Centennial Conference News

Enjoy the bye week! Unless there's any breaking news to report this will be the only blog post for the week...

Congratulations to Jamel Mutunga, Terence Hartigan and Brian Betley for being selected to this week's Honor Roll for their performances in Saturday's game at Dickinson. You can read about this and other Conference news in this week's Centennial Conference Weekly Release.

Sunday News and Recaps

From the Dickinson College Website:

Devils Keep Bucket, Give Breaux 100th Win
by Charlie McGuire

(Carlisle, PA)- The Dickinson College football team used a total team effort to give head coach Darwin Breaux his 100th career victory on Saturday afternoon as the Red Devils topped rival Gettysburg 29-16. Breaux holds a 100-61-1 overall record in 16 years at the helm of the Red Devils.

A heavy rain kept the scoring down early as Dickinson took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter and led 10-3 at halftime. The Devils controlled the clock for the better part of the second half, putting up 16 points in the fourth quarter to keep possession of the Little Brown Bucket.

Sophomore Gordon Craig (Grove City, PA/Grove City) hit three field-goals from 21, 35 and 27 yards out. He put the Devils on the board at the 10:59 mark of the first quarter.

Josh Huson missed a pair of long attempts but converted a 37 yard field-goal to tie the game late in the first half. Pat O'Connor (Exton, PA/Downingtown East) returned the kick-off 31 yards and later finished the drive with a four yard touchdown catch to give the Devils a 10-3 lead. A.J. Reisig (Reading, PA/Reading CC) intercepted a pass to close out the half.

Craig hit a field-goal in the third and another to start the fourth, putting the Devils in front 16-3. Senior Steve Bokron (Wetherfield, CT/Loomis Chaffee) then returned a fumble 54 yards for a touchdown to put Dickinson in control, 22-3, with 9:30 remaining in the game.

Junior fullback Tim Wells (Baltimore, MD/Perry Hall) tacked on a seven yard scoring run with 3:57 left to play, stretching the lead to 29-3.

The Bullets kept coming as quarterback Matt Flynn drove Gettysburg 61 yards, hitting Brian Bentley with a 15 yard pass to make the score 29-9. Joe Delaney recovered a fumble and returned it 65 yards for the final of 29-16.

Junior quarterback Ian Mitchell (Newtown Square, PA/Malvern Prep) completed 14-of-23 passes for 160 yards and ran for another 66 on the day. O'Connor caught nine passes for 104 of those yards and had two kick-off returns for 40 yards.

Wells finished the day with 85 yards on 16 carries and caught a pair of passes for another 43 yards.

Senior Michael Dalton (Wilmington, DE/Wilmington Friends) led the defense with 10 tackles and a 20 yard interception return. Sophomore linebacker Kevin Wood (Westford, MA/Phillips) added nine tackles, a sack and a pass breakup while Matt Stone (Cheshire, CT/Choate) tallied eight tackles and forced a fumble. Cole Glennon (Stowe, PA/Pottsgrove) chipped in with six tackles, a sack and a forced fumble as well.

Jamel Mutunga led the Bullets with a game-high 117 yards rushing while Flynn completed 17-of-33 passes for 189 yards and one touchdown. Terence Hartigan led the defense with a game-high 12 tackles.

The Red Devils improve to 4-3 overall and 3-3 in the Centennial Conference. The are home again next Saturday, hosting nationally-ranked and unbeaten Muhlenberg College at 1:00 pm.

From The Harrisburg Patriot-News:

DIVISION III: DICKINSON 29, GETTYSBURG 16

Devils' defense holds Gettysburg in check
Sunday, October 26, 2008
BY BOB BLACK
Of The Patriot-News

CARLISLE - The changes made to Dickinson's Biddle Field since last football season were substantial.

Saturday, the primary benefactors from those changes were Dickinson and Gettysburg, the two teams playing on Biddle's artificial surface which replaced the grass.

And the group that looked most comfortable was Dickinson's defense, which held usually high-scoring Gettysburg's offense without a touchdown until the final 2:23 while the Red Devils were winning a Centennial Conference battle for The Little Brown Bucket 29-16.

"We gave our defense the game ball," said Dickinson coach Darwin Breaux, who picked up his 100th career win.

"They were steady the whole game and gave us the kind of play you need to have on a day like this."

The only thing missing from Dickinson's defense was a squeegee. Otherwise, the Red Devils mopped up everything Gettysburg tried up the middle, outside and through the air.

"That's the toughest defense we've faced all season," said Gettysburg coach Barry Streeter, whose Bullets had a three-game winning streak stopped.

Dickinson (4-3, 3-2), allowed only a 37-yard field goal to Josh Huson late in the second quarter which gave Gettysburg (3-5, 3-3) a temporary tie prior to Ian Mitchell's 4-yard touchdown pass to Pat O'Connor less than two minutes later.

"We felt it was important for the defense to step up today," said Dickinson senior cornerback Michael Dalton, who led the team in tackles with 10 and also picked off a pass by Gettysburg quarterback Matt Flynn.

"We were psyched for this game and knew that, with the playing conditions the way they were, we could play an important role in the outcome."

Also playing a significant role in what was expected to be a quarterbacks' battle was Dickinson's signal caller adding almost as much on the ground as through the air.

"We didn't want to turn the ball over and knew that our offensive line was winning the battle up front, so we didn't try to get fancy with pitch stuff going to the outside," Dickinson quarterback Ian Mitchell said.

But when Mitchell wanted to throw the ball, he had a more than capable receiver in O'Connor, who had nine catches for 104 yards, including the second-quarter touchdown.

"He's got to be the best receiver in the league," said Mitchell. "Any time I get the ball near him, I know he's going to bring it down."

After Dickinson increased its 10-3 halftime lead on a 35-yard Gordon Craig field goal midway through the third quarter, and another 27-yarder early in the fourth, Steve Bokron scored what amounted to the game-breaker on a 54-yard fumble return just two minutes later.

Tim Wells added a 7-yard TD run for Dickinson with just 3:57 remaining, then Flynn hit a 15-yard scoring pass to Brian Betley and Joe Delaney ran 70 yards with a fumble recovery against Dickinson's backups.

From The Carlisle Sentinel:

Breaux gets 100th career win as Dickinson drops Gettysburg
October 26, 2008
Last updated: Sunday, October 26, 2008 8:08 AM EDT

The Dickinson College football team used a total team effort to give head coach Darwin Breaux his 100th career victory on Saturday afternoon as the Red Devils topped rival Gettysburg, 29-16 at Biddle Field.

Breaux holds a 100-61-1 overall record in 16 years at the helm of the Red Devils.

A heavy rain kept the scoring down early as Dickinson took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter and led 10-3 at halftime. The Devils controlled the clock for the better part of the second half, putting up 16 points in the fourth quarter to keep possession of the Little Brown Bucket.

Sophomore place kicker Gordon Craig hit three field-goals from 21, 35 and 27 yards out. He put the Devils on the board at the 10:59 mark of the first quarter.

Josh Huson missed a pair of long attempts but converted a 37 yard field-goal to tie the game late in the first half. Pat O’Connor returned the kickoff 31 yards and later finished the drive with a four yard touchdown catch to give the Devils a 10-3 lead. A.J. Reisig intercepted a pass to close out the half.

Craig hit a field-goal in the third and another to start the fourth, putting the Devils in front, 16-3. Senior Steve Bokron then returned a fumble 54 yards for a touchdown to put Dickinson in control, 22-3, with 9:30 remaining in the game.

Junior fullback Tim Wells tacked on a seven yard scoring run with 3:57 left to play, stretching the lead to 29-3.

The Bullets kept coming as quarterback Matt Flynn drove Gettysburg 61 yards, hitting Brian Bentley with a 15 yard pass to make the score 29-9. Joe Delaney recovered a fumble and returned it 65 yards for the final of 29-16.

Junior quarterback Ian Mitchell completed 14-of-23 passes for 160 yards and ran for another 66 on the day. O’Connor caught nine passes for 104 yards and had two kickoff returns for 40 yards.

Wells finished the day with 85 yards on 16 carries and caught a pair of passes for another 43 yards.

Senior Michael Dalton led the defense with 10 tackles and a 20 yard interception return. Sophomore linebacker Kevin Wood added nine tackles, a sack and a pass breakup while Matt Stone tallied eight tackles and forced a fumble. Cole Glennon chipped in with six tackles, a sack and a forced fumble as well.

Jamel Mutunga led the Bullets with a game-high 117 yards rushing while Flynn completed 17-of-33 passes for 189 yards and one touchdown. Terence Hartigan led the defense with a game-high 12 tackles.

The Red Devils improve to 4-3 overall and 3-3 in the Centennial Conference. They are home again next Saturday, hosting nationally-ranked and unbeaten Muhlenberg College at 1 p.m.

Dickinson Tops Bullets in Rain, 29-16

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Dickinson Tops Football in Rain, 29-16

Box Score

CARLISLE, Pa. – Dickinson outscored the Bullets 29-3 through the first 57 and a half minutes and the Red Devils earned a 29-16 Centennial Conference victory in a sloppy game on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Biddle Field.

In a game that featured a combined seven turnovers, Dickinson (4-3, 3-2 CC) snapped Gettysburg’s three-game winning streak and claimed the Little Brown Bucket for the third year in a row.

Sophomore tailback Jamel Mutunga (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air) rushed for 117 yards on 23 carries to lead the Bullets (3-5, 3-3 CC).

Junior quarterback Matt Flynn (Northfield, N.J./Mainland Regional) tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Brian Betley (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape) with 2:23 left in the game to become Gettysburg’s career touchdown pass leader. Flynn, who threw for 189 yards and one touchdown and two interceptions, now has 34 career TDs, one more than Dennis Flaherty ’01 threw from 1997-2000. He also went over 5,000 passing yards for his career and is now just 97 yards shy of Flaherty’s school record of 5,136 yards.

Betley finished with 76 yards and one touchdown on three receptions while sophomore receiver Gavin Jablonski (Allenwood, N.J./Wall) had five catches for 45 yards.

Ian Mitchell passed for 160 yards and one touchdown while rushing for an additional 66 yards and to lead Dickinson. He completed nine passes for 104 yards and one touchdown to receiver Pat O’Connor. Gordon Craig went 3-for-3 on field goals for the Red Devils and finished with 11 points.

The win marked Dickinson head coach Darwin Breaux’s 100th career victory.

Missed opportunities plagued the Bullets, who drove inside the Dickinson-31 on six of their first nine drives but came away with only three points due to a fumble, two interceptions, two missed field goals, and a turnover on downs.

The Red Devils never trailed after Craig kicked a 21-yard field goal on the game’s opening drive. The Bullets went three-and-out on their opening possession but Betley, punting for the first time since the season opener, pinned Dickinson at its own 10-yard line with a 35-yard punt.

Playing through a steady rain, Gettysburg received excellent field after the Devils went three-and-out, starting at the Dickinson-45. But on the fifth play of their second drive, Mutunga had the ball stripped and Dickinson recovered at its own 20. The Red Devils were unable to capitalize however, turning the ball over on downs at the Gettysburg-17 with 2:53 left in the opening quarter.

After the Bullets went three-and-out on their third drive, Betley boomed a 65-yard punt to the Dickinson 25-yard line. Two plays later, sophomore safety Nick Duerr (Turnersville, N.J./Washington Township) snatched an overthrown ball over the middle and returned it 12 yards to the Dickinson-25 just before the end of the quarter. The Bullets were unable to pick up a first down, however, and an illegal block pushed them back to the Red Devil-28. Senior Josh Huson then pushed a 45-yard field goal wide right, and the score remained 3-0 with 14:11 left in the half.

The Bullets had another scoring opportunity after junior defensive tackle Sebastian Sullivan (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) recovered a fumble at the Gettysburg-43 on the ensuing drive. Mutunga, who racked up 102 rushing yards in the opening half, had a pair of big runs as Gettysburg advanced to the Dickinson-25. However, that’s where the drive ended, and Huson had a 42-yard field goal attempt bounce off the crossbar.

Gettysburg finally broke through late in the half, when it put together a 10-play, 56-yard drive resulting in a 37-yard Huson field goal, his long of the season, with 3:15 on the clock. The march was highlighted by a 42-yard Flynn-to-Betley pass that set up the Bullets at the Red Devil-22.

A costly Gettysburg personal foul penalty on Huson’s field goal helped set up a Dickinson touchdown drive just before the end of the half. Huson was forced to kick off from the 15-yard line, and a 31-yard O’Connor return set up the Devils at the Bullet-39. Five plays later, Michell tossed a 4-yard touchdown pass to O’Connor, who came down with the ball just inside the right side of the end zone to give Dickinson a 10-3 halftime lead.

The rain dissipated slightly in the second half, and on the opening drive Gettysburg drove to the Dickinson-28 before turning it over on downs. Craig booted a 35-yard field goal on the ensuing possession to give his team a 13-3 lead with 7:31 left in the third quarter. Once again the Bullets answered by drove into Red Devil territory, but this time Flynn was intercepted on a fourth-and-4 at the Dickinson-36.

Dickinson scored twice early in the third quarter, as Craig kicked a 27-yard field goal before Steve Bokron returned a fumble 54 yards for a touchdown on the fourth play of the ensuing drive to make it 22-3 with 9:30 left.

Gettysburg turned it over on downs on its next two possessions, the second of which gave the Red Devils the ball at their own 30. Two plays later, Tim Wells ran in from 7 yards as Dickinson’s lead swelled to 29-3. The Bullets narrowed the margin following Flynn’s late touchdown pass before sophomore safety Joe Delaney (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) returned a fumble 65 yards for a touchdown with 1:19 remaining to set the final score.

Senior linebacker Terrence Hartigan (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) posted 12 tackles and once forced fumble to lead the Bullet defense while junior linebacker Tim Widdoes (Newark, Del./St. Mark’s) made 11 hits and also forced a fumble. Sullivan tied a season-high with nine tackles.

Gettysburg takes its bye week before visiting McDaniel College in another Centennial Conference tilt on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m.

Friday Pre-Game News

From the Centennial Conference Friday Tailgate:

Gettysburg at Dickinson
Radio: WDCV-FM 88.3.
Live Stats: No.

It's the annual battle for the Little Brown Bucket, which was first presented in 1938 by trustees of the two schools. Saturday’s game will mark the 74th meeting between the two schools, with Gettysburg holding a 40-31-2 lead in the all-time series that dates back to 1892. The Red Devils have won the last two meetings and 11 of the last 12. With his team’s victory over Juniata, Gettysburg coach Barry Streeter picked up his 150th career victory. Streeter, who becomes the 32nd Division III football coach to reach the plateau, currently ranks 11th among active Division III coaches in victories. Dickinson coach Darwin Breaux is 99-61-1 in 16 seasons in Carlisle. Gettysburg QB Matt Flynn is 286 yards shy (4,850) of the school's career passing yardage record. Dickinson WR Pat O'Connor tied his own school record with 12 receptions vs. Hopkins for a Dickinson single-game mark of 248 yards. O'Connor amassed a school-record 396 all-purpose yards – the second-highest total in Conference history - and set a school single-season record for yards receiving (826). After running for over 200 yards in each of its first four games, Dickinson has been held under that number in its last two, including just 119 vs. Hopkins

Bullets, Red Devils to Square Off in CC Match-up

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Bullets, Red Devils to Square Off in CC Match-up

Complete Game Notes

The Game
After picking up their first road victory of the season and winning their third consecutive game, the Bullets (3-4, 3-2 CC) visit Dickinson College (3-3, 2-2 CC) in another Centennial Conference showdown. The two teams will play for rights to the Little Brown Bucket, which was first presented in 1938 by trustees of the two schools. Gettysburg currently finds itself locked in a three-way tie with Johns Hopkins and Moravian for second place in the conference standings, trailing Muhlenberg for first place by a game and a half.

Game Coverage
Saturday's game will be broadcast by Dickinson's student radio station, WDCV-FM 88.3, at http://alpha.dickinson.edu/storg/wdcv.

Series Notes
Saturday’s game will mark the 74th meeting between the two schools, with Gettysburg holding a 40-31-2 lead in the all-time series that dates back to 1892. The Red Devils have won the last two meetings and 11 of the last 12.

Last Time Out
Senior Nick McConnell rushed for a career-high 149 yards, none bigger than his game-clinching 53-yard touchdown run with 1:48 left, as Gettysburg rallied from a 14-7 fourth-quarter deficit to defeat host Juniata College 24-20 in a Centennial Conference tilt Saturday this past Saturday. The Bullets overcame 11 penalties for 90 yards, and junior quarterback Matt Flynn threw for 165 yards on 11-of-24 passing while rushing for additional 57 yards and one TD. Sophomore wing Charles Curcio caught six passes for a career-high 94 yards. Senior defensive end Josh Jerrold had a big defensive game for the Bullets, blocking a field goal, breaking up two passes, and forcing a fumble on a sack. Junior linebacker Tim Widdoes added nine tackles and had a key fumble recovery late in the game while senior linebacker Dean Staley also made nine tackles. Leading 17-14, the Bullets took over at their own 47-yard line with 2:03 left after the Eagles turned the ball over on downs. Two plays later, McConnell blasted up the middle and outraced several defenders into the end zone as the Bullets pushed their lead to 24-14.

Dickinson is coming off a bye week, but dropped a 36-34 decision at Johns Hopkins on Friday, Oct. 10. The Blue Jays raced out to a 33-0 third-quarter lead before the Red Devils came roaring back with 34 points over the final 17 minutes. Junior quarterback Ian Mitchell led the comeback for Dickinson, throwing four touchdown passes and running for another score. After the Devils scored 28 unanswered points to pull to within 33-28, Alex Lachman kicked a crucial 46-yard field goal for Hopkins with 2:59 left. Mitchell proceeded to drive his team 70 yards on seven plays, culminating in a 58-yard touchdown pass to Pat O’Connor, but a two-point conversion pass failed and the Blue Jays recovered the ensuing onside kick. Mitchell finished with 323 yards and four touchdowns on 18-of-40 passing while O’Connor caught 12 passes for 248 yards and three TDs. He also returned six kickoffs for 137 yards and amassed a school-record 396 all-purpose yards.

150 and Counting
With his team’s victory over Juniata this past Saturday, Gettysburg head coach Barry Streeter picked up his 150th career victory. Streeter, who becomes the 32nd Division III football coach to reach the plateau, currently ranks 11th among active Division III coaches in victories. The following are Streeter’s milestone wins:

1. Sept. 16, 1978 - 17-16 at Lebanon Valley
25. Oct. 9, 1982 - 17-10 vs. Widener
50. Oct. 12, 1985 - 23-2 at Merchant Marine
75. Sept. 16, 1989 - 62-20 vs. Western Maryland
100. Nov. 12, 1994 - 52-20 vs. Franklin & Marshall
105. Oct. 21, 1995 - 28-16 vs. Muhlenberg*
125. Sept. 28, 2002 - 45-10 vs. Averett
150. Oct. 18, 2008 - 24-20 at Juniata

* Set school record with 105th coaching victory

Streeter, now in his 30th season at Gettysburg, is the program’s all-time wins leader, owning a career record of 150-146-5. He also holds the Centennial Conference record for coaching victories with a career mark of 83-83-3.

Comeback Kids
The Bullets used their second fourth-quarter comeback in as many weeks to pick up their third straight victory last week. Gettysburg trailed 14-7 against Juniata with less than eight minutes left before reeling off 17 unanswered points. The week before, the Bullets trailed Moravian 38-34 at the start of the fourth quarter before pulling away with a 14-0 run.

Record Setter
Junior quarterback Matt Flynn set or tied a pair of school records against Moravian on Oct. 11. He surpassed the former all-purpose yards record of 5,205 held by All-America tailback Paul Smith ’00, and he also tied the Gettysburg record for career touchdown passes with his 33rd scoring strike, tying the mark set by Dennis Flaherty ’01. Flynn can break Flaherty’s TD record with his next touchdown pass, and he can also break Flaherty’s career passing yardage school record of 5,136 with 287 more yards.

