A Surprise Inaugural with King's
Susquehanna Univ. (6-4 in 1997) at King's College (3-7 in 1997)
Sat., Sept. 12, 1:30 p.m. - Monarch Fields (3,000), Wilkes-Barre Twp., Pa.
THE GAME: After having last Saturday's schedule season-opener at Alfred canceled by Alfred President Edward Coll following an off the field incident involving several Saxon players, Susquehanna will now officially kickoff its 100th football season with its Middle Atlantic Conference opener at King's. Both teams come in off impressive performances in scrimmages last weekend, with Susquehanna tuning up at Gettysburg and King's hosting LaSalle. Both will also probably try and establish the run Saturday, with Susquehanna's vaunted Delaware Wing-T rushing game leading the MAC and finishing 26th in NCAA Division III last season (230.9 yards/game), while King's I attack was second in the conference (201.6 yards/game). The Crusaders rushed for 308 yards in less then a full 60-minute scrimmage at Gettysburg Friday. The Crusader defense was also stingy against the run last year, ranking 15th in Division III (82.5 yards per game). By contrast, the Monarchs hope to improve upon a defense which was just seventh in the MAC against the rush (166.2 yards per game) and eighth overall (355.2 yards/game) last season. While Susquehanna has won its last nine season openers, including a 31-14 win over Kean last season, King's is still looking for its first victory in a season opener since renewing its varsity program after a 30-year absence in 1993 - dropping its first five contests. The Monarchs are also looking for the first win vs. Susquehanna, losing all three previous meetings including a 35-14 decision in Selinsgrove last year.
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 led his teams to wins in all eight of its season-openers. Rich Mannello has been the only head coach King's has had since restoring its program in 1991. After compiling a 7-8 mark on the junior varsity level during the program's first two years, Mannello has gone 9-39-1 (.194) in five varsity seasons. He and Briggs are former Springfield (Mass.) College teammates, with Mannello graduating in 1983 and Briggs in '84. Briggs is 3-0 vs. his old teammate.
THE CRUSADER OFFENSE (DELAWARE WING-T): Last week's cancellation means senior All-American fullback Matt Wichlinski (Claymont, Del./Brandywine H.S.) is still 97 yards shy of becoming Susquehanna's career rushing leader. Nicknamed "The Claymont Cannonball," the 5-6, 200-pounder is 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. Delgado rushed for 81 yards and two touchdowns on just three carries in Friday's scrimmage, while Quaglia had 74 on eight carries. Six-two, 235-pound sophomore transfer Rashonn Drayton (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) also starts at halfback and was a USA Today Prep All-American while rushing for 3,687 yards and 64 TDs. A pair of senior returning league All-Stars top the line in tackle Scott Rushanan (Frackville/North Schuylkill H.S.) and center Adam Horst (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.). The Crusader line averages 6-3, 264 pounds per man. Senior 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 (WR, RS). He set school punt return records last season with 37 for 462 yards and is third in career yardage with 488. He was also the leading receiver with 35 catches for 521 yards (14.9 avg.) and four TDs. Sophomore Andy Berwager (Hanover/South Western H.S.) will start at quarterback and threw a 22-yard TD while rushing for 18 yards Friday. He hit on 19 of 39 passes for 217 yards with two TDs, also rushing for 126 yards and two scores in three starts last year. Expect senior three-year starter Ken Eisenhard (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) to also see time after completing 83 of 181 passes (45.9%) for 1,215 yards with seven TDs in seven starts last season. He is second in career passes with 489 (Record: 568, David Battisti, 1987-90), ranking third in completions (230), passing yardage (3,510) and total offense (3,383).
THE MONARCH OFFENSE (I-FORMATION): King's also returns its starting backfield with senior fullback Mike Conaghan and junior tailback Jim DeMaise being first and second-team Freedom League All-Stars in '97 respectively. Conaghan is the program's career rushing leader with 1,715 yards and 14 touchdowns. DeMaise, meanwhile, rushed for a single-season school record 1,088 yards on 258 carries (4.2 avg./120.9 per game) with eight touchdowns. He had 119 in 24 carries with a score last season vs. Susquehanna. Returning first-team All-Star and senior guard Sam Baroody leads a Monarch line which averages 6-2, 260 pounds per man. Sophomore Jeff Cemelli will be the starting quarterback and played in four games last season, but threw only four passes. Ironically, senior Mark McHugh will probably be his primary target. McHugh was the starting quarterback vs. Susquehanna last year, but was converted to wideout soon after.
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 (Hackettstown, N.J./Warren Hills H.S.) leads 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.) tallied the most 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. He had a pick in Friday's scrimmage. Senior cornerback Gabe Schwartz (Trevorton/Lourdes Regional H.S.) led the team with five INTs.
THE MONARCH DEFENSE (4-3): The King's front four averages 6-2, 265 pounds per man, led by returning second-team league All-Star and junior tackle Francis Corchado at 6-5, 300, and converted offensive tackle Rob Johnson at 6-0, 280. Corchado was fourth on the team in tackles last season with 64, while Johnson is the team's strongest player with a bench-press over 500 pounds and a squat over 800. Senior outside linebacker and co-captain Jason Soden is a four-year starter and a returning second-team All-Star after tallying 50 tackles last season. Leading tackler and junior linebacker Andrew Wilson is also back after posting 87 stops (54 solo) last season. Sophomore cornerback Ryan Flynn returns at one corner, while senior Rodney Flynn has apparently been beat out at the other corner after being a league All-Star last season.
THE CRUSADER KICK SPECIALISTS: Senior Scott Miles (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) is a three-year starting placekicker who was third in MAC kick scoring last year with 42 points. Freshman walk-on Ryan Hollis (Mifflin/Juniata H.S.) is the punter and posted a 34.2-yard average in the scrimmage. He is a track and field transfer.
THE MONARCH KICK SPECIALISTS: Senior Justin Fazzari will do all the King 's kicking again and hit both his FG attempts and 13 of 15 PATs, while averaging 33.8 yards per punt in '97.
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