Tuesday, November 26, 2002

PENCE, BLACKLEDGE TO PLAY IN EAST COAST BOWL

BETHLEHEM, PA --- Moravian College senior football players defensive back Jarrod Pence (Livingston, NJ/Livingston HS) and defensive lineman Tom Blackledge (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge HS) have been selected to play in the 2nd Annual East Coast Bowl on Saturday, November 30th in Petersburg, VA.

The East Coast Bowl, which will played at Historic Field in Petersburg and is set to kickoff at 12:10 p.m., features NCAA Division II and III players with the majority of the players from Division II schools. Pence and Blackledge are two of 15 Division III players. There are three other players from the Middle Atlantic Conference including Mike Warker from Widener University and Dusty Lehr and Fred Taber from Juniata College.

Pence and Blackledge helped Moravian finish the season with a 7-4 overall record, the squad’s best record since a 7-3 campaign in 2002, and the Greyhounds made their first-ever appearance in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships, falling to McDaniel College, 21-7 in the ECAC Southeast Championship.

Pence, who will also participate in the 2002 Aztec Bowl on December 14th, was named to the All-Middle Atlantic Conference First Team for the second straight season this fall. Pence made 55 tackles this season with two and a half tackles for loss, 18 pass break-ups, three interceptions, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. Pence scored two touchdowns this year with a 57-yard interception return for a score at Wilkes University and a 53-yard fumble return for a touchdown versus Albright College. Pence finished his career with 200 tackles, five tackles for loss, 13 interceptions, 68 pass break-ups, two fumbles that were both returned for touchdowns and four forced fumbles in 40 career games.

Blackledge, who was named to the All-Middle Atlantic Conference Second Team this fall, led the Greyhounds with 28 tackles for loss and five and a half sacks this season. Blackledge, who was also on the Verizon Academic All-District Team for the second time in three years, had a total of 65 tackles this season with three pass break-ups. Blackledge finished his career with 149 tackles including 52 for loss of 163 yards and 13 and a half sacks for loss of 103 yards. Blackledge also added five pass break-ups, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble in 39 career games.