Hitting the Century Mark
Senior kicker Josh Huson booted his 100th career extra point in Gettysburg’s win over Moravian on Oct. 11, becoming just the second player in school history to reach the milestone. Huson, who now has 108 PATs, trails only Jim Flynn ’86, who kicked 124 from 1982-85.

Last Season’s Game
Dickinson scored 28 unanswered points in the second half to break open a close game and come away with a 42-28 Centennial Conference victory over host Gettysburg. Quarterback Ian Mitchell led Dickinson with 98 yards rushing and two touchdowns while completing 11 of 18 passes for 113 yards and an additional touchdown. Tailback Tom Sturges ’08 rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries to lead Gettysburg. The first half lived up to its billing as a marquee match-up between two of the top teams in the Centennial, with the Red Devils using a late touchdown drive to assume a 14-10 halftime advantage. Josh Huson drilled a 35-yard field with 11:24 left in the third quarter to pull the Bullets to within one before a pair of special teams plays sparked Dickinson’s run. Ryan Heinig got things going for the Devils, blocking a punt at around the 20-yard line. The ball dribbled just in front of the end zone, where Michael Dalton scooped it up and fell past the goal line for the touchdown, making it 21-13 with 7:29 on the third-quarter clock. Dickinson then forced Gettysburg to go three-and-out, and Chris McInerney returned a punt 51 yards for a touchdown with 5:53 left in the quarter as Dickinson assumed a 28-13 lead. Dickinson added another touchdown in the fourth quarter before the Bullets shortened the gap with a pair of late TDs.

Scouting Gettysburg
The Bullets enter Saturday’s game ranked among the Centennial Conference and Division III leaders in numerous offensive categories. They lead the conference in total offense (451.6), passing offense (263.0), first downs (155), and rushing touchdowns (18). The Bullets also rank second in the conference in scoring offense (31.6 ppg) and fourth in rushing offense (188.6). They are 13th nationally in total offense, 32nd in passing offense, 46th in scoring offense, and 48th in rushing offense. Junior quarterback Matt Flynn, who ranks 17th nationally in total offense (282.1) has thrown for 1,769 yards, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions while rushing for additional 206 yards and three TDs. Three different receivers have caught over 20 passes in junior wing Ricky Manigat (29 receptions, 329 yards, 1 TD), sophomore wing Charles Curcio (25 receptions, 325 yards, 3 TDs), and sophomore receiver Gavin Jablonski (22 receptions, 367 yards). Sophomore receiver Brian Betley has added 16 catches for 287 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Sophomore Jamel Mutunga and senior Nick McConnell have led a running game that is averaging 188.6 yards per game. Mutunga has run for 460 yards and five touchdowns while McConnell has added 389 yards and six TDs. Defensively, the Bullets rank third in the Centennial Conference in sacks (15), with senior defensive end Josh Jerrold leading the way. Jerrold has racked up a conference-leading 7.5 sacks, a mark that ranks 19th in Division III, and has made 9.5 tackles for loss, and he also leads the league with four forced fumbles. Senior linebacker Terence Hartigan is tops on the team in tackles (56) while senior linebacker Dean Staley and freshman safety Joe Delaney have contributed 50 tackles apiece. Sophomore defensive lineman Vincent Ferrante has made 3.5 sacks, and senior defensive end Conor Quinn has been responsible for 6.5 tackles for loss. The team’s primary return specialist, Curcio is averaging 157.1 all-purpose yards per game. He leads the team in scoring with seven touchdowns and ranks third in the Centennial Conference with his 24.7-yard kick-return average.

Scouting Dickinson
The Red Devils are looking to stay perfect at home after winning their first three games at Biddle Field this season. On the road, Dickinson is 0-3. The team is led by junior quarterback Ian Mitchell, who ranks second behind Gettysburg’s Matt Flynn for the conference lead in total offense, averaging 248.2 yards per game. Mitchell has passed for 1,134 yards and eight touchdowns while throwing six interceptions, and he has rushed for 355 yards and three TDs. Junior receiver Pat O’Connor is averaging a conference-best 7.0 receptions per game and has totaled 578 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 35 catches. He is also the team’s primary return specialist and ranks third in the conference in all-purpose yards (164.2 ypg). The Red Devils rank third in the Centennial Conference in rushing offense (211.3 ypg), with sophomore tailback Greg Lord rushing for 468 yards and nine touchdowns. Defensively, senior linebacker Ben Hargrave leads the Centennial Conference in tackles (70) while 6.5 of senior defensive tackle Tredell Johns’ 35 tackles have been for loss. Johns leads the team with 3.5 sacks, and junior cornerback Matt Destefano has made a Centennial-leading seven pass breakups.

Dickinson is coached by Darwin Breaux, who is 99-61-1 in his 16th season with the Red Devils. He is the program’s all-time winningest coach and has guided the Devils into post-season play five times, leading the team to the 2007 ECAC Southeast Championship and the NCAA playoffs in 2006.

Dickinson Week!

It's time to start the previews for this Saturday's "Little Brown Bucket" game at Dickinson.

For starters here's the Dickinson College season preview as published in D3Football.com's Kick-off Edition:

Dickinson Red Devils

Last playoff appearance: 2006
Last year: 9-2, 6-2 CC
Last conference title: 2006
2007 NCAA ranking, total offense: 116
2007 NCAA ranking, total defense: 108
Wins increase from 06-07: Plus-1
Preseason ranking: 52 of 239
Players who started camp: 90
Head coach: Darwin Breaux, 16th year, 96-58-1
Starters returning: 11 (six offense, four defense, one specialists)

Position battle to watch: Along the offensive line. The Red Devils return three starters, but among the losses is first-team All-Conference pick Erik Frain. Center should be safe with Andrew Ciukurescu, and Andrew Abbate and Eric Angerstein are the other returners. Besides finding two new starters, Breaux also hopes to sort out the second team, building depth there.

Pressure is on: The new linebackers. Dickinson lost two of its three starters, making senior Ben Hargrave the lone returner. The key loss is Eric Dube, a two-time Centennial Defensive Player of the Year. In 2007, Dickinson ranked second in the conference run defense. Breaux is waiting to see what shakes out from camp, as the Red Devils began later than most other conference teams.

Where did he come from? Backup running back Tim Wells came through for the Red Devils in their ECAC win over Waynesburg, scoring two touchdowns, including the only one in overtime. Wells is expected to return, as is Tim Smith, the top running back in 2007.

Their season will be defined by: The first conference game against Franklin and Marshall, in a culmination of history. As usual, the teams will battle for the Conestoga Wagon, which goes to the winner in the rivalry. But more is at stake than a trophy: The game will be played on Friday night, the first night game in Dickinson's history. It will also be the 100th game against the Diplomats and the 1,000th game in school history.

Predicted record: 6-4, 5-3

Capsule: Dickinson was a solid pick to finish second behind Muhlenberg in the preseason coaches' poll. Besides filling a few holes and building depth up front, it's important to find a new starter at cornerback. That may help the Red Devils improve their pass defense as a whole, which ranked last in the conference in 2007. The run defense, however, was solid; though Dickinson's defense will have a different look without Dube, who was the first player in seven seasons to win back-to-back player of the year awards.

Centennial Conference News

Congratulations to Nick McConnell and Tim Widdoes on being named to the Conference Honor Roll for their contributions to Saturday's win over Juniata!

You can read this as well as a preview to this week's game at Dickinson in this week's Centennial Conference Weekly Release.

Sunday News from Around the Web

Recaps of Saturday's win from around the Web...

First from the Juniata College Website:

Juniata football comeback falls short of the mark in 24-20 loss to Gettysburg
(Posted on October 18, 2008)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- A furious fourth-quarter Juniata College rally came up just shy of the goal as Gettysburg College escaped Knox Stadium with a 24-20 win over the Eagles, in Centennial Conference football action on Saturday afternoon in Huntingdon, Pa.

Trailing 24-14 in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, senior quarterback Jay Leonard (Newville, Pa./Big Spring) engineered a seven-play, 59-yard scoring drive that was capped by a one-yard touchdown rush that cut the Gettysburg lead to 24-20 with 1:08 remaining in the fourth quarter. The drive began with 10-yard and nine-yard completions to senior receiver Chad Steiner (Frederick, Md./Frederick), and was aided by Leonard's 15-yard rush that put the ball on the Bullet one-yard line and set-up the score.

However Juniata's extra-point attempt was blocked and the ensuing on-side kick attempt was smothered by Gettysburg's Brian Betley, allowing the Bullets to take a knee three times and end the game.

Gettysburg College took its first lead of the game through a 17-point rally of its own in the fourth quarter, erasing a seven-point Juniata lead heading into the final frame. The Juniata defense had kept a high scoring Gettysburg offense in check most of the game, holding the Bullets scoreless in the first half for just the third time this season. Gettysburg accumulated 431 yards of total offense, however 187 yards of that was in the final quarter.

Offensively, Juniata (1-6, 1-4 Centennial) tallied 230 yards of offense, led by Leonard's 19-of-39 passing for 157 yards with two touchdowns. Junior wideout Matt Dunker (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) was Leonard's top target, hauling in six catches for 57 yards with one TD. Fullback Ryan Blanchette (Westminster, Md./Francis Scott Key), who had five receptions all season heading into the game, doubled his total for the season with five catches for 38 yards.

Sophomore tailback Kyle McKechnie (Shillington, Pa./Gov. Mifflin) led the Juniata ground game with 16 carries for 36 yards, while Leonard added another 28 yards rushing.

Neither team was able to take advantage of its first quarter scoring opportunities. Juniata had a 35-yard field goal attempt by Tyler Thomas (Coalport, Pa./Glendale) blocked at the line by Bullet lineman Josh Jerrold at the 7:27 mark of the quarter, while Gettysburg's 30-yard attempt by Josh Huson sailed right of the right upright with 1:10 left in the opening frame.

Juniata broke the deadlock with 5:49 remaining in the second quarter, when Leonard hooked up with Lance Curry for a one-yard touchdown pass. The score capped a seven-play, 67-yard drive that lasted 7:43 - Junaita's most time-consuming scoring drive yet this season. A five-yard rush by McKechnie on fourth-and-one at the Gettysburg 43 kept the drive moving, and a defensive pass interference call on Steiner's attempted touchdown catch in the endzone put the Eagles on the Bullet one-yard line with first-and-goal.

Gettysburg drove to the Juniata three-yard line on its subsequent possession, but a holding call on the Bullets brought the ball back out to the 13-yard line. The Eagle defense held the Bullets to a net gain of two yards, forcing Gettysburg to settle for a 28-yard field goal attempt - which was blocked at the middle of the Juniata line.

The Bullets finally got on the scoreboard at the 10:25 mark of the third quarter, on Nick McConnell's one-yard TD rush to cap a seven-play, 75-yard drive. The drive was aided by a Juniata pass interference penalty in the endzone, which set up Gettysburg with a first-and-10 on the Eagle 15-yard line.

Juniata took advantage of a short field opportunity later in the third quarter, when the Eagles pinned Gettysburg inside its own five-yard line and forced the Bullets to punt. The Eagles regained possession at the Gettysburg 32, and ended the drive nearly three-and-a-half minutes later when Leonard hit Dunker for a two-yard touchdown pass. The score put the Eagles in front 14-7, with 3:26 left in the frame.

Gettysburg fumbled the ensuing kickoff at the Juniata 44-yard line, with Andy Miller (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) coming up with the ball to return possession to the Eagles. The Juniata drive reached the Gettysburg 31-yard line when a holding call on the Eagles forced the Blue and Gold back to the Bullets' 41-yard line with a second-and-21. Juniata was eventually forced to punt on the first play of the fourth quarter, but still held a 14-7 lead.

The Bullets eventually knotted the game at 14-14 with 7:55 to play in the game, when Matt Flynn scored on a third-and-goal from the Juniata one-yard line after Nick McConnell's two previous rushing attempts had failed to break the plane.

Brandon Spayd (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon) fumbled the ensuing return at the Juniata 30, and eight plays later the Bullets took a 17-14 lead on Huson's 21-yard field goal.

Juniata's next drive began with an 11-yard Leonard-to-Dunker pass play, but stalled following McKechnie's four-yard rush and a pair of incomplete pass attempts to Curry and Dunker. Gettysburg regained possession on downs at its own 47-yard line, and on the second play from scrimmage scored on McConnell's 53-yard touchdown run that widened the Bullet lead to 24-14 with 1:48 on the clock.

A 26-yard return by Spayd allowed Juniata to start at its own 41-yard line, setting the stage for the Eagles' comeback attempt.

Defensively, Juniata was let by Tyler Hall (Alexandria, Pa./Juniata Valley) and Josh Roy (Fredericksburg, Pa./Northern Lebanon) with 11 tackles each. Hall recorded 2.5 tackles for loss for eight yards, while had one TFL for two yards. Defensive lineman Matt Walton (West Chester, Pa./Downingtown) had 10 tackles with one sack for five yards.

Juniata remains at home next Saturday, when it hosts Moravian College at 1:00 p.m. at Knox Stadium.

From the Altoona Mirror:

Bullets score 17 in 4th for win
POSTED: October 19, 2008

By Jeff Gill, sports@altoonamirror.com

HUNTINGDON - For three quarters, it looked as if Juniata College was going to hang a loss on the Bullets of Gettysburg College Saturday at Knox Stadium.

However, the Bullets scored 17 straight points in the fourth quarter to erase a 14-7 deficit en route to a 24-20 victory.

The Eagles' defense was in the spotlight in the first half, holding the Bullets scoreless.

On the Bullets' opening drive, running back Jamel Mutunga's pass was intercepted by Andy Miller at the Juniata 35. Miller returned the interception back to the Gettysburg 33. However, the Eagles' offense was unable to capitalize on the turnover, turning the ball over on downs.

Juniata looked as if it was going to score first when Tyler Thomas attempted a 35-yard field goal, but the Bullets' Josh Jerrold blocked it. The Bullets later attempted a 30-yard field goal by Josh Huson, but his kick sailed wide right.

After the teams exchanged punts, the Eagles finally scored. Starting from their 33, the Eagles used 7:43 off the clock for the touchdown. Quarterback Jay Leonard connected with Lance Curry on a 1-yard scoring toss with 5:49 left in the half for what turned turned out to be a 7-0 halftime lead.

"I think we played good on offense," Juniata coach Darrell Alt said. "I think when you play a great team like Gettysburg, you have to play four quarters, and unfortunately we did not do that."

The Bullets tied the score at 7 on their opening possession of the third quarter. Gettysburg traveled 75 yards in seven plays, scoring on a Nick McConnell 1-yard run with 10:25 left in the quarter.

The Eagles' next score came when Leonard connected with Matt Dunker on a 2-yard scoring strike to retake the lead with 3:26 left in the third period. Juniata needed just seven plays and 3:21 off the clock to take a 14-7 lead.

The Bullets, however, proved to be too strong for most of the final quarter, scoring three times. The first score came when quarterback Matt Flynn lunged into the end zone from 1 yard out with 7:55 left in the contest to tie it at 14-all.

On the kickoff, Juniata's Brandon Spayd fumbled and the Bullets got the ball back. Gettysburg used a 21-yard field goal from Huson to take a 17-14 lead with a little more than 4:32 left in the game. The Eagles went four and out on their next series, and Gettysburg sealed the win when McConnell scored on a 53-yard touchdown run with 1:48 left.

Down 24-14, Leonard scored from 1 yard out with 1:08 to go, and the PAT kick was blocked. Juniata tried an onsides kick but did not recover, setting the final score at 24-20.

"We are a better football team than what our record shows," Alt said.

Juniata hosts Moravian next week.

From the Pittsburgh Tribune:

Gettysburg 24, Juniata 20

Gettysburg's Nick McConnell rushed for a career-high 146 yards, including a game-clinching 53-yard touchdown run with 1:48 remaining, and the Bullets (3-4, 3-2) rallied from a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit and held off host Juniata (1-6, 1-4) in a Centennial Conference game.

McConnell Caps Comeback at Juniata as Streeter Wins 150th

From the Gettysburg College Website:

McConnell Caps Comeback at Juniata as Streeter Wins 150th

Box Score

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Senior Nick McConnell (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) rushed for a career-high 146 yards, none bigger than his game-clinching 53-yard touchdown run with 1:48 left, as Gettysburg rallied from a 14-7 fourth-quarter deficit to defeat host Juniata College 24-20 in a Centennial Conference tilt Saturday afternoon at a chilly Knox Stadium.

With the win, Gettysburg’s third in a row, head coach Barry Streeter picked up his 150th career victory.

The Bullets (3-4, 3-2 CC), who overcame 11 penalties for 90 yards, moved into a tie with Moravian College for second place in the conference standings.

Junior quarterback Matt Flynn (Northfield, N.J./Mainland Regional) threw for 165 yards on 11-of-24 passing while rushing for additional 57 yards and one TD. He continues to share Gettysburg’s career touchdown record pass record of 33 and is now 286 yards shy of the school’s all-time passing yards record of 5,136. Sophomore wing Charles Curcio (Hammonton, N.J./St. Joseph) caught six passes for a career-high 94 yards.

Senior defensive end Josh Jerrold (Yardley, Pa./East Pennsbury) had a big defensive game for the Bullets, blocking a field goal, breaking up two passes, and forcing a fumble on a sack. Junior linebacker Tim Widdoes (Newark, Del./St. Mark’s) added nine tackles and had a key fumble recovery late in the game while senior linebacker Dean Staley (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) also made nine tackles.

Jay Leonard threw for 157 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 19-of-39 and two touchdowns for the Eagles.

Leading 17-14, the Bullets took over at their own 47-yard line with 2:03 left after the Eagles turned the ball over on downs. Two plays later, McConnell blasted up the middle and outraced several defenders into the end zone as the Bullets pushed their lead to 24-14.

Juniata (1-6, 1-4 CC) came back with a seven-play, 59-yard scoring drive, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Leonard with 1:08 showing. But the extra point was blocked by sophomore safety John Dickerson (Northfield, N.J./Mainland Regional), and sophomore Brian Betley (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape) corralled the onside kick, allowing the Bullets to run out the rest of the clock.

It was the second straight fourth-quarter comeback for the Bullets, who also rallied from a 38-34 deficit in their 48-41 win over Moravian last week.

McConnell recorded his first collegiate 100-yard rushing game. His career-high coming into the game was 73 yards.

Juniata threatened on its first two drives of the game after receiving excellent field position on both possessions, but Jerrold single-handedly snuffed out both threats. After the Eagles Andy Miller returned an interception 32 yards to the Gettysburg-33, the Eagles went four-and-out, with Jerrold batting down a pass at the line of scrimmage to give his team the ball on downs.

After the Bullets went three-and-out on their second drive, Brandon Spayd returned a punt 32 yards to the Gettysburg-33. But the drive stalled at the Bullet-17, and Jerrold came through again, getting a hand on a 34-yard field goal midway through the opening quarter.

Gettysburg’s offense found some life on its third drive, moving 67 yards to the Juniata-13. But a 30-yard field goal attempt by senior Josh Huson (McLean, Va./McLean) sailed wide left.

The two teams then traded punts before the Eagles put together a 15-play, 67-yard drive. Juniata converted two third downs and one fourth down along the way before receiving a first-and-goal at the Bullet-2 following a pass interference penalty in the end zone. After Leonard was stopped on consecutive quarterback keepers, he found a wide-open Lance Curry in the middle of the end zone for a 1-yard TD pass, giving the Eagles a 7-0 lead with 5:49 to go in the opening half.

The Bullets started their final two drives of the half with favorable field position, but failed to score on both occasions. After a short kickoff and a 16-yard return from McConnell, a five-yard Juniata offsides penalty put Gettysburg at its own 49. Five plays later, Flynn burst own the left side of the field for a 24-yard, first-down run on a third-and-22, putting the Bullets at the Juniata-6. Sophomore Jamel Mutunga (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air) sprinted just inside the right pylon on the next play, but a holding penalty erased the TD, and four plays later Huson had his 28-yard field goal blocked with 2:03 on the clock.

The Gettysburg defense dug in once again, forcing a three-and-out and receiving the ball at the Eagle-18 after a shanked punt. But after a pair of short runs sandwiched around a 7-yard pass, the Bullets went for it on fourth-and-4, and Flynn’s pass over the middle was broken up. Juniata then took a knee to run off the final 29 seconds of the half.

In the second half, the Bullets finally finished off a drive, going 75 yards on seven plays before scoring on a McConnell 1-yard touchdown plunge. A 22-yard run by Curcio gave Gettysburg the ball at midfield, and a 23-yard pass from Flynn to sophomore Gavin Jablonski (Allenwood, N.J./Wall) moved the Bullets to the Eagle-25. Two plays later, Juniata was called for pass interference in the end zone, and Gettysburg received the ball at the 15-yard line. Flynn then rushed for 14 yards to within inches of the goal line before McConnell’s score with 10:25 left in the third quarter. Huson’s extra point made it a 7-7 game.

The teams exchanged punts before the Eagles went back in front following a short drive. After receiving the ball on a punt at the Gettysburg-32, Juniata needed just seven plays to find the end zone, with Leonard hitting Matt Dunker for a 2-yard touchdown pass, putting Juniata on top 14-7 with 3:26 left in the third quarter.

Gettysburg gave Juniata the ball right back on the first play of the ensuing drive, as junior wing Michael McInerney (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./St. Joseph Regional) had the ball stripped at the end of a 10-yard run, and the Eagles fell on it at the Juniata-46. However, the Eagles were unable to capitalize, as the Bullets forced a punt on the first play of the fourth quarter.

The Bullets tied it up midway through the fourth quarter, when Flynn scored on a 1-yard quarterback keeper with 7:55 left. After Gettysburg forced a second straight Juniata punt, McConnell broke off a 31-yard run to give his team a first down at the Eagle-11, and Flynn scored five plays later on a third-and-goal.

On the ensuing kickoff, Juniata’s Brandon Spayd dropped the ball at the Eagle-30, where Widdoes fell on it to come up with his career fumble recovery. After driving 25 yards on eight plays, the Bullets took the lead for good when Huson drilled through a 21-yard field goal with 4:32 remaining, putting Gettysburg up 17-14.

Juniata turned the ball over on downs on its next possession before McConnell’s big run.

Gettysburg out-gained the Eagles 431-230 for the game and held the Eagles to 73 yards rushing on 33 carries.

The Bullets return to action next Saturday, when they visit Dickinson College in another Centennial Conference match-up starting at 1 p.m.

Happy Friday!

Thought I'd share a few links of interest on this beautiful Friday afternoon!

First, check out Juniata College's Coach Alt's weekly Podcast for his thoughts on Saturday's game.

Then be sure to check out The Centennial Conference's Friday Tailgate, where you can read about this weekend's games, including the following:

Gettysburg at Juniata
Radio: WKVR-FM 92.3.
Live Stats: Yes.

The Bullets and the Eagles meet for the 23rd time in a series that began in 1923. Gettysburg is 10th in the nation in total offense (455.0) behind high-flying QB Matt Flynn. He tied the school career mark for TD passes (33) and shattered the G-burg record for total offense (5,363) last week. Flyn is 14th in DIII in total offense (292.17). Charles Curcio amassed 295 all-purpose yards against Moravian, including a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Juniata's "Black Flag" defense is allowing just 293.83 yards per game. KR Brandon Spayd accounted for the Eagles' lone points vs. Muhlenberg with a 90-yard kickoff return. He is 17th nationally with a 28.11 average. Gettysburg head coach Barry Streeter can win his 150th career game today. He has a 149-146-5 career record.

As well as the following from The Harrisburg Patriot-News:

GETTYSBURG AT JUNIATA:
After losing their first four games, the Bullets (2-4, 2-2) will attempt to win their third straight game with a Saturday visit to Juniata (1-5, 1-3) for a 1 p.m. game. Gettysburg junior quarterback Matt Flynn totaled 326 offensive yards in last weekend's 48-41 Centennial Conference win over Moravian. That gave him a school record of 5,363 career total yards, which he picked up in coach Barry Streeter's 300th game. Flynn also tied the career touchdown record of 33 when he had two of them against Moravian. Despite throwing for 1,002 yards this season for Juniata, senior quarterback Jay Leonard (Big Spring) has just one TD pass and has been intercepted seven times.

Finally, I want to thank my son Nick for sending me the link to the following story. How many of our son's also love football enough to lose a finger so they don't lose out on their final collegiate games!

Enjoy this story by Rick Reilly from the ESPN Website:

Pastore Named NFF Draddy Award/Scholar-Athlete Semifinalist

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Pastore Named NFF Draddy Award/Scholar-Athlete Semifinalist

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Senior defensive lineman Anthony Pastore (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) of the Gettysburg College football team has been named one of 164 semifinalists for The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) 2008 Draddy Trophy and a candidate for the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards.

The Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, recognizes an individual as the best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance, and exemplary community leadership. Nominees hail from all NCAA divisions and the NAIA.

The NFF Awards Committee will select and announce up to 15 finalists on Oct. 29. Each finalist will be recognized as part of the 2008 National Scholar-Athlete Class, receiving an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship. The Drady winner, who will receive a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship, will be announced at the NFF’s Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 9 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.

Pastore, a three-year letterwinner, has been a starter in each of the past four seasons, posting 102 tackles for his career. Last year, he started all 11 games and had 25 tackles while helping the Bullets to a 6-5 record and a berth in the ECAC Southwest Bowl. He posted a career-high 38 tackles to go with 1.5 sacks during his sophomore campaign, and he also recorded 29 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and 3.0 sacks as a freshman.

An economics major with a 3.35 grade-point average, Pastore is a member of the Centennial Conference All-Academic Team, the Dean’s List, as well as the Omicron Delta Epsilon economics honor society. He has been highly involved in community leadership off the field and served as vice president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon last year. A member of the inter-fraternity council, he has led fundraising efforts for the Chris Clifford ’98 Memorial Run/Walk, has organized various holiday food drives for underprivileged families in Adams County, and has helped lead an annual event to benefit the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation. In addition, for the past three years he has worked with the St. John’s Kenyan Children’s Hospital.

Pastore is the second Bullet in as many years to be named a Draddy Trophy semifinalist. Safety Kyle Luciano ’08 was feted with the same honor last season.

Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, semifinalists must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2, have outstanding football ability as a first-team player, and have demonstrated leadership and citizenship.

A complete list of the Draddy semifinalists can be found at http://www.footballfoundation.com/news.php?id=1635.

Bullets to Visit Juniata in CC Affair

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Football to Visit Juniata in CC Affair

Complete Game Notes

The Game
After winning their second straight game last week, the Bullets (2-4, 2-2 CC) will look to break out of a logjam in the middle of the Centennial Conference standings when they visit the Juniata College Eagles (1-5, 1-3 CC) in a CC showdown. Gettysburg, which finds itself locked in a four-way tied for third place in the conference, will be making its first trip to Huntingdon since 1980.

Game Coverage
Saturday's game can be followed through livestats at http://www.juniata.edu/athletics/livestats/xlive.htm.

Series Notes
Gettysburg and Juniata are facing off for the 23rd time, with the Bullets holding a 14-8 series lead. Prior to the Eagles joining the Centennial Conference in football last season, the two teams had not met since 1980, when Gettysburg prevailed 42-35 at Juniata. The Bullets won last season’s game and have not lost to the the Eagles since their 28-14 setback at Gettysburg in 1979.

Last Time Out
Junior quarterback Matt Flynn threw for 275 yards and one touchdown and rushed for another to lead Gettysburg to a 48-41 victory over Moravian College in a Centennial Conference shootout last Saturday at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. Gettysburg racked up over 500 total yards for the second week in a row and the third time this season. The two teams combined for nearly 1,000 total yards, with the Bullets out-gaining Moravian, which entered the game leading the Centennial Conference in scoring defense (11.8 ppg), 527-451. Senior defensive end Matt Lessler broke the game open for the Bullets with 6:30 left, when he recovered a fumble on a sack and returned it 49 yards for a TD. The game featured six lead changes, and neither team led by more than 13 points. Sophomore wing/return specialist Charles Curcio returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and finished with a career-high 295 all-purpose yards. It was a game full of big plays, as Moravian’s Ryan Rempe also had an 82-yard kickoff return in the third quarter. In addition, Greyhound tailback Tyler McCambridge rushed for a 79-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Senior linebacker Terence Hartigan finished with 13 tackles for the Bullets while senior defensive end Conor Quinn had one sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. The Bullets made the most of Moravian’s three fumbles, scoring directly or indirectly on all three.

Juniata suffered a 38-7 decision at the hands of sixth-ranked and undefeated Muhlenberg College in Centennial Conference action last Saturday in Allentown. The Mules finished with 440 yards of offense against Juniata, who entered the game with the Centennial’s third-ranked defense. Mule quarterback Eric Santagato was 19-of-21 passing for 262 yards, while running back John DeLuca led the ground game with 116 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. Juniata’s Brandon Spayd made it a 17-7 game at the break when he returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown midway through the second quarter, but the Mules blanked the Eagles 21-0 the rest of the way. Quarterback Jay Leonard finished with 119 yards on 10-of-23 passing for Juniata while linebacker Josh Roy paced the defense with 14 tackles.

Closing in on 150
Gettysburg head coach Barry Streeter, who coached his 300th game against Moravian last week, can pick up his 150th career victory with a win at Juniata. Entering the season, only 28 Division III coaches had ever reached the milestone. Streeter currently ranks 11th among active Division III coaches in victories. The following are Streeter’s milestone victories:

1. Sept. 16, 1978 - 17-16 at Lebanon Valley
25. Oct. 9, 1982 - 17-10 vs. Widener
50. Oct. 12, 1985 - 23-2 at Merchant Marine
75. Sept. 16, 1989 - 62-20 vs. Western Maryland
100. Nov. 12, 1994 - 52-20 vs. Franklin & Marshall
105. Oct. 21, 1995 - 28-16 vs. Muhlenberg*
125. Sept. 28, 2002 - 45-10 vs. Averett

* Set school record with 105th coaching victory

Streeter, now in his 30th season at Gettysburg, is the program’s all-time wins leader, owning a career record of 149-146-5. He also holds the Centennial Conference record for coaching victories with a career mark of 82-83-3.

