THE GAME: Susquehanna is the opponent for a school’s homecoming game for the third time this season. Maybe that’s a good thing as the Crusaders rolled to victories at Dickinson (42-6) and Juniata (27-7) in the earlier homecoming contests. They’ll need to continue that success in order to shake the effects of last Saturday’s shocking home loss to Lebanon Valley, and remain very much in the Middle Atlantic Conference and Commonwealth League title pictures. The MAC revamped its tie-breaking criteria in order to determine an overall champion, which will ultimately get the NCAA Division III Tournament bid. While Susquehanna is now tied with Widener for first in the Commonwealth League, the Crusaders have the advantage because of their win over the Pioneers. The overall champion will be determined by the outcome of a game between the first-place teams in each league – meaning Susquehanna could still be conference champion if it wins its final three games. In order to do all that, it will have to end a three-game losing streak at Moravian. All the previous three losses came in Moravian homecoming games. Susquehanna won last year’s contest in a thriller, 17-16, but still trails the overall series, 13-11-1. Expect the Crusaders to once again try and establish the run on Saturday as they lead the MAC in rushing offense (173.4 yards/game), while Moravian is 10th at stopping the run (169.6 yards/game). By contrast, look for the Greyhounds to try and prey on the pass as they picked off a school record five passes in last week’s loss at FDU-Madison, and are second among MAC teams in INTs with 14, ranking third in conference passing defense (191.9 yards/game). Susquehanna is just ninth in passing offense (174.4 yards/game). Overall, Susquehanna is second in total defense (283.3 yards/game) and fifth in offense (347.9 yards/game), while Moravian is eighth in offense (264.7 yards/game) and 10th in defense (361.4 yards/game).
THE COACHES: Tenth-year head coach Steve Briggs is the winningest coach in Susque-hanna grid history at 66-33 (.667), and is 5-4 (556) vs. Moravian. 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. Moravian head coach Scot Dapp was an assistant football coach for seven seasons and head baseball coach for six at Susquehanna. He is now in his 13th season at Moravian and began the year 39th among D-III coaches in winning percentage, now at 81-48-1 (.627). He is 5-7 lifetime (.417) vs. Susquehanna.
THE CRUSADER OFFENSE (DELAWARE WING-T): Freshman quarterback Mike Bowman (Northumberland/Shikellamy H.S.) looked like he was going to possibly wind up a hero as his five-yard, fourth down touchdown run tied the score at 14 with just 2:57 to play. Bowman hit on 13 of 27 passes for 132 yards with an interception. He has completed 68 of 142 passes for 793 yards with six touchdowns and six interceptions this season – ranking eighth in MAC passing efficiency (100.3) and ninth in total offense (116.7 yards/game). Freshmen split end Tim Ronchi (Factoryville/Lackawanna Trail H.S.) was once again his favorite target as he caught four passes for 46 yards, and continues to top the team in receiving with 27 catches for 330 yards (12.2 avg.) and a TD. Six-foot-six junior split end Josh Kitchin (Center Valley/Southern Lehigh H.S.) is right behind with 25 catches for 275 yards (11.0 avg.) and two scores and will have a homecoming of sorts Saturday. Freshman fullback Jon Dvorshock (Picture Rocks/Hughesville H.S.) was the team’s most effective runner Saturday, gaining 42 yards on 12 carries with a score before leaving the game with a sprained ankle. A converted halfback, Dvorshock has 199 yards on 54 carries (3.7 avg.) with three TDs this season. The halfbacks are both former Allentown Central Catholic all-staters in senior Jose Delgado and junior Rashonn Drayton. The 6-2, 225-pound Drayton leads the team and is fourth in the MAC in rushing with 493 yards on 125 carries (70.4 per game/3.9 avg.) and four TDs, while Delgado is second on the squad with 313 yards on 66 carries (44.7 per game/4.7 avg.) and three scores. Delgado also is third on the team in receiving with 20 catches for 156 yards (7.8 avg.) and two TDs. The offensive line averages 6-1, 260 pounds per man and all five players started at some time last year. Senior guard Todd Werley is another former Allentown Central Catholic standout.
