE LINEBACKER CORP: Senior J.D. Rhinehart (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills Regional HS) leads the Greyhound defense with 49 tackles including seven 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 45 tackles this season with four for loss and one and a half sacks.  Sophomore John Cupples (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic HS) has added 39 tackles this fall with two for loss.  Freshman Steve Maslanek (Stockholm, NJ/Vernon Township HS) has 11 tackles this season and partially blocked a punt against King's on Saturday.

THE DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD: Sophomore safety Jarrod Pence, who missed last week's game with a shoulder injury, 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 31 tackles and 13 pass break-ups.  Junior safety Mike Wukitsch (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic HS) has 21 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass break-ups while sophomore cornerback Nate Pogue has 24 tackles and nine pass break-ups.  Junior Jim McIntyre blocked a punt against King's on Saturday and has four tackles this fall.  Freshman safety John Panikiewsky, who filled in for Pence against King's, has 18 tackles this season after 12 last Saturday.

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 five for six 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 12 kickoff returns for 264 yards while junior Michael Abbate has returned seven punt returns for 40 yards.  Senior Doug Joseph has eight kickoff returns for 160 yards and eight punt returns for 86 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 at home (610/758-8721) or Juniata SID Bub Parker at (814/641-3134).