Record Setter
Junior quarterback Matt Flynn set or tied a pair of school records against Moravian last week. Flynn, who finished the game with 326 yards of total offense to surpass the former record of 5,205 held by All-America tailback Paul Smith ’00, now has 5,363 total yards for his career. He also tied the Gettysburg record for career touchdown passes with his 33rd TD pass, tying the mark set by Dennis Flaherty ’01.

Hitting the Century Mark
Senior kicker Josh Huson booted his 100th career extra point in Gettysburg’s win over Moravian on Saturday, becoming just the second player in school history to reach the milestone. Huson trails only Jim Flynn ’86, who kicked 124 from 1982-85.

Sack Attack
The Bullets seven sacks against Ursinus marked the team’s highest output in six years. Gettysburg had not reached the quarterback with such frequency since Sept. 28, 2002, when it racked up eight sacks in a 45-10 win over Averett.

Last Season’s Game
Tom Sturges '08 rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries, leading the Bullets to a 42-21 Homecoming victory over Juniata. Charles Curcio also turned in a spectacular all-around game for the Bullets, accumulating 184 all-purpose yards while scoring a pair of touchdowns. He returned seven punts for 126 yards, including a 56-yard return for a touchdown, and rushed for 58 yards an additional score. Matt Flynn threw for 104 yards and one touchdown on 5-of-10 passing for the Bullets, and he rushed for 62 yards on five carries. Matt Welsh ’08 caught all but one of Flynn’s passes for 76 yards and a TD . Juniata was paced by Jay Leonard, who threw for 246 yards and a touchdown on 19-of-34 passing. Derek Kramer rushed for 63 yards on 13 carries while Kyle McKechnie ran for a pair of touchdowns for the Eagles.

Scouting Gettysburg
The high-powered Gettysburg offense was in high gear once again last week, scoring 48 points and racking 527 yards of offense. The Bullets have climbed up to 10th in Division III in total offense, averaging 455.0 yards per game, and are 22nd in passing offense (279.3 ypg). They lead the Centennial Conference total offense, passing offense (279.3 ypg), first downs (135), and rushing touchdowns (10) and are second in scoring offense (32.8 ppg). Junior quarterback Matt Flynn has passed for 1,604 yards and nine touchdowns and has rushed for an additional 149 yards and a pair of TDs. He ranks 14th in Division III in total offense (292.2 ypg) and leads the Centennial Conference in both total offense and passing (267.3 ypg). Junior wing Ricky Manigat leads the receiving corps with 28 receptions for 324 yards while sophomore receiver Gavin Jablonski (20 receptions, 337 yards), sophomore wing Charles Curcio (19 catches, 230 yards, three TDs), and sophomore receiver Brian Betley (15 receptions, 284 yards, 2 TDs) have also enjoyed productive seasons. Sophomore Jamel Mutunga and senior Nick McConnell have teamed up at tailback to give the team a combined 115.2 yards rushing per game, with Mutunga (75.2 ypg) rushing for five touchdown and McConnell (40.0 ypg) scoring four times. Curcio has added three rushing TDs and is averaging 6.0 yards per carry. Defensively, the Bullets are tied for the conference lead with 14 sacks. Senior defensive end Josh Jerrold leads the way with 6.5 sacks - a mark that leads the conference and is tied for 18th among the Division III leaders. Jerrold also leads the team with 8.5 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles. Sophomore defensive tackle Vincent Ferrante has added 3.5 sacks while senior linebacker Terence Hartigan leads the Bullets with 50 tackles. Curcio has accumulated 162.0 all-purpose yards per game, a mark that ranks 29th in Division III.

Scouting Juniata
The Eagles have shown flashes of excellence on defense this season, holding three opponents to 14 points or less. However, Juniata has struggled offensively, scoring no more than 18 points in any game and averaging a conference-low 9.5 points per game. Senior quarterback Jay Leonard has passed for 1,002 yards but has thrown just one touchdown and seven interceptions. Senior receiver Chad Steiner leads the the team with 16 receptions for 285 yards while sophomore tailback Kyle McKechnie has fronted the running game with 180 yards and one touchdown on 68 carries. Juniata’s defense, which has held its opponents to 21.2 points per game, is led by senior linebacker Josh Roy, who has made 56 tackles while freshman defensive tackle Jason Marquis has totaled 5.0 tackles for loss. The Eagles feature one of the top return specialists in the conference in junior Brandon Spayd, who leads the Centennial in kick return average (28.1) and returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown last week against Muhlenberg.

Juniata is coached by Darell Alt, who is 5-41 in his fifth season with the Eagles. Alt is a former Gettysburg assistant after serving as the team’s outside linebacker and special teams coach from 2000-01. He is a 1996 graduate of Frostburg State.

Juniata Week

Let's start the look-ahead to Saturday's game at Juniata. The following was taken from the D3Football.com Kick-off Edition:

Juniata Eagles

Last playoff appearance: 1973
Last year: 1-9, 0-8 CC
Last conference title: 1973
2007 NCAA ranking, total offense: 137
2007 NCAA ranking, total defense: 216
Wins increase from 06-07: Minus-1
Preseason ranking: 212 of 239
Players who started camp: 85
Head coach: Darrell Alt (fifth season, 4-36)
Starters returning: 14 (seven offense, seven defense, zero specialists)

Position battle to watch: The offensive and defensive lines. Alt made the trenches an emphasis during recruiting, and the effort paid off with increased numbers. Among the newcomers is Jason Marquis, who played in preps with Ohio State signee Terrelle Pryor. But Alt also has high expectations for defensive end Dan Kraft.

Pressure is on: T-E-A-M. Unlike many other coaches, Alt took the Centennial Conference preseason poll to heart. The Eagles were picked last in the conference. Now, they'll be looking to prove everyone wrong.

Where did he come from? J.D. Jones is a transfer from Gettysburg, and Alt believes he may fight for time in the linebacking corps. Alt said that Jones is a consummate team player and loves spending time in the weight room.

Their season will be defined by: The second game, a resumption of Juniata's rivalry with Susquehanna. The old MAC rivalry took a year off in 2007 when Juniata began play in the Centennial. They'll be fighting for Goalpost Trophy -- "an ugly, wooden goalpost, but it means a lot to us."

Predicted record: 0-10, 0-8

Capsule: The rebuilding process enters another phase for the Eagles. Alt said they're out to prove the rest of the conference wrong, that Juniata won't have the season that has been predicted for them. Bringing back 14 starters, including senior quarterback Jay Leonard, is a good start. With 547 more passing yards, Leonard will become the leading passer in school history. The offensive linemen were also a strength, though they were sixth in sacks against. Juniata threw more than any other team in the conference and were two sacks from being third in the conference. But the biggest improvement should come on defense, where eight starters return to a unit that was last or next to last in most every defensive category in the conference last year.

Curcio Cops Centennial Conference POW Honors

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Curcio Cops Centennial Conference POW Honors

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Following an outstanding all-around game against Moravian College, sophomore wing/return specialist Charles Curcio (Hammonton, N.J./St. Joseph) of the Gettysburg College football team has been named the Centennial Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time in his career, it was announced Sunday.

Curcio piled up a career-high 191 return yards in the Bullets 48-41 victory over the Greyhounds on Saturday. He started the game in style, taking back the opening kickoff 92 yards for his first collegiate kick return touchdown. Curcio went on to finish with 152 yards on five kick returns and 39 yards on two punt returns. He also rushed for 42 yards and one touchdown on seven carries and had a career-high seven receptions for 62 yards, giving him a career-high 295 all-purpose yards for the day.

For the season, Curcio has averaged a team-leading 162.0 all-purpose yards per game and has scored a Gettysburg-best seven touchdowns.

The Bullets (2-4, 2-2 CC) resume their schedule on Saturday, when they visit Juniata College in a Centennial Conference affair starting at 1 p.m.

Congratulations to Charles, as well as to Matt Flynn and Conor Quinn who were named to the Conference Honor Roll for their contributions to Saturday's win over Moravian.

You can read more about these awards as well as a look-ahed to this Saturday's game at Juniata in this week's Centennial Conference Weekly Release.

Sunday Morning Bullets News

From the Allentown Morning Call:

Bullets win shootout with Greyhounds, 48-41

From Call staff reports
October 12, 2008

Junior quarterback Matt Flynn threw for 275 yards and one touchdown to lead Gettysburg to a 48-41 Centennial Conference victory over Moravian in Centennial Conference on Saturday.

Gettysburg (2-4, 2-2 CC) racked up more than 500 total yards for the second week in a row and the third time this season.

The two teams combined for nearly 1,000 total yards, with the Bullets outgaining Moravian, which entered the game leading the Centennial Conference in scoring defense (11.8 ppg), 527-451.

The game featured six lead changes, and neither team led by more than 13.

Running back Tyler McCambridge (Central Catholic) rushed for 152 yards and one touchdown to lead Moravian (4-2, 2-2 CC).

Moravian quarterback Marc Braxmeier threw for 285 yards and one touchdown. Tyler Williams caught five passes for 129 yards for the Greyhounds.

Entering the afternoon with a conference-best plus-10 turnover ratio, the Greyhounds committed four turnovers, losing all three of their fumbles and throwing one interception. All three of the team's fumbles led to Bullet TDs.

Gettysburg trailed 38-34 heading into the fourth quarter but Nick McConnell scored the Bullets' go-ahead TD when he raced in from 5 yards out with 10:38 left.

Moravian's Brian Reckenbeil, who finished with 11 points and broke a Centennial Conference record for consecutive extra points made (48), made it a one-touchdown game when he kicked a 24-yard field goal with 3:52 remaining. He finished the day 5-for-5 on extra points and 2-for-2 on field goals.


