A 100th Season Special
Susquehanna University (6-4 in 1997) at Alfred University (2-8 in 1997)
Sat., Sept. 5, 7:00 p.m. - Merrill Field (5,000), Alfred, N.Y.
THE GAME: Susquehanna and Alfred will kickoff their 100th football seasons with Saturday night's game - Susquehanna's first night game since a 48-12 win at FDU-Madison in 1983. The Crusaders have 12-straight non-losing seasons, while Alfred is hoping to end three-straight losing campaigns. The teams return a similar number of returning starters and letterwinners, but the Crusaders will start as many as 21 juniors or seniors while Alfred will start just 12. Expect Susquehanna to try and establish its vaunted Delaware Wing-T rushing attack, which led the Middle Atlantic Conference and finished tied for 26th in NCAA Division III last season (230.9 yards/game). The Crusader defense was also stingy against the run a year ago, ranking 15th in Division III (82.5 yards per game). By contrast, the Saxons hope to improve upon a rushing defense which gave up 225.6 yards per game last season. While this will be just the eighth football meeting between the two, with Alfred leading 4-3, they share some special history. Susquehanna's 7-0 loss at Alfred in 1930 came despite a 27 to three advantage in first downs and was its first night game. The Crusaders rolled up a modern era record for game scoring with a 68-0 rout of the visiting Saxons in 1963, only to see Alfred get a measure of revenge one year later during its biggest win all-time with a 14-12 upset of the visiting Crusaders and head coach Jim Garrett. Susquehanna's 31-8 win in Selinsgrove in 1991 ignited a team which eventually made the national semifinals.
THE COACHES: Ninth-year Susquehanna head coach Steve Briggs is the winningest football coach in school history with a 55-28 record (.663) and ranks 32nd among active Division III head coaches in winning percentage. Also an assistant at the school for two seasons, he has never suffered a losing season at the school and has guided his teams to wins in all eight of its season-openers. While Alfred head coach Dave Murray is in his first season with the Saxons, he is hardly a stranger to Briggs and the Crusaders. Sporting a nine-year overall record of 44-40-1 (.524), Murray was head coach at MAC rival Lebanon Valley last season, dropping a 34-13 decision at Susquehanna. He and Briggs are also both Springfield (Mass.) College grads, Murray in 1981 and Briggs in '84.
THE CRUSADER OFFENSE (DELAWARE WING-T): Senior All-American fullback Matt Wichlinski (Claymont, Del./Brandywine H.S.) is just 97 yards shy of becoming Susquehanna's career rushing leader. Nicknamed "The Claymont Cannonball," the 5-6, 200-pounder is now fourth all-time with 2,080 yards (Record: 2,176, Hank Belcolle, 1980-83). He broke both the school and MAC season scoring records last fall with 108 points, posting a school record 1,322 yards rushing. Senior Nick Quaglia (Ashley/Bishop Hoban H.S.) and junior Jose Delgado (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) are also back at halfback and averaged over five yards per carry, combining for 727 yards rushing and 438 yards receiving. Six-two, 235-pound sophomore transfer Rashonn Drayton (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) should also contribute at halfback after being a USA Today Prep All-American while rushing for 3,687 yards and 64 TDs. A pair of senior returning league All-Stars and Preseason All-Americans top the line in tackle Scott Rushanan (Frackville/North Schuylkill H.S.) and center Adam Horst (Allen-town/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.). Senior wideout, return man and quad-captain T.J. Lane (Brandon, Fla./Tampa Jesuit H.S.) is also back after being the only player to make the league All-Stars at two positions. He set school punt return records last season with 37 for 462 yards and is third in career punt return yardage with 488. He also led the team in receiving last season with 35 catches for 521 yards (14.9 avg.) and four TDs. Sophomore Andy Berwager (Hanover/South Western H.S.) seems to have a slight edge over senior three-year starter Ken Eisenhard (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) in the quarterback battle. Berwager hit on 19 of 39 passes for 217 yards with two touchdowns and two INTs, also rushing for 126 yards and two scores in his three starts last year. Eisenhard hit on 83 of 181 passes (45.9%) for 1,215 yards with seven TDs and eight picks to rank fifth in MAC efficiency (106.17 rating) in his seven starts. He is second in career passes at Susquehanna with 489 (Record: 568, David Battisti, 1987-90), ranking third in completions (230), passing yardage (3,510) and total offense (3,383).
THE SAXON OFFENSE (MULTIPLE-I): Alfred also returns its leading rusher in senior tailback Jeff Colasanti, who gained 688 yards in 150 carries (4.6 avg./86.0 per game) with 10 touchdowns in an offense which favored the pass. Senior left tackle Eric Schwartz leads a starting O-line which averages 6-2, 244 pounds per man. He is a two-time, first-team all-conference pick who also made the Preseason All-East squad by Don Hansen's Football Gazette. Fifth-year senior tight end and co-captain Justin Moore is also an All-East pick who is back from a knee injury which sidelined him for all but one game in '97. He caught 30 balls in 1996. Split end Tom Callen is also a fifth-year senior who led the team in receiving yardage last year with 791 on 43 catches (18.4 avg.) and five TDs. A freshman will try and get him the ball as former East Aurora standout Matt Gates will start at quarterback. Like Berwager, Gates is a great athlete who can run or pass.
THE CRUSADER DEFENSE (4-3): Preseason All-American senior linebacker Harold Fairclough (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) is a quad-captain and two-time league All-Star who led the team in tackles last season with 85 (43 solo), including 11 for losses of 40 yards. 1996 All-Star and fellow senior quad-captain Marty Pinter (Heckettstown, N.J./Warren Hills H.S.) tops the team up front after having 44 tackles (26 solo) last year, with 10 for losses of 26 yards. Senior end Lee Cohen (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin H.S.) led the defense in opponent's yardage lost last season with 72 in 11 tackles, including five-and-a-half sacks. Back deep, senior strong safety Nate Davidson (Orefield/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) is a returning league All-Star who had 54 tackles (29 solo) and led the team in pass break-ups with eight - tying for second in interceptions with four, including a touchdown. Senior cornerback Gabe Schwartz (Trevorton/Lourdes Regional H.S.) led the team with five INTs last season, also taking one for a TD. He also had five break-ups and 27 tackles (17 solo).
THE SAXON DEFENSE (4-3): Seven freshmen or sophomores start on the Saxon defense, although the secondary should be experienced - led by senior co-captain and strong safety Nick Mancini. He led the team with 109 tackles (57 solo) last season. Also with six pass break-ups a year ago, Mancini was third-team All-East pick by Don Hansen's Football Gazette. Fellow senior Andy Genung is also back at cornerback and posted five break-ups, an INT and 66 tackles (33 solo). Sophomore Aaron Rounds is the top returnee at linebacker, posting 88 stops (38 solo) as a starter last year. Sophomore Brad Verbosky was also a starting linebacker last season, but has moved to defensive end after recording two-and-a-half sacks and 53 tackles (25 solo) last year.
THE CRUSADER KICK SPECIALISTS: Senior Scott Miles (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) is a three-year starting placekicker who has range beyond 40 yards and was third in MAC kick scoring last year with 42 points. Berwager also returns as the punter after averaging 34.1 yards last year.
THE SAXON KICK SPECIALISTS: Sophomore Ryan Rambacher hit 6 of 12 FGs, including a 42-yarder, and was 23 of 25 in extra-points as a freshman. Fellow sophomore Kris Lickfield is also the returning punter, averaging 32.6 yards per punt last season.
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