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Gettysburg College Football

Welcome to my Gettysburg College Football Weblog. I will strive to update this blog regularly with stories about The Bullets gathered from across the Web. Your comments and suggestions are welcomed. Enjoy!

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Location: Lebanon, PA, United States

Born and raised in Lebanon PA. I have a wonderful wife - Diane of over 20 years! She has blessed me with 2 wonderful boys - Nick (Gettysburg College '09) and Kyle (Elizabethtown College '12). We have a black lab named Piper. I've been told I make the best grilled hot wings!

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Sturges named CC Offensive Player of the Week

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Gettysburg’s Sturges named CC Offensive Player of the Week

GETTYSBURG, Pa. Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield), a member of the Gettysburg College football team, has been named the Centennial Conference (CC) Offensive Player of the Week for games of Sept. 24. It is the second time this season that Sturges has earned the conference honor.

Sturges, a sophomore tailback, carried 31 times for 151 yards and one touchdown in the Bullets’ 49-21 loss at Denison on Saturday. He scored on a five-yard run with 9:44 remaining, his fourth touchdown of the season.

Sturges was also named the CC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 206 yards and two touchdowns in Gettysburg’s 34-27 win over Lebanon Valley on Sept. 3.

Through the season’s first four weeks, he leads the CC in carries (100), rushing yards (512), rushing yards per game (128.0) and all-purpose yards per game (137.8). He has already surpassed his team-leading total of 416 rushing yards from last season. In addition, Sturges is tied for fifth in the CC in scoring (6.0 points per game).

Following a bye week, Gettysburg (1-3) opens its CC schedule on Oct. 8 at home against McDaniel. Game time is 1 p.m.

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

JVs Win! Now 2-0!

Congratulations to the JV team for a hard fought win over Frostburg State in less than desirable weather conditions on Monday! The team, now 2-0 on the season, held on for a 27-26 victory against a very formidable opponent while also battling wind, rain and slippery field conditions.

The JV's return to action on Monday October 17 when the visit Dickinson at 3:30 p.m.

Monday, September 26, 2005

Centennial Conference Weekly Award Winners

Tom Sturges was selected as the Offensive Player of the Week by the Centennial Conference. Sturges carried 31 times for 151 yards and scored on a 4-yard run in the 49-21 loss at Denison. It was his 3rd 100+ yard performance of the season!

Also, Harold Barton was recognized as one of the "Other Outstanding Performers" on Defense for the week!

Congrations to Tom and Harold!

Click here to read about this weeks news and awards from around the Centennial Conference.

Cappetto Powers Big Red Past Gettysburg

From the Denison Website:

September 24, 2005

Cappetto Powers Big Red Past Gettysburg

GRANVILLE— Larry Cappetto (Troy, Mich./Troy) sure knows how to keep his skill position players happy.

The senior quarterback spread the ball around to 10 different Big Red receivers while completing 18-of-27 passes for 287 yards en route to a 49-21 trouncing of Gettysburg at Deeds Field-Piper Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Ten different Denison receivers may have got their paws on the football but no one was bigger than tight end Frank Roe (Antioch, Calif./Antioch). The senior preseason All-American stretched the field and hauled in five passes for 124 yards. He gained the bulk of his yardage on two back breaking plays. The first came late in the second quarter with the ball on the Denison 28-yard line. Cappetto found Roe on a 71-yard pass play where Roe was finally brought down on the one yard line by Gettysburg’s Harold Barton. Cappetto would hit first-year Brian Mason (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) on a two-yard scoring pass one play later to give the Big Red a 21-7 lead.

Just 12 seconds before the end of the first half, Roe got free down the middle and took off for a 39-yard reception and was once again ruled down on the one-yard line. Junior Fred Lee (St. Louis, Mo./MICDS) reached paydirt for the first time in 2005 to send DU to the locker room with a 28-14 lead.
After a scoreless third quarter, Denison began the fourth quarter by capping off a seven play, 24-yard drive with Lee’s second one-yard TD run of the afternoon giving Denison a 35-14 lead.

Gettysburg would answer on the ensuing drive as they rode tailback Tom Sturges for seven carries for 43 yards. He would cap off the 17-play drive with a five-yard touchdown run. Sturges was a workhorse for head coach Barry Streeter’s squad. He carried the ball 31 times for 151 yards.

Denison would put the game out of reach with six minutes left to go when Cappetto scampered 29 yards for his second rushing touchdown of the day. On the game’s final offensive play, Denison’s Jonathan Berg
(Washington, Pa./Trinity), attempting to run out the clock, broke through a swarm of missed Gettysburg tackles and went 35-yards for his first career touchdown setting the final at 49-21.

The receiving corps for Denison was as balanced as could be and so was the Denison rushing attack. Mason led the way with nine carries for 56 yards. Cappetto also rolled up 56 yards off six carries and Berg, thanks to his late TD run, finished up with six carries for 39 yards. Lee led the team in carries with 15 and finished with 34 yards while senior Joey Thees (Holland, Ohio/Springfield) took seven hand-off’s for 21 yards. First-year fullback Joe Ulrey (Marengo, Ohio/Highland) was productive as well, rushing for 12 yards off a pair of carries.

Defensively, freshman Michael Barnes (Gates Mills, Ohio/Mayfield) recorded 12 tackles and one interception in his first start of the season, filling in for the injured Jason Wright (Granville, Ohio/Watkins Memorial).

Sophomore linebacker Ike Akusoba (Galena, Ohio/Big Walnut) totaled 10 tackles while forcing one fumble and one interception. Another first-year player, Jim Minor (Washington, Pa./Trinity), who was making his first career start, finished with four tackles, 1 ½ sacks and one fumble recovery.

Cappetto leads Denison over Gettysburg, 49-21

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Cappetto leads Denison over Gettysburg, 49-21

Box Score

GRANVILLE, Ohio – Larry Cappetto threw for 287 yards and accounted for three touchdowns to lead Denison over Gettysburg 49-21 in non-conference football action on Saturday.

Cappetto, who enjoyed a 315-yard, four-touchdown passing performance in last year’s meeting between the two teams, continued to bedevil the Bullets in 2005, throwing a two-yard touchdown pass to Brian Mason and running for scores of 9 and 30 yards.

Mason also scored on a 31-yard run and added a team-high 56 rushing yards for the Big Red (2-1), which rolled up 505 yards of total offense. Fred Lee chipped in with a pair of one-yard touchdown runs while Frank Roe caught five passes for a team-leading 124 yards.

Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) paced the Gettysburg offense with 31 carries for 151 yards and one touchdown, his third 100-yard outing in four games this season. Hunter McMillan (Middletown, DE/Wilmington Friends) completed 15 of 36 passes for 202 yards and one touchdown for the Bullets, who were making their first trip to Ohio since 1963.

Dusty Green (Idaville, PA/Bermudian Springs) paced Gettysburg with six catches for 76 yards and a 29-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter. Harold Barton (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) led the Bullet defense with 11 tackles.

Cappetto’s passing helped the hosts reverse a 7-6 deficit and go ahead to stay with three second-quarter touchdowns.

A 42-yard catch-and-carry by Mason and a 27-yard strike to Matt Petersen on back-to-back plays set up Cappetto’s nine-yard keeper that put Denison back on top with 11:51 left in the half. Lee ran in the two-point conversion to make it 14-7.

Gettysburg’s next drive stalled at the Big Red 28 and Cappetto struck on his squad’s first play, finding Roe behind the defense for a 71-yard reception to the Bullet 1. Three plays later, Cappetto hit Mason on a two-yard rollout for a 21-7 advantage.

Gettysburg turned to Sturges to close the gap on its next possession. The sophomore carried seven times for 40 yards before McMillan hit Spencer Davidson (Dumont, NJ/Dumont) on third-and-19 for 31 yards to the Denison 6.

McMillan scored on the next play and Josh Huson’s (McLean, VA/McLean) extra point cut the deficit to 21-14 with 1:38 remaining before halftime.

But the Big Red’s second-quarter fireworks weren’t finished. Four rushes moved the ball to the Bullet 39 before Cappetto connected with Roe again, this time for a 38-yard catch to the 1. Lee’s second-effort run with eight ticks remaining gave the hosts a 28-14 lead at the break.

Two lost fumbles and a Denison touchdown drive stalled Gettysburg’s hopes of a second-half comeback.

The Big Red cashed in the latter turnover. Taking over at the Bullet 24, Cappetto hit Tim Dukovich for 11 yards and – following a holding penalty – found Mike Kushner for 13 yards to the 2. On the second play of the fourth quarter, Lee powered in from one yard out to make it 35-14 with 14:16 left.

Gettysburg responded with a 16-play, 81-yard scoring drive capped by a five-yard run by Sturges on fourth-and-goal. The Bullets halted Denison’s next drive at their own 18, but Michael Barnes’ interception led to Cappetto’s game-sealing 30-yard touchdown run with 6:22 remaining.

A 35-yard touchdown run by Jonathan Berg closed the scoring in the final seconds.

Ike Akusoba’s interception of McMillan at the Gettysburg 34 set up Mason’s 31-yard touchdown run that made it 6-0 with 2:48 left in the first quarter.

The Bullets edged ahead on McMillan’s 29-yard touchdown pass to a leaping Green on a fourth-and-23 early in the second frame. Green’s touchdown capped an eight-play, 70-yard drive.

Following a bye week, Gettysburg returns to action and opens its Centennial Conference schedule on Saturday, Oct. 8 at home against McDaniel. Game time is 1 p.m.

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Gettysburg at Denison Game Notes

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Gettysburg at Denison – Saturday, Sept. 24, 2005 – 1 p.m.

