Off to a Running Start
Susquehanna Univ. (1-0, 1-0 MAC) at Wilkes Univ. (0-1, 0-1 MAC)
Sat., Sept. 19, 1:00 p.m. - Ralston Field (4,000), Edwardsville, Pa.
THE GAME: Susquehanna and Wilkes will renew their heated rivalry Saturday and showcase two of the premier backs in the Middle Atlantic Conference, if not all of NCAA Division III. Susquehanna senior All-American fullback Matt Wichlinski (Claymont, Del./Brandywine H.S.) set school and MAC records with 108 points on 18 rushing TDs last season, and rushed for a school record 1,322 yards. He would have set an MAC rushing record if it weren't for Wilkes junior tailback Mike Hankins, who had 1,390 yards in '97. The two opened 1998 quite differently last Saturday. Wichlinski became Susque-hanna's career rushing leader, now with 2,219 yards after gaining 139 in 19 carries with a TD in a 55-14 romp at King's. He led a Delaware Wing-T ground game which had an MAC best 314 yards. By contrast, Hankins lost a yard in six carries as his team had a conference low -41 in a 20-13 loss to Widener - the second worst rushing total in the modern MAC. But Wilkes also unleashed a more wide open attack which new quarterbacks/receivers coach Mike Sirianni helped bring from D-III national champ Mt. Union, where he was a player and coach for seven seasons. The Colonels had an MAC best 386 yards passing Saturday. While the Susquehanna defense gave up just three yards rushing to King's, it allowed 129 yards passing. Each team has won its last two home games in this rivalry, including Susquehanna's 47-14 rout last season which gave the Crusaders a 19-11 series lead. Wilkes won the last game at Ralston Field, 21-14, in 1996.
THE COACHES: Ninth-year Susquehanna head coach Steve Briggs is the winningest football coach in school history with a 56-28 record (.667) and began the season ranked 32nd among active Division III head coaches in winning percentage. Also a Crusader assistant for two seasons, he has never suffered a losing season at the school and is 5-3 vs. Wilkes. Former Bloomsburg University All-American linebacker and Mt. Carmel High School standout Frank Sheptock is in his third season as Wilkes head coach, previously serving as a chief assistant with the Colonels from 1990-95. He is now 13-9 (.591) at the helm, including 1-1 vs. Susquehanna, guiding his first team to an 8-3 season and ECAC playoff berth in 1996, but falling to 5-5 a year ago.
THE CRUSADER OFFENSE (DELAWARE WING-T): In addition to being the leading rusher, Wichlinski was also the team's leading receiver last Saturday with two catches for 87 yards and a touchdown. The 5-6, 200-pound Claymont Cannonball earned the team's first Gus Weber/Golden Corral Crusader Player of the Week, and was on the MAC Honor Roll. He also was featured on USA Today Online for breaking the record. He is now tied for fourth in career scoring at Susquehanna with 156 points, leaving him 25 shy of that record (Record: 180, Joe Witt, 1985-88). Wichlinski rushed for the third highest game in school history last season vs. Wilkes with 206 yards on 24 carries and two scores. Junior halfback Jose Delgado (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) also continued to impress in the early season with 33 yards on eight carries and one catch for 22 yards. The Crusaders rolled up their big rushing numbers behind a strong offensive line. Unfortunately, senior returning Commonwealth League All-Star and Preseason All-American tackle Scott Rushanan (Frackville/North Schuylkill H.S.) tore his anterior cruciate ligament and is lost for the season. Sophomore Randy Hayes (Fogelsville/Parkland H.S.) will now move over to tackle to replace Rushanan, changing the O-line average to 6-2, 258 pounds per man. Junior guard Anthony DeSantis (Old Forge/Bishop O'Hara H.S.) was the top line performer last week and returns home for the second straight week. The line blocked well for sophomore quarterback Andy Berwager (Hanover/South Western H.S.), who figured in three scores while hitting 6 of 15 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown, also running for 26 yards and two TDs. Senior quarterback Ken Eisenhard (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) also had a one-yard score. A starter in his first three seasons, Eisenhard is second in career passes with 491 (Record: 568, David Battisti, 1987-90), ranking third in completions (231), passing yardage (3,532) and total offense (3,406). Senior split end T.J. Lane (Brandon, Fla./Tampa Jesuit H.S.) also had a rushing TD and remains third in career punt return yardage, now with 537 (Record: 672, Tyrone Croom, 1993-96) after gaining 49 in five returns last week.
THE COLONEL OFFENSE (MULTIPLE): Senior quarterback Neil Rine was the MAC Offensive Player of the Week after completing 29 of 47 passes for a school record 386 yards and one score. Third all-time at Wilkes with 4,011 passing yards, Rine has thrown six interceptions while completing just 19 of 44 passes (43.2%) for 255 yards and two touchdowns in two previous starts vs. Susquehanna. He found eight different receivers last Saturday, led by fleet-footed freshman Brian Miller, who is second in the MAC with nine catches for 115 yards (12.8 avg.). Widener picked up five sacks against a young Wilkes offensive line which averages 6-1, 252 pounds per man. Senior right tackle Dave Kish is a captain who has started since his freshman year. Hankins has led the MAC in rushing the last two seasons and is third all-time at Wilkes with 2,604 yards, leaving him 353 yards shy of the record (Record: 2,956, Jason Smith, 1990-93). He has 275 yards in 52 carries (5.3 avg./137.5 per game) with a TD in two games vs. Susquehanna.
THE CRUSADER DEFENSE (4-3): Making his first start, senior linebacker Matt Kazmierczak (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills H.S.) also made the MAC Honor Roll last week after collecting 11 tackles (eight solo) while getting in on two turnovers which led to Crusader scores. Kazmierczak returned an interception 18 yards to the King's 15, and also forced a fumble which fellow senior linebacker and Preseason All-American Harold Fairclough (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) returned 28 yards for his first collegiate TD. The team's leading tackler last season, Fairclough had a team high 12 (nine solo), with two for losses of four yards, last week. The Crusader ends applied the bulk of the heat last week as both senior Lee Cohen (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin H.S.) and junior Denny Bowers (Westminster, Md./Westminster H.S.) had four tackles for 18 yards lost, including two sacks. Back deep, senior strong safety Nate Davidson (Orefield/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) and junior free safety Mario Cromartie (Smyrna, Del./Smyrna H.S.) each had four tackles apiece.
THE COLONEL DEFENSE (MULTIPLE): Senior inside linebacker and returning Freedom League First Team All-Star Chris Shannon was one of three Colonel defensive players to crack double figures in tackles last week with 11 (six solo), including a sack for seven yards lost. Freshman cornerback Brian Hosler is a product of the famed Berwick High School program and showed it in his first collegiate game, also making 11 stops (seven solo) with a pass break-up. Sophomore corner Scott Schoffner also had a team best three pass break-ups and six stops (five solo) last week. Up front, junior left nose Brandon Carlin is the line's biggest player, and had the best day last week with four stops, including two for losses of nine yards.
THE CRUSADER KICK SPECIALISTS: Senior Scott Miles (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) is a three-year starting kicker who made 7 of 8 PATs last week. Freshman walk-on Ryan Hollis (Mifflin/Juniata H.S.) posted a 39.8-yard average in five punts, but did have one blocked.
THE COLONEL KICK SPECIALISTS: Junior starting fullback Don Hindmarsh is also the punter and averaged 34.7 yards last week. Freshman kicker Matt Diltz converted one of two extra points, getting his first blocked.
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