PSAC Football Athletes of the Week - Week 4
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Bloomsburg's
Kyle Fisher and California's
Peter Lalich are this week's PSAC Offensive Players of the Week after both helped their respective teams to fourth quarter comebacks in wins yesterday. Both teams had trailed entering the fourth quarter before both played instrumental roles in the rallies.
Shippensburg's
Cody Fleming and Clarion's
Julian Howsare are the PSAC Defensive Players of the Week. Both were impressive individually in helping their teams to dominating defensive performances in wins.
PSAC Athletes of the Week - Sept. 23
(Week 4)
PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week
Kyle Fisher, Bloomsburg
WR, Sr., Denver, Pa./Cocalico
Fisher hauled in six passes for 196 yards (32.7 ypc) and three touchdowns to help Bloomsburg to a 42-27 win at LIU Post as the Huskies have now raced out to a 4-0 start to the season. That includes a 2-0 mark in PSAC East play with wins over both the Pioneers and Kutztown, who were picked to finish third and first, respectively, sandwiched around Bloomsburg in the PSAC East preseason poll. Half of Fisher's catches went for scores - from three, 60 and 73 yards. His first catch, from three yards out, came with 5:58 left in the first quarter and it helped the Huskies draw first blood in the contest to go up 7-0. His next TD grab came with 5:26 left in the second quarter on a third-and-18 play, giving Bloomsburg a 21-7 lead. Later in the contest, after LIU Post had gone up 27-21 entering the fourth quarter, Fisher and QB Tim Kelly hooked up for their third scoring connection of the game, this one from 60 yards out with 10:53 left, which gave Bloomsburg the lead for good, 28-27. That touchdown would be the first of three straight unanswered scores in the final period for the Huskies.
PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week
Cody Fleming, Shippensburg
LB, Sr., Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen
Fleming keyed Shippensburg's dominating defensive performance in a 61-6 win over Millersville as he made a game-high nine tackles (seven solo), including 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack that resulted in a loss of 11 yards. He also broke up a pass. His 4.5 TFLs gave him 44.5 for his career, third all-time in Shippensburg school history and just 6.5 shy of equaling the school record, which is held by current Shippensburg head coach Mark Maciejewski. The 4.5 TFLs were just part of Shippensburg's total of 18 in the game, which contributed to Millersville being held to just 106 yards of total offense on 69 plays (1.5 ypp). The Marauders completed just six passes and were only able to run for 44 yards on 45 rushes.
PSAC West Offensive Player of the Week
Peter Lalich, California
QB, Sr., Springfield, Va./West Springfield
Lalich threw for the second-highest single-game total in California history with 438 yards to help the Vulcans to a 26-24 comeback win over IUP in the fourth annual Coal Bowl. Lalich completed 27-of-40 attempts (67.5) with three touchdowns and one interception, including two big completions in the final minute that were key in the Vulcans overcoming a seven-point deficit with two scores in the final minute of the game. He went 7-of-10 for 165 yards in the fourth quarter, including an 80-yard touchdown strike to Nadir Brown with :52 left to pull the Vulcans within one. After a missed PAT left Cal still trailing by a point and the Vulcans recovered an onside kick, Lalich completed three straight passes, including a 20-yarder to Trey Johnson to set his team up at the IUP 13-yard line, where Cody Nuzzo hit the game-winning field goal with three seconds left. He became just the fourth quarterback in school history and the first since 2008 to throw for over 400 yards in a game and his helped the Vulcans remain undefeated in the Coal Bowl, which began in 2009.
PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week
Julian Howsare, Clarion
DE, So., Altoona, Pa./Altoona
Howsare helped the Clarion defense pitch its second shutout of the season in the Golden Eagles' 13-7 win over Gannon, as the Golden Knights' only points of the game came on a defensive interception return. Howsare made six tackles, including two for loss and a sack, and also broke up a pass and forced a fumble as Clarion held the Gannon offense to just 112 yards of total offense in a game that was played in a steady and sometimes heavy rainstorm. In the first quarter, he sacked Gannon QB Liam Nadler and caused a fumble, which was recovered by the Golden Eagles and stalled a Gannon drive at the Clarion 30-yard line. Howsare later made two big plays in the fourth quarter, tackling Justin Caliste for a loss of 12 yards to push Gannon deeper into its own territory, and then later breaking up a pass on Gannon's final drive of the game, which had started in Clarion territory. Gannon was forced to punt and the Golden Eagles ran out the clock.
