Warren Ruda

Wilkes looks to rebound from a loss against Lycoming last week to move to .500 in MAC play

WILKES FOOTBALL GAME NOTES VS. DELAWARE VALLEY

10/31/2012 1:50:00 PM

(Complete Game Notes)

WILKES FOOTBALL GAME NOTES VS. DELAWARE VALLEY

Wilkes Colonels (4-4, 3-4 MAC) vs. Delaware Valley Aggies (6-2, 6-1 MAC)
Saturday, November 3, 2012 - 1:00 p.m.
James Work Memorial Stadium

Live Stats

Live Audio (play-by-play: Trevor Turner, Anthony Dorunda)

THE MATCHUP
The Wilkes University football team is on the road for the last time this season when the Colonels travel to Delaware Valley College on Saturday for a Middle Atlantic Conference matchup at 1:00 p.m. Delaware Valley is coming off a 31-10 victory at LVC last week.

EVENTS FOR A CAUSE
There will be a number of events before and at halftime of the contest with the entire game sponsored by Team Capital Bank. Delaware Valley's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is sponsoring a Toys-for-Tots Drive and asking all fans to donate a toy or toys in the collection boxes around the stadium.

THE HEAD COACHES
Colonels coach Frank Sheptock (Bloomsburg '85) enters his 17th year on the Wilkes sideline, racking up a 102-74 (.579) record. With the 102 victories, Sheptock is the all-time winningest coach in school history, passing Colonel legend Rollie Schmidt's (1962-1981) 90 wins two seasons ago. Sheptock has led the Colonels to two NCAA and seven 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 128 All-MAC performers.

Aggies head mentor Jim Clements (Widener '96) enters his seventh season at the helm of the Delaware Valley football program. The three-time reigning Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Coach of the Year, Clements has posted a 51-17 record with four conference championships, one Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) South Atlantic Bowl title and three trips to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs in his six years as head coach. He was promoted to head coach prior to the 2006 season after serving as the team's assistant head coach/defensive coordinator for two years. He led Delaware Valley to an 8-3 overall record, including a 7-2 mark in the MAC during his rookie campaign. Last year, Clements and his squad made it four MAC titles in a row as the team finished with a 10-0 overall record.

THE SERIES
This will mark the 49th meeting between the two schools as Wilkes holds a 30-18 advantage in the series. The Colonels are 11-6 against the Aggies under Sheptock. Delaware Valley took a 14-6 decision over Wilkes in Edwardsville, Pa. last season.

UP NEXT
The Colonels conclude their regular season slate hosting cross-town rival King's College in the battle for the annual Mayor's Cup at 12:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium.

HITTING 100
Frank Sheptock recorded his 100th career victory when the Colonels defeated FDUFlorham 37-27 in week four.

THE RALSTON ATHLETIC COMPLEX'S NEW LOOK
The Ralston Athletic Complex is currently in Phase III of a $3 million renovation, which has seen a new synthetic turf along with lights and a state-of-the-art press box added to Schmidt Stadium. A new bleacher system and comfort facilities will complete the project.

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

ON TOP OF THE RECORD BOOK
Going into today's game against Delaware Valley, Sheptock's 102 wins stands as the school's all-time leader. Sheptock's 102 career wins has been built up over 17 seasons of work and includes a program-record 11 wins in 2006. In 176 career games, Sheptock has a winning percentage of .579.

THE COLONEL QBs
The Colonels have used their junior duo at quarterback for a majority of the season thus far with Tyler Berntsen (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) receiving the past three starts including against Lycoming last Saturday. Berntsen went 2-for-16 for 27 yards while rushing 17 times for a team-high 66 yards. For the season, Berntsen has thrown for 689 yards on 49-for-97 passing and four touchdowns. Alex George (York, PA/West York), who started most of the first half of the season, posts totals of 62-for-112 passing for 655 yards and two touchdowns. He has rushed for 214 yards on 48 carries through seven games. Both QBs will look to put pressure on a Delaware Valley pass defense that ranks first in the MAC in yards allowed per-game (121.2).

THE COLONEL RBs
After the injuries to starter Auxence Wogou (Hackettstown, NJ/Hackettstown) earlier this season, Wilkes has relied on its stable of backs to account for positive yards on the ground. Patrick Ingulli (Hawley, PA/Wallenpaupack) leads the list rushing for 449 yards on 93 carries and five touchdowns. Calvin Garvin (Philadelphia, PA/Roman Catholic) follows with 237 yards and three scores on 44 attempts. Andrew Regan (Boonton, NJ/Boonton), who has missed the last two games with an injury, posts 176 yards on 45 carries and one touchdown. PJ Incremona (Wood Ridge, NJ/Wood Ridge) is also back from injury accounting for 28 yards on one touchdown on 15 carries. Wilkes ranks second in the MAC in rushing averaging 245.6 yards per-game on the ground (15 TDs).

THE COLONEL WR/TEs
The Colonel wide receivers have been a key to the Wilkes offense scoring points this season opening up the run game with some big-yardage plays. Tight ends Drew Devitt (Sinking Spring, PA/Wilson) (15 receptions/165 yards/2 TD) and Dan Curry (13 receptions/180 yards/1 TD) have been excellent in short yardage situations and play-action pass, while speedsters Jonathon Conklin (12 receptions/193 yards/1 TD), Payton Bachman (Orefield, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) (14 catches/140 yards), and Justin Pellowski (Mt. Carmel, PA/Mt. Carmel) (11 catches/170 yards/2 TD) will look to stretch the Aggies pass coverage with deep patterns. Tim Bousson (Shamokin, PA/Shamokin) has come on strong lately averaging 20.8 yards per-game catching the football.

THE COLONEL OL
The offensive line continues to pave the way for the MAC's second-best rushing attack led by its tackles junior Anthony Swain (Hunlock Creek, PA/Northwest Area) and senior Chris Grube (Orwigsburg, PA/Nativity). Both Swain and Grube provide leadership on the edge and will continue to provide Colonel quarterbacks time to throw in the pocket (have allowed 13 sacks in eight games). Seniors Dave Cinalli (Miami, FL/Archbishop Coleman Carrol) and Joshua Haag (Center Valley, PA/Becca), and junior center Jake Jardel (Cresco, PA/East Stroudsburg) complete the line totaling over 47 starts between the three since last season.

THE COLONEL DL
The defensive line has been nothing short of dominant thus far this season posting 11 sacks and 34 tackles-for-loss as a unit. All-MAC defensive end junior Rob Houseknecht (South Williamsport, PA/South Williamsport) had his season cut short due to a knee injury in the loss against Albright in week three. Sophomore Tyler Thomas (Easton, PA/Easton) has stepped up to provide all the pressure needed on the quarterback posting season totals of 26 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss and two sacks. Freshman Jason Ugwu (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley), who has started in the place of the injured Houseknecht, has been a monster on the edge recording a team-best five sacks (4th in the MAC) and 12 tackles-for-loss (4th in the MAC) this season. Seniors Ryan Deeney (Milford, DE/Milford) and David White line up in the middle against the run. Deeney (17) and White (25) combined for 42 stops and two sacks through eight games played.

THE COLONEL LBs
All-MAC performer Tate Moore-Jacobs (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) continues to lead the Wilkes defense standing second in the MAC with 84 tackles (10.3 tackles per-game). His 11.0 tackles-for-loss ranks fifth in the MAC as the junior recorded his 300th career tackle against LVC two weeks ago. Junior DJ Shuttleworth (Leesport, PA/Schuylkill Valley) has been excellent in run and pass defense posting 55 tackles and one interception on the year. Freshman Ty Cunningