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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!

Monday, October 30, 2006

Weekly Conference Awards

Congraulations to Tom Sturges and Harold Barton for being named to this week's Centennial Conference Honor Roll for their respective offensive and defensive performances this past Saturday at Muhlenberg!

Read about this and the upcoming matchups for November 4 here.

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Ouch!

Following are articles about Saturday's road loss at Muhlenberg:

From the Gettysburg College Website:

GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Muhlenberg scored 40 unanswered points to break a 14-14 halftime tie and down Gettysburg, 54-14 in Centennial Conference (CC) action on Saturday afternoon at Scotty Wood Stadium. The Mules scored three rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter, completed a touchdown pass and recovered a fumble for a score on the last play of the game.

Muhlenberg (4-4, 2-3 CC) sophomore quarterback Eric Santagato was 13-of-19 for 202 yards and two touchdowns, and ran 16 times for 72 yards and three more scores. Sophomore running back John DeLuca ran nine times for 102 yards and a touchdown, and junior fullback Matt Johnson had 94 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries.

Bullets' (4-4, 2-2 CC) junior tailback Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) carried 21 times for 82 yards and a touchdown. His first rush of the game went for four yards and pushed him over 1,000 for the season. He now has 1,080 yards and eight touchdowns. Freshman quarterback Matt Flynn (Northfield, N.J./Mainland Regional) was 11-of-30 for 140 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

One week after turning the ball over five times and gaining 40 total yards, the Mules out-gained the Bullets 499-229. It did not start out that way however, as the Bullets took the opening kickoff and marched 11 plays in 77 yards to take a 7-0 lead. On fourth-and-8 from the 21-yard line, the Bullets were forced to go for it because of a stiff wind that was blowing right in their faces. Flynn lofted a fade down the left sideline for senior halfback Dusty Green (Idaville, Pa/Bermudian Springs), who hauled it in for his 10th touchdown of the season. On the day, Gettysburg was 4-of-4 on fourth-down conversion attempts. Green had three catches for 43 yards and a touchdown and four rushes for 30 yards.

On its first possession, Muhlenberg was going with the wind and attempted a 48-yared field goal that fell short. The Bullets picked up a first down and then were forced to punt, and the Mules got the ball back and moved it to the 44 yard line before Santagato dropped back to pass. On a broken play, he rolled to his left and ran for a long touchdown to tie the game at 7-7. The Bullets were again forced to punt on their next possession, and Muhlenberg put together a 12-play, 71-yard drive that ate up 6:23. Johnson rushed up the middle and bounced it outside for a three-yard score.

Gettysburg freshman tailback A.J. Helm (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) returned the ensuing kickoff to the Gettysburg 33-yard line. On first down, Flynn completed a 15-yard pass to junior receiver Matthew Welsh (Lafayette Hill, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) up the right sideline. A personal foul for a late hit moved the ball to the Mules' 37. Sturges gained four yards on the next play. On second down, Flynn faked an option play to his right and pulled up to hit a diving senior wide receiver Spencer Davidson (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) at the three-yard lie on a post pattern. On fourth and goal from the one, Sturges plunged in over the right guard for his eighth touchdown of the season. Sophomore kicker Josh Huson (McLean, Va./McLean) tacked on the extra point to tie it at 14-14. Muhlenerg punted twice, and the Bullets punted once to end the half at that same score.

After the break, the Mules elected to take the wind in the third quarter, and Gettysburg chose to receive, just as it had done to open the game. Muhlenberg executed a perfect on-sides kick and recovered at its own 47. On second-and-9, Stevenson Foote (Huntingtown, Md./Calvert) sacked Santagato for a loss of seven yards, and the Bullets forced a three-and-out. Ryan Sassaman's kick went 45 yards, giving Gettysburg the ball at its own 15. Despite an offsides penalty by Muhlenberg that gave the Bullets a first-and-5, they also went three-and-out.

The ensuing punt by senior Ryan Dunn (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) was struck well, but it got up into the wind and died, going only 15 yards .The Mules had the ball at the Gettysburg 39, and three plays later, Santagato hit senior tight end Derek DiMattina for the game-winning touchdown on a 19-yard strike.

The teams traded punts before freshman cornerback Cameron Ahouse picked off Flynn at the eight. His momentum carried him to the six, where he was tackled by Sturges. Muhlenberg then put together a 94-yard drive that was capped by a one-yard sneak by Santagato. The point after attempt failed, but at that point, the Mules had all the offense they would need.

On their next possession, Gettysburg started with a false start penalty, making it first-and-15. An 11-yard pass from Flynn to Davidson set up a fourth-and-3 situation, and the Bullets lined up in punt formation, but the snap went directly to junior signal caller Hunter McMillan (Middletown, Del./Wilmington Friends). He faked a handoff to junior halfback Sean Incremona (Selden, N.Y./Centereach), coming in motion and kept it on an option around the right end for 17 yards. Gettysburg fumbled the handoff on the next play, however, and Muhlenberg scored on Santagato's third touchdown to put it out of reach.

Gettysburg senior linebacker Harold Barton (Somerdale, N.J./Sterling) made a season-high 15 tackles to lead all players. He matched his career high with 3.0 tackles for losses totaling 10 yards. Foote had nine total stops, 2.0 for loss. Both players had a solo sack on the day. Freshman linebacker Tim Widdoes (Newark, Del./St. Mark's) followed up his career day last week with eight more tackles and a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss. On the opposite end of the line from Foote, sophomore Josh Jerrold (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury East) made four tackles. He also batted down three passes at the line of scrimmage and was credited with a quarterback hurry.

The Bullets will be the road again next Saturday when they travel to Carlisle, Pa., to take on Dickinson. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Biddle Field.

Box Scores

Here's what Muhlenberg is saying:

From the Muhlenberg Website:

FOOTBALL BLOWS BY GETTYSBURGWITH BIG FOURTH QUARTER

What a difference a week makes.

Held to 40 yards of total offense in a 10-7 loss at Johns Hopkins last week, the Muhlenberg football team rolled up 499 yards in a 54-14 defeat of Gettysburg in its final home game of the season.

The 54 points were the most scored by the Mules (4-4, 2-3) since a 56-6 win against Mass.-Dartmouth in the 2002 NCAA Tournament. They broke open a close game by scoring 33 points in the fourth quarter alone, one short of the school-record 34 points scored in the second quarter of a 1968 game against Swarthmore.

Sophomore Eric Santagato accounted for 274 of the yards and five touchdowns. He rushed 16 times for 72 yards and tied a school record for quarterbacks with three rushing touchdowns. Santagato completed 13 of 19 passes for 202 yards and another two scores without an interception.

The Bullets (4-4, 2-2), who lost their 15th straight road game, took the opening kickoff and drove 77 yards in 11 plays to take an early lead. Muhlenberg tied the score later in the quarter on a 44-yard scamper by Santagato.

The teams traded touchdowns in the second quarter as well, with the Mules going ahead on a 3-yard run by junior Matt Johnson and Gettysburg answering on the next drive.

Muhlenberg opened the second half with an onside kick that was recovered by kicker Anthony Acquafredda. Although the Mules failed to score on that possession, they got the ball back on the Gettysburg 39-yard line after an exchange of punts, with the Bullets kicking into the wind.

It took Muhlenberg only three plays to score the go-ahead touchdown, a 19-yard pass from Santagato to senior tight end Derek DiMattina.

Later in the quarter, Gettysburg had a drive extended by a roughing the kicker penalty, but freshman Cameron Ahouse picked off a pass at the 8-yard line, his third interception in two weeks. The Mules drove 94 yards in 14 plays, going up by two touchdowns when Santagato sneaked in on fourth-and-goal early in the fourth quarter.

Muhlenberg scored on its next three possessions to put the game out of reach. Santagato ran in from 4 yards and found freshman fullback Matt Boland for a 9-yard touchdown pass, and sophomore John DeLuca ripped off a 67-yard scoring run with 24 seconds left.

On the final play of the game, freshman Frank Emmett returned a fumble 27 yards for a touchdown. The Mules scored touchdowns on their first and last plays at Scotty Wood Stadium in 2006.

DeLuca finished with 102 yards on only nine carries for his second career 100-yard game, while Johnson rushed for 94 yards. Senior Chris Musselman led a defense that held the top offensive team in the CC to 78 yards and no points in the second half. He had eight tackles, including 1½ sacks.

Click here for box score.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Bullets at Muhlenberg Preview Articles

From today's Patriot-News:

GETTYSBURG AT MUHLENBERG:

"We haven't been a good road club," Gettysburg senior slotback Dusty Green, a senior from Bermudian Springs, said of the Bullets, 4-3 and 2-1 in the Centennial Conference. "This would be a week for us to win a big conference road game at Muhlenberg." Green scored a pair of touchdowns, on a 3-yard run and a 65-yard reception in last Saturday's 27-18 home win over Ursinus. "That was a big win for us," Gettysburg coach Barry Streeter said. "We have all Centennial Conference games remaining, so they'll all be tough ones." Sophomore kicker Josh Huson was named Special Teams Player of the Week after hitting three extra points along with 35 and 29 yard field goals, making him 5-for-5 this season. Muhlenberg comes in at 3-4, 1-3.

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Football to Wrap up October With CC Game at Muhlenberg

Listen Live (WMUH-FM 91.7 - Allentown, Pa.)

Kickoff: Saturday, Oct. 28, 2006; 1 p.m.; Scotty Wood Stadium (Allentown, Pa.)
The Muhlenberg Series: Began in 1907 ... Gettysburg leads 41-28-1
The Last Meeting: Oct. 29, 2005 - Gettysburg 10, Muhlenberg 3 (Gettysburg, Pa.)
Last MC Win: Oct. 30, 2004 - Muhlenberg 21, Gettysburg 0 (Allentown, Pa.)
Series Streak: Gettysburg - 1
Radio: WMUH-FM 91.7 (Allentown, Pa.)

GETTYSBURG, Pa. - After wrapping up its only multi-game home stand of the season, Gettysburg hits the road for the first of two straight games. Saturday's Centennial Conference (CC) game between Gettysburg and Muhlenberg marks the 71st meeting in a series dating back to 1907. The Bullets lead the rivalry 41-28-1. The Mules took a 16-15 lead with a win in 1950, but did not win again until 1982, by which time Gettysburg had a 30-16 lead. Muhlenberg won five straight from 2000-04, but the Bullets snapped that streak with a 10-3 victory last season at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. The Mules had a 3-0 halftime lead thanks to a 42-yard field goal by Jordon Grube midway through the first quarter, but Gettysburg halfback Dusty Green (Idaville, Pa./Bermudian Springs) rumbled 75 yards on the first play of a third-quarter drive for the game-winning score. At the time, it was the longest run of Green's career. Josh Huson (McLean, Va./McLean) added a 28-yard field goal with 6:53 to play in regulation. The game featured just 18 total first downs, 416 yards of offense and 22 punts. Green led all runners with 78 yards on the ground. Gettysburg's Spencer Davidson (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) had five catches for 59 yards, and Stephen Montalto of Muhlenberg had 48 yards on four receptions.

Last Time Out
A balanced attack put Gettysburg up 21-12 at halftime, and the defense clamped down in the second half to give Gettysburg a 27-18 victory over Ursinus in Centennial Conference action at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. The Bullets ran their perfect home record to 4-0 on the season and took over sole possession of second place in the CC standings. In the game, freshman quarterback Matt Flynn (Northfield, N.J./Mainland Regional) was 10-of-17 for 197 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He is now Gettysburg's freshman single-season passing yardage leader with 1,062, surpassing Dennis Flaherty's 1997 total of 866. Junior tailback Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) carried 34 times for 152 yards and a touchdown against a team that was giving up just 70.7 yards per game on the ground. The score was his seventh of the season to set a career high, and he has 998 yards rushing for the season after posting his fifth 150-yard outing. The Bears turned the ball over four times on the afternoon, and Gettysburg capitalized by scoring 10 points on the ensuing possessions. The Bullets scored 27 points on a team that had given up only 7.3 points per game to rank fourth in the nation. Gettysburg also rolled up 411 total yards of offense, more than double Ursinus' 194.3 yards per game allowed entering the contest. Senior halfback Dusty Green caught four passes for a career-high 100 yards, including a 65-yard scoring strike and added five carries for 37 yards and a touchdown. His scores came in a 2:14 span early in the second quarter to put Gettysburg up 21-6.

At Homewood Field in Baltimore, Md., Johns Hopkins allowed only 40 total yards and two first downs to defeat Muhlenberg, 10-7, in the third straight game between the teams decided by a field goal. The Mules got a first down on their first play from scrimmage when sophomore Eric Santagato ran for 26 yards, then did not move the chains again until late in the fourth quarter. The Blue Jays held possession for 41:24 and ran 32 more offensive plays than Muhlenberg. The lone touchdown for the Mules came with 11:48 left in the fourth quarter when freshman cornerback Cameron Ahouse returned an interception 95 yards for a touchdown. It tied for the third-longest interception return in team history. Ahouse returned another pick 26 yards, setting a school record with 121 yards on interception returns. Muhlenberg forced five turnovers for the second week in a row, including three on consecutive fourth-quarter possessions, but could not get in position for a field-goal attempt.

Special Kicker
Sophomore kicker Josh Huson was named Centennial Conference Special Teams Player of the Week after recording nine points on a perfect kicking day against Ursinus. He matched a career high by making two field goals on two attempts and added a 3-for-3 effort in extra points. Both of his field goals came in the fourth quarter and both returned the Bullets to a two-score lead after Ursinus had cut it to six points. His 35-yarder with 14:48 to play was his longest of the season. Huson is the leading scorer among CC kickers, and he ranks fourth overall with 37 points. He is 5-of-7 on field goal attempts this season to lead the conference with a 71.4 percent conversion rate, and he ranks 50th in the nation with 0.7 field goals made per game. This is the second time he has been honored as the CC's outstanding special teamer, having also garnered the award after a two-field goal performance against McDaniel last year. In that game, he matched the Gettysburg record with a 48-yarder.

On the Honor Roll
Senior halfback Dusty Green and freshman linebacker Tim Widdoes (Newark, Del./St. Mark's) were named to the Centennial Conference Weekly Honor Roll for their contributions in the Bullets' 27-18 win over Ursinus. Green had five carries for 37 yards and a touchdown and added four catches for a career-high 100 yards and another score. His touchdowns came in a 2:14 span early in the second quarter and extended Gettysburg's lead to 15 points. His 65-yard touchdown reception from freshman quarterback Matt Flynn marked the first 60+-yard pass play by the Bullets in three years. Widdoes tied for the game high with 13 tackles, marking his personal best. He also recorded 1.0 tackles for two yards in losses. With Ursinus down by six and driving in Bullet territory late in the third quarter, Widdoes recovered a fumble that led to a Josh Huson field goal. He also blocked an extra point late in the first half.

Block That Kick
Freshman linebacker Tim Widdoes blocked an extra point late in the first half against Ursinus. It was the Bullets' first blocked kick of the season and marked the first time a Gettysburg player blocked an extra point since Kevin Golden rejected a Western Maryland offering on Sept. 18, 1999.

Mr. Consistency
After a solid freshman campaign in 2004, junior tailback Tom Sturges has played in all 17 of Gettysburg's games since the beginning of the 2005 season. In that stretch, he has rushed for over 100 yards 12 times, including each of the last six games. He has been named Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Week three times this season and seven times in his career. He put together a 26-carry, 174-yard performance against Hampden-Sydney, earning conference offensive accolades, and followed it with a 27-rush, 159-yard outing at Rochester. He had a 32-yard touchdown run in each game. Against Rochester, he had three catches for 31 yards and returned four kickoffs for 72 yards to put together a then-career-high 231 all-purpose yards on the day. Against Denison, he earned CC Offensive Player of the Week honors after carrying 31 times for 186 yards and the game-tying touchdown on the Bullets' first possession. After a bye week, he was honored by the Centennial Conference again for a 246-all-purpose-yard effort that featured 189 yards on 32 carries and 53 yards in kick returns. Sturges also tied his career high with two rushing touchdowns. Against Johns Hopkins he rushed for over 100 yards for the fifth consecutive game, collecting 109 yards on 25 carries. He also scored the game-winning touchdown. Last week against Ursinus, Sturges toted the ball a season-high 34 times for 152 yards, reaching the 150-yard mark for the fifth time this season, and scored his career-high seventh touchdown of the season. On the year, Sturges has carried the ball 189 times for 998 yards and seven touchdowns, caught six passes for 38 yards and returned eight kicks for 196 yards to rank sixth in the nation with 176.0 all-purpose yards per game and fifth in rushing with 142.6 yards per outing.

Big-Time Opening Act
Freshman Matt Flynn threw six passes in the first two games of the season, but broke out in a big way, coming off the bench late in the first quarter on Sept. 16 at Rochester and tying a Gettysburg record with five touchdown passes in the game. He was 18-for-31 with 288 yards and rushed four times for 17 yards for a 305-yard total offensive performance. The first Bullet to throw five touchdown passes in one game was Ross Sachs against Bucknell in 1949. Chris Adams tied the mark in 1994 against Ursinus. As a result of his big day, Flynn became the second straight Gettysburg player named Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Week. Flynn followed that effort with his first career start on Sept. 23 against Denison and threw for three more touchdown passes on 13-of-23 passing and ran for 26 more yards on six carries, and he had another solid performance in the CC opener at McDaniel. Against Johns Hopkins, he threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns to lead Gettysburg to its first win over Johns Hopkins since 1994. Last weekend, he added 197 yards on 10 of 17 passing. For the season, Flynn has 1,062 yards on 72 of 130 passing, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions. He leads the conference with a 147.31 passing efficiency rating, is tied for second in touchdown passes and ranks third in passing yardage.