From The Harrisburg Patriot-News:

D-III: GETTYSBURG 48, MORAVIAN 41
Lessler seals Bullets' victory
Sunday, October 12, 2008
From staff reports

GETTYSBURG - Matt Lessler's 49-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown provided the deciding score in Gettysburg's 48-41 win over Moravian in Centennial Conference action Saturday.

After losing its first four games, Gettysburg (2-4, 2-2) rebounded for a second straight Centennial win led by a 275-yard passing performance from junior quarterback Matt Flynn.

Charles Curcio got things started quickly for the Bullets, taking the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. Flynn followed four minutes later, at 10:47, by running in a second score.

From there, Moravian scored the next three touchdowns, but Gettysburg grabbed a 34-24 lead by getting scoring runs from Jamel Matunga and Curcio before the half.

Moravian came back to grab a 38-34 lead through three quarters, but a 5-yard touchdown run from Nick McConnell (Cedar Crest) and Lessler's score provided the winning margin.

Just found this on the Hanover Evening Sun Website:

Bullets' Lessler returns fumble for touchdown in Gettysburg win
By CHUCK CURLEY Evening Sun Sports Editor
Article Launched: 10/11/2008 11:30:30 PM EDT

After the teams piled up 978 yards of offense from scrimmage and another 316 yards in kickoff returns, there was only one way to describe how Saturday's football game at Gettysburg College turned out.

"It's a little surreal."

That came from Gettysburg senior defensive end Matt Lessler, who found himself on the scoring end of the game's definitive play.

His 49-yard return of a fumble by Moravian quarterback Marc Braxmeier for a touchdown provided the insurance in Gettysburg's 48-41 triumph.

When Lessler exited the locker room after the game, fans and well-wishers gave him the biggest ovation - and for good reason.

Until then, Moravian had been nearly able to match the Bullets (2-4, 2-1 Centennial Conference) point for point.

However, Moravian was trailing 41-38 and had third down from Gettysburg's 32-yard line with less than seven minutes remaining.

Braxmeier retreated to pass, hesitated and was hit by the Bullets' Anthony Pastore.
The ball popped free.

"One of the guys had him all wrapped up and it just fell into my lap," Lessler, a Centerreach, N.Y., resident, said. "I was just in the right spot."

Lessler caught the ball out of the air and then outraced a stunned Moravian offense to the end zone for his first career touchdown at any level.

And it brought a big sigh of relief from Gettysburg head coach Barry Streeter, who said, "We had to get some stops and we got some stops, whether it was by turnover ... Lessler's play was huge."

It was a heartbreaker for Moravian (4-2, 2-2) coach Scott Dapp, who said Braxmeier paid dearly for his hesitation.

"It was a bad decision on the quarterback when some receivers were open," Dapp said. "I don't know what he was thinking. ... That's a game-breaker right there."

That big play was just one of many, starting with a 92-yard return of the opening kickoff for a touchdown by the Bullets' Charles Curcio. By the time the fourth period began, the lead had swapped five times.

En route, Curcio added a second touchdown, Josh Huson kicked his 100th career extra point and Gettysburg quarterback Matt Flynn had tied Dennis Flaherty's school record with his 33rd career touchdown pass. Moravian's Ryan Rempe countered with two touchdowns of his own, including an 82-yard kickoff return.

However, early in the fourth period, Gettysburg drove 61 yards and Nick McConnell, who paced Gettysburg's rushers with 69 yards, finished with a 5-yard touchdown run.

With Huson's kick, Gettysburg took a 41-38 lead, which Lessler then expanded with his play. Moravian answered with a field goal with 3:52 left, but Gettysburg recovered the onsides kick and ran out the clock on its second win in a row.

"We're just going to take Juniata next and focus on that," Streeter said. "Our kids are going to do a lot better if we don't put a lot of pressure on them to do anything other than to play hard for this game we've got coming up."

Contact Chuck Curley at ccurley@eveningsun.com

Bullets Put on Offensive Showcase, Beats Moravian 48-41

From the Gettysburg College Website:

Football Puts on Offensive Showcase, Beats Moravian 48-41

Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Junior quarterback Matt Flynn (Northfield, N.J./Mainland Regional) threw for 275 yards and one touchdown, rushed for another, and set or tied two school records to lead Gettysburg to a 48-41 victory over Moravian College in Centennial Conference shootout Saturday afternoon at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium.

Gettysburg (2-4, 2-2 CC), which evened its conference record with its second straight win, racked up over 500 total yards for the second week in a row and the third time this season. The two teams combined for nearly 1,000 total yards, with the Bullets out-gaining Moravian, which entered the game leading the Centennial Conference in scoring defense (11.8 ppg), 527-451.

The game featured six lead changes, and neither team led by more than 13 points. With his 2-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end A.J. Perrotti (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) early in the second quarter, Flynn tied Gettysburg’s career touchdown pass record of 33 held by Dennis Flaherty ’01. He also surpassed the school record for career total offense, passing the former mark of 5,205 held by Paul Smith ’00. Flynn finished the day with 326 total yards, giving him 5,363 for his career.

Running back Tyler McCambridge rushed for 152 yards and one touchdown to lead Moravian (4-2, 2-2 CC), which lost its second straight after starting the season 4-0.

Sophomore wing/return specialist Charles Curcio (Hammonton, N.J./St. Joseph) racked up a career-high 295 all-purpose yards for Gettysburg while Moravian quarterback Marc Braxmeier threw for 285 yards and one touchdown. Tyler Williams caught five passes for 129 yards for Moravian while Curcio hauled in seven balls for 62 yards for Gettysburg.

Four different Bullets rushed for a touchdown. Along with Flynn, senior tailback Nick McConnell (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest), sophomore tailback Jamel Mutunga (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air), and Curcio all scored on the ground.

Senior kicker Josh Huson (McLean, Va./McLean) also reached a milestone for the Bullets, booting his 100th career extra point with his first of his six PATs on the afternoon. Huson is second on the school’s career point-after list, trailing only Jim Flynn ’86, who kicked 135 from 1982-85.

Entering the afternoon with a conference-best +10 turnover ratio, the Greyhounds committed four turnovers, losing all three of their fumbles and throwing one interception. All three of the team’s fumbles led to a Bullet touchdown.

Gettysburg, which entered the game ranked 15th in Division III in total offense, trailed 38-34 heading into the fourth quarter but McConnell, who finished with 69 yards rushing on just 10 carries, scored the Bullets go-ahead touchdown when he raced in for a 5 yards out with 10:38 left. The play was set up by a key fourth-and-6 conversion in which Flynn hit junior wing Ricky Manigat (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) for a 10-yard gain. Gettysburg finished 3-for-3 on fourth-down conversions.

Senior defensive end Matt Lessler (Centereach, N.Y./Centereach) gave the Bullets a 10-point cushion with 6:30 left when he returned a fumble recovery on a sack 49 yards for a touchdown. Senior defensive tackle Anthony Pastore (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) knocked the ball loose as Braxmeier brought his arm back to pass before Lessler tracked down the pigskin around midfield and sprinted untouched down the right side of the field.

Brian Reckenbeil, who finished with 11 points and broke a Centennial Conference record for consecutive extra points made (48), made it a one-touchdown game when he kicked a 24-yard field goal with 3:52 remaining. He finished the day 5-for-5 on extra points and 2-for-2 on field goals. But the Greyhounds were unable to recover an onside kick and the Bullets ran out the rest of the clock.

Both teams returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the first half. Curcio took back the opening kickoff 92 yards for Gettysburg, evading several blockers early before racing down the right sideline untouched. It was the first kick return TD by a Bullet since Nathan Smith’s 95-yarder against McDaniel on Oct. 8, 2005.

After Flynn ran in for a 5-yard score on the Bullets next drive, the Greyhounds came back with 17 unanswered points, and took a 17-13 lead when Reckenbeil kicked a 38-yard field goal early in the second quarter. Then after Flynn’s record-tying pass, Ryan Rempe broke free for an 82-yard kickoff return to put Moravian up 24-20 with 10:41 left in the third quarter.

Moravian lost the ball on a fumble on its final two drives of the opening half and the Bullets converted twice to take a 34-24 halftime lead. With 4:05 left, senior defensive end Conor Quinn (Rockville, Md./Richard Montgomery) fell on a ball that slipped out of the hands of fullback Morgan deRouen at the Moravian-18. Three plays later, Mutunga bulled his way up the middle on third-and-1 for a 9-yard touchdown.

On the Greyhounds second play of the ensuing drive, Quinn came up big again, forcing a McCambridge fumble that was recovered by sophomore defensive tackle Sebastian Sullivan (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) at the Moravian-40. Curcio then scored for the second time, taking a pitch left, stopping to let a defender go by, and tip-toeing down the sideline for a 6-yard TD run with 1:01 on the clock.

Senior linebacker Dean Staley (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) came up with his first career interception just before the end of the half, tipping a ball to himself at midfield. The Bullets nearly added to their lead just before the end of the break, as Flynn’s Hail Mary into the end zone was tipped into the hands of sophomore receiver Brian Betley (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape). But a holding penalty brought the play back, and Flynn was intercepted at the Moravian-1 on the final play of the half.

Gettysburg’s 21 points marked the teams highest output in any quarter this season, and their 34 first-half points were the most by the Bullets in a half this year.

The ’Hounds scored the first 14 points of the second half to take a 38-34 lead. Moravian’s second touchdown of the period was set up by an interception from safety Carl Robinson, whose 21-yard return put his team at the Gettysburg-47. Four plays later, Braxmeier hit tight end Brian Dencker for a 35-yard touchdown pass to put the Greyhounds up by four with 4:12 left in the third quarter.

Following Gettysburg’s two late scores, Moravian drove to the Bullet-9. But after a 2-yard run and two incomplete passes, the Greyhounds elected for a field goal, and they never saw the ball again.

Senior linebacker Terrence Hartigan (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) made a career-high 13 tackles for the Bullets while junior linebacker Tim Widdoes (Newark, Del./St. Mark’s) had eight hits. Kevin McGorry and Daniel Burley made 11 hits tackles apiece for Moravian.

