THE GAME: Susquehanna and Wilkes will decide, in effect, who will be a serious Middle Atlantic Conference championship contender this Saturday in Edwardsville. Both teams were picked second in their respective leagues according to the conference’s preseason coaches’ poll and thought to be “dark horses” for the overall MAC championship – which carries an automatic NCAA Division III playoff berth this season. After dropping a MAC game last Saturday at Juniata, the Colonels can ill afford to lose another if they want to stay in the title hunt. By contrast, Susquehanna is coming off its best performance of the season with last Saturday’s non-conference rout at Dickinson. The Crusaders have won the last two games in this series, including last year’s 42-40 thriller, and have a 20-11 series lead. They will have to travel to Wilkes for a second-straight year because MAC officials had to rework their master schedule to get each team nine conference games to determine a MAC champion. Saturday’s game will feature a showdown between Susquehanna’s MAC-leading rushing offense (185.3 yards per game), and Wilkes’ conference best defense against the rush (49.3 yards per game) – which was also third in Division III last week. The Crusaders were 23rd nationally in pass efficiency defense a week ago (now 91.41 rating) and are first in the MAC in pass defense (146.7 yards per game). They will be tested Saturday by a Colonel attack which is fourth in conference and 24th nationally in passing offense (251.0 yards per game). Ranked 29th in Division III by Don Hansen’s Football Gazette, Susquehanna is second in conference total defense (244.7 yards per game) and third in offense (385.0 yards per game) – ranking 28th and 30th in D-III respectively last week. Wilkes is fifth in MAC total offense (356.0 yards per game) and eighth in defense (353.0 yards per game) – ranking last in pass defense (303.7 yards per game).
THE COACHES: Tenth-year head coach Steve Briggs is the winningest coach in Susque-hanna grid history at 64-31 (.674), and is 6-3 (.667) vs. Wilkes. He began the year 36th among active D-III coaches in winning percentage. Also a Crusader assistant for two years, he has never suffered a losing season at Susquehanna. Frank Sheptock is in his fourth year as Wilkes head coach and is 20-13 (.606), going 1-2 vs. Susquehanna. A former All-American linebacker at D-II Bloomsburg, he was Wilkes defensive coordinator from 1992 through ’95.
THE CRUSADER OFFENSE (DELAWARE WING-T): Junior halfback Rashonn Drayton (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) led the Crusader offense again at Dickinson, rushing for a game high 72 yards on 22 carries with two touchdowns.The 6-2, 225-pound former prep All-American is third in the MAC in rushing with 267 yards on 60 carries (4.4 avg./88.7 yards per game) with three TDs. He also leads the team in receiving yardage with 176 on nine catches (19.6 avg.) and a score. Former Allentown Central Catholic All-State teammate and senior tri-captain Jose Delgado also rushed for 70 yards on just 11 carries with a 25-yard touchdown Saturday at halfback. He is second on the team and 10th in the MAC in rushing with 172 yards on 28 carries (6.1 avg./57.3 yards per game). The veteran Crusader offensive line returns four starters and averages 6-1, 260 pounds per man. Senior guard Todd Werley is three-year starter and yet another Allentown Central Catholic product who has led that squad. Senior quarterback Andy Berwager (Hanover/South Western H.S.) nearly went the distance for the first time this season Saturday as he completed 11 of 25 passes for 125 yards with two INTs. He is seventh in the MAC in passing efficiency, completing 27 of 52 passes for 340 yards with two TDs and two picks (111.8 rating). Berwager ranks seventh all-time at Susquehanna in passing efficiency (113.23 rating). A converted QB is the top receiver in freshman split end Tim Ronchi (Factoryville/Lackawanna Trail H.S.), who failed to catch a pass in a game for the first time this season on Saturday, but still has 11 catches (5.5 per game) for 120 yards.
