October 16, 2000

MORAVIAN VS. FDU-MADISON FOOTBALL PREVIEW

THE GAME: Moravian looks to bounce back from three straight losses in a Middle Atlantic Conference game when the Greyhounds host FDU-Madison on Saturday, October 21st.  Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. in Moravian's annual Hall of Fame 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 85-53-1 (.615).  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.
FDU-Madison coach Bill Klika (Colgate '67) returned to the sideline this season after a three-year absence and is in his 24th season at the school with an overall record of 67-142-1 (.321).

THE SERIES: Saturday's meeting will be the sixth in the series with Moravian holding a 4-1 advantage.  FDU-Madison picked up its first win against the Greyhounds last season with a 13-10 win in Madison, NJ.  Moravian has won the previous two meetings in Bethlehem by a combined score of 64-15.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET: In Madison, NJ last fall, the Devils scored a touchdown on a one-yard Aaron Manus run with less than five minutes remaining in the game to take a 13-10 victory.  Moravian had scored first on a 38-yard field goal by Jim McIntyre (Hackettstown, NJ/Hackettstown HS) in the first quarter.  FDU-Madison would take a 6-3 halftime lead on a pair of field goals by Rich Dwyer, one from 23 yards and the other from 32 yards.  Moravian took a 10-6 lead with 7:45 left in the third quarter on a 22-yard pass from quarterback Rob Petrosky to tight end Rick Kulp (Walnutport/Northampton HS) and the McIntyre extra-point.  The pass was one of just four Petrosky completed in the game that saw the Greyhounds run a total of 46 plays compared to 74 plays for the Devils.  Running back Kirk Harryn led the Moravian ground game with 51 yards on 11 carries.  Manus led the FDU-Madison ground attack with 68 yards on 27 carries while Devil quarterback Phil Revien completed 17 of 29 passes for 184 yards but he was intercepted four times.  The Greyhound defense tied the school record with five interceptions in the game including two by cornerback Nate Pogue (Bethlehem/Liberty HS), who had 12 tackles in the contest.  Safety Steve DiRenzo tied the Moravian record with 20 tackles in the game including 11 solo stops.  Mike Ortiz led the FDU-Madison defense with seven tackles.

LAST WEEK: The Greyhounds dropped their third straight game, falling to Juniata College, 27-20, in Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth action.  The game snapped an odd streak between the two schools that had not seen a winner in regulation since 1994.  In 1995, the two teams tied and from 1996 through 1999 Juniata and Moravian played four overtime games with the Greyhounds winning three of those games.  After falling behind 3-0, Moravian would take the ensuing kickoff and drive down the field to take a 6-3 lead on a four-yard touchdown burst by freshman tailback Tim Barlok (Bethlehem/Bethlehem Catholic HS).  Moravian missed the extra-point.  Barlok, making his third start of the season, had his first 100-yard game in college with 139 yards on 21 carries.  Barlok also led the Moravian receivers with four catches for 46 yards.  Juniata would take a 20-6 lead before the Greyhounds scored again with 1:32 left in the third quarter on a 27-yard scoring pass from sophomore quarterback Charlie Bowden (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville/War Memorial HS) to sophomore tight end Rick Kulp on a third-and-14 play.  Junior Jim McIntyre came on for the extra-point to cut Juniata's lead to 20-13.  Bowden completed 15 of 33 passes in the game for 153 yards but he was intercepted once and sacked five times.  Junior wide receiver Michael Abbate (South Plainfield, NJ/Bishop Ahr HS) grabbed three aerials for 45 yards.  The Greyhounds tied the game with 7:29 remaining in the fourth quarter to make it look like a possible fifth straight overtime game on a one-yard run by Bowden and McIntyre's kick.  Senior linebacker J.D. Rhinehart (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills Regional HS) led the Moravian defense with 12 tackles including three for loss and one sack.  Sophomore cornerback Nate Pogue had ten stops in the game and two pass break-ups.