Team Notes
Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg rallied with 21 unanswered fourth-quarter points to take down LIU Post 42-27 at Hickox Field … With the win, BU moved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in PSAC East play. BU is now 4-0 for the fourth time in the last five years, and has scored 40 or more points in each of its wins … Kyle Fisher had a career-high 196 receiving yards and three touchdowns … QB Tim Kelly was 10-for-18 passing and saw his 75-consecutive passes without throwing an interception come to an end … Franklyn Quiteh led the game with 121 yards on the ground to bring his season average to 156.2 per game … Eddie Mateo ran for 118 and ran for a 42-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter … Tony David brought down a career-high nine tackles with two sacks … Jarrett Pidgeon leads BU with 33 tackles, as Larry Webster increased his team-best sack total to five.
California
Cal U remained unbeaten this season with a last-minute 26-24 victory over IUP in the fourth-annual Coal Bowl … The Vulcans have won seven of the last eight games against the Crimson Hawks, including all four Coal Bowl meetings … The last three home games against IUP have all been won by Cal U by three or less points … Senior QB Peter Lalich finished with the second-highest, single-game passing total in school history with 438 yards … He is averaging 358.2 passing yards through four games this year after setting the school record with 3,725 yards last season (286.5/game) … Three different wide receivers posted 100-yard games against the Crimson Hawks, including Lippencott Family MVP Trey Johnson … Johnson recorded the first 100-yard receiving game of his career, totaling 120 yards and tied his career high with six catches … Junior WR Mike Williams finished with his third-straight 100-yard performance, posting a career-high 143 yards on nine receptions … The Vulcans was limited to 28 rushing yards on 24 carries, their lowest single-game total since November 2003 … Sophomore kicker Cody Nuzzo made the game-winning 30-yard field goal with just 3.5 seconds left … The last game-winning field goal by the Vulcans came in 2010 when Marc Domonkos converted a 17-yard field goal in overtime against the Crimson Hawks … Cal U has the started the year at 4-0 for the third time in the last six years (2007, 2010).
Cheyney
Cheyney scored a season high 27 points but came up short falling to the Warriors of East Stroudsburg 59-27 … After the both teams stalled on their opening drive the Wolves Eric Barrow blocked a punt which was scooped up Tom Stewart and ran 38 yards and returned for a touchdown for the first points of the game … Shannon Burch had a 63-yard fumble return … QB Blaze Wasserleben paced the Wolves, throwing the ball for 190 yards. He was 11-20 with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Justin Watkins and Marquis Garcia Palmer each caught three passes for 99 and 30 yards receptively … Wasserleben threw a 92-yard TD pass to Watkins.
Clarion
Clarion evened its record in 2012 with a 13-7 win at Gannon in a driving rainstorm... It was Clarion's fourth straight win in the series between the two schools ... Clarion QB Ben Fiscus was the difference in the game... He rushed for 94 yards on only 12 carries and passed for 2 TDs - providing the margin of victory … He also had two key first down runs, on third down, to help run out the clock at the end of the game and preserve the win ... With his 94 yards, Fiscus now has 1,602 career rushing yards, passing Glen Lovelace (1,558 - 2001-04) into 12th place on the all-time rushing list ... He has 339 rushing attempts... Tailback Bobby Thomas rushed for 116 yards on 32 carries …It is the second time this year that Thomas has gone over 100 yards in a game... Clarion will host East Stroudsburg on Family Day at Memorial Stadium on Saturday in a 6pm kickoff.