THE COLONEL OFFENSE (MULTIPLE): Senior running back and captain Mike Hankins is a three-time MAC Freedom League First Team All-Star who is the school and MAC’s all-time leading rusher, now with 3,739 yards (5.1 avg./116.8 yards per game). Hankins had a season high 135 yards on just 15 carries at Juniata, making him the MAC’s second-leading rusher with 267 yards on 56 carries (4.8 avg./89.0 yards per game) and three TDs. The Colonels have three other returning All-Stars at skill positions. Senior wideout Jason Phillips leads the MAC in receiving with 21 catches for 359 yards (7.0 per game/17.1 avg.) and three TDs, and was a second-team pick a year ago. Junior tight end Ryan James is a returning first-teamer who is second on the team with 10 catches for 119 yards (11.9 avg.) and two scores. Sophomore wideout Brian Miller was also a first-teamer last year, but played his first game Saturday after being slowed by a hamstring pull. Berwick product and freshman Jeff Marshman is the quarterback and leads the MAC in pass efficiency – completing 38 of 60 passes (63.3%) for 494 yards with six TDs and just one INT (162.2 rating). Marshman was 20 of 34 for 220 yards and a score at Juniata. The O-line averages 6-1, 253 pounds per man, but has had to replace three starters. Senior guard John Williams is a three-year starter who leads that group.
THE CRUSADER DEFENSE (4-3): Sophomore linebacker Dominick DeSteno (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Bergen Catholic H.S.) is the team’s Gus Weber Crusader Player of the Week, sponsored by the Golden Corral. A Division I-AA transfer, DeSteno had seven tackles (five solo), including two for losses of 14 yards, a sack, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries — returning one 40 yards for a TD on the third play from scrimmage. He is tied for third on the team in tackles with 19 (11 solo), and is second in both tackles for loss (4 for 24) and sacks (2.5). Fellow sophomore linebacker Troy Sosnovik (Belvidere, N.J./Belvidere H.S.) leads the team with 23 tackles (six solo). Returning first-team league All-Star and senior tri-captain Denny Bowers (Westminster, Md./Westminster H.S.) is the team leader in both sacks (3) and tackles for loss (6 for 36 yards) among his nine stops (eight solo). Bowers had a pair of sacks and a kick block Saturday. Senior tackle Casey Goff (New Milford/Montrose H.S.) also had two tackles for losses of five yards while making his first start of the season. Freshman corner Antonio Nash (Washington, D.C./Spring Brook, Md. H.S.) returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, and also picked off his team high third pass Saturday. Nash is tied for the MAC interception lead (1.0 per game), and is second in punt return average (16.4).
THE COLONEL DEFENSE (MULTIPLE): The DaRe brothers from nearby Central Columbia lead the Colonel defense in senior Tony and freshman Mike. A returning first-team All-Star, Tony tops the team in tackles with 30 (16 solo) and has two-and-a-half sacks and four pass break-ups. A reserve, Mike is third on the team with 18 stops (12 solo), including three for losses of 10 yards. Junior free safety Mark Hendry is also a returning first-team All-Star who had a career high 20 stops last year vs. Susquehanna. He is second on the team this year with 21 (15 solo), also registering a two picks and two break-ups. Sophomore linebacker Jerry Superko is another Berwick product and tied for the MAC interception lead with three (1.0 per game). Up front, the Colonels return all four starters, led by senior end Jermaine Richardson who has made 14 tackles (12 solo) and three sacks.
THE CRUSADER KICK SPECIALISTS: Sophomore punter Ryan Hollis (Mifflin/Juniata H.S.) is second in the MAC (39.8 avg.) and was 27th in D-III last week. Freshman Andy Nadler (Westport, Conn./Staples H.S.) is fourth in MAC kick scoring with 17 points (11 of 12 PATs, 2 of 5 FGs).
THE COLONEL KICK SPECIALISTS: Wilkes senior Don Hindmarsh is a regular running back and ninth in MAC punting (32.2 avg.). Freshman Will McLaughlin will make his first start at kicker, replacing returning starter and sophomore Matt Diltz of nearby Danville, who was 5 of 11 in PATs.
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