Gettysburg opens a three-game, four-week road trip next Saturday, when it visits Juniata College in a Centennial Conference tilt starting at 1 p.m.

Friday Previews

A couple previews from around the web on this beautiful Fall Friday!

First, go to the Moravian College Website for their preview of Saturday's game.

Next, the following was taken from The Harrisburg Patriot-News Website:

MORAVIAN AT GETTYSBURG:
It will be a team coming off its first win of the season going against a team coming off its first loss in Saturday's 1 p.m. Centennial Conference game at Shirk Field, Musselman Stadium. Junior quarterback Matt Flynn was named Centennial Player of the Week after passing for a career-high 399 yards for Gettysburg (1-4, 1-2) in a 38-7 win over Ursinus last weekend. Meanwhile, Moravian (4-1, 2-1) suffered a 16-7 Centennial loss at Dickinson. The Bullets hold a 5-1 career advantage in the series.

The Centennial Conference Friday Tailgate includes a preview of Saturday's game as well...

Go Bullets!

Bullets to Host Moravian in Centennial Match-up

The following preview is taken from the Gettysburg College Website:

Gridders to Host Moravian in Centennial Match-up

Complete Game Notes

THE GAME
Coming off their first win of the season, the Bullets (1-4, 1-2 CC) will look to make it two in a row as they host Moravian (4-1, 2-1 CC) in a Centennial Conference showdown on Saturday at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m.

GAME COVERAGE
A live audio/video webcast of Saturday’s game is available on a pay-per-view basis at http://www.gettysburgsports.com/member/bridge.asp?url=/member/aa_signup.aspx, with Josh Scheinblum ’11 calling the action and Curtis Lafferty ’11 providing color commentary.

SERIES NOTES
Gettysburg and Moravian have met only six times, with the Bullets holding a 5-1 lead. Prior to last season, when the Greyhounds joined the Centennial Conference for football, the two teams had not faced off since 1982. Moravian won in the two teams first meeting in 1978, but Gettysburg has won the last five.

LAST TIME OUT
Junior Matt Flynn threw for a career-high 399 yards – five shy of the school record – and three touchdowns on 16-of-23 passing while the Bullet defense rolled up seven sacks as Gettysburg cruised to a 38-7 Centennial Conference victory over Ursinus College last Saturday. Flynn, who threw a 63-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end David Rodriguez on Gettysburg’s first play from scrimmage, came up just short of the single-game school record of 404 yards set by Hunter McMillan ’08 against Hampden-Sydney in 2005. The Bullets racked up a season-high 539 yards of total offense, their highest output since putting up 557 in McMillan’s school-record performance. Gettysburg, which never trailed and scored 31 unanswered points after the Bears tied it up in the first quarter, held Ursinus to 229 yards. Leading the defensive effort was senior defensive end Josh Jerrold, who had 2.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and five tackles. Sophomore defensive end Vincent Ferrante also had 2.5 sacks for the Bullets, who had made just four sacks over their first four games. Sophomore receiver Gavin Jablonski finished with six receptions for 120 yards while Rodriguez had two catches for 124 yards. Junior wing Ricky Manigat added three receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown while sophomore wing Charles Curcio accumulated 159 all-purpose yards.

Moravian suffered its first loss of the season last week, dropping a 16-7 decision at Dickinson College. The Greyhounds, who entered the game with a conference-leading 262.8 rushing yards per game, were held to 106 yards on the ground and 173 total yards. After a scoreless first quarter, tight end Brian Dencker put the ’Hounds up 7-0 when he grabbed an 11-yard touchdown pass from Marc Braxmeier, but Moravian was blanked the rest of the way. Dickinson’s Ian Mitchell hit Pat O’Conner for a 22-yard touchdown pass to make it a 7-7 game at the half, then put the Red Devils in front to stay with another 22-yard strike to O’Conner midway through the third quarter. Dencker finished with five receptions for 48 yards while tailback Tyler deRouen rushed 13 times for 55 yards. Tailback Tyler McCambridge added 45 yards on 14 carries for the ’Hounds while linebacker Andrew Morrissey led the defense with 12 tackles.

WITH HONORS
Following his outstanding performance against Ursinus, junior quarterback Matt Flynn (Northfield, N.J./Mainland Regional) captured Gettysburg’s first player of the week selection this season when he was named the Centennial Conference Offensive POW, marking the third such honor of his career. His three touchdown passes against the Bears hiked his career total to 32, just one shy of the school record set by Dennis Flaherty ’01 from 1997-2000.

SACK ATTACK
The Bullets seven sacks against Ursinus marked the team’s highest output in six years. Gettysburg had not reached the quarterback with such frequency since Sept. 28, 2002, when it racked up eight sacks in a 45-10 win over Averett.

LAST SEASON’S GAME
Gettysburg jumped out to a 24-0 halftime lead behind 118 yards and three touchdowns from tailback Tom Sturges ’08, but the Greyhounds came roaring back in the second half with 20 points to cut the margin to just one touchdown. The Bullet defense held its ground, however, stopping the potential game-tying drive with just over a minute remaining in the game to pick up a 27-20 victory in Bethlehem. The win gave Gettysburg head coach Barry Streeter his 78th career Centennial Conference victory, making him the all-time winningest coach in conference history. Sturges finished the day with 168 yards on 35 carries as Gettysburg tallied 222 total yards on the rushing attack. Wing Charles Curcio put together a productive all-around day, totaling 167 all-purpose yards, including 126 on four kickoff returns. After receiving the ball at its own 8-yard line with 3:07 left, the Greyhounds drove to the Gettysburg-46. But after a short rush and a sack, Moravian threw a pair of incomplete passes and the Bullets ran out the rest of the clock. Marc Braxmeier threw for 229 yards for the Greyhounds while Shawn Sylvainus caught seven passes for 85 yards. Fullback Morgan deRouen rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown on just 10 carries, and linebacker Andrew Morrissey led the team with 10 tackles. Linebackers Tim Widdoes and Harold Barton ’08 made 10 stops apiece for the Bullets while defensive end Conor Quinn made 2.5 of Gettysburg’s five sacks.

RULE CHANGES
The NCAA has instituted two clock rule changes this year. The play clock will now start at 40 seconds from the moment the previous play is blown dead; however, a 25-second clock will be used if play is stopped for an administrative purpose, such as after a timeout or at the start of a quarter. Also changing is the start of the game clock after out-of-bounds plays - the game clock will now start when the ball is marked ready for play, not when it’s snapped (except in the final two minutes of play). Other rule changes this season include banning horsecollar tackles, the elimination of the five-yard facemask penalty, and the elimination of the sideline warning (it’s now a five-yard penalty with no warning). Finally, the penalty for a kick-off out of bounds has been changed to give the receiving team the ball 30 yards from the spot of the kick-off.

SCOUTING GETTYSBURG
The Bullets have continued to thrive offensively, scoring 37 points or more for the third time in five games last week. The team now leads the conference in both total offense (440.6 ypg) and passing offense (279.6) and ranks 15th and 21st, respectively, among the Division III leaders in the same categories. Flynn has racked up 1,329 yards and eight touchdowns while completing 60.7% of his passes. He leads the conference in both passing and total offense (285.4 ypg) and ranks 21st nationally in total offense. His favorite target has been junior wing Ricky Manigat who has caught 25 passes for 291 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Jamel Mutunga leads the rushing atack, piling up 392 yards and averaging 4.7 yards per carry while scoring four touchdowns. Sophomore wing/return specialist Charles Curcio has enjoyed a fine all-around season and has averaged 135.4 all-purpose yards per game and leads the Bullets with five touchdowns (three receiving, two rushing). Defensively, senior defensive end Josh Jerrold has posted some impressive numbers, making a conference-leading 6.5 sacks and recording all three of his forced fumbles last week. He is now tied for ninth nationally in sacks per game (1.30). Freshman safety Joe Delaney leads the team with 40 tackles while senior linebacker Terence Hartigan has made 37 stops.

HEAD OF THE CLASS
With his 27-20 win over Moravian last season, Gettysburg head coach Barry Streeter picked up his 78th Centennial Conference victory, making him the all-time winningest coach in conference history. He passed former Franklin & Marshall coach Tom Gilburg, who won 77 games from 1983-2002. Streeter has gone 81-83-3 in Centennial play since the inception of the conference in 1983.

MORE ON STREETER
Streeter is also 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 a 1995 to take over the career wins lead. Now in his 30th season as head coach, he has a 148-146-5 (.503) career record.

SCOUTING MORAVIAN
Moravian has made its mark as a stingy defensive team this season and has yet to allow more than 16 points in a game. The Greyhounds lead the Centennial Conference in scoring defense (11.8 ppg) and are fourth in total defense (276.6 ypg). Senior linebackers Andrew Morrissey and Kevin McGorry lead the team in tackles with 44 apiece while senior defensive end Douglas Bocchino is tops among the ’Hounds with 5.5 sacks. Moravian has won the turnover battle more often than not this season and lead the conference with its +10 turnover ratio, making a league-best 17 takeaways. The two-pronged attack of senior tailbacks Tyler McCambridge and Tyler deRouen have helped the ’Hounds lead the conference in rushing, with the team averaging 231.4 yards per game. McCambridge, who also returns kickoffs and is averaging 155.8 all-purpose yards per game, has rushed for 454 yards and (5.7 per carry) while deRouen has put up 423 yards (4.8 per carry). Senior quarterback Marc Braxmeier has attempted only 89 passes but has thrown five touchdowns and just one interception while junior tight end Brian Dencker leads the team with 11 receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown. Senior kicker Brian Reckenbeil has recorded an outstanding season, nailing 14-of-14 extra points and 6-of-8 field goals, including a school-record 47-yarder in the team’s season-opener against Susquehanna. He also set Moravian records with four field goals and 15 points in the team’s 33-10 victory over Johns Hopkins.

Moravian is coached by Scot Dapp, who is 132-89-1 in his 22nd season with the Greyhounds. He has directed his teams to a pair of NCAA tournament appearances, the 1988 MAC title, and the 1993 Commonwealth Conference championship.