THE GAME: Two of the Middle Atlantic Conference’s youngest teams will clash when Lebanon Valley visits Susquehanna for a Commonwealth League game Saturday. There will be at least 12 freshmen starting this game, which will appropriately enough be Youth Football Day, as well as United Way of Central Susquehanna Valley Day. Surprisingly, MAC Commonwealth League leader and defending co-champion Susquehanna has the most freshmen starting with seven, and possibly eight. The Crusaders have already secured their 14th-straight non-losing season and need another win for back-to-back winning campaigns. Lebanon Valley starts five freshmen and has lost 14-straight games in this series – Susquehanna’s longest active winning streak, pushing its series lead to 19-13-2. Expect Susquehanna to try and establish the run out of its vaunted Delaware Wing-T attack. The Crusaders rolled up a modern MAC record 455 rushing yards in last season’s 48-3 rout at Lebanon Valley and are now second in the MAC in rushing offense (173.5 yards per game), while the Flying Dutchmen are just ninth at stopping the run (156.8 yards per game). By contrast, Lebanon Valley is last in rushing offense (37.5 yards per game), while Susquehanna is third against the run (72.0 yards per game) – giving up just six yards in 47 carries in back-to-back wins. The Crusaders were 27th in Division III rushing defense last week. Susque-hanna is second in MAC total defense (274.2 yards per game), ranking 30th nationally in scoring defense (12.5 points per game), while the Dutchmen are last in offense (209.7 yards per game). The Crusaders are fifth in offense (355.0 yards per game), with Leb Valley ninth in defense (361.2 yards per game). Saturday’s game will feature free admission to all youth football players and coaches from teams high school-aged and younger. Children and youth served by United Way agencies and Susquehanna students will also be recognized.
THE COACHES: Tenth-year head coach Steve Briggs is the winningest coach in Susque-hanna grid history at 66-32 (.673), and has won all nine games against Lebanon Valley. He began the year 36th among active D-III coaches in winning percentage. Also an assistant for two years, he has never suffered a losing season at Susquehanna. Mike Silecchia is 2-14 (.125) in his second year as Lebanon Valley head coach and is trying to turn around a program which has had five-straight losing seasons. He had previously been offensive line coach at MAC power Lycoming for three seasons from 1995 through ’97.
THE CRUSADER OFFENSE (DELAWARE WING-T): Freshman quarterback Mike Bowman (Northumberland/Shikellamy H.S.) is on the MAC Honor Roll and also the team’s Gus Weber Crusader Player of the Week, sponsored by the Golden Corral Family Restaurant. Making just his second start, Bowman had his best game at Susquehanna – completing 18 of 28 passes for 216 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for 29 yards. A 1998 all-state big school second-team selection, he has completed 55 of 115 passes (47.8%) on the season for 661 yards with six TDs and five INTs. He is ninth in MAC passing efficiency (104.6 rating) and 10th in total offense (110.3 yards per game). Bowman is one of four freshmen skill position regulars on offense for Susquehanna. Freshmen split end Tim Ronchi (Factoryville/Lackawanna Trail H.S.) caught six passes for 85 yards and a score Saturday and leads the team with 23 catches for 284 yards (12.3 avg.) — ranking ninth in the MAC (3.8 receptions per game). Six-foot-six junior split end Josh Kitchin (Center Valley/Southern Lehigh H.S.) was Bowman’s primary target vs. Widener, catching a career high eight passes for 98 yards and two TDs. He is just behind Ronchi with 22 catches for 252 yards (11.5 avg./3.7 receptions per game). The Crusader ground attack was slowed Saturday, although senior halfback, tri-captain, and former Allentown Central Catholic all-stater Jose Delgado had 44 yards on eight carries. Former Central Catholic all-state teammate and junior halfback Rashonn Drayton leads the team and is fifth in the MAC in rushing with 450 yards on 111 carries (4.1 avg./75.0 yards per game) with four touchdowns. The Crusader offensive line averages 6-1, 260 pounds per man, excluding the tight end, and all five players started at some time last season. Junior tackle Randy Hayes (Fogelsville/Parkland H.S.) was the top performer of that group vs. Widener.
