THE GAME: It’s only fitting that the last game at Susquehanna’s present Amos Alonzo Stagg Field – a site of Crusader football for 100 years which has had its present layout since 1923 – will be, in effect, a championship game against arch-rival Lycoming. The Middle Atlantic Conference championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament will be at stake when the Crusaders and the Warriors wage their annual battle for Amos Alonzo Stagg, Sr.’s Old Hat Trophy – an actual bronzed felt Fedora worn by the legendary “Grand Old Man of Football” while he co-coached Susquehanna from 1947-52 with his son Amos, Jr. The MAC champion and the tournament bid are determined this year by the outcome of the game between the Commonwealth and Freedom League champions. Susquehanna and Lycoming lead those leagues respectively, with a league game still left for each. The conference title has been at stake in eight of the last 10 late-season meetings in this rivalry, with Lycoming winning seven – including the last three. The Warriors now have a slim 19-18-1 series lead, although Susquehanna has a 6-3 advantage (.667) in Old Hat Trophy games. Lycoming is fifth in the Division III AFCA poll and winners of 36-consecutive regular season games, including an MAC record 35-straight against conference opponents. The Warriors have the MAC’s leading defense (256.1 yards/game) – ranking third in Division III scoring defense (6.3 point/game) while recording three shutouts. The Lycoming offense is second in the conference (395.3 yards/game). Susquehanna is third in MAC defense (294.8 yards/game), ranking 13th nationally against the run (now 87.3 yards/game) and 21st in scoring (now 14.5 points/game). The Crusaders are fourth in MAC total offense (359.3 yards/game). Saturday’s game will feature pre-game ceremonies honoring the special anniversary Top 100 Team, and the nine current seniors. There will also be a halftime groundbreaking for the new Nicholas A. Lopardo Stadium.
THE COACHES: Tenth-year head coach Steve Briggs is the winningest coach in Susque-hanna grid history at 67-33 (.609), and is 4-6 (400) vs. Lycoming. 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. Frank Girardi has been Lycoming’s legendary head coach for the past 28 years, compiling a 209-65-5 (.758) record to rank fifth in wins and 12th in percentage among Division III coaches. He has led his team to 11 MAC championships, nine trips to the national tournament, and two title game appearances.
THE CRUSADER OFFENSE (DELAWARE WING-T): Freshman fullback Jon Dvorshock (Picture Rocks/Hughesville H.S.) is on the MAC Honor Roll, and is the team’s Gus Weber Crusader Player of the Week, sponsored by the Golden Corral. A converted halfback, Dvorshock posted his first collegiate 100-yard rushing game last Saturday with 110 on 17 carries. He also took a third-and-22 shovel pass 64 yards for a touchdown which pulled the team within 24-21 with 6:45 left. He also had three catches for 79 yards. Dvorshock is third on the team in rushing this season with 309 yards on 71 carries (4.4 avg.) and three touchdowns, catching eight passes for 122 yards (15.3 avg.) with the one score. Fellow freshman and quarterback Mike Bowman (Northumberland/Shikellamy H.S.) also had a career best Saturday, completing 18 of 29 passes for 266 yards with two touchdowns and just one interception. He hit an important fourth-and-12 pass to keep Susquehanna’s final drive alive as it rallied for the win. Bowman now ranks fifth in MAC passing efficiency (109.6 rating) and 10th in total offense (133.0 yards/game), completing 86 of 171 passes for 1,059 yards with eight TDs and seven INTs. Freshman split end Tim Ronchi (Factoryville/Lackawanna Trail H.S.) caught six passes for 74 yards last Saturday. He leads the team and is eighth in the MAC with 33 catches for 404 yards (12.2 avg.) and a touchdown. Junior halfback Rashonn Drayton (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) leads the team and is fourth in the MAC in rushing with 542 yards on 134 carries (4.0 avg./67.8 yards/game). He has a team high seven touchdowns for 42 points. Former Central Catholic All-State teammate and senior halfback and captain Jose Delgado now has 344 yards on 71 carries (4.7 avg.) and three scores, and is 10th in MAC kickoff return average (19.4). The offensive line averages 6-1, 260 pounds per man and all five players started at some time last year.