THIS WEEK’S GAME: Saturday’s non-conference match-up marks the second all-time meeting between Gettysburg (1-2) and Denison (1-1), and the Bullets’ first trip to Granville, Ohio. In last year’s inaugural contest, Big Red quarterback Larry Cappetto threw for 315 yards and four touchdowns – three to wide receiver Zach Brent – as Denison scored 28 points in an 11-minute span of the second half to defeat Gettysburg 35-23 on Sept. 25, 2004 at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. The Bullets are making their first trip to the state of Ohio since a 1963 journey to Springfield, Ohio, that ended in a 48-36 loss at Wittenberg.

LAST TIME OUT: Rochester rolled up 459 yards of total offense and possessed the ball for 42 minutes, 34 seconds of a 41-20 win over Gettysburg last Saturday at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. Special teams accounted for more than half of the Bullets’ points, thanks to a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by senior DB Nathan Smith (Hanover, PA/Cooperstown Central [NY]) and a 53-yard punt block and return by freshman DB Justin Gayles (Baltimore, MD/Gilman). Denison was idle last weekend, but lost its most recent game at Case Western Reserve 20-6 on Sept. 10. Senior RB Joey Thees tallied the Big Red’s only points by breaking a 43-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Senior LB Rob Hackett paced the Denison defense with 11 tackles, including two stops for loss.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Nathan Smith was named the Centennial Conference (CC) Co-Special Teams Player of the Week for games of Sept. 17 after returning a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown against Rochester. In the process, Smith matched a CC career record with his fourth kickoff return touchdown, pulling even with Muhlenberg’s Josh Carter (1998-2001).

ALSO OUTSTANDING: Junior LB Harold Barton (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) was chosen as one of the CC’s Outstanding Performers after recording a career-high 17 tackles against the Yellowjackets on Saturday. Barton also notched his first collegiate sack among his 13 solo tackles.

AHEAD OF THE PACK: Sophomore TB Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) leads Gettysburg and the CC with 69 carries for 361 yards this season. Sturges, who picked up a team-leading 52 yards on the ground against Rochester, is tied for 34th in Division III with 120.3 rushing yards per game.

AIRING IT OUT: Despite being held to 68 passing yards on Saturday, sophomore QB Hunter McMillan (Middletown, DE/Wilmington Friends) remained among the CC’s top signal-callers in a number of categories. McMillan leads the conference in pass efficiency (117.7) and ranks second in passing yards per game (213.3) and total yards per game (206.0). He has completed 58 of 96 passes for 640 yards and four touchdowns in his first campaign as the Gettysburg starter.

LOCAL ANGLE: Junior HB Dusty Green (Idaville, PA/Bermudian Springs) caught a team-high five passes for 45 yards on Saturday. Junior QB Mark Campo (Arendtsville, PA/Biglerville) completed 6 of 8 passes for 53 yards in relief of Hunter McMillan, capping the Bullets’ 56-yard, fourth-quarter scoring drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to junior HB Jerry Jones (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape).

TRIPLE THREAT: A trio of Bullets ranks among the conference’s top 10 pass catchers so far this season. Sophomore HB Shawn Hollingsworth (Chester, PA/Wilmington Friends [DE]) leads the team with 16 receptions for 211 yards, ranking third in the CC in receptions per game (5.33) and receiving yards per game (70.3). Junior WR Spencer Davidson (Dumont, NJ/Dumont) (13 receptions, 169 yards) is tied for sixth with 4.33 receptions per game and eighth with 56.3 receiving yards per game. Dusty Green is tied for ninth with 4.00 receptions per game and ninth with 42.3 receiving yards per contest.

MANY HAPPY RETURNS: Nathan Smith leads the CC and ranks fifth in Division III with 36.1 yards per kickoff return this season, thanks to touchdown returns of 86 and 92 yards in the season’s first three weeks.

HIT PARADE: Four Bullets ranks among the CC’s top ten in tackles per game this season. Harold Barton is second (13.7) followed by Nathan Smith (T-6th, 9.0), senior LB Ryan McGarry (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) and senior DL Dan Hogdahl (Riverdale, NJ/Pompton Lakes) (both tied for ninth with 7.0). Barton, who is 15th in Division III in tackles per game, leads the team with 41 total tackles, including a conference-best 28 solo stops.

AMONG THE LEADERS: Gettysburg leads the CC in total offense (373.7 yards per game) and ranks second in passing offense (231.0), rushing offense (142.7) and scoring offense (31.3 points per game). The Bullets also pace the conference in third-down conversion percentage (42.1), first downs (71), kickoff return average (27.8 yards per return) and punt return average (22.7).

BULLET POINTS: Justin Gayles scored his first collegiate points after returning his own punt block 53 yards for a touchdown against Rochester on Saturday… Gettysburg is 1-3 all-time against the current teams of the North Coast Athletic Conference. The Bullets defeated Wooster in 1940, lost to Wittenberg in 1962 and 1963, and fell to Denison last season… Senior DB Daniel Silva (Lanham, MD/Eleanor Roosevelt) stopped the Yellowjackets’ first drive of the game with his first interception of the season… Gettysburg is looking to snap a seven-game road losing streak.

THE WORD ON DENISON: The Big Red comes off its bye week looking to jump back above the .500 mark. Denison opened the season with a 21-17 come-from-behind victory over Waynesburg before falling at Case Western 20-6 on Sept. 10. Senior QB Larry Cappetto returns after throwing for 1,378 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Cappetto, who threw for 315 yards and four touchdowns against Gettysburg in 2004, is 25 of 52 for 209 yards and one touchdown in 2005. He has also carried 10 times for 70 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown run against Waynesburg. Senior TE Frank Roe is a Lindy’s preseason All-American who has led the Big Red in receptions for each of the last three years. He has six catches for 63 yards this year. Junior WR Zach Brent has three receptions for 32 yards and one touchdown this season. Brent was named the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Player of the Week after making 11 receptions for 116 yards and three touchdowns against the Bullets last year. Junior RB Fred Lee leads the team with 27 carries and 85 rushing yards. Senior RB Joey Thees ranks second with 74 yards on 14 carries. Junior DB Andrew Terlecky was named the NCAC Defensive Player of the Week and earned a spot on the D3Football.com Team of the Week for his performance against Waynesburg. Terlecky recorded three interceptions in his first collegiate start, returning the second pick 31 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Sophomore DB Jason Wright leads the team with 21 tackles.

COACH’S CORNER: Barry Streeter is in his 27th season as the head coach at Gettysburg, the longest coaching tenure in program history. He has posted a 133-128-5 record while guiding the Bullets to three CC championships and a pair of NCAA playoff victories. He ranks first among active CC coaches in both conference victories (71) and overall wins (133). Nick Fletcher enters his sixth season at Denison in 2005. Fletcher guided the Big Red to a 6-4 record last year, the program’s first winning mark in 13 seasons. Before coming to Granville, he led Eureka College to a 27-22 record from 1995-99 and was twice named the Illini-Badger Conference Coach of the Year.

STREETER ON THE ROCHESTER GAME: “They were a pretty good football team, but we didn’t play very tough on Saturday, physically or mentally. We had guys in position who just weren’t making plays. We’ll keep emphasizing it, keep pushing it and try to put them in situations in practice where they have to prove their mental and physical toughness.”

STREETER ON DENISON: “They’re a good football team. They balance our defense because they play a lot of two-tight end sets, which means you can’t cheat one way or the other. Defensively, they’re a 3-3 and they do a lot of blitzing, a lot more than we saw last week.”

STREETER ON THE IMPORTANCE OF A WIN ON SATURDAY: “I think it’s really important for the kids, mentally. With a win, O.K., now we have an even slate and an open date, let’s address some things and let’s go after the conference. I think it’s a very important game.”

GCFPC WEEKLY UPDATE Game 4 – Denison University

GCFPC WEEKLY UPDATE
Game 4 – Denison University


The Bullets travel their longest distance of the season to Granville, Ohio to try to pick themselves up from -- let’s say a game we’d rather not talk about -- to avenge a home loss last year to the Big Red of Denison University.

NUTS AND BOLTS OF ATTENDING THE DENISON GAME / ALUMNI TAILGATE: Information was previously sent to the football parents regarding the pre-game Tailgate that will be hosted by a Gettysburg Ohio alumnus family. You needed to RSVP for this Tailgate by now. As it turns out, we football parents will account for about 40 of the 52 people attending the pre-game Tailgate! Since we are the bulk of this event, please try not to be too late for the 10:30 a.m. start.

Denison charges $4 for entrance to the game. This is our first time at Denison, so we do not know their policies, but most away teams who charge admission do allow players to reserve at least two “will call” tickets for family members, so remind your son to be alert to this (if this is in effect, your player needs to speak up for you).

For families staying at the Heath-Newark Hampton Inn, let’s try to get together informally on Friday evening at 9 p.m. or so. There is no restaurant / bar at the Hampton Inn, but there is an Olive Garden within walking distance, so we are told – let’s give that a shot. Safe travels to all attending!

LAST SATURDAY’S GAME: For the third week in a row, Gettysburg has garnered “player of the week” honors for the Centennial Conference – this week, Nate Smith as Co- Player of the Week for special teams. In addition, Harold Barton was named a CC “Outstanding Performer” on defense.

J.V. SCHEDULE: The J.V. “Team” (basically anyone who is not a starter) clobbered Dickinson this past Monday 48-8!

The remaining J.V. schedule is as follows:
Monday Sept. 26 -- Frostburg State at GC 4 p.m.
Monday Oct. 17 -- at Dickinson 3:30 p.m.
Monday Oct. 24 -- at Lebanon Valley 3:30 p.m.

CONCLUSION: The Bullets have a bye week next week, and return home for the Centennial Conference opener against McDaniel on October 8th -- pre and post game Tailgates in the Pavilion. Thanks to everyone who continue to make this season a great one for all GCFPC families.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

A Peak at Denison

From the D3Football.com Kickoff, here's what they said about Denison in the pre-season:

Denison Big Red

Last playoff appearance: 1985

Last conference title: 1986

Head coach: Nick Fletcher, sixth year, 15-35

Starters returning: 15 (nine offense, four defense, two specialists)

Position battle to watch: At tight end, where Alex Weaver and Nick Paolini are fighting to back up Frank Roe.

