THE GAME
A pair of 3-0 teams clash on the gridiron as Wilkes and Susquehanna meet in a Middle Atlantic Conference interleague game. Wilkes has sandwiched a pair of close contests around a blowout of FDU-Madison, while the Crusaders needed to rally in last week’s home opener against Dickinson after getting out to big leads in each of their first two wins.
THE COACHES
Susquehanna head coach Steve Briggs (Springfield, 1984), now in his 11th season, is the winningest football coach in school history at 71-34 (.676), and is 11-0 in season openers. The 1999 MAC Commonwealth League Coach of the Year, he began the season ranked 26th among active Division III coaches in winning percentage.
Wilkes head coach Frank Sheptock (Bloomsburg, 1986) is in his sixth season with the Colonels and has posted a 28-16 record during his tenure, ranking fourth among the seven head coaches in school history in victories. Sheptock served as defensive coordinator for four seasons prior to becoming head coach.
THE LAST MEETING
Wilkes 26, Susquehanna 0 (October 2, 1999 at Edwardsville, Pa.)
The Crusaders were shut out for the first time since the 1994 season as the Colonels' Mike Hankins ran for 141 yards and two touchdowns – including an 85-yarder in the third quarter – while Susquehanna failed to convert on five possessions inside the Wilkes 30-yard line. Junior split end Josh Kitchin and senior halfback Jose Delgado each caught seven passes for the Crusaders while sophomore linebacker Troy Sosnovik led the defense with 11 tackles.
RECAPPING DICKINSON
Susquehanna 24, Dickinson 13 (September 23, 2000 at Selinsgrove, Pa.)
Fullback Rashonn Drayton scored on a pair of 5-yard runs in the second half and quarterback Mike Bowman threw for a career-high 306 yards as Susquehanna University rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat Dickinson College 24-13 in the first game at Nicholas A. Lopardo Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Freshman split end Mark Bartosic added five receptions for 116 yards, including a 74-yard catch-and-run midway through the second half that started the Crusaders (3-0) on their comeback. Drayton (13 carries, 96 yards) then capped an eight-play, 57-yard drive with the first of his two scores to push Susquehanna ahead 17-13 with 3:34 left in the third quarter. Bowman set career highs in attempts, completions and passing yards as he finished the day 20-of-42 for 306 yards and a touchdown. For the day, the Crusaders piled up a season-high 471 yards of total offense and posted 25 first downs while controlling the ball for 34:03. Junior linebacker Troy Sosnovik tallied nine tackles (seven solo), one sack for an eight-yard loss, and returned a fumble 15 yards.
THE CRUSADER OFFENSE (DELAWARE WING-T): With his career-high 306 yards passing against Dickinson, sophomore quarterback Mike Bowman (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy H.S.) has become the 10th player in Susquehanna history to pass for 2,000 career yards (now at 2,114). In addition, Bowman now ranks ninth in career completions with 313. Sophomore split end Mark Bartosic (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy H.S.) has caught two passes of more than 70 yards this season — a 76-yard grab in the opener at FDU-Madison and Saturday’s 74-yard catch-and-run versus Dickinson. He is fifth in the MAC in receiving yards per game (87.7) and seventh in all-purpose yards (105.7 per game). Senior fullback Rashonn Drayton (Allentown, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) ran for a game-high 96 yards on 13 carries against Dickinson, with his two five-yard runs in the second half completing the Crusaders’ comeback from a 13-3 halftime deficit. He is this week’s Gus Weber Crusader Player of the Week on offense. Sophomore halfback Jon Dvorshock (Picture Rocks, Pa./Hughesville H.S.) lugged the ball a game-high 17 times against Dickinson for 53 yards, and added three receptions for 27 yards. Dvorshock ranks third on the team with 11 catches for 137 yards (12.5 average). The offensive line more than held its own against Dickinson — allowing just one sack and eight yards in losses by the running backs. They have helped the Crusaders rank fourth overall in the MAC in total offense — third in rushing and fifth in passing.
THE CRUSADER DEFENSE (4-3): The big play continues to skew the Crusaders’ defensive statistics. Dickinson ran for 154 yards on Saturday, but 51 came on one run by the Red Devils’ Mike Smith. Of the 585 yards that the Crusaders have allowed on the ground this season, 184 of them have come on three running plays (31.5 percent of the yards). Susquehanna ranks last (11th) in the MAC in rushing defense (204.3 yards per game) but first in pass defense (133.0 yards per game). The Crusaders have not finished as the MAC leader in passing defense since 1986. Junior linebacker Troy Sosnovik (Belvidere, N.J./Belvidere H.S.) led the Crusader defense against Dickinson with nine tackles (seven solo), a sack and a fumble recovery. He now leads the team and is tied for eighth in the MAC in tackles with 27 (11 solo), while his 1 1/2 sacks are good for ninth in the conference. Sophomore cornerback Nick Chesney (Kulpmont, Pa./Mount Carmel H.S.), who played at Dickinson last season, was a key factor in his first game against his old teammates. Chesney broke up five passes, intercepted another, and was involved in three tackles (two solo). For his efforts, Chesney was named the Gus Weber Crusader Player of the Week on defense. He is tied for second in the MAC in passes defensed with six (five breakups, one interception). Sophomore free safety Antonio Nash (Washington, D.C./Spring Brook, Md. H.S.) made six solo stops and broke up a pass, and checks in 10th in the conference in tackles with 26 for the season, including a conference-best 20 solo stops.