THE GREYHOUND OFFENSE (WING PLUS): It’s surprising that Moravian hasn’t had more offensive success this season, given the fact that senior Rob Petrosky is in his third season as the team’s starting quarterback. Petrosky is just above Susquehanna’s Bowman on the MAC passing lists – ranking seventh in efficiency (106.6 rating) and eighth in total offense (137.4 yards/game) while completing 85 of 184 passes (46.2%) for 1,002 yards with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He was just 4 of 17 for 52 yards with a TD and an INT last Saturday at FDU. Junior P.J. Jankowicz also returns for his third year at starting tailback – rushing for over 650 yards in each of his first two. Jankowicz has struggled this season, gaining just 319 on 109 carries (2.9 avg.) with a TD. In fact, returning fullback and senior Kirk Harryn is the team rushing leader – ranking eighth in the MAC with 406 yards on 77 carries (5.3 avg.). Senior tight end Kevin McHale is also the team leader in receiving yards with 211 on 12 catches (17.6 avg.) with two scores. Only 6-3, 287-pound senior tackle Eric McNeel returns on an offensive line which averages 6-2, 252 pounds per man.
THE CRUSADER DEFENSE (4-3): Freshman cornerback Antonio Nash (Washington, D.C./Spring Brook, Md. H.S.) is the first repeat winner of the team’s Gus Weber Crusader Player of the Week, sponsored by the Golden Corral Restaurant. Nash came up with his team and MAC-leading seventh interception (1.0 per game) Saturday, and also had two break-ups and six tackles (five solo). Tied for sixth in NCAA Division III interceptions, Nash is also second in the conference in punts return average (13.2 avg.), ranking 16th nationally. He has 32 tackles (22 solo) with three break-ups this season. The pass rush aided Nash Saturday – particularly senior defensive end and tri-captain Denny Bowers (Westminster, Md./Westminster H.S.) and freshman tackle Karl Pisch (Reedsville/Indian Valley H.S.). Each had a sack and three tackles for loss Saturday – with Pisch accumulating 11 lost yards and Bowers eight. Bowers leads the team with six sacks and 14 tackles for losses of 64 yards among his 23 stops (15 solo). Senior linebacker Torrance Cleveland (St. Petersburg, Fla./Dixie Hollins H.S.) had a team best eight stops Saturday and has 50 this year (13 solo), just seven shy of team leader and sophomore linebacker Troy Sosnovik (Belvidere, N.J./Belvidere H.S.).
THE GREYHOUND DEFENSE (4-3): The entire defensive backfield returns for Moravian, although senior cornerback Gordy Frack is listed as questionable Saturday with an ankle sprain. Senior free safety and returning second-team league All-Star Steve DiRenzo made a school record 20 tackles (11 solo) and had an interception last Saturday at FDU-Madison. DiRenzo is second on the team in tackles this season with 74 (49 solo), trailing only senior strong safety Jason Goldan, who has 74 (55 solo). Junior corner Doug Joseph has a team high nine pass break-ups, and had two interceptions and two break-ups in the 31-24 win over Susquehanna in ’97. Up front, senior All-American Chris Buzas is a returning league All-Star who has a team high nine tackles for losses of 25 yards among his 34 stops (10 solo). Senior outside linebacker Josh Wren was also an All-Star last season and has 50 stops (36 solo), with five for losses of 20 yards, this year.
THE CRUSADER KICKERS: Sophomore punter Ryan Hollis (Mifflin/Juniata H.S.) is fourth in the MAC (36.0 avg.). Freshman Andy Nadler (Westport, Conn./Staples H.S.) has missed his last four field goal attempts and is sixth in MAC kick scoring with 24 points (18-21 PATs, 2-7 FGs).
THE GREYHOUND KICKERS: Moravian sophomore kicker Jim McIntyre is accurate, going 7 for 7 in PATs and 2 for 3 in FGs to tie for seventh in the MAC with 13 points. Freshman punter Jason Navarro is tied for eighth (32.0 avg.).
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