Pressure is on: Quarterback Larry Cappetto, who threw for 1,378 yards and 14 touchdowns last season and is the director of Denison's wide-open attack.

Their season will be defined by: A road game at Ohio Wesleyan on Oct. 15. A win here could move The Big Red into a tie for third place in the final standings.

Predicted record: 6-4, 4-3

Capsule: After snapping a string of 13 losing seasons last year, can Fletcher's squad take the next step? With Cappetto and Roe (24 catches, 287 yards, four TDs) back on offense and a wealth of experienced backups who will become starters on defense, Denison should expect to stay above .500 again this season. It needs to take advantage of games against Hiram, Earlham, Oberlin and Kenyon.

Congratulations JV's!

The Junior Varsity football team pounded Dickinson College to the tune of 48-8 on Monday! The team displayed a total team effort by dominating the Red Devils on offense, defense and special teams!

Monday, September 19, 2005

Nathan Smith Honored by Centennial Conference

Nathan Smith was honored as Co-Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against Rochester on Saturday. Smith registered his second kickoff return for a touchdown this season during the game. It is also the fourth return for a TD in his career tying a Centennial Conference record.

Harold Barton is also recognized by the Conference in their list of "Other Outstanding Performers on Defense"

The Conference announced these honors and other Week 3 news on their Website. Click here to read all about Week 3 in the Centennial Conference.

Sunday, September 18, 2005

Yellowjackets Sting the Bullets

From the University of Rochester Website:

GETTYSBURG, Pa – Aaron Molisani (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more to lead visiting Rochester (1-2) to a 41-20 victory over Gettysburg College at Shirk Field.

Molisani scored on a pair of one-yard runs. He finished with a game-high 110 yards on 18 carries. Rochester rushed for 310 yards, its highest one-game total since November 15, 2003 when the Yellowjackets had 326 yards versus Carnegie Mellon.

He completed two scoring passes to David Ferris (Hamburg, NY/St. Francis) in the second quarter. With UR nursing a 7-6 lead, he found Ferris for a 26-yard TD 4:38 into the second quarter. They connected again, this time on a four-yard scoring pass, with 5:38 left in the period. That increased the lead to 20-6. Molisani completed 9 of 22 passes for 149 yards and one interception.

The Yellowjackets set a single-game record with 100 offensive plays – 78 rushing and 22 passing. The mark was 98 plays, set in 1982 versus Allegheny.

Gettysburg, which scored 74 points in its first two games (a 34-27 win over Lebanon Valley and a 56-40 loss at Hampden Sydney) was held to 161 yards in offense. The Bullets (1-2) rushed 20 times for a net of 40 yards. Quarterbacks Hunter McMillan and Mark Campo combined to hit 15 of 24 passes for 121 yards. McMillan threw for 404 yards and four TDs last week. UR intercepted him three times and sacked him four times.

Molisani plunged one yard for a TD just four seconds into the second period to put UR ahead to stay. Rob Corey (Pittston, PA/Pittston Area) added the PAT. Gettysburg’s Nathan Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. The PAT snap was poor and a two-point pass fell incomplete. Two TD passes to Ferris increased the lead to 21-6 by halftime.

In the third quarter, Molisani, Galen Williams (Irondequoit, NY/Irondequoit) and Mike Sondericker (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) all ran for touchdowns, increasing the lead to 41-6 with 5:42 left in the game.

Gettysburg tacked on two late touchdowns – a 14-yard pass from Campo to Jerry Jones, and a 53-yard return with a blocked punt by Justin Gayles.

Molisani leads Rochester over Gettysburg, 41-20

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Molisani leads Rochester over Gettysburg, 41-20

Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Aaron Molisani accounted for 259 yards of total offense and four touchdowns to lead Rochester past Gettysburg 41-20 in non-conference football action on Saturday.

Molisani threw touchdown passes of 26 and 4 yards to Dave Ferris, and scored on a pair of one-yard dives to help the Yellowjackets (1-2) post their first win of the season. The senior quarterback finished with 149 passing yards and also led Rochester with 110 yards on the ground.

Matt Bielecki carried 27 times for 101 yards and added a team-high 82 receiving yards for the Yellowjackets, who used 42 minutes, 34 seconds of possession time to outgain the Bullets, 459-161.

Gettysburg’s special teams accounted for most of its scoring on the afternoon. Nathan Smith (Hanover, PA/Cooperstown Central [NY]) matched a Centennial Conference record with his fourth career kickoff return for a touchdown, going 92 yards for the Bullets’ first six points. Freshman Justin Gayles (Baltimore, MD/Gilman) capped the scoring by returning his own punt block 53 yards for a touchdown.

Rochester’s first drive of the day ended in a fourth-down interception, but the visitors’ next three marches all reached the end zone for a 20-6 halftime lead.

Third-down completions to Ferris and Bielecki sustained a 15-play, 57-yard drive that Molisani capped with a 1-yard run to make it 7-0 on the first play of the second quarter.

Smith answered by hauling the ensuing kickoff 92 yards to the Yellowjacket end zone, but a bad snap on the extra point kept Rochester ahead, 7-6.

The Yellowjackets converted two more third downs on a 71-yard drive that culminated with Molisani’s 26-yard touchdown pass to Ferris.

Sean Simpson derailed Gettysburg’s next series with an interception at the Rochester 45 and the Yellowjackets needed nine plays to make it 20-6 with 5:38 remaining in the first half.

Another Molisani-to-Ferris connection, this time from four yards out on third-and-goal, provided the points.

Molisani, Galen Williams and Mike Sondericker ran for second-half touchdowns of 1, 14 and 1 yard, respectively, to build a 41-6 lead with 5:42 remaining.

Mark Campo (Arendtsville, PA/Biglerville) went 6-for-8 to march the Bullets 56 yards to their second touchdown, a 14-yard pass to Jerry Jones (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape). Gayles capped the scoring with an outstanding individual effort, swiping the ball off Ferris’ foot in mid-kick and racing untouched to the end zone with 2:15 remaining.

Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) led Gettysburg with 14 carries for 52 yards while Dusty Green (Idaville, PA/Bermudian Springs) snagged five passes for 45 yards. Harold Barton (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) led all players with a career-high 17 tackles, including one sack.

Carmine Casale and Nick Grow also recorded interceptions for the Yellowjackets, who held Bullet starter Hunter McMillan (Middletown, DE/Wilmington Friends) to 68 passing yards.

Gettysburg returns to action on Saturday at Denison. Game time is 1 p.m.

Friday, September 16, 2005

Listen Live on the Web!

Can't make it to the game on Saturday?

Click here to listen to the game courtesy of WYSL 1040 AM

Go Bullets!!!

TAILGATE NOTICE – Rochester Game

TAILGATE NOTICE – Rochester Game

The Pavilion has opened up for our use after the football game this Saturday (until 6:30 p.m.). Therefore, the post-game tailgate will be at the Pavilion (a better venue and cover if the weather is bad). The pre-game Tailgate, however, will still take place outside the West Building behind the baseball field backstop (on the right at the Stadium end of Lincoln Avenue). There is another group after us at the Pavilion, so we will need to out of there with everything clean by 6:30.

Thursday, September 15, 2005

Rochester at Gettysburg Game Notes

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Rochester at Gettysburg – Saturday, Sept. 17, 2005 – 1 p.m.

THIS WEEK’S GAME: Saturday’s 2005 Homecoming game marks the third meeting between Gettysburg (1-1) and Rochester (0-2), and the first to take place in Pennsylvania. The Yellowjackets hosted and won each of their first two meetings with the Bullets – a 7-0 victory in 1912 and a 31-6 decision last year. In the latter contest, then-freshman Matt Bielecki ran for four touchdowns to lead homestanding Rochester past Gettysburg 31-6 on Sept. 18, 2004. Making just his third collegiate appearance, Bielecki scored on runs of 8, 2, 36 and 3 yards as the Yellowjackets posted their first win of the 2004 season.

LAST TIME OUT: Despite record-breaking performances from sophomore QB Hunter McMillan (Middletown, DE/Wilmington Friends) and sophomore HB Shawn Hollingsworth (Chester, PA/Wilmington Friends [DE]), Gettysburg lost a 56-40 shootout at Hampden-Sydney last Saturday. McMillan set single-game program records for completions (35), attempts (62) and passing yards (404), and also threw for four touchdowns. Hollingsworth caught a program-record 12 passes for 172 yards and two TDs. Rochester also came out on the short end of a high-scoring affair on Saturday, falling at crosstown rival St. John Fisher, 58-32. Senior QB Aaron Molisani threw for one touchdown and ran for another in the loss while freshman RB Mike Sondericker returned a kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown, cutting the St. John Fisher lead to 34-18 early in the third quarter.

LEADING THE WAY: Senior OL Enoch Boateng (Vienna, VA/W.T. Woodson), senior DB Jay Cage (N. Charleston, SC/Sterling [NJ]), senior TB Joe Fricchione (Branchville, NJ/High Point Reg.) and senior DB Nathan Smith (Hanover, PA/Cooperstown Central [NY]) will serve as Gettysburg’s team captains in 2005.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Gettysburg has boasted the Centennial Conference (CC) Offensive Player of the Week in each of the season’s first two weeks. Sophomore TB Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) earned the honor after rushing for 206 yards and two touchdowns in Gettysburg’s 34-27 win over Lebanon Valley on opening day. Hunter McMillan followed Sturges after a 404-yard, four-touchdown passing performance last weekend at Hampden-Sydney.

ALSO OUTSTANDING: Nathan Smith was recognized among the CC’s Other Outstanding Performers after recording a team-high nine tackles and making two interceptions against Hampden-Sydney on Saturday. Smith earned a special teams nod after returning a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown against Lebanon Valley on opening day.