SCOUTING FDU-MADISON: The Devils come to Bethlehem in search of their first win of the 2000 season.  FDU-Madison is 0-6 overall and 0-2 in the MAC Freedom, however, he Devils have been in close games this season with three losses by one point, including a 21-20 loss to MAC powerhouse FDU-Madison.  FDU-Madison is using two quarterbacks this season with junior Brad Bishop completing 52 of 99 passes for 553 yards and seven touchdowns and senior Mark Pollifrone connecting on 35 of 82 pass attempts for 448 yards and four touchdowns.  Bishop has thrown three interceptions and been sacked seven times while Pollifrone has been picked off four times and been sacked five times.  The top targets this season have been senior wide receiver Mike Quigley, who has 36 receptions for 439 yards and four scores, senior wideout Mike Kuziemski, who has caught 12 passes for 134 yards, and sophomore wide receiver Tim Carlock, who has grabbed ten passes for 166 yards and a touchdown.  Sophomore running back Ed Cracchiolo leads the Devils on the ground with 430 yards and four touchdowns on 89 carries.  Cracchiolo also has eight catches for 79 yards and three touchdowns.  Junior running back Aaron Manus has 165 yards on 36 attempts.  Sophomore cornerback Eric Eickhorst is handling the place kicking duties for FDU-Madison this season and he has connected on three of four extra-point attempts and has missed two field goal tries.  The Devils have attempted eight two-point conversions this season.  Eric's brother Shawn Eickhorst is FDU-Madison's punter and he is averaging 29.8 yards per punt on 31 kicks this fall.  Senior linebacker Tom Pouliot leads the Devils' defense with 60 tackles through six games.  Eric Eickhorst is second on the squad with 39 tackles and he has three interceptions.  Sophomore safety Frank Nolasco has a team high five pass break-ups on the season to go along with 38 tackles.  Senior linebacker J.D. Potynski and senior defensive end Doug McNicholas lead the Devils with two and a half sacks each.

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 third the Middle Atlantic Conference in scoring defense, allowing just 20.5 points per game.  The Moravian defense also ranks sixth in rushing (117.7 yards per contest), fourth in passing (196.0 yards per game), fourth in total defense (313.7 yards per game), second in pass defense efficiency (96.04) and tied for fifth in turnover margin (+0.17 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), seventh in rushing (98.3 yards per game), fifth in passing (224.8 yards per game), sixth in total offense (323.2 yards per contest) and sixth in pass efficiency (119.30).  Sophomore safety Jarrod Pence (Livingston, NJ/Livingston HS) is tied for second in the MAC with 0.80 interceptions per game while senior cornerback Doug Joseph (Allentown/Parkland HS) is tied for fifth with 0.50 interceptions per game.  Joseph ranks fifth in kickoff returns with 23.2 yards a run back and seventh in punt returns at 9.8 per return.  Sophomore quarterback Charlie Bowden ranks fifth in pass efficiency at 122.70, fifth in passing at 212.0 yards per game and sixth in total offense at 195.0 yards per contest.  Freshman Tim Barlok is sixth in kickoff returns at 23.1 yards per return, eighth in rushing per game with an average of 48.8 yards a contest and seventh in all-purpose yardage at 112.7 yards a game.  Freshman punter Alex Myshak (Lake Ariel/North Pocono HS) is seventh in punting at 32.5 yards per kick.  Junior Michael Abbate (South Plainfield, NJ/Bishop Ahr HS) is eighth in receiving yards per game at 68.0 yards a game and tied for ninth in touchdown scoring at 5.0 points per game.  Junior kicker Marc Roesch (Egg Harbor City, NJ/St. Augustine HS) is tied for seventh in field goals per game (0.33) and ninth in points per game (1.7).

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

BOWDEN LEADS THE 'HOUNDS OFFENSE: Sophomore quarterback Charlie Bowden has completed 98 of 183 passes this season for 1,272 yards and nine touchdowns with five interceptions, however, Bowden has been sacked 26 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 28 times this fall.