THE FLYING DUTCHMEN OFFENSE (MULTIPLE I): Sophomore quarterback Dennis Yagmourian made his second start last year vs. Susquehanna and threw four interceptions while being sacked three times and going 6 for 22 for 58 yards. Yagmourian’s hit 94 of 199 passes (47.2%) for 1,017 yards with seven TDs and 10 INTs to rank seventh in MAC total offense (153.2 yards per game) and 10th in pass efficiency (91.7 rating) this year. He became a starter initially because of an injury to junior Doug Henning, who is now his favorite target at wideout — tying for sixth in MAC receiving with 25 catches for 277 yards (11.1 avg./4.2 receptions per game) and two scores. Senior Tommy Mealy also has 21 catches for 294 yards (14.0 avg.) with two TDs and is fifth in MAC punt return average (6.5 avg.) and seventh in kickoff returns (20.9 avg.). All five freshmen starters are on offense, with three coming on a massive line which averages 6-3, 282 pounds per man. Senior tackle Greg Kratzer of nearby East Juniata is the elder statesman of the group. Freshman tailback Tom Kuhn is the only back with more than 100 yards rushing, gaining 143 on 57 carries (2.5 avg.).
THE CRUSADER DEFENSE (4-3): Freshman strong safety Bill Heinzelmann (Allentown/Parkland H.S.) came off the bench Saturday for eight tackles (five solo), with three for losses of 25 yards and a sack-and-a-half. He came in for sophomore starter Dave Howard (Frackville/North Schuylkill H.S.), who suffered a severe hamstring injury. Tackle leaders and linebackers Torrance Cleveland (St. Petersburg, Fla./Dixie Hollins H.S.) and Troy Sosnovik (Belvidere, N.J./Belvidere H.S.) each had 10 tackles Saturday. Sosnovik, who was in on a fourth-and-goal stop from the one, leads the team with 51 tackles (14 solo), while Cleveland is second with 42 (12 solo). Against the pass, freshman corner Antonio Nash (Washington, D.C./Spring Brook, Md. H.S.) had two more interceptions to regain the MAC lead with six (1.0 per game). He also returned four punts for 51 yards and is second in the conference in that category (13.1 avg.). Up front, sophomore defensive end Frank Hanlon (Mahanoy City/Mahanoy Area H.S.) was in on six stops (four solo) Saturday, while freshman tackle Karl Pisch (Reedsville/Indian Valley H.S.) got in on two sacks for 19 yards in losses. Hanlon has a D-line best 28 stops (12 solo) with six for 29 yards in losses and two-and-a-half sacks. Pisch also has two-and-a-half sacks among his 14 stops (six solo).
THE FLYING DUTCHMEN DEFENSE (4-3): Junior free safety Shawn Berwager is the younger brother of Susquehanna senior quarterback/punter Andy Berwager (Hanover/South Western H.S.) and is a returning ECAC Metro NY/NJ Second Team All-Star. Berwager had a career high 18 tackles last season against his brother’s team and has 31 (24 solo) this year, with a team high six break-ups and two INTs. Sophomore strong safety Chad Hoofnagle is tied for third in MAC interceptions (0.5 per game). Junior outside linebacker John Music led the team with 129 tackles last season, and is second this year with 62 (42 solo). Junior middle linebacker Todd Lipp leads the team with 64 (53 solo), including nine for 22 yards in losses. Up front, junior end Shaun Lohman already has nine sacks this season among his 10 tackles for losses of 59 yards. He has 31 total stops (16 solo).
THE CRUSADER KICKERS: Sophomore punter Ryan Hollis (Mifflin/Juniata H.S.) returned from injury Saturday and is fourth in the MAC (36.1 avg.). Freshman Andy Nadler (Westport, Conn./Staples H.S.) is tied for fifth in MAC kick scoring with 22 points (16-19 PATs, 2-6 FGs).
THE FLYING DUTCHMEN KICKERS: Senior Tom Killian is eighth in the MAC in punting (32.1 avg.), and also does the long kicking. Junior Eric Connelly eighth in MAC kick scoring with nine points (3-4 PATs, 1-2 FGs).
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