East Stroudsburg
ESU improved to 2-1 (1-1 PSAC East) with 59-27 win over Cheyney in the 400th career game for head coach Denny Douds ... Douds is the 15th coach in college football history to coach 400 games, 1st in DII, and 5th to spend his entire career at one school ... Also moved into 5th on DII wins list (234) ... ESU is the 4th PSAC program with 450 wins ... In Douds' 400th game, the Warriors still achieved a program first ... Senior backs Eric Deery (167 yards) and Kendrick Williams (151) are the first tandem of 150-yard rushers in school history ... Also marks the 6th time two players have had 100 yards under Douds ... ESU had special teams and defensive TDs in the same game for the first time since 1991 (at Cheyney) ... Fr. WR Brandon Mercer had a 94-yard kick return (ESU's first KR TD since 2002) and Jr. OLB Darius Jackson had a 54-yard interception return ... Jackson also had a defensive 2-point conversion ... Of the game's 11 TD, 6 covered 40+ yards ... Fr. QB Matt Soltes (7-10, 171 yards, TD) threw his first career TD ... Soltes and his father, Andy, join Mike and Jimmy Terwilliger and Brian and Matt Marshall as father-son combos to throw TD passes under Douds ... Douds has coached in 279 of 450 wins and 468 of the 768 games in program history, including 8 years as assistant coach from 1966-73 ... ESU is at Clarion Saturday.
Edinboro
Edinboro posted its 12th straight win over Lock Haven while avoiding its worst start since 1955 with a 35-19 win … Cody Harris accounted for all five touchdowns, as he ran for a pair of scores (2 and 9 yards) and passed for three TDs (20, 17 and 28) … 11 different receivers caught passes … After falling behind 13-7, Edinboro scored on four of its five possessions to score 28 straight points and take a 35-13 lead … Sophomore Ben Eisel caught a 20-yard touchdown pass, the first of his career. He added four punt returns for 78 yards … Marcus Johnson had his second straight big game, hauling in 5 passes for 75 yards and a pair of TDs. The junior moved into 20th place in career receptions with 20 and became the 20th player with 1,000-yards receiving, moving into 18th place with 1,057 yards … Branden Williams intercepted his 15th career pass to move into a tie for third in career pickoffs. He also blocked an extra point … Kenny Pettis finished with 10 tackles, marking the third straight game for the senior in double figures … Edinboro scored 21 points in the first half after scoring just seven points in the first half in the first two games.
Gannon
Gannon dropped its third consecutive game with a 13-7 loss against Clarion during a driving rainstorm and high winds throughout the entire game … The Golden Knights entered the game averaging 381.3 total yards per game, but was limited to 112 total yards … Gannon’s only score was a 62-yard interception return for a touchdown by Tashawn Sneed 58 seconds into the affair, representing his second pick of the season … It was Gannon’s first interception return for a touchdown since Ta’Von Bailey accomplished the feat October 15, 2011 against Lock Haven … Gannon entered the game averaging 337.7 passing yards per game, but the inclement weather held the Golden Knights to 79 passing yards … Senior Jon Petrigac recorded a career-high 11 tackles, surpassing his previous high of nine set last season against the Golden Eagles … Sophomore Luke Rankie recorded his first career sack during the second quarter.
IUP
The 14th-ranked Crimson Hawks lost in gut-wrenching style to sixth-ranked California 26-24 in the fourth-annual Coal Bowl … IUP held a 24-17 lead late in the fourth before the Vulcans hit an 80-yard touchdown pass, however the extra point missed and the Crimson Hawks kept the lead at 24-23 … Cal picked up the ensuing onside kick and sealed the victory with a 30-yard field goal with 3.5 seconds left … Sr. RB Harvie Tuck had a sensational game, running 43 times for 256 yards and two touchdowns … The 43 rushes are second all-time in a single game at IUP while the 256 yards are fourth, 30 yards shy of the record … Jr. QB Mike Box provided a spark for IUP when he entered in the fourth quarter, completing 5-of-7 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown … The IUP defense limited All-PSAC West running back Lamont Smith to 44 yards on 17 carries, and gave up just 28 net rushing yards to the Vulcans … Prior to Saturday, IUP’s last loss was Oct. 29 of last year, also falling to Cal that day 28-10 … The 26 points was also the most points given up by IUP since that loss to the Vulcans … Tuck now had a pair of 200-yard rushing games and is averaging 180.3 yards per contest this season … IUP will hit the road to play Millersville next Saturday.