THE WARRIOR OFFENSE (SLOT I): The Warrior offense starts with a mammoth offensive line which averages 6-3, 282 pounds per man and returns all five starters. Senior guard Mike Kemmerer is the leader of that group as the returning MAC Offensive Lineman of the Year. They’ve helped protect new quarterback and senior Ryan Swailes, although the 6-5, 205-pounder from Montoursville is big enough to take care of himself. A transfer from D-II Millersville, Swailes is second in conference pass efficiency while completing 110 of 206 passes (53.4%) for 1637 yards with 17 TDs and just six INTs (141.56 rating). He is third in conference total offense (232.3 yards/game). Returning first-team Freedom League All-Star and probable All-American wideout Tim Dumas ranks second in the conference in receiving with 41 catches for 731 yards (5.9 catches/game) and 11 TDs. Also second in MAC scoring (9.4 points/game), Dumas caught a school record 13 passes for 177 yards and a score last season vs. Susquehanna. Senior tailback Jason Davis leads the ground attack and is third in the MAC with 535 yards on 114 carries (4.7 avg./76.4 per game) and four TDs, although sophomore Tim Deasey is ninth in the conference with 383 yards on 59 carries (6.5 avg./54.7 per game) and five TDs.
THE CRUSADER DEFENSE (4-3): Yet another freshman leads the defense as cornerback Antonio Nash (Washington, D.C./Spring Brook, Md., H.S.) had two more interceptions Saturday, giving him a team and MAC leading nine this season (1.1 per game). Tied for sixth in NCAA Division III picks per game last week, Nash is just one shy of tying the school record (Record: 10, Mike Fabian, 1971; Cory Mabry, 1988; Jeremy Zeisloft, 1996). He also has four pass break-ups, and leads the MAC and is 13th nationally in punt return average (13.2). Senior defensive end Denny Bowers (Westminster, Md./Westminster H.S.) has a team high seven sacks and 15 tackles for losses of 67 yards among his 26 stops (18 solo). He is second in modern school history (since 1980) in career tackles for loss with 41 for 176 yards, ranking fourth in sacks with 19.5. Fellow senior Torrance Cleveland (St. Petersburg, Fla./Dixie Hollins H.S.) led a depleted defense which was missing three starters with injuries last Saturday. Cleveland had nine tackles to take over the team lead with 59 (18 solo), including eight for losses of 14 yards. Sophomore defensive end Frank Hanlon (Mahanoy City/Mahanoy Area H.S.) also had 10 tackles (five solo), including a sack – giving him 43 (17 solo) with three-and-a-half sacks and nine behind the line for 36 yards in losses this season.
THE WARRIOR DEFENSE (4-3): Returning first-team Freedom League All-Star, All-American candidate, and senior end Cameron Coleman leads the team with 45 tackles (27 solo), including 17 for 74 yards in losses, with eight sacks. Junior Mark Seagreaves has 30 stops, with nine for losses of 32 yards, from the other end. The linebacking corps returns in-tact and is led by returning first-team All-Star and senior Jesse Gambone. At 5-7, 170, Gambone has 31 stops (18 solo). Yet another returning first-team All-Star and All-American hopeful, junior free safety John Scanlan leads the secondary. He has 38 tackles (29 solo) with four break-ups and two picks this year. Sophomore corner Ryan Rupprecht has a team high four INTs to tie for second in the MAC (0.6 per game).
THE CRUSADER KICKERS: Sophomore punter Ryan Hollis (Mifflin/Juniata H.S.) is fourth in the MAC this season (36.6 avg.), while freshman Andy Nadler (Westport, Conn./Staples H.S.) is sixth in MAC kick scoring with 27 points (21-25 PATs, 2-7 FGs).
THE WARRIOR KICKER: Junior John Shaffer was a first-team All-Star kicker last year. He tops the MAC in punting (42.1 avg.), ranking fourth in kicking with 37 points (22-27 PATs, 5-7 FGs).
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