OFF AND RUNNING: Tom Sturges followed up his 206-yard rushing game against Lebanon Valley – the highest single-game total by a Bullet since Paul Smith in 1999 – with a solid 23-carry, 103-yard showing against Hampden-Sydney. Sturges leads the CC in carries (55), rushing yards (309) and yards per game (154.4).

RE-WRITING THE RECORD BOOKS: Hunter McMillan’s 35 completions and 62 attempts surpassed the program marks of 23 and 49, respectively, set by Jamie Steier against Ursinus in 1991. McMillan’s 404 passing yards – the first 400-yard game by a CC sophomore – broke the record of 385 set by Tim Brennan against Albright in 1970.

NOT TO BE OVERSHADOWED: Shawn Hollingsworth’s 12 receptions against Hampden-Sydney broke the mark of 11 set by Chris Notarfrancesco against Franklin & Marshall in 1994. Hollingsworth, who had three catches in his brief collegiate career before Saturday, ranks second in the CC in receiving yards per game (95.5) and third in receptions per game (6.5).

CATCHING ON: Junior WR Spencer Davidson (Dumont, NJ/Dumont) made seven receptions for 88 yards and one touchdown on Saturday, a 21-yard scoring catch to open Gettysburg’s 33-point second half. Davidson ranks second on the team with 12 receptions for 158 yards. He is fourth in the CC in receptions per game (6.00) and fifth in receiving yards per game (79.0).

PAYDIRT: After scoring only 14 touchdowns and averaging 10.5 points per game last season, the Bullets have found the end zone 11 times en route to 74 points in the season’s first two weeks. Tom Sturges and Shawn Hollingsworth lead the invigorated offense with three touchdowns apiece. Both are tied for third in the conference in scoring (9.0 points per game).

HIT PARADE: Junior LB Harold Barton (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) leads the team with 24 tackles and ranks fourth in the conference with 12.0 tackles per game. Senior DL Dan Petersen (Beachwood, NJ/Toms River South) (8.0) and Nathan Smith (7.5) are also among the CC’s top 10 tacklers.

NATION’S BEST: Through games of Sept. 10, Tom Sturges ranked 14th in Division III with 154.5 rushing yards per game. Hunter McMillan was 27th in total offense with 282.5 yards per game. Nathan Smith ranked ninth with 33.4 yards per kickoff return and was tied for 23rd with 2.5 passes defended per game. As a team, Gettysburg ranked 22nd in total offense (480.0 yards per game), 25th in passing offense (286.0) and was tied for 31st in scoring offense (37.0 points per game).

BULLET POINTS: Senior LB Michael Schmidt (Huntington Station, NY/Walt Whitman) made his first collegiate interception on Saturday at Hampden-Sydney… The Bullets’ 40 points on Saturday set a program record for points in a loss, surpassing the mark of 36 set most recently in 2000… Gettysburg is seeking its fourth consecutive win on Homecoming Saturday. The Bullets downed Ursinus in 2002 and 2004, and Waynesburg in 2003.

THE WORD ON ROCHESTER: The Yellowjackets are seeking their first win of the 2005 season on Saturday. Sophomore RB Matt Bielecki, who ran for four touchdowns in last year’s meeting with the Bullets, is the Yellowjackets’ leading rusher so far in 2005. Bielecki has carried 37 times for 143 yards and one touchdown. Senior QB Aaron Molisani returns to lead the Rochester offense in 2005. Molisani has completed 31 of 60 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns this season. He threw for 176 yards in last year’s win against Gettysburg. Senior WR Dave Ferris has nine catches for a team-high 99 yards and two touchdowns this season. Senior Jeff Leslie leads the team with 21 tackles while senior LB Nick Grow has 17 tackles and a team-best 2.5 sacks. The Yellowjackets are playing their second and final CC opponent of the season on Saturday. A last-second field goal lifted Johns Hopkins over Rochester 9-7 on Sept. 3.

COACH’S CORNER: Barry Streeter is in his 27th season as the head coach at Gettysburg, the longest coaching tenure in program history. He has posted a 133-127-5 record while guiding the Bullets to three CC championships and a pair of NCAA playoff victories. He ranks first among active CC coaches in both conference victories (71) and overall wins (133). Mark Kreydt enters his eighth season at the helm of the Rochester program in 2005. Kreydt has guided his alma mater to 24 victories during his tenure, including a first-place tie for the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association title in 2000 and a second-place finish in the University Athletic Association two seasons ago.

STREETER ON THE SECOND-HALF COMEBACK AT HAMPDEN-SYDNEY: “We had some confidence even though we’d only scored one touchdown in the first half. I think the score got them discouraged a little bit, but we just tried to get the point across that you’re never out of a game.”

STREETER ON HIS OFFENSE’S PERFORMANCE: “Our offensive line is really doing a good job and the kids executed the plan well. We had a lot of respect for Hampden-Sydney’s defense and we were able to get them in situations that they didn’t want to be in. But the whole thing’s about making plays on both sides of the ball and we had guys who were making plays.”

STREETER ON ROCHESTER: “They’re a good, talented team. It’s not like they’re 0-2 and they’ve got 0-2 talent – that’s as far from the truth as can be. Not having been there and played against them before, I don’t have as great a feel as some of the other coaches who played against them (last year). Their assessment is they could be a solid team in our conference and that’s enough for me. I know it will be a battle.”

STREETER ON HOMECOMING SATURDAY: “It will give us a lift, for sure. There will be a good crowd and we’ll have alumni back who want to see what kind of football team we have. I think we have a good football team and the kids are motivated to show that to the people.”

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

GCFPC WEEKLY UPDATE Game 3 - 2005

GCFPC WEEKLY UPDATE
Game 3 - 2005


Following two exciting games to start the season, including a gutsy performance at Hampden-Sydney, the “new” Bullets return home this Saturday seeking to avenge an especially irritating loss last year to the University of Rochester Yellowjackets. It is Homecoming at Gettysburg, so there should be plenty of excitement on campus this weekend. An in-depth preview of the game should appear later this week on the Football page of the Gettysburg College website.

TAILGATING: As with each home game, all football / cheerleading families are encouraged to attend the pre- and/or post-game Tailgate this Saturday. Please come and introduce yourself to others. New families, in particular, are asked to attend.

Because of Homecoming, the Tailgate parties this week will take place in the grassy area outside “The Attic” (between the baseball field backstop and the “West” Building -- at the stadium end of Lincoln Avenue on the right). As with all home games, we will start gathering for the pre-game Tailgate at about 10:45 a.m. and close things down for the games by 12:45 p.m. (game time is 1:00 p.m.; entrance is free). The post-game Tailgate will begin at about 4:00 p.m. Anyone who can arrive early to help set up or stay late to clean up would be most appreciated.

The Parents Club furnishes some hot and cold finger food before and after the game, but each family should plan to bring their own basic food and drinks for the day. This week, Junior parents are asked to bring food to share, although other contributions certainly would be appreciated. A gas grill will be available, as well as limited electric power.

Other than drinks provided by the Club -- solely for players and cheerleaders after the game -- beverages of choice are BYOB. While alcohol may be consumed by adults at the Tailgate, GC Safety and Security or Borough Police will enforce alcohol laws anywhere else on campus (e.g. no walking to the stadium with a beer in hand!). Of course, no consumption of alcohol by minors can be tolerated. With so many people on campus for Homecoming, enforcement will be stepped up.

The rest of the season’s Tailgate food contribution schedule is as follows:

September 17th Junior Parents

October 8th Sophomore Parents (Pavilion)

October 29th (Family Weekend) Food furnished by the College at the rear of the stadium before the game (Pavilion post-game)

November 5th Freshmen Parents (Pavilion)

LAST WEEK’S GAME: Congratulations to sophomore Hunter McMillan on his selection as the Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Week – the second week in a row that a Gettysburg player has received this recognition (Tom Sturges last week). Kudos also to Nate Smith for being selected as a Centennial Conference Outstanding Defensive Performer of the week.

GCFPC MEMBERSHIP: We are hoping for 100% participation by football families in the Gettysburg College Football Parents Club this year. The response from new families has been especially exciting. If you have not yet joined, please send in your membership form and check as soon as possible. A form is attached to this email and will be available at the Tailgate parties. (Dues of $40 cover an entire family for the whole season and help pay for pre- and post-game tailgates organized by the Club).

BULLETS MERCHANDISE: Samples of Bullets football merchandise will be available at the game this week and at all home games. A limited quantity of items will be available for purchase, but pre-orders are the norm. A list of available merchandise and order forms will be available at the Tailgates. Most orders can be filled by the next home game.

50/50 RAFFLE: In an effort to help raise some extra money to meet the unusual cost this year of senior gifts, we inaugurated a 50/50 raffle at the last home tailgate. Thanks to the work of the Phillips and McGarrys and, especially the generosity of our families, we sold $700 in tickets at the Lebanon Valley post-game Tailgate.

There are two basic 50/50 rules: (1) you do not need to be present to win, so you can still participate even if you need to leave early from a tailgate party; (2) the Club will not accept back the winner’s money – too often charitable raffle winners feel compelled to return their winnings – we do not want people to be pressured to do so and we want to thereby encourage greater participation. Any other suggestions as to “rules’ or format would be most appreciated. Congratulations to Lee Churchman who won the last 50/50 raffle to the tune of $350!

ACTION PHOTOS: Bill Dowling, a professional photographer, has agreed again this year to take action photos of players and cheerleaders at each home game. His photos will appear on his website and can be ordered for very reasonable prices. Bill’s website is easy to navigate (start with “Bullets Football” on the right margin of his home page). We expect that every player and cheerleader will appear on the website during the season for that special picture.

VOLUNTEERS/SUGGESTIONS: We are hoping everyone will help out with merchandise sales/orders at home games, tailgate clean-up, tailgate food contributions, etc. throughout the season. Also, we are in immediate need of specific volunteers to “shadow” current Club leaders this year with a view toward taking over a position next year. New families are especially invited to get involved (none of the positions are especially burdensome).

Suggestions are always welcome. In particular, new Club members may have fresh ideas to improve what the Parents Club has to offer. Thanks go out to Karen and George Lessler who will be the Freshman Representatives and Cindy and Jack Dunn who will be the Junior Representatives this year.

ALUMNI FAMILIES - Please feel comfortable to join us at any Bullets game. We miss you and would love to see you. Let us know if you want to sign up as an alumni member of the GCFPC (dues are only $20 for you).

We hope to see as many Bullets fans as possible at the game this week - big support from the stands would be awesome.

Go Bullets!!!!!!!!!

Monday, September 12, 2005

2 Weeks 2 Players of the Week Awards!

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Gettysburg’s McMillan named CC Offensive Player of the Week

GETTYSBURG, Pa.Hunter McMillan (Middletown, DE/Wilmington Friends), a member of the Gettysburg College football team, has been named the Centennial Conference (CC) Offensive Player of the Week for games of Sept. 10.

McMillan, a sophomore quarterback, set single-game program records for completions (35), attempts (62) and passing yards (404) in the Bullets’ 56-40 loss at Hampden-Sydney on Saturday. McMillan, the sixth CC player and first sophomore to reach the 400-yard mark, came within one touchdown pass of the program record, throwing for scores of 21, 40, 11 and 17 yards.
Through the first two weeks of the season, he leads the conference in passing yards per game (286.0), total offense (282.5 yards per game) and pass efficiency (130.3). Gettysburg paces the CC in scoring offense (37.0 points per game), passing offense (286.0 yards per game), rushing offense (194.0) and total offense (480.0).

McMillan is the second straight Bullet to be named the CC Offensive Player of the Week. Sophomore tailback Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) earned the honor after rushing for 206 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-27 win over Lebanon Valley on Sept. 3.

Gettysburg (1-1) returns to action on Saturday at home against Rochester. Game time is 1 p.m.

Hunter McMillan is Player of the Week!


From the Centennial Conference Website:

Gettysburg QB Hunter McMillan was named the Offensive Player of the Week, after throwing for 404 yards and four touchdowns at Hampden-Sydney.

Congratulations to Hunter!

The Conference's Weekly Report includes this and other information about all the Week 2 action!

Rochester Week!

The following preview is taken from the D3Football.com Kickoff Edition:

Rochester Yellowjackets

Last playoff appearance: 1987

Last conference title: 2000, UCAA

Head coach: Mark Kreydt, 8th season, 24-44

Starters returning: 18(8 offense, 9 defense, 1 specialists)

Position battle to watch: Offensive tackle Justin Galloway, an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team selection is gone after 40 starts and there is no clear-cut replacement.

Pressure is on: Senior defensive back Michael Dermody was chosen as a First Team ECAC defensive back last year. He finished second on the team in total tackles with 51 and did double duty with 15 kickoffs returned for 383 yards. Dermody will again be counted on as a double threat and a leader for the team hoping to be on the cusp of contention.

Their season will be defined by: The Nov. 12 season-ender versus Hobart. Most teams in the Liberty League gauge their seasons with Hobart. It’s even more important for Rochester as the annual classic is now called the “Courage Bowl”. Although Hobart will likely be a heavy favorite, the 2005 tilt will be in Rochester.

Predicted record: 5-5, 3-4

Capsule: Rochester’s football fate has taken a sharp turn towards success under Kreydt. Prior to his arrival, the Yellowjackets were 1-22 (mid '95 to end of '97). Three short years later, Rochester was 6-4 and tied for first place. Now a sub-.500 record is not acceptable and the Yellowjackets will look to turn it around. Dermody, senior linebacker Matt Simon, senior wide receiver Nate Gibbons and senior quarterback Aaron Molisani will be the core of Kreydt’s team. Simon was one of the Liberty League’s most dominant defensive players in 2004 and should be ready for a repeat performance. Like his teammate Dermody, Gibbons is a dual threat. The speedy receiver is also one of the country’s best kick returners and is a true home run threat. Molisani received a few mentions from opposing coaches as a possible player of the year candidate. The Canandaigua, NY native set Rochester single-season records for passing attempts and completions last year. A veteran quarterback could have the Yellowjackets buzzing around .500.

Sunday, September 11, 2005

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY 56, GETTYSBURG 40

From The Patriot-News:

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY 56, GETTYSBURG 40:

Bullets sophomore quarterback Hunter McMillan set three school passing records, but it wasn't enough as Gettysburg lost on the road yesterday. McMillan established single-game marks for completions (35), attempts (62) and passing yards (404); he also threw for four touchdowns. Those numbers were bettered by J.D. Ricca of the host team; he amassed 491 yards and six TDs.

TIGERS EVADE BULLETS FOR 56-40 VICTORY

From the Hampden-Sydney Website:

TIGERS EVADE BULLETS FOR 56-40 VICTORY

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA (September 10, 2005)—Senior quarterback J.D. Ricca (Gaithersburg, MD/St. John’s) passed for 491 yards and six touchdowns, while senior tight end Ben Dull (Salem, VA/Cave Spring) scored three times to lead 23rd-ranked (D3football.com) Hampden-Sydney College (2-0) to a 56-40 victory over Gettysburg College (1-1) Saturday at Hundley Stadium and Fulton Field. The game featured big offensive performances by both teams, which combined for 895 yards passing on the day.

Ricca had his second straight 490-yard, six-touchdown, performance for the Tigers who needed every yard to overcome a 404-yard passing effort by Gettysburg sophomore quarterback Hunter McMillan. The Tigers rolled up 35 points in the first half and led by 28 (35-7) at the break, but Gettysburg countered with a 33 point second half to keep the game close.

Ricca accumulated 321 of his 491 yards in the first half, while tossing a pair of touchdowns to sophomore wide receiver Drew Smith (Richmond, VA/Mills Godwin) along with scoring strikes to Dull and freshman Josh Simpson (Richmond, VA/Mills Godwin). All five Tiger touchdowns in the first half came in succession after Gettysburg picked off a Ricca pass on the first offensive series of the game and later scored on a 25-yard run by tailback Tom Sturges.

In the second half, Gettysburg scored on its first four possessions and put it in the endzone five times in six possessions overall to cut into the Tiger advantage. McMillan passed for 291 yards in the half and hit on two touchdowns to sophomore Shawn Hollingsworth while also connecting with Spencer Davidson and Jesse Jeffers. The Bullets trimmed the lead to just 14 (42-28) on senior tailback Joe Fricchione’s nine yard ramble with 1:28 to play, but the Tigers countered on a 40-yard touchdown toss from Ricca to junior tight end Dane Williams (Farmville, VA/Fuqua) to push the advantage back to 21 points (49-28).

Jeffers’ touchdown at the 8:42 mark of the fourth quarter kept Gettysburg alive at 49-34, but on the ensuing on-side kick the Tigers’ Ben Dull collected the kickoff and raced 40 yards for a Hampden-Sydney touchdown. The Bullets finished off the scoring on Hollingsworth’s second touchdown of the game with 1:51 to play, but the Tigers again fielded the on-side kick to end Gettysburg’s rally.

Hampden-Sydney rolled up 609 yards on 82 offensive plays, but committed 11 penalties for 110 yards on the afternoon. Ricca finished the game 31-of-50 for 491 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. The Tiger receiving corps was led by Drew Smith who collected nine passes for 165 yards and two scores, while Dull finished with eight catches for 95 yards, two receiving touchdowns and one on special teams. Freshman Josh Simpson scored the first two touchdowns of his career as he filled in for a trio of injured Tiger running backs and combined for 158 yards (108 rushing, 50 receiving).

Gettysburg managed 557 yards on the day as McMillan completed 35-of-62 passes for 404 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Shawn Hollingsworth led all receivers with 12 catches and 172 yards to go with his two touchdowns, while Tom Sturges carried 23 times for 103 yards and a touchdown.

Senior safety Jeff Inman (Virginia Beach, VA/Ocean Lakes) led the Hampden-Sydney defense with 14 tackles, two forced fumbles, one interception and two tackles for a loss of six yards. Senior linebacker Asim Wilson (Richmond, VA/Varina) and sophomore safety Kyle Booker (Gloucester, VA/Fork Union) each had 11 tackles, while senior linebacker Louis Burrell (Richmond, VA/Highland Springs) and freshman corner Jamie Edlow (Williamsburg, VA/Bruton) both had ten stops, with Edlow also leading the team with five pass breakups, an interception and a fumble recovery.

The Bullets were led defensively by Nathan Smith with nine tackles and two interceptions, while Dan Hogdahl had seven tackles, forced a fumble and had a quarterback sack.

Bullets break records, but Hampden-Sydney wins 56-40 shootout

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Bullets break records, but Hampden-Sydney wins 56-40 shootout

Box Score

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. – J.D. Ricca threw for 491 yards and six touchdowns as Hampden-Sydney outgunned Gettysburg 56-40 in non-conference football action on Saturday.

Ricca, who came within three yards of the program’s single-game passing yardage record he set last week against Sewanee, found Drew Smith and Ben Dull for two touchdowns apiece on the afternoon. Josh Simpson and Dane Williams also scored on Ricca aerials, giving the senior 12 touchdown tosses in two games.

In just his second collegiate start, Gettysburg’s Hunter McMillan (Middletown, DE/Wilmington Friends) went toe-to-toe with the Tigers’ All-America candidate, setting Bullet records for completions (35), attempts (62) and passing yards (404) in a single game. The sophomore signal-caller also threw for four touchdowns.

Shawn Hollingsworth (Chester, PA/Wilmington Friends [DE]) was McMillan’s favorite target on the afternoon, making a program-record 12 receptions for 172 yards and two touchdowns. Spencer Davidson (Dumont, NJ/Dumont) added seven catches for 88 yards and one score.

Nearly lost in the passing attacks were 100-yard rushing performances on both sides. In addition to his two scoring receptions, Simpson rolled up 108 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries. Gettysburg’s Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) rushed for 103 yards and one TD.

Sturges turned the first of Nathan Smith’s (Hanover, PA/Cooperstown Central [NY]) two interceptions into a 25-yard touchdown run on the Bullets’ first offensive series, but the rest of the half belonged to Hampden-Sydney.

Ricca hit Simpson from three yards out on fourth-and-goal to tie the game at 7, then fired a 49-yard strike to Judd Carte that set up Simpson’s two-yard touchdown run, putting the Tigers ahead to stay.

Following a Bullet fumble, Ricca threw 12 yards to Rolander and 13 to Dull, the latter pushing the hosts’ lead to 20-7 with 2:43 left in the first quarter. Touchdown receptions of 45 and 30 yards by Smith, the reigning Old Dominion Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year, gave Hampden-Sydney a 35-7 lead at halftime.

It was McMillan who caught fire in the second half, completing 21 of 34 passes for 291 yards and all four touchdowns to keep Gettysburg in the game.

Touchdown receptions by Hollingsworth and Davidson, and a nine-yard scoring run from Joe Fricchione (Branchville, NJ/High Point Reg.) cut the deficit to 42-28 late in the third quarter. Jesse Jeffers (Morristown, NJ/Morristown-Beard) capped a 15-play, 68-yard drive with an 11-yard TD catch to keep the Bullets within 49-34 with 8:42 remaining, but Dull cut the rally short by returning the ensuing onsides kick attempt 40 yards for the Tigers’ final touchdown of the day.

McMillan connected with Hollingsworth on a 17-yard touchdown to close the scoring and set a program record for most points scored in a loss. The previous record of 36 was set most recently in 2000.

McMillan’s 35 completions and 62 attempts broke the marks of 23 and 49, respectively, set by Jamie Steier against Ursinus in 1991. His 404 passing yards surpassed Tim Brennan’s record of 385 set against Albright in 1970.

Hollingsworth’s 12 receptions were one more than the 11 made by Chris Notarfrancesco against Franklin & Marshall in 1994.

The two teams combined for 1,166 yards of total offense on 185 plays from scrimmage, an average of more than six yards on every snap.

Defensively, Nathan Smith led the Bullets with nine tackles in addition to his two interceptions while Harold Barton (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) added eight stops and recovered a fumble.

Hampden-Sydney’s Jeff Inman recorded a game-high 14 tackles, forced two fumbles and made one interception.

Gettysburg returns to action on Saturday at home against Rochester. Game time is 1 p.m.

Bullets break records, but Hampden-Sydney wins 56-40 shootout

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Bullets break records, but Hampden-Sydney wins 56-40 shootout

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. – J.D. Ricca threw for 491 yards and six touchdowns as Hampden-Sydney outgunned Gettysburg 56-40 in non-conference football action on Saturday.

Ricca, who came within three yards of the program’s single-game passing yardage record he set last week against Sewanee, found Drew Smith and Ben Dull for two touchdowns apiece on the afternoon. Josh Simpson and Dane Williams also scored on Ricca aerials, giving the senior 12 touchdown tosses in two games.

In just his second collegiate start, Gettysburg’s Hunter McMillan (Middletown, DE/Wilmington Friends) went toe-to-toe with the Tigers’ All-America candidate, setting Bullet records for completions (35), attempts (62) and passing yards (404) in a single game. The sophomore signal-caller also threw for four touchdowns.

Shawn Hollingsworth (Chester, PA/Wilmington Friends [DE]) was McMillan’s favorite target on the afternoon, making a program-record 12 receptions for 172 yards and two touchdowns. Spencer Davidson (Dumont, NJ/Dumont) added seven catches for 88 yards and one score.

Nearly lost in the passing attacks were 100-yard rushing performances on both sides. In addition to his two scoring receptions, Simpson rolled up 108 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries. Gettysburg’s Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) rushed for 103 yards and one TD.

Sturges turned the first of Nathan Smith’s (Hanover, PA/Cooperstown Central [NY]) two interceptions into a 25-yard touchdown run on the Bullets’ first offensive series, but the rest of the half belonged to Hampden-Sydney.

Ricca hit Simpson from three yards out on fourth-and-goal to tie the game at 7, then fired a 49-yard strike to Judd Carte that set up Simpson’s two-yard touchdown run, putting the Tigers ahead to stay.

Following a Bullet fumble, Ricca threw 12 yards to Rolander and 13 to Dull, the latter pushing the hosts’ lead to 20-7 with 2:43 left in the first quarter. Touchdown receptions of 45 and 30 yards by Smith, the reigning Old Dominion Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year, gave Hampden-Sydney a 35-7 lead at halftime.

It was McMillan who caught fire in the second half, completing 21 of 34 passes for 291 yards and all four touchdowns to keep Gettysburg in the game.

Touchdown receptions by Hollingsworth and Davidson, and a nine-yard scoring run from Joe Fricchione (Branchville, NJ/High Point Reg.) cut the deficit to 42-28 late in the third quarter. Jesse Jeffers (Morristown, NJ/Morristown-Beard) capped a 15-play, 68-yard drive with an 11-yard TD catch to keep the Bullets within 49-34 with 8:42 remaining, but Dull cut the rally short by returning the ensuing onsides kick attempt 40 yards for the Tigers’ final touchdown of the day.

McMillan connected with Hollingsworth on a 17-yard touchdown to close the scoring and set a program record for most points scored in a loss. The previous record of 36 was set most recently in 2000.

McMillan’s 35 completions and 62 attempts broke the marks of 23 and 49, respectively, set by Jamie Steier against Ursinus in 1991. His 404 passing yards surpassed Tim Brennan’s record of 385 set against Albright in 1970.

Hollingsworth’s 12 receptions were one more than the 11 made by Chris Notarfrancesco against Franklin & Marshall in 1994.

The two teams combined for 1,166 yards of total offense on 185 plays from scrimmage, an average of more than six yards on every snap.

Defensively, Nathan Smith led the Bullets with nine tackles in addition to his two interceptions while Harold Barton (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) added eight stops and recovered a fumble.

Hampden-Sydney’s Jeff Inman recorded a game-high 14 tackles, forced two fumbles and made one interception.

Gettysburg returns to action on Saturday at home against Rochester. Game time is 1 p.m.

Friday, September 09, 2005

Listen Live on the Web!

Can't make it to Saturday's game?

Hampden-Sydney College is pleased to provide Windows Media ® coverage of the Tiger's 2005 Football season. All broadcasts will begin 30 minutes before kick-off with the WFLO Pre-Game Show.

Click here to listen to the game!

Thursday, September 08, 2005

GCFPC WEEKLY UPDATE

GCFPC WEEKLY UPDATE
Game 2 – Hampden-Sydney

Following an exciting game and thrilling victory against Lebanon Valley College, the 2005 Bullets travel to Hampden-Sydney College to challenge the nationally ranked (No. 23) Tigers and their razzle-dazzle offense. The “home-cooking” by the local folks near Farmville, Virginia who wear black and white stripes has been notoriously evident in recent visits (not to mention the aggressiveness of the H-S coaching staff in “riding” the local officials), so this could be wild ride for the Bullets. They have a chance to really make a statement in the Old Dominion (Virginia, to us northerners).

DIRECTIONS / VENUE: Directions to Hampden-Sydney are located at: http://www.hsc.edu/visitors/ HSC, at least in the past, has not charged an admission fee to the game but does charge a few dollars to each car parking for the game on the campus.

TAILGATING NOTES: As with all away games, all tailgating this weekend is 100% “bring your own.” If you can make it early enough to tailgate with other GC families, after you enter the campus continue past the stadium and make two left turns to the lower parking area (toward the visitors stands) and look for the car flags from other GC families attending the game. It’s pretty tough to get together there.

LAST SATURDAY’S GAME: Hopefully, this game will be a great omen for the future. Congratulations to Tom Sturges, who was named offensive player of the week in the Centennial Conference for his key rushing performance for the Bullets last Saturday.

LAST SATURDAY’S TAILGATE: Thank you all for the great start to this season’s Tailgates – especially to the Senior parents who contributed to“pot luck” food for all. This email is going out too late tonight to be able to make sure we thank all those who helped to set up, bring food, and help clean up at the Tailgate -- BUT, we need to recognize Bill and Sue Finnegan who, as Tailgate leaders, were key to our first Tailgate of the season and to the Phillips and McGarry families who worked the 50/50 raffle (congratulations Kay and Lee Churchman on your winning ticket!). Now that our new members have seen how things can be, we are hoping to carry through with this strong start. There were a few things that need some organizational tweaking, so suggestions are very much welcomed.

VOLUNTEERS: We are hoping more folks will help out with merchandise sales, clean- up and food contributions next week at the home Tailgate. Junior families are specifically assigned, but all are encouraged to contribute some food or drinks (a potluck item to serve 10 –12 people is suggested).

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

TIGERS LOOK TO REMAIN BULLET-PROOF AGAINST GETTYSBURG


From the Hampden-Sydney Website:

FOOTBALL TIGERS LOOK TO REMAIN BULLET-PROOF AGAINST GETTYSBURG

DATE: September 10, 2005

KICKOFF: 1 pm

ON THE AIR: FM 95.7 WFLO

ON THE WEB:Windows Media Webcast Live


HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA--Hampden-Sydney and Gettysburg kick it off for the 18th time Saturday, with Hampden-Sydney leading the all-time series, 11-6. The series was tied at six-all prior to the Marty Favret era at H-SC, but in Favret’s tenure the Tigers have never lost, winning five straight contests, including last season’s 59-16 win in Pennsylvania.