Five Quarters, Eight Touchdowns
Freshman quarterback Matt Flynn came in late in the first quarter against Rochester, but the offense did not start rolling until the second quarter of that game. He threw five touchdown passes in the last three quarters and added three more before halftime against Denison the following week. What that means, is that in five quarters, Flynn broke the Gettysburg record for single-season touchdowns by a freshman (Dennis Flaherty - 6 - 1997) and went nearly one-quarter of the way to the Bullets' career touchdown record (Flaherty - 33 - 1997-2000). With 1,062 yards passing, Flynn also broke Flaherty's freshman single-season passing yardage mark of 866.

Two-Grand Man
Junior tailback Tom Sturges' rushing performance in the first seven games of the season has pushed his career rushing total to 2,599 yards, making him Gettysburg's seventh 2,000-yard rusher. He cracked the 2,000-yard plateau with a career-long 53-yard run on his second carry of the game against Denison. He also passed Paul Martin for sixth place on the list during that game. Martin rushed for 2,053 yards from 1982-85. Sturges is 148 yards behind Shannon Forsythe (2,747 yards - 1992-95) for fifth, and he still has a ways to go to reach the top of the list. Paul Smith, who played from 1996-99, is still 2,606 yards ahead of Sturges at 5,205.

Draddy Trophy Semifinalist
On Oct. 17, senior right guard Dain Alaia (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem) was named a semifinalist for the 2006 Draddy Trophy and a nominee for the National Football Foundation 2006 National Scholar-Athlete Awards. Each college or university that sponsors football may nominate one player who is a senior or graduate student in his final year of eligibility. The student-athlete must have at least a 3.00 GPA, have outstanding football ability as a starter and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The winner of the Draddy Trophy is awarded a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship. The roll of 148 nominees comes from all Divisions of the NCAA and NAIA. Alaia and Johns Hopkins senior defensive lineman Brian Nickel represent the Centennial Conference among the nominees.

On the National Stage
Several Gettysburg players have reached the national top 50 in various statistical categories. Junior tailback Tom Sturges leads the charge. He ranks fifth in the nation in rushing with 142.6 yards per game and sixth in all-purpose yards with 176.0 per outing. Senior linebacker Harold Barton (Somerdale, N.J./Sterling) ranks 13th with 0.43 forced fumbles per game. Freshman quarterback Matt Flynn is 28th in passing efficiency at 147.31, while senior halfback Dusty Green ranks 42nd in scoring with 7.7 points per game, and sophomore kicker Josh Huson is 50th with an average of 0.7 made field goals. Other Bullets have cracked the top-100 as well. Junior linebacker James Holubowich (Mineola, N.Y./Mineola) ranks 56th with 9.7 tackles per game, and Barton is 63rd with 9.4 stops per week. As a team, the Bullets rank 17th in rushing (224.1 yards per game), 32nd in total offense (386.1 yards per game) and 26th in turnover margin (+1.1).

Green Means Go
Senior halfback Dusty Green has come up big in the 2006 season. He is the Centennial Conference's leading scorer with nine touchdowns; six receiving (triple his career total entering the season), two rushing and one on a fumble recovery. In the Hampden-Sydney game, he rumbled 85 yards on a rushing play to record the Bullets' first 80-yard run in four years. Against Rochester, he caught a 59-yard touchdown pass from Matt Flynn. Green followed that performance with another 95 yards on a career-high seven catches and two touchdowns against Denison. Last week, he had his third two-touchdown performance of the season, scoring twice in 2:14 to extend the Bullets' lead to 15 points. His 65-yard touchdown catch was Gettysburg's first 60-yard pass play in three years. Overall, Green has 335 yards rushing on 47 carries, and he leads the team with 408 receiving yards on a team-high 27 catches. Green now has 153 carries for 788 yards and 60 catches for 726 yards, leaving him 212 rushing yards and 274 receiving yards from reaching 1,000 in both categories.

Red-Zone Disparity
Gettysburg ranks at or near the top of the conference in both red-zone scoring and red-zone defense. Once the Bullets have crossed the opponent's 20-yard-line this season, they have converted 19 of 23 attempts (82.6 percent), including 14 touchdowns, to lead the conference. Opposing offenses have not been as successful, converting 16 of 27 tries. The Bullet defense has an interception, three fumble recoveries and five forced turnovers on downs inside its 20.

Making the Stops
Gettysburg has three players among the top six tacklers in the Centennial Conference. Junior linebacker James Holubowich ranks third with 9.7 stops per game. Senior linebacker Harold Barton is fourth with 9.4, and sophomore defensive back David Rodriguez (Fort Belvoir, Va./Bishop Ireton) has made 8.5 tackles per game to rank sixth. Holubowich (56th) and Barton (63rd) are among the national top-100.

At a Loss for Yards
The Bullets have made 42 tackles for losses totaling 177 yards this season, including seven tackles for 16 yards in losses against Ursinus. Junior linebacker James Holubowich leads the way with 7.5 tackles for losses of 31 yards. Senior defensive end Stevenson Foote (Huntingtown, Md./Calvert) is second on the squad with 7.0 stops for 27 yards. Holubowich is tied for fifth, and Foote ranks seventh in the Centennial Conference. With 4.0 sacks for 18 yards, Barton is tied for fourth in the conference.

This is a Stick-Up
Gettysburg had a season-high four takeaways against Ursinus with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. The Bullets are now +8 on the season to lead the conference in turnover margin, ahead of Dickinson in second with a +1 rating. On Saturday, for the second week in a row, senior linebacker Harold Barton, the conference leader in forced fumbles caused a fumble in a key spot that was recovered by senior defensive end Stevenson Foote. Foote is tied for the CC lead with two fumble recoveries. Junior cornerback Adam Fulmer (Halifax, Pa./Halifax) is tied for first in the conference and 71st in the nation with 1.29 passes defended per game, including two interceptions.

Line 'Em Up
Coming into preseason camp, one of Gettysburg's biggest question marks was an offensive line that had to replace four starters from the Centennial Conference's best rushing attack in 2005. After an uneven performance at Lebanon Valley on Sept. 2, the Bullets' front five has come together. The quintet of seniors Rick Finnegan (Springfield, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) (C) and Dain Alaia (RG), junior James Russell (Amityville, N.Y./Amityville Memorial) (LT) and sophomores Jay Hagerman (Gibsonia, Pa./Hampton) (LG) and Sam Walthall (Uniondale, N.Y./Woodlands) (RT) paved the way for Gettysburg's best rushing effort in several years against Hampden-Sydney. Two players gained over 100 yards rushing for the first time since 2002, and Gettysburg rushed for 318 yards as a team, eclipsing the 300-yard mark for the first time in three years. Additionally, quarterbacks Mark Campo (Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville) and Matt Flynn were not sacked during the game, making Hampden-Sydney the first sackless Gettysburg opponent since 2004. At Rochester, the Bullets gained 534 total yards, including 216 on the ground. They only allowed one sack on the day and helped Flynn tie the Gettysburg single-game record with five touchdown passes. The success continued with the line again not allowing a sack against Denison and helping the offense generate 446 yards of offense. On Oct. 7 at McDaniel, Gettysburg accumulated 423 total yards, and the team added 398 more against Johns Hopkins. The offensive line turned in one of its most impressive performances last weekend against Ursinus when it opened the holes for 27 points and 411 yards against a team that had been allowing just 7.3 points (fourth in the nation) and 193.4 yards (ninth in the nation) entering the game. Junior tailback Tom Sturges alone rushed for 152 yards against the Bears, who were allowing just 70.7 yards per game on the ground. The Bullets have the Centennial Conference's best rushing offense by nearly 75 yards per game over the second-best team and rank 17th in the nation with 224.1 yards per game. Gettysburg has the CC's most prolific offense, averaging 386.0 yards per game and leads the conference with just six sacks allowed.

Head of the Class
Gettysburg head coach Barry Streeter is the longest-tenured and winningest football coach in Gettysburg history. He surpassed Hen Bream (1927-51), who coached for 22 seasons, in 2000. Streeter won his 105th career game against Muhlenberg in 1995 to take over the career wins lead. Now in his 28th season as head coach, he has a 140-135-5 (.509) career record.

Scouting Muhlenberg (3-4, 1-3 CC)
Muhlenberg opened the season with 24-14 and 24-17 home wins over The College of New Jersey and William Paterson, respectively. Since then, the Mules have lost four of five. Last week coming off a 22-6 win over Ursinus, Muhlenberg was held to two first downs and 40 total yards of offense in a 10-7 loss at Johns Hopkins. Freshman cornerback Cameron Ahouse was named Centennial Conference Defensive Co-Player of the Week after picking off a pair of passes. He returned one 95 yards for a touchdown and the other 26 yards to set the school single-game record for interception return yardage (121). On the ground, the Mules are led by sophomore John DeLuca, who has carried 65 times for 214 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Eric Santagato and senior running back Jerome Beverly have each scored a pair of rushing touchdowns. Santagato is 86-of-156 for 990 yards with three touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His favorite target has been senior tight end Stephen Montalto, who has 339 yards and two touchdowns on 28 receptions. The Mules have gained 11.6 yards per catch as a team. Montalto ranks fourth in the CC with 4.00 receptions per game and seventh with 48.4 receiving yards per game. Sophomore cornerback Brandon Doyle ranks in the top five in the conference in both kickoff returns (second, 26.7 yards per return) and punt returns (fourth, 7.2 yards per return). On defensive, Muhlenberg ranks second in the conference, allowing just 87.7 rushing yards per game. Junior defensive end Tom Tarsitano has helped that cause, ranking ninth in the conference with 7.6 tackles per game. At the other end of the line, senior Chris Musselman leads the conference with 6.0 sacks for 29 yards. He is also tied with teammate Chris Swensen for third in the conference with 8.5 tackles for loss. Sophomore linebacker Matt Rathbun and Gettysburg's James Holubowich are tied for fifth with 7.5 tackles for loss.

Coach's Corner
Streeter on the Win Against Ursinus
"It was a good win against a quality team. All three phases of the game did a lot of things well. Josh Huson kicked they ball well. They weren't long field goals, but they were crucial. We had four takeaways defensively, and we moved the ball well and ate clock when we needed to, especially in the fourth quarter."

Streeter on the Play of Dusty Green
"He was very good on Saturday, not only his play, but his leadership. He really came through for us, and his leadership was the best I've ever seen it. He gave us some good blocks, ran well, and he has good hands and good speed. On that long touchdown, it was a play-action pass out of the backfield behind the outside linebacker. He made a nice move to get free and outran everybody."

Streeter on Muhlenberg
"They are a tough team to figure out. One week they look really good, and last week they struggled a little bit. They are capable of scoring a lot of points. The quarterback (Eric Santagato) runs well and is a good athlete. The tight end (Stephen Montalto) is a big, athletic kid with good hands. He can really run. They put him in a lot of different places, and you have to account for him. Defensively, Muhlenberg is always good. Our conference is a defensive conference, and Muhlenberg is one of the best."