IN THE BACKFIELD: Freshman Tim Barlok leads the squad with 293 yards on 59 attempts and one touchdown after his first career 100-yard game against Juniata last weekend.  Sophomore tailback Josh Fick (Emmaus/Emmaus HS), who has missed the last two weeks game with bruised ribs, has 25 carries for 118 yards and one touchdown this year.  Senior tailback P.J. Jankowicz needs just 11 yards to become the seventh Greyhound player to run for 2,000 yards in a career.  Jankowicz has 150 yards and two touchdowns on 53 carries this season.  Senior fullback Frank Starner (Nazareth/ Nazareth HS) has added 95 yards on 28 carries.

THE WIDE RECEIVERS: The Greyhounds have had 11 players catch a pass this season but have four receivers sidelined with injuries.  Freshman Kevin Miltenberger (Carlisle/Carlisle HS), who suffered a strained knee on Saturday, has 23 receptions for 228 yards and two touchdowns.  Junior wideout Michael Abbate has 20 catches for 408 yards and four touchdowns while sophomore wide receiver Jarod Rhinehart (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills Regional HS), who missed last week's game with a fractured hand, has grabbed 17 aerials for 220 yards.  Freshman wide receiver Jeff Lowry (Catawissa/Southern Columbia HS), who suffered a broken collarbone in Saturday's loss, has eight receptions for 153 yards and a score.  Sophomore tight end Rick Kulp has eight catches for 121 yards and a touchdown while senior tailback P.J. Jankowicz has nine catches for 63 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 (Easton/Freedom HS) leads the Greyhounds front four with 41 tackles with one sack and four tackles for loss.  Collier had a career high 14-tackle performance at King's College.  Junior defensive tackle John Kwiatkowski (Whitehall/Whitehall HS) has added 35 tackles, eight for loss and three and a half sacks.  Sophomore defensive tackle Pat Mancini (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley Regional HS) has added 28 tackles, including four 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 23 tackles with four for loss and two sacks.

THE LINEBACKER CORP: Senior J.D. Rhinehart leads the Greyhound defense with 60 tackles including ten for loss, three and a half sacks, two interceptions, four pass break-ups and two forced fumbles.  Sophomore Bill Engler (Coopersburg/ Southern Lehigh HS) has 53 tackles this season with six for loss and two and a half sacks.  Sophomore John Cupples (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic HS) has added 43 tackles this fall with three for loss.  Freshman Steve Maslanek (Stockholm, NJ/Vernon Township HS) has 14 tackles this season and partially blocked a punt against King's.

THE DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD: Sophomore safety Jarrod Pence has made four interceptions this fall to lead the Greyhounds and he has added 45tackles, one forced fumble, seven pass break-ups 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 35 tackles and 13 pass break-ups.  Junior safety Mike Wukitsch (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic HS) has 28 tackles; three interceptions and seven pass break-ups while sophomore cornerback Nate Pogue has 34 tackles and 11 pass break-ups. Freshman safety John Panikiewsky (Carteret, NJ/Carteret HS) has 18 tackles this season after 12 at King's in his first collegiate start.  Junior Jim McIntyre blocked a punt against King's and has five tackles this fall.

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 seven on extra-points and he missed his only field goal attempt.  Junior Jim McIntyre made his two extra-point attempts against Juniata.  Freshman Alex Myshak is the Greyhounds punter and he is averaging 32.5 yards per kick with a long of 45 yards against Widener.  Myshak has punted 35 times this fall.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Freshman Tim Barlok has 14 kickoff returns for 323 yards while junior Michael Abbate has returned nine punts for 52 yards.  Senior Doug Joseph has ten kickoff returns for 232 yards and nine punt returns for 88 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 FDU-Madison SID W. Scott Giglio at (973/443-8965).