Click here for a PDF Game Preview from the Hampden-Sydney Website

Gettysburg at Hampden-Sydney Game Notes

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Gettysburg at Hampden-Sydney – Saturday, Sept. 10, 2005 – 1 p.m.

THIS WEEK’S GAME: Saturday’s game marks the 18th meeting between Gettysburg (1-0) and Hampden-Sydney (1-0) in a series that dates back to 1982. The Tigers hold an 11-6 advantage in the all-time series and have won seven straight match-ups against the Bullets. In last year’s game, Hampden-Sydney jumped to a 38-9 halftime lead and cruised to a 59-16 victory on Sept. 11, 2004, at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. Tiger wideout Nick Ferrante caught, threw and ran for a touchdown in the win. Gettysburg’s last victory in the series was a 33-7 decision during the 1997 season.

CALLING THE SHOTS: The Bullets’ coaching staff will have a new look in 2005 with the return of head coach Barry Streeter from a one-year leave of absence. In addition, Gettysburg brought Tyson Silveus aboard as the program’s new defensive coordinator and retained offensive coordinator Kevin Burke, who had joined the Bullets on an interim basis for the 2004 campaign.

LAST TIME OUT: Sophomore TB Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) rushed for a career-high 206 yards and two touchdowns as Gettysburg opened its 2005 season with a 34-27 home victory against Lebanon Valley last Saturday. Sophomore QB Hunter McMillan (Middletown, DE/Wilmington Friends) completed 14 of 18 passes for 168 yards in his collegiate debut while junior LB Harold Barton (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) led all players with 16 tackles. At Hampden-Sydney, Va., senior QB J.D. Ricca set program and conference records with 494 passing yards and six touchdown tosses in the Tigers’ 52-7 win over Sewanee. Ricca completed 28 of 36 passes on the afternoon, part of a Hampden-Sydney offense that rolled up 656 yards of total offense. Senior WR Brian Rolander hauled in three of Ricca’s six TD strikes.

LEADING THE WAY: Senior OL Enoch Boateng (Vienna, VA/W.T. Woodson), senior DB Jay Cage (N. Charleston, SC/Sterling [NJ]), senior TB Joe Fricchione (Branchville, NJ/High Point Reg.) and senior DB Nathan Smith (Hanover, PA/Cooperstown Central [NY]) will serve as Gettysburg’s team captains in 2005.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Tom Sturges was named the Centennial Conference (CC) Offensive Player of the Week for games of Sept. 2-3 after carrying 32 times for a career-high 206 yards and two touchdowns in Gettysburg’s 34-27 win over Lebanon Valley on Saturday. Sturges opened the scoring with a 35-yard touchdown run, then provided the Bullets’ go-ahead points on a 15-yard scoring dash with 12:30 remaining.

WITH HONORS: Nathan Smith and senior DL Dan Petersen (Beachwood, NJ/Toms River South) were named among the CC’s outstanding performers from the season’s opening week. Smith returned a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown against the Flying Dutchmen, the third time he has taken a kickoff the distance in his collegiate career. Petersen recorded nine tackles, including eight solo, two tackles for loss and one sack.

TOM TERRIFIC: Tom Sturges’ 206-yard performance on Saturday was the best by a Bullet since Paul Smith ran for 335 yards at St. Lawrence during the 1999 season. Sturges, the team’s leading rusher a year ago despite appearing in only six games, also eclipsed his personal-best yardage total, a 180-yard effort in last season’s win over Ursinus. He is the CC’s leading rusher after one week.

BIG GAME HUNTER: Hunter McMillan turned in a strong collegiate debut on Saturday, completing 14 of 18 passes for 168 yards, and calmly guiding a pair of touchdown drives in the decisive second half. McMillan, who turned in the conference’s top passer efficiency rating for the week (145.1), marched the Bullets 82 yards on eight plays for a 26-20 lead, then led the winning six-play, 63-yard drive early in the fourth quarter.

PAYDIRT: After scoring only 14 touchdowns and averaging 10.5 points per game last season, Gettysburg found the end zone five times en route to 34 points on Saturday. Junior HB Dusty Green (Idaville, PA/Bermudian Springs) and sophomore HB Shawn Hollingsworth (Chester, PA/Wilmington Friends [DE]) scored their first collegiate touchdowns on runs of six and four yards, respectively.

CATCHING ON: Junior WR Spencer Davidson (Dumont, NJ/Dumont) and junior HB Jerry Jones (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) keyed the Bullets’ aerial attack against the Flying Dutchmen, combining for nine receptions. Davidson paced Gettysburg with five catches for 70 yards while Jones caught four passes for 45 yards, including a 30-yard catch-and-carry to the LVC 33 that set up the go-ahead touchdown.

MANY HAPPY RETURNS: Nathan Smith returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the third time in his collegiate career on Saturday, and for the second time against Lebanon Valley. Smith, who led the CC in kick return average last season (26.2), went end zone-to-end zone against Averett in 2002, and scored on an 87-yard return against the Flying Dutchmen to start the 2003 season. In addition, Smith has one punt return touchdown to his credit, a 63-yarder in the same game against Averett during his freshman campaign.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: Harold Barton made the most of his first collegiate start, leading the Bullets with 16 tackles on Saturday. Barton, who entered the day with 17 tackles in 11 career appearances, made 12 solo stops and one tackle for loss. In addition to his kickoff return for a touchdown, Nathan Smith made six tackles and broke up two passes from his strong safety position. Senior LB Ryan McGarry (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) and senior DB Daniel Silva (Lanham, MD/Eleanor Roosevelt) each recorded seven tackles against the Flying Dutchmen.

BULLET POINTS: Senior P Tom Pettit (Blue Bell, PA/Wissahickon), a second-team All-CC selection in 2004, dropped two of his four punts inside the Lebanon Valley 20 on Saturday… Sophomore DB Adam Fulmer (Halifax, PA/Halifax) recovered a Dutchmen fumble with 4:41 remaining to seal the victory… Freshman K Josh Huson (McLean, VA/McLean) scored his first two collegiate points on Saturday by converting both of his extra-point attempts… Gettysburg is seeking its first 2-0 start since 1993… The Bullets’ 403 yards of total offense on Saturday surpassed the 2004 squad’s best single-game effort, a 370-yard day against Ursinus.

THE WORD ON HAMPDEN-SYDNEY: After going 25-5 over the past three seasons, the Tigers opened 2005 in similar fashion with a 52-7 victory over Sewanee on Saturday. Senior QB J.D. Ricca set Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) records by throwing for 494 yards and six touchdowns on the afternoon. Ricca, who earned ODAC Offensive Player of the Week honors, also became the program’s all-time leader for career touchdown passes, finishing the day with 53, two better than predecessor Mac Russell. Limited to six games due to a thumb injury in 2004, Ricca nonetheless managed to throw for 1,755 yards and 18 touchdowns. The two-time All-ODAC selection needs 948 passing yards to become the program’s all-time career leader in that category. Senior WR Brian Rolander was the beneficiary of three Ricca TD tosses on Saturday, scoring on receptions of 60, 40 and 32 yards to finish with six receptions for 209 yards. Sophomore WR Drew Smith, the reigning ODAC Rookie of the Year, finished with four catches for 97 yards and one touchdown. Smith hauled in 30 passes for 648 yards and a freshman program record 10 touchdowns last season. Sophomore RB Mike Baggetta led the Tigers with 93 yards on 10 carries in Saturday’s win, rushing for a 10-yard touchdown to complete the scoring. Senior TE Ben Dull, a two-time All-ODAC selection, made six catches for 104 yards and one touchdown on Saturday. Dull caught 22 passes for 367 yards and three scores in 2004. Hampden-Sydney returns only three starters from last season’s defensive unit that ranked second in the ODAC. Senior LB Louis Burrell was named the ODAC Defensive Player of the Week after leading the Tigers with nine tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack. Hampden-Sydney averaged 457.8 yards and 39.0 points per game in 2004. The Tigers have finished second in the ODAC in each of the past four seasons.

COACH’S CORNER: Barry Streeter is in his 27th season as the head coach at Gettysburg, the longest coaching tenure in program history. He has posted a 133-126-5 record while guiding the Bullets to three CC championships and a pair of NCAA playoff victories. He ranks first among active CC coaches in both conference victories (71) and overall wins (133). Marty Favret enters his sixth season at the helm of Hampden-Sydney. Favret’s teams have posted a 35-16 overall record during his tenure, and have won 26 of their last 31 games. A graduate of the Catholic University of America, Favret engineered his alma mater’s high-powered offense from 1994-99 before taking over the Tigers in 2000.

STREETER ON WINNING THE SEASON OPENER: “It feels good any time you can get that first one. It keeps the positive feelings going and gives you a lot to build on. We were happy with the way we won it at the end, holding them inside the 10 and then driving the clock out. That really showed me a lot.”

STREETER ON SOPHOMORE TAILBACK TOM STURGES: “Watching him in the spring, which was my first time coaching him, I expected him to be a very good running back. I don’t know if I expected 200 yards every time, but he’s a good player and he’s very focused. He’s not all about Tom Sturges. He’s about doing what we ask him to do.”

STREETER ON SOPHOMORE QUARTERBACK HUNTER MCMILLAN: “He tried to place the ball a couple of times, but as the game went along, he became much more confident and made some big throws. I thought it was a steady performance and I think he’ll only get better.”

STREETER ON J.D. RICCA AND THE HAMPDEN-SYDNEY OFFENSE: “They have a well-conceived offensive plan and he’s a good guy to have in there as a trigger man. We just have to defend the plays, defend the formations and do what we can to disrupt his rhythm.”

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Hampden-Sydney Week


It's Hampden-Sydney Week! After starting off a beautiful Labor Day Holiday Weekend in winning fashion, it's time to set our sites on Hampden-Sydney. Following is season preview information supplied by the D3Football.com Kickoff Edition:

Hampden-Sydney Tigers
Last playoff appearance: 1977

Last conference title: 1987

Head coach: Marty Favret, 6th year, 34-16

Starters returning: 12 (eight offense, three defense, one special teams)

Position battle to watch: Anywhere on defense, especially the line and corner positions as the Tigers look to replace three linemen and both starting cornerbacks from last year's starting lineup.