Kutztown
Curtis Wortham had 264 all-purpose yards in a 45-24 loss to West Chester ... Wortham rushed for 90 yards and a touchdown and his 98-yard kickoff return touchdown to open the second half pulled KU to within 17-14 ... Making his first career start in place of an injured Kevin Morton, Kutztown's Josh Luckenbaugh a school record 36 of his 53 attempts for 306 yards, completing passes to 11 different receivers in the game ... He threw one touchdown, but was intercepted twice ... He passed Morton's old single game record of 35 completions, set against the Golden Rams in 2010 ... Kutztown has topped 300 yards passing as a team in all four games this season ... A passing record has fallen in three of the team's four games this season, with Morton setting career marks for yards and touchdowns in separate games earlier in the year ... Shahaid Smith had his second straight 12 reception game, leading the team with 86 receiving yards ... Jack Ruggieri kicked a 41-yard field goal in the contest ... KU has been riddled with injuries and, most notably, played Saturday's game without it's starting quarterback (Kevin Morton), running back (Josh Mastromatto), and two starting defensive backs (Alex DiNolfi and English Peay).
LIU Post
LIU Post nearly topped Bloomsburg but could not hold the lead in the fourth quarter, instead falling to the 11th-ranked Huskies, 42-27 ... The Pioneer defense was able to hold Bloomsburg to less than 300 yards for the first time this season as the Huskies finished with 293 rushing yards ... On offense, the Pioneers totaled 305 yards, including 164 on the ground and 141 in completions ... Junior running back Anthony Brunetti played his first game of the season rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown while also catching a 21-yard touchdown completion in the third quarter ... Senior Antonio Powell-Fields led the defense with 10 tackles and a forced fumble while junior Donovan Edwards made recorded two interceptions against the Huskies … Despite a young defense this season, the Pioneers have played well so far as they have recorded one sack and at least two interceptions in each game while forcing a season-high three fumbles against Clarion and Bloomsburg ... LIU Post will take a short break from conference play to host Edinboro in a PSAC crossover game next Saturday.
Lock Haven
Saturday marked a number of firsts in 2012 for Lock Haven … It marked the Bald Eagles home-opener after three straight road games, it marked the first time LHU scored this season and the Bald Eagles led for the first time in 2012 … But, one thing that didn’t change was the result as the Bald Eagles fell to visiting Edinboro, 35-19 … With the loss, LHU falls to 0-4 on the season (0-2 PSAC West). The loss marks the 46th straight for Lock Haven, which ties the all-time Division II mark for consecutive losses … Junior Brandon Brader rushed for a pair of TDs, marking the first time he’s cracked the end zone in his career despite going for over 1,400 yards for his career … Ten different Bald Eagles caught a pass in the game vs. Edinboro … The Bald Eagles have had a different leading receiver in all four games this season … James Goins' 11 tackles were the highest amount for any Bald Eagle so far this season.
Mercyhurst
Mercyhurst improved to 3-2 lifetime against Slippery Rock with a 38-23 victory on Saturday at Tullio Field. The win improved the Lakers to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the PSAC West … In the series with Slippery Rock, the home team has now won each of the five meetings between the two schools … Freshman Brandon Brown-Dukes rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns. He became the second player in program history to record three straight games of 150 yards or more, joining the school's all-time leading rusher, Richard Stokes, who accomplished the feat in 2007. Brown-Dukes has rushed for 530 yards and six touchdowns over his last three games … Junior Allen Jones II rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns - his second career 100-yard game, with both coming in the last three weeks … Mercyhurst gained 254 yards on the ground against Slippery Rock's defense which had been allowing 88 yards per game coming into Saturday … Senior WR Paris Bruner became the 12th player in school history to record 1,000 career receiving yards after catching four passes for 114 yards in the win … He now has 1,044 career receiving yards … Mercyhurst will travel to Cheyney to take on the Wolves next Saturday … Mercyhurst is 2-0 lifetime against Cheyney having outscored the Wolves 80-15 in the two meetings.
