Complete Game Notes (PDF)

Wilkes (2-2, 1-0) at Lebanon Valley (1-3, 0-1)
Saturday, October 9, 2010 / 1:00 p.m.
Arnold Field / Annville, PA

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LEBANON VALLEY: Schedule / Roster / Statistics / Game Notes

THE MATCHUP
Wilkes University hits the road for the second time this season as it continues its conference schedule in Annville against Lebanon Valley College.

Last week the Colonels rallied from 11 points down in the 4th quarter for a 38-35 win over Albright College on Homecoming. Jr. RB Zach Tivald (Edison, NJ/Edison) ran for a game-high 102 yards and a score while So. QB Tyler Berntsen (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) had 92 yards on the ground with 2 TDs. Lebanon Valley is coming off of a 38-6 defeat at the hands of No. 13 Delaware Valley. The Dutchmen were held to 140 yards and 13 first downs.

THE HEAD COACHES
Colonels coach Frank Sheptock (Bloomsburg '85) is in his 15th year on the Wilkes sideline, racking up an 90-62 (.592) record. The 90 wins are tied with Rollie Schmidt (1962-81) for most all-time in school history. Sheptock has led the Colonels to two NCAA and six ECAC playoff berths during his tenure, along with a MAC championship (2006). Wilkes made the NCAA playoffs in 2005 and 2006, going 19-4 overall, including a 42-0 win over Washington & Lee in the first round of the 2006 playoffs. Since 1996, Sheptock has coached 12 All-Americans and 117 All-MAC performers.

Jim Monos (Shippensburg '72) is currently in his 18th year, and second stint, as the head coach of the Dutchmen. With a career record of 73-95-2 heading into 2010, Monos guided the Dutchmen to one of the best seasons in program history last year, going 9-2 and making it to the ECAC playoffs.

THE SERIES
The Colonels own a 20-16 all-time record in the series with Lebanon Valley. Amazingly, after splitting the first two meetings in 1953 and 1954, both teams held winning streaks in the series of no less than five games, with the exception of Lebanon Valley's current two straight wins in 2008 and 2009. (The two schools did not meet in 1961-1962, 1973-1984, 1995-1996 and 1998-1999).
1955-64: Leb Val 8 wins  1988-92: Leb Val 5 wins
1965-87: Wilkes 8 wins  1993-07: Wilkes 11 wins 

UP NEXT
The Colonels return home as they host No. 12 Delaware Valley at the Ralston Athletic Complex. The Aggies have won the last two meetings between the schools.

REACHING FOR THE TOP SPOT
After last Saturday's victory over Albright, Sheptock is now tied with Rollie Schmidt for the most wins in school history with 90. Sheptock's victories have been built up over 14-plus seasons of work and includes a program-record 11 wins in 2006. In 152 career games, Sheptock has a winning percentage of .592.

CLIMBING THE RECORD BOOKS
With 6 catches last week against Albright, Sr. WR Jordan D'Emilio (Stowe/Saint Pius X) climbed into the Wilkes top 10 in career receptions. Currently tied for 10th with 99, he needs 8 more to reach Jim Farrell's (1985-89) mark of 107. D'Emilio came into the season with 80 catches and has recorded 19 receptions for 201 yards and a TD so far this season.

NEAR THE TOP OF THE MAC
D'Emilio's 19 receptions this season are 2nd in the MAC, one behind Delaware Valley's Dan Heiland, and is averaging 4.8 catches per game. Last season D'Emilio totaled 55 catches, averaging 5.0 per game, good enough for fifth place in the MAC.

IT'S TIVALD TIME
Jr. RB Zach Tivald (Edison, NJ/Edison) leads the Colonels in both rushing yards (314) and all-purpose yards (370) so far in 2010. He had his first 100-yard game of the season against Albright, gaining 102 on 17 carries, and converted a key third-down reception on a 4th quarter drive that tied the game.

Tivald is the 5th leading rusher in the MAC, getting 78.5 yards per game, and is averaging 5.1 yards per rush.

HE THROWS, HE RUNS
So. QB Tyler Berntsen (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) has put up 564 total yards (390 pass, 174 rush) in 2010 while throwing and running for 3 TDs apiece. Against Albright, Berntsen completed 17-29 passes for 194 yards while running 18 times for 92 yards and 2 TDs.