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Muhlenberg Game Coverage

From the Muhlenberg Website:

Follow the Gettysburg game Live stats and play-by-play for Saturday’s Parents Weekend game against Gettysburg will be available on the Web. To access the stats, click here during the game. WMUH 91.7 FM is scheduled to broadcast the game live. Click here to listen in Real Audio.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

GCFPC WEEKLY UPDATE – Gettysburg v. Muhlenberg

GCFPC WEEKLY UPDATE – Gettysburg v. Muhlenberg

This Saturday, the Bullets take their high-riding team to Allentown, PA and the home “carpet” of the Muhlenberg Mules.

LOTS OF NOTES ABOUT MUHLENBERG LOGISTICS: Directions to Muhlenberg College can be found at http://www.muhlenberg.edu/muhlinfo/driving.html . An MC Campus map is located at http://www.muhlenberg.edu/muhlinfo/map.html (the Football Stadium entrance is on Liberty Street).

Muhlenberg charges an entrance fee for its games, so remind your favorite player to put your names (and number of needed tickets) on a “will call” list for complimentary family tickets.

The only available Parking is in the residential neighborhood around the Stadium (north, west and east of the Stadium – i.e. along the back of the large home bleachers running along Liberty Street and on nearby streets).
Because of the parking situation, it is difficult for us to Tailgate together, so you’re pretty much “on your own” there (we have requested space from MC for a Tailgate, but have heard nothing yet – we will supplement this email if space becomes available for us). You may want to just enter the Stadium early and watch the team warm up.

Muhlenberg has a nice stadium (with what used to be a “state of the art” artificial turf field), but the stadium’s visitors’ stands are the worst in the league (although the obnoxiousness of McDaniel’s fans infiltrating the entire visitor side comes close). The stands are 4 to 5 rows at ground level behind the visiting team’s bench, so many of the visual lines to the field are “through” the visiting players on the sidelines. In fact, the last time in Allentown many GC fans sat in the well-appointed home stands – we don’t suggest that this time around.

One advantage is that we will be close to the players and able to make our support clearly heard!

It’s Family Weekend at Muhlenberg, so you might want to get there early.

WEEKLY HONORS: Congratulations to Josh Huson on being named the Centennial Conference Special Teams Player of the Week, and to Dusty Green and Tim Widdoes for making the weekly Conference “Honor Roll” for offense and defense, respectively.

SENIOR DINNER: The Senior Dinner has been scheduled for Saturday, December 2nd (noon) at the Gettysburg Hotel Ballroom – more details to follow.

ACTION PHOTOS: Action photos are available on Bill Dowling’s website (http://www.dowlingphoto.com/) -- 5x7 @ $15; 8x10 @ $20; 11x14 @ $30; Collage @ $75. Bill’s website is easy to navigate (start with “Bullets Football” on the right margin of his home page). The current photos will only be on the site for another week or so.

HOME TAILGATING: The home game pre- and post-game Tailgates will resume on November 11th (Homecoming Weekend) at the Pavilion next to Quarry Lake.

That week, Freshmen Parents (last names starting in “M” though “Z”) are asked to provide the “potluck” food.

ALUMNI FAMILIES - Please join us at any Bullets game, including pre- and post-game Tailgates. Let us know if you want to sign up as an alumni member of the GCFPC (dues are only $20).

GCFPC Organization – The Parents Club committees are as follows. Please let us know if you can fill an “open” position: We are especially looking for someone to take over the Tailgate and Membership Committees for next year.

Committees:
Co-Chairpersons – Jack and Cindy Dunn, 2006 season
Barb and Jim Davidson, 2007 season (Assistant Chairs, 2006)
Merchandise Sales – Debbie and Ralph Pastore, Chairs; Debbi Beirne; Mary Byrne; Regina Campo
Corresponding Secretary – Pat McConnell
Cheerleader Representatives – Mike and Wendy Barton; Christina Pierce
Tailgating – Sue and Bill Finnegan; OPEN
Music (Tailgates) – Jim Russell
Spirit Committee – Laurie and Paul Boucher; Candice Taylor; OPEN
Senior Dinner – Cindy Dunn (Chair), Sue Finnegan, Carol Brassell [Football], Kim Reilly [Cheerleaders]
Website Development -- Wendy Barton
Class Representatives
Seniors – Carol and Rob Brassell
Juniors – Jim and Julie Russell
Sophomores – George and Karen Lessler
Freshmen -- George and Patricia Flynn / Shannon and Andy Somerville / Rosalie and Alex Helm
Action Photos – Chuck Alia
Membership – Rick Jordan; OPEN
50/50 Raffles – Rob Brassell; Chuck Alai; Senior Parents
Alumni – Chris Re GC ’78, Football Captain ‘77


Go Bullets!!!!!!!!!

Muhlenberg Week!

The following is from the D3Football.com Kickoff Edition:

Muhlenberg Mules

Last playoff appearance: 2004
Last year: 3-7, 2-4 CC
Last conference title: 2004 (co-champions)
Wins increase/decrease: Minus-5
Preseason ranking: 141 of 234
Head coach: Mike Donnelly, 10th season, 56-39
Starters returning: 11 (six offense, three defense, two special teams)

Position battle to watch: Secondary. The Mules’ starting defensive backs from 2005 have graduated and some youngsters will attempt to fill the roles with success. Ryan Merrill is the most tenured back as a junior and he played all ten games last year with just 23 tackles. Expect Muhlenberg’s early non-conference opponents to try long down the field and test the new starters.

Pressure is on: Assistant coach Jeff Knarr. Donnelly acts as defensive coordinator, but Knarr focuses on the quarterbacks and receivers. Muhlenberg’s biggest issue in 2005 was its inability to score points, averaging a paltry 1.4 touchdowns per game. Generating more points in an offense-challenged conference will help the Mules manage a better record in 2006, regardless of their youth.

Where did he come from? Linebacker Dustin Good failed to get much of the press when playing next to CC Defensive Player of the Year Dan McCall. A D3football.com third-team All-American, McCall recorded 7½ sacks, two interceptions, and four fumble recoveries with 127 return yards from those pickups. Good actually recorded more tackles than McCall and had a handful of meaningful tackles for a loss. Unfortunately, Good is just one of three defensive starters to return. No matter how good Good is, ten others will need to show signs of life to keep Muhlenberg’s defense one of the best in the land as they typically are.

Their season will be defined by: A three-game stretch from Week 8-10. Muhlenberg scored 19 points in the three games against the same opponents last season.

Predicted record: 1-9, 0-6

Capsule: The Mules went from representing the Centennial in the 2004 playoffs to the CC’s worst overall record in 2005. Their 3-7 mark was the Mules’ worst since 1997 (1-9), and even then, they rebounded to finish 5-5 in 1998. As mentioned above, the difference between success and failure for the Mules was negligible, and cliché after cliché could be used to define their needs for a victorious 2006. Fortunately, Muhlenberg’s defense is routinely one of the best statistically in Division III, led the CC last season in total defense and was ninth in D-III. Donnelly might need another year to put the Mules back together.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Bullets JV lose to LVC 24-21

Thanks to a JV parent for submitting the following information!

Gettysburg JV loseto LVC 24-21.The Bullets had 1TD called back for a line man being down field.On the play the Bullets messed up a FG attempt and the holder threw a TD to Hunter Macmillan,but is was called back.I believe that was the last JV game." GO BULLETS"

Monday, October 23, 2006

Weekly Conference Awards

Congraulations to Josh Huson who has been recognized as the Special Teams Player of the Week by The Centennial Conference!

Congratulations also to this week's Conference Honor Roll members - Dusty Green and Tim Widdoes for their performances on Offense and Defense respectively.

Read about this and the upcoming matchups for October 28 here.

For more on this weeks Conference Awards, as reported on the Gettysburg College Website, click here.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Bullets Beat Ursinus 27-18; Flynn Breaks Freshman Passing Yardage Record

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Posted on 10/21/2006

GETTYSBURG, Pa. - A balanced attack put Gettysburg up 21-12 at halftime, and the defense clamped down in the second half to give Gettysburg a 27-18 victory over Ursinus in Centennial Conference action on Saturday afternoon at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. The Bullets (4-3, 2-1 CC) run their perfect home record to 4-0 on the season and take over sole possession of second place in the CC standings.

In the game, freshman quarterback Matt Flynn (Northfield, N.J./Mainland Regional) was 10-of-17 for 197 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He is now Gettysburg's freshman single-season passing yardage leader with 1,062, surpassing Dennis Flaherty's 1997 total of 866. Junior tailback Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) carried 34 times for 152 yards and a touchdown against a team that was giving up just 70.7 yards per game on the ground. The score was his seventh of the season to set a career high, and he has 998 yards rushing for the season after posting his fifth 150-yard outing.

The Bears (5-2, 1-2 CC) turned the ball over four times on the afternoon, and Gettysburg capitalized by scoring 10 points on the ensuing possessions. The Bullets scored 27 points on a team that had given up only 7.3 points per game to rank fourth in the nation. Gettysburg also rolled up 411 total yards of offense, more than double Ursinus' 194.3 yards per game allowed entering the contest.Senior halfback Dusty Green (Idaville, Pa./Bermudian Springs) caught four passes for a career-high 100 yards, including a 65-yard scoring strike and added five carries for 37 yards and a touchdown. His scores came in a 2:14 span early in the second quarter to put Gettysburg up 21-6.

Ursinus got on the board first with a 24-yard pass from senior quarterback Ted Wallingford to junior wide receiver Brandon Evans with 4:38 to play in the first quarter. After an illegal procedure penalty, the extra point hit the right upright, and Gettysburg countered with Sturges' 12-yard scoring run exactly three minutes later. Evans hauled in six passes for 102 yards and a touchdown, and Wallingford was 17-of-42 for 208 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Green's three-yard rushing touchdown capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive on the next possession. Sophomore defensive back DeVohn Butler returned the kickoff by freshman Andrew Weingart (New Egypt, N.J./New Egypt) 78 yards before freshman linebacker Robert Boucher (Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Jefferson Township) hauled him down from behind at the 16-yard line. On the first play of ensuing Ursinus possession, senior linebacker Harold Barton (Somerdale, N.J./Sterling) hit senior running back David Ashworth, forcing a fumble that was recovered by classmate Stevenson Foote (Huntingtown, Md./Calvert). Four plays later, Flynn hit Green for a 65-yard touchdown pass, the first 60+-yard pass by a Gettysburg team in three years.

The Bears would put together a long scoring drive of their own, but it was an eventful one. Wallingford picked up a first down on a four-yard rush, and Butler carried for a two-yard gain. On the next play, Butler ran around the right end and was stopped along the Ursinus sideline for a seven-yard gain by junior linebacker James Holubowich (Mineola, N.Y./Mineola) and sophomore defensive tackle Anthony Pastore (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City). A scuffle broke out after the play, and in the aftermath, both Barton and Butler were ejected from the game. In Barton's absence, Holubowich had another huge day with 13 tackles, 2.5 tackles for four yards in losses and a pair of pass breakups. The Bears continued down the field and ended the 12-play, 70-yard drive with an 11-yard pass from Wallingford to senior wide receiver Josh Hannum. The drive ate 6:04 off the clock. The extra point attempt was blocked by freshman linebacker Tim Widdoes (Newark, Del./St. Mark's) to keep the score at 21-12. Widdoes had a career-high 13 tackles, 1.0 tackles for two yards in losses, a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry in addition to his blocked extra point.

From there, the teams traded interceptions to end the half. Ursinus senior defensive back Matt Duppel ran down a Flynn overthrow in the back of the end zone and returned it 41 yards before Flynn made the tackle. Seven plays later, Gettysburg junior defensive back Adam Fulmer (Halifax, Pa./Halifax) returned the favor, picking off Wallingford with three seconds left before halftime. Fulmer tied a career high with seven tackles and added a pair of pass breakups.

Gettysburg opened the second half with the ball and picked up two first downs before being forced to punt. Senior Ryan Dunn (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) had his kick downed at the seven-yard line. The Bears would drive down the field, taking 16 plays and 6:16 to cover 81 yards. Freshman kicker Justin Beres converted the first of two field goals in the game. Dunn punted four times for an average of 31.0 yards per kick.

Dunn was forced to punt again on the next possession, but Ashworth and Wallingford could not get together on a handoff in Gettysburg territory, and Widdoes came up with the loose ball five plays later. Bullet sophomore kicker Josh Huson (McLean, Va./McLean) booted a 35-yard field goal, his longest of the season, giving Gettysburg a 24-15 lead to end the next drive. The teams would trade field goals in the next two possessions to set the final score, but there was still plenty of action remaining.

Wallingford threw a pair of incomplete passes to open the next Ursinus drive and was picked off by junior safety Kyle Luciano (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by-the-Sea) on third down. Luciano had a career-high 12 tackles on the day. The Bullets were held to a three-and-out, but Dunn's punt was downed at the Ursinus two. The Bears picked up a pair of first downs, but the measurement for a third came up inches short. From there Gettysburg ran out the clock.

The Bullets return to action next Saturday when they travel to Allentown, Pa., for the first of two straight road games. Game time at Muhlenberg's Scotty Wood Stadium is set for 1 p.m.

Box Scores

From the Ursinus Website:

Gettysburg offense too much in 27-18 victory over the Bears

COLLEGEVILLE, Pa.Tom Sturges and Dusty Green combined for 252 yards of offense, while Matt Flynn threw for another 197 to lead Gettysburg past Ursinus 27-18 in Centennial Conference (CC) football action on Saturday.

Sturges rushed for 152 yards and scored a touchdown, marking the sixth straight game in which he has run over 100 yards to help the Bullets (4-3, 2-1 CC) remain undefeated on their home turf and hand the Bears (5-2, 1-2 CC) their second loss of the season.

Green tallied a career-high 100 yards on four catches, including a 65-yard touchdown reception. Kicker Josh Huson totaled eight points on the afternoon, including two field goals in the fourth quarter to keep Ursinus within two scoring possessions.

Making his first appearance this season due to an injury, Brandon Evans (Mohnton, PA/Governor Mifflin) caught four passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. Ted Wallingford (Equinunk, PA/Honesdale) threw for two touchdowns on 17 completed pass for 208 yards, putting him 47 yards shy of a 1,000 for the season.

Ernest Pearson (Washington D.C./Hyde Leadership Charter) carried the ball 16 times for 70 yards and David Ashworth (Egg Harbor, NJ/Absegami) recorded 61 yards on the ground, including a 32-yard run.

In a battle advertised as the immoveable force meets the immoveable object, the Gettysburg offense came out on top amassing 411 total yards for the Bullets second conference win. The defense played an equal part in the victory, recovering two fumbles, making two interceptions and blocking an extra point.

On their second possession of the first quarter, the Bears marched to the Gettysburg 29 thanks to a pass interference call. Mike Weyrauch (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood) gained the next five yards to make it third and five. In his first play, Evans made a 24-yard catch to help Ursinus grab a 6-0 lead due to Justin Beres’ (Galloway, NJ/Holy Spirit) extra point hitting the uprights and bouncing out.

The Bullets answered with an eight play, 65-yard drive with Sturges going 27 of those yards, including a 12 yard run for the touchdown. Huson converted the kick for a 7-6 lead and end the first quarter scoring.

Gettysburg took advantage of two Ursinus penalties to get its next two touchdowns. A roughing the kicker call on a Gettysburg punt, gave the ball to the Bullets a first and 10 at the Ursinus 33, setting up a 46-yard throw to Spencer Davidson.

Jerry Jones and Sturges each made 10- and eight-yard runs, respectively, before Gettysburg took a 14-6 edge on a three-yard scurry into the end zone by Green.

On the ensuing kickoff, DeVohn Butler (Swedesboro, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) returned the ball for 78 yards to the Bullet 16, but Harold Barton forced the Bears to fumble on the next play and Stevenson Foote recovered it. Four-plays later, Flynn found Green for 65 yards to give Gettysburg a 21-6 lead.

Next possession, Ursinus was able to make its way down into Bullet territory after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Wallingford connected with Weyrauch to get to the 11-yard line, before he found Josh Hannum (Brookhaven, PA/Strath Haven) for remaining yards to cut the deficit to 21-12.

With 2:12 remaining in the half, Matt Duppel (Wildwood Crest, NJ/Wildwood) picked off pass in the Bears end zone and took it 41 yards to give Ursinus one more chance to put points on the board before intermission.

Facing fourth and 10 at the Gettysburg 42, Adam Fuller intercepted the ball at the 13 with three seconds left to end the half.

Both teams could not find the end zone in the second half, exchanging field goals on two occasions.

Jim Holubowich and Tim Widdoes recorded 13 tackles apiece, while Brian Hrynczyszyn (Bensalem, PA/Conwell-Egan) made 12 tackles for the Bears. Adam Kabacinski (Pittston, PA/Pittston Area) registered nine stops, including the only sack for five yards.

From The Patriot-News:

GETTYSBURG 27, URSINUS 18:

The Bullets (4-3, 2-1) took over second place in the Centennial Conference as Ursinus (5-2, 1-2) lost for a second straight week. Ursinus missed an extra point following its opening TD. Gettysburg then got a 12-yard scoring run from Tom Sturgess and a Josh Huson extra point for the lead. Dusty Green scored twice in the second quarter, on a 3-yard run and a 65-yard pass from Matt Flynn. Huson added a pair of fourth-quarter field goals for the Bullets.