Millersville
Jeff Lawson set a school record for the longest punt in school history with an 81 yarder. That breaks a record that had stood since 1979 … Lou Brown gave Zach Zulli just his second interception of the season. It was Brown's second interception of the season and his third since switching to the cornerback position nine games ago. He also recorded a career-high seven tackles against Ship … Reggie Slaton added to his team-leading total of tackles with seven and tackles for loss with 2.0. He now has 7.5 on the season … David Coates continued to shine in the return game. One week after a 97-yard kick return for a TD, he set up a Millersville scoring drive with a 65-yard return. He now has 519 yards on 16 returns and four returns of at least 48 yards. He is only 241 yards short of the school record for return yards, which was last set in 1994 … Matt Egenrieder was held without a catch for the first time in 19 games and for just the second time in the last 29 games.
Shippensburg
Shippensburg improved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in PSAC East play with a 61-6 win over Millersville ... SU has now won eight consecutive games dating back to last season – a winning streak that is the third-longest active in Division II behind perennial powers Grand Valley State and Pittsburg State ... The Red Raiders have also scored 217 points through their first four games – 139 of which have come in the first half ... Senior captain and tailback Mike Frenette set a SU single-game record with 332 all-purpose yards on Saturday, breaking SU Hall of Famer Bill Pettyjohn’s 22-year-old mark of 315 yards achieved in the final game of the 1990 season against New Haven ... Frenette needed just 13 carries to amass a career-high 190 rushing yards – the seventh-most in SU single-game history ... SU achieved an impressive 18 tackles for loss, including 4.5 by senior linebacker Cody Fleming ... Fleming continues to creep closer to SU’s career record for tackles for loss (51 – by head coach Mark ‘Mac’ Maciejewski ‘92/’96M), as he sits third all-time in school history with 44.5 overall ... SU extended its winning streak over the Marauders to nine games...in the last two meetings, the Red Raiders have totaled 695 rushing yards ... Sophomore Sheldon Mayer handled some of the punt return duties Saturday and finished with 83 yards off four run backs, the most by a Red Raider in a game since Pat Ferguson (99) on Sept. 16, 2006.
Slippery Rock
The Rock host Kutztown next Saturday in a rematch of the 2011 PSAC Championship Game won by KU, 21-14 ... With a 3-for-3 effort Saturday at Mercyhurst, Rock Sr. PK Kurt Brackman extended his current string of successful extra-point kicks to 44. He is a perfect 20-for-20 this fall after hitting his last 24 attempts in 2011. The Rock school record is 65 consecutive makes by C.J. Bahr (2007-09) ... Brackman has booted 52 PATs in his four-year career, which is the No. 8 total in school history ... Sr. RB Akeem Satterfield moved ahead of Scott Opalsky (1987-90) into 10th place on SRU's career rushing chart Saturday. Satterfield's career total is now 2575, which is 34 yards shy of the ninth-best total compiled by Ed O'Reilly (1973-75) ... Satterfield remained sixth in career TDs (33) and eighth in career points (198) ... Saturday's loss was the fifth in five games played in Erie against either Mercyhurst or Gannon since those teams joined the PSAC in 2008. SRU is 0-3 all-time vs. Mercyhurst at Tullio Field and 0-2 at Gannon since The last Rock win in Erie was a 17-14 triumph over Gannon in Week 2 of the 2002 season.
West Chester
West Chester ended a personal two-year losing streak to Kutztown with the win Saturday … Sr. QB Mike Mattei threw for over 300 yards for the second week in a row and fourth time in his career … Mattei’s 11 TD passes is one shy of his single-season high of 12 that he threw in 2010 … Jr. PK Shawn Leo is now a perfect 20-for-20 on the season in PATs … He takes over fifth place all-time at WCU with 91 PATs … Leo’s 48-yard field goal ties his career best … It is the third time in his career that he has converted a 48-yard field goal … Sr. WR Jim Kelly notched his first 100-yard receiving game in his career … So. WR Erick Brundidge’s 13 receptions on the season equals his total from a year ago … Jr. RB Rondell White’s three TD rushes were the first rushing TDs for the Golden Rams since game one against Delaware … They also marked a new single-game high for the local product … So. LB Ronell Williams intercepted his second pass of the season … He leads the team in tackles with 40 … He has also been responsible for three forced turnovers (2 INTs; 1 FF).