Pressure is on: Quarterback J.D. Ricca to remain healthy and keep the scoreboard operators busy, as the Tigers will need to score early and often if their defense allows over 23 points a game as they did in 2004.

Their season will be defined by: The Bridgewater game, as always. Three years in a row at 5-1 in the conference, the Tigers have found a way to continually lose in frustrating fashion to the Eagles. The Tigers were only down by ten late in the third quarter at Bridgewater in 2002, only to lose by a humiliating 31 points. In 2003, H-SC found themselves up by 21 before losing by three in the last second. A one-point, third-quarter lead evaporated with ten unanswered Bridgewater points to keep the streak running.

Predicted record: 10-0, 6-0

Capsule: Johnny Junes should jump into the running back position left by C.W. Clemmons, H-SC’s all-time leading rusher who graduated. Junes tallied a team-high 14 touchdowns as a backup last year while averaging 4.3 yards per carry. The Tigers play a relatively weaker non-conference schedule than Bridgewater and Emory & Henry, often leading to boxcar figures in the box scores. Ricca’s injury brought that train to halt last year, but should he remain healthy, this is the year to knock off the Eagles. While the offense clicked off almost 40 points per game in 2004, the defense allowed nearly 24. Add to that hefty figure the loss of 8 defensive starters and you have yourself a situation. The defense wasn’t that great last season and H-SC still managed to win eight games, several without Ricca. We tend to believe they can do it again given the explosiveness of the offense. The Tigers’ schedule certainly plays to their favor as well. Early games against Sewanee and Gettysburg should propel Ricca into conference play with his confidence back in stride. Expect the late-season tilt with Johns Hopkins to be a key game for playoff positioning/bubble watch. H-SC, like Hopkins, has found itself riding the bubble for the past few seasons because of failures within conference play. Three consecutive seasons of 5-1 conference marks (all losses to Bridgewater) and overall records of 8-2, 9-1, and 8-2 have kept the Tigers out. Favret will do everything possible to avoid worrying about those extra, and most coveted, Pool C bids.

Sunday, September 04, 2005

Centennial League Standings


5 teams from the Centennial League are each 1-0 after the first week of play. Congratulations to Tom Sturges for being named Offensive Player of the Week, after rushing for 206 yards vs. Lebanon Valley!

Check out the Centennial League Website for this and more information!

GETTYSBURG 34, LEBANON VALLEY 27

From The Patriot-News:

Streeter receives heart-stopping win

Sunday, September 04, 2005

BY ROXANNE B. MOSESOf The Patriot-News

GETTYSBURG - Gettysburg football players welcomed coach Barry Streeter back to the sidelines yesterday with an emotionally charged 34-27 defeat of Lebanon Valley.

The nonconference season opener had been a see-saw battle with Gettysburg running back Tom Sturges and LVC quarterback Dan Kelly taking turns befuddling opposing defenses.

But with the game on the line late in the fourth quarter, the Bullets gutted out the plays they needed to seal the win.

"Thank goodness," said Streeter, back after taking a personal leave of absence last season. "We finished that game.

"It was emotional and it was positive. It was real good.'

Kelly, a junior from Upper Merion who was 14-for-25 for 180 yards, completed his third touchdown pass to start of the fourth quarter for LVC.

It was a 7-yard pass to Adam Brossman that gave the Flying Dutchmen a tenuous 27-26 advantage.

Sturges, a sophomore from Connecticut who rushed for 206 yards on 32 carries, ran for his second touchdown on Gettysburg's very next series.

Sturges capped a 10-play, 64-yard drive with a 15-yard run into the end zone to put the Bullets back into the lead, 34-27.

"That really hurt us," LVC coach Jim Monos said. "Then we have a methodical drive but it takes a lot of time off the clock and we have to go for it on fourth down and we don't get it."

The Dutchmen marched to a first down at the Gettysburg 13. Kelly, who finished with 103 rushing yards on 15 carries, then threw two incompletions and ran for 6 yards.

That left LVC facing a fourth-and-four on Gettysburg's 7-yard line with four minutes remaining. But Kelly fumbled the carry and cornerback Adam Fulmer recovered for the Bullets.

"Kelly can make a big play and take us to another level," Monos said. "But we can't ask him to do that all the time. We need the rest of the team to come forward."

Gettysburg picked up three first downs on the way to running out the clock.

The Bullets had scored first on a 35-yard run by Sturges in the first quarter. LVC countered with Ryan Brennan's 36-yard touchdown run.

Nathan Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 86 yards to put the Bullets back on top 13-6.

A 14-yard touchdown pass from Kelly to Andre Payton tied the game at 13-13 at the end of the first quarter.

The back-and-forth scoring continued into the second quarter where Dusty Green had a 6-yard touchdown run for Gettysburg and Kelly had a 9-yard touchdown pass to Brossman. The scored was tied 20-20 at the half.

A 4-yard touchdown run by Shawn Hollingsworth put Gettysburg up 26-20 before the decisive fourth quarter.

Saturday, September 03, 2005

Gettysburg 34 LVC 27!!!

From the LVC Website:

Gettysburg Tops Football in Season Opener, 34-27

Box Score

ANNVILLE, Pa. – Sophomore tailback Ryan Brennan rushed for a career-high 129 yards and junior quarterback Dan Kelly added a career-high 104 yards on the ground, but Gettysburg defeated Lebanon Valley 34-27 in non-conference football action and the season opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium.

The Flying Dutchmen took a 27-26 lead on the first play of the fourth quarter when sophomore receiver Adam Brossman snared a 7-yard touchdown pass from Kelly, followed by sophomore Eldin Brodlic’s third extra point of the game. But the Bullets responded with a quick six-play, 63-yard drive, capped by a 15-yard run up the middle from Tom Sturges and a two-point conversion run by Dusty Green, to set the final score.

Neither team led by more than seven points the entire game.

Brennan and Kelly’s rushing performances marked the first time in 11 years that Lebanon Valley had two 100-yard rushers in the same game. Jason Lutz ’95 and Andy Sensenig ’95 last accomplished the feat on Sept. 24, 1994, when Lutz rushed for 116 yards and Sensenig had 110 in a 35-31 loss to Delaware Valley.

Kelly’s 104 yards is believed to be a single-game rushing record for a Lebanon Valley quarterback. He also threw for 180 yards and three touchdowns on 14-of-25 passing.

Sturges ran for 206 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries while Bullet quarterback Hunter McMillan completed 14 of 18 passes for 168 yards.

Lebanon Valley threatened late in the game with a 16-play, 60-yard drive that lasted 7:42. The Dutchmen faced a fourth-and-goal from the 7-yard line, but Kelly fumbled as he attempted a pass into the end zone while rolling out to his left. Adam Fulmer fell on the ball at the Bullet-10 to give Gettysburg the ball with 4:41 left in the game.

The Dutchmen had converted three third downs and one fourth down on a Kelly run during their late-game drive.

Gettysburg was able to run out the clock after picking up two first downs, with both coming on third down.

Last season, Lebanon Valley defeated Gettysburg 7-3, but it took only a little over half of the first quarter for the two teams to surpass their 10 combined points from a year ago.

The Bullets took the early lead after Sturges ran for his first touchdown, a 35-yarder, just two and a half minutes into the game. But the point-after snap was bad, and Gettysburg led 6-0.

Sophomore cornerback Kyle Johansen came up with his first collegiate interception on Gettysburg’s second possession to set up the Dutchmen’s first score. Johansen returned his pick 18 yards to the LVC-43, and three plays later Brennan broke through a hole on the left side of the field and raced to paydirt for his first collegiate touchdown. But Brodlic’s kick was wide right and the scoreboard read 6-6 with 6:53 to play in the first quarter.

Gettysburg wasted little time in reclaiming the lead, as Nathan Smith took the ensuing kickoff and outraced several LVC defenders down the right sideline 86 yards for the touchdown, giving the home team a 13-6 advantage.

The Dutchmen pulled even on the following possession, relying primarily on the running game during a 10-play, 69-yard drive that featured seven rushes. Kelly, who picked up 31 yards on the ground during the drive, fed freshman tailback Andre Payton with a shovel pass that resulted in a 14-yard touchdown. Brodlic’s kick made it 13-13 with 2:39 left in the opening quarter.

The Bullets took their third lead (20-13) of the afternoon when Green ran in from six yards out with 9:14 to go in the third quarter. But the Dutchmen answered with an eight-play, 69-yard scoring march. Kelly gave the Valley the ball at the Gettysburg-27 following a 40-yard run, and six plays later he found Brossman in the back right corner of the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown pass. Another Brodlic kick tied it up 20-20 with 4:15 left in the third quarter.

Gettysburg went back in front on a 4-yard touchdown run from Shawn Hollingsworth with 3:07 to go in the third quarter, capping an eight-play, 82-yard drive. But the Bullets botched a faked two-point conversion, making it 26-20.

Lebanon Valley came right back, as Kelly directed a 10-play, 64-yard drive capped by Brossman’s 7-yard touchdown catch. The big play was a 28-yard completion from Kelly to Payton, putting the Dutchmen at the Bullet-14.

Payton finished with 105 all-purpose yards, running the ball 10 times for 38 yards while catching five passes for 67 yards.

Senior receiver Luke Rendine added five catches for 62 yards, giving him 925 receiving yards for his career.

Sophomore Clint Vinju returned six kickoffs for 116 yards for LVC and finished with 111 all-purpose yards.

Sophomore safety Russell DeStefano made a team- and career-high nine tackles for Lebanon Valley while freshman defensive end Brian Drew had eight tackles and one sack in his collegiate debut.