THE CRUSADER KICK SPECIALISTS: Senior punter Ryan Hollis (Mifflin, Pa./Juniata H.S.). the 7th-ranked punter in Division III entering the game, was credited with a 38.0 average on four attempts against Dickinson. Two other attempts resulted in blocks — one was tipped by Dickinson while the other hit one of Hollis’ blockers and caromed into the Crusader end zone, where Andy Kerstetter of Dickinson fell on the ball for a touchdown. Still, Hollis leads the MAC in punting average at 40.4 yards per kick. Sophomore Andy Nadler (Westport, Conn./Staples H.S.) nailed a 22-yard field goal in the first quarter against Dickinson — the first points in Nicholas A. Lopardo Stadium history — and is now 5-for-6 on the season. He was tied for sixth in Division III in field goals per game (2.0) through September 17 and currently leads the MAC in both field goals (5) and kick scoring (22 points).
THE CRUSADER RETURN SPECIALISTS: Nash, who is fifth in the MAC in punt returns at 9.8 yards per return, averaged 9.0 yards on five punt returns against Dickinson, including a 17-yard runback in the first quarter to set up a Nadler field goal and a 15-yard scamper in the third quarter. Senior Matt Fenstermacher (Watsontown, Pa./Warrior Run H.S.) posted a team-high 21-yard kickoff return in the first quarter. He is sixth in the MAC in kickoff returns with an average of 21.0. The Crusader special teams allowed just 17.4 yards on five kick returns and gave up a 13-yard punt return in the second quarter.
THE COLONEL OFFENSE (MULTIPLE): The Wilkes offense revolves around the right arm of sophomore quarterback Jeff Marshman, who was named the ECAC Metro Rookie of the Year last season and is off to another solid start. In three games, Marshman has completed 59-of-97 passes (60.8 percent) for 849 yards and seven touchdowns to rank second in the MAC in passing efficiency at 151.98. Against Juniata, Marshman went 14-for-22 for 222 yards and two touchdowns. His favorite targets have been senior tight end Frank McCabe (18 catches, 269 yards, 1 TD) and senior wide receiver Ryan James (15 catches, 253 yards, 3 TD). The duo ranks third and sixth, respectively, in the MAC in receptions per game and fourth and sixth in receiving yards per game. Junior Brian Miller has added nine receptions and two touchdowns for the Colonels this season. The ground game has suffered in the post-Mike Hankins era. Attempting to follow in the path of Hankins, who ran for 4,399 yards in four years at Wilkes, are junior Seamus Geddis (25 carries, 131 yards) and freshman Kyle Kehoe (26 carries, 93 yards, 1 TD). Wilkes is averaging just 2.4 yards per carry and 98.0 yards per game on the ground, after averaging 2.8 yards per run and 111.2 per game last year. Across the line, the Colonels start two juniors, two sophomores and a freshman. The unit averages 6-2, 264 pounds per man, with sophomore center Jon Else from Mt. Carmel H.S. tipping the scales at 297 pounds. However, the Colonels have surrendered 17 sacks in their first three games.
THE COLONEL DEFENSE (MULTIPLE): Always one of the top defensive teams in the Middle Atlantic Conference, the Colonels have yielded just 49.3 yards per game on the ground this season to easily lead the MAC, with no run longer than 22 yards. Wilkes also leads the conference in overall defense as they have given up just 269.0 yards per game this season. Junior lineman Demetri Tzovolos was a MAC Freedom first-team All-Star last year and has posted a pair of sacks and forced a fumble this season. Senior end Jermaine Richardson has seen six of his 15 tackles go for losses, including 2 1/2 sacks to lead the team. Sophomore linebacker Mike DaRe leads the defense with 19 tackles and has added a pair of sacks. In the secondary, junior defensive back Brian Hosler has posted one of Wilkes’ two interceptions — boosting his career total to 10 — and leads the MAC in fumbles recovered with three. Junior cornerback Mike Verton has broken up three passes to lead the team and stands fourth on the Colonels with 14 tackles.
THE COLONEL KICK SPECIALISTS: Sophomore Will McLaughlin converted on 8-of-10 field goals as a freshman, but is just 1-for-3 through three games this season. Sophomore punter Matt Knock has averaged 30.9 yards on 22 punts to rank eighth in the MAC, with a long of 42 yards.
THE COLONEL RETURN SPECIALISTS: Junior Mike O’Brien has returned just two kickoffs this season, but one went for 65 yards. Junior Alex DeJesus has handled three kickoffs and is averaging just 14.7 yards per runback. Wilkes has used six different return men in three games. On punts, O’Brien has returned three for a total of five yards.
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