Berntsen finished the Waynesburg game 11-16 (68.8%) with a 198.4 pass efficiency and no interceptions and has six runs of 10+ yards this season, including a 28-yarder on Saturday against Albright.

LEADERS ON THE LINE
Sr. RG Joe Lemoncelli (Clarks Summit/Lakeland) and Jr. C Ben Webb (Shohola, PA/Delaware Valley) have combined for 46 career starts in a Colonels uniform, as Webb has started every game since he's come on campus. They helped pave the way for 566 rushing yards, including 226 in the win over Albright.

THE BIG PLAY
The Colonels have come up with multiple big plays so far this season, with 19 runs of 10+ yards and and eight passes of 20+ yards. Berntsen has been a part of 13 such big plays, with eight rushes and five passes, two of which went for TDs. Jr. WR Todd Eagles (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown East) has been on the receiving end of two big passing plays, a 34-yard TD against Waynesburg and a 35-yard TD against Springfield.

GETTING HIS TOUCHES
Fr. RB Auxence Wogou (Hackettstown, NJ/Hackettstown) has contibuted to the offense in his first year on campus. Through four games, Wogou has carried 11 times for 69 yards, a 6.3 average, and a TD. He saw increased playing time against Albright and posted 26 yards on four carries, including a 21-yard score. He also has two kickoff returns for 19 yards.

MULTI-PURPOSE THREATS
Jr. QB Marc Persing (Coal Township/Shamonkin) has alternated at quarterback with Berntsen this season, but against Springfield he added punting to his resume, twice pinning the Pride inside their own 10, including once at the four yard line. As a QB, Persing is 11-25 for 151 yards and a touchdown.

Fr. QB Alex George (York, PA/West York), the third-stringer, has also seen time in two different positions this year. George took snaps in the 4th quarter against Springfield, completing a pass for 7 yards, and rushed once for 8 yards. Against Utica, he debuted on the punt return team, blocking a punt in the 4th quarter. He's also seen time on the kick return team, returning a squib kick for 2 yards.

THE CENTURY MARK
Sr. DT Chris Swinarski (Old Bridge/Old Bridge) went over 100 tackles in his c areer with 5 last Saturday against Albright. He's also piled up 19.5 sacks and 16.5 TFL in his three-plus years in a Wilkes uniform.

One of four captains for the Colonels, he leads the push on the defensive line with 4.5 TFL, which is tied for the team lead. The senior is also 6th on the team in tackles this season with 25 and had a career-high 14 tackles, 8 solo, from his defensive tackle position against Springfield.

ANCHORS OF THE LINE
Along with Swinarski, Jr. DT Jimmy Moore and Jr. NG Harry Reese (Plymouth, PA/Wyoming Valley West) have caused havoc upfront. Combined, the three have 53 tackles and 7.0 TFL this season, adding a forced fumble and a pass defensed.

Reese, starting in his first game on the defensive side in the opener after playing in the offensive backfield last year, has recorded at least 6 tackles in his three games played this season, including 7 in each of the first two. Moore has totaled 58 tackles for his career, with 40 coming last year, and has 11.5 career TFL.

TOP FRESHMAN
Fr. LB Tate Moore-Jacobs (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) has been very impressive in his first year, ranking 7th in DIII with 14.75 tackles per game (59 total). He's recorded at least 13 tackles in each of Wilkes first four games, including 16 against Albright.

In his first career game against Waynesburg, Moore-Jacobs led all tacklers with 13 stops and
had 1.0 TFL in the Colonels 38-35 victory.

TACKLE MACHINES
In addition to Moore-Jacobs, Sr. LB Ryan Clifford (Raritan, NJ/Bridgewater) has racked up 29 tackles in 2010, tied for third on the team, getting 9 in each of the Colonels first three games. Clifford is also tied for the team lead with 4.5 TFL and has added a sack.

Last season, Clifford finished fourth on the team with 60 tackles, adding 4.0 TFL. He posted 7 tackles in a game four times, including each of his last three, where he combined for 33 tackles, 18 of them solo.

Jr. LB Walt Pabst (Scranton/Scranton) has also added to the tackle numbers for the Colonels, as he is tied with Clifford with 29 taclkes this season. He had a career-high 11 against Springfield, and had 37 with 2.0 TFL in 2009.

ADDING DEPTH
Not to be outdone are Fr. LBs Tom Calabrese (Belvidere, NJ/Belvidere) and Rob Houseknecht (South Williamsport, PA/South Williamsport). They have combined for four starts this season, as Houseknecht has filled in for Calabrese in each of the last two. They've each been all over the field for the Colonels, combining for 29 tackles, 4.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks. They've also each picked off a pass, adding to their all-around abilities.

THE BALL HAWKS
Sr. SS Kevin Gerhart (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin) and Sr. FS Greg Nielsen (Wharton, NJ/Roxbury) both find themselves around the ball on a frequent basis. Gerhart, named MAC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Albright, is second on the team with 46 tackles so far this year, including a career-high 16 against Utica.

Against Albright, Gerhart recorded 9 tackles, but made his biggest contribution when he picked off a pass with 35 seconds remaining that led to the game-winning field goal.

Nielsen has also flashed his big play potential this year, picking off two passes and recovering two fumbles. He's added 25 tackles this season, including a career-high 9 against Springfield. His most important play came against Waynesburg when he picked off a pass with 43 seconds left to seal the win for Wilkes.

TRIPLE DUTY
Jr. Chris Horn (New Tripoli/Northwestern Lehigh) has handled field goal and extra point attempts, kickoff chores and the punting this season for the Colonels. Horn has been nearly perfect in the early-going, connecting on 5-6 field goals - with a long of 39 - and 10-10 extra points through the first four games. He was clutch in the win over Albright, kicking the game-winning 30-yard field goal with 10 seconds left. Horn leads the Colonels in scoring with 25 points.

In his first year as the full-time punter, Horn has averaged 34.8 yards on his 20 punts, putting four inside the 20 and posting two 50+ yarders. He's also flashed his strong leg during kickoffs, forcing opponents to receive them on their own 8-yard line on average.

POSITIVE RETURNS
So. WR David Kratzer (Flanders, NJ/Pope John) made his debut as the Colonels kick returner against Albright, making an immediate impact with four returns for 77 yards, including a long of 34 yards.

Fr. RB Calvin Garvin (Philadelphia, PA/Roman Catholic) and Fr. WR Parrish Fells (York/Central York) have also seen time returning kicks this season, flashing their speed in their first year on campus. Garvin has returned 9 kickoffs for 153 yards, a 17.0 average, while Fells is averaging 18.2 yards on 4 returns, with a long of 27.

THE NEW LOOK RALSTON ATHLETIC COMPLEX
The Ralston Athletic Complex is currently in Phase I of a $3 million renovation, which has seen a new synthetic turf along with lights added to the stadium. New fencing, a temporary visitor's press box and comfort facilities, as well as an upgraded public address system are additional features of this part of the project.

In addition to the Colonels football team, Wilkes men's and women's soccer along with field hockey will play on the new turf in the fall, while the lacrosse team will use the new field in the spring.

SCOUTING THE DUTCHMEN
Lebanon Valley is led on offense by Jr. TB Ben Guiles, who is 3rd in the MAC with 97.5 rushing yards per game. He is averaging 5.3 yards per carry and has scored 5 TDs on the ground this season. He'll be spelled by Sr. TB Blair Ransom, who averages 40.2 yards per game. Sr. QB Caleb Fick has been the main guy taking the snaps for the Dutchmen, completing 27-63 passes for 393 yards, a TD and 2 picks. He's also shown the ability to get it done on the ground, running for 47 yards and a score. His main target will be Sr. WR Tim Picerno, who's caught 9 passes for 138 yards.

Defensively the Dutchmen are led by Jr. DE Cory Homer, who leads the team with 35 tackles, adding 4.5 TFL and 2 sacks. Sr. DE Zach Bleiler and Sr. OLB Alex Gilchrist have been playing in the opposing team's backfield, as they've combined for 14.5 TFL and 7 sacks this season. Bleiler has also blocked two kicks on the year. Sr. SS Dane Eichelberger anchors the back end of the defense, posting 22 tackles and 2 interceptions.

Sr. K Brittany Ryan handles the extra point duties, connecting on 7-9 for the year, while Fr. Sean Fakete has missed his only field goal attempt. Sr. SS Nic Shirey handles the return duties for the Dutchmen, returning 8 kickoffs for 180 yards and 7 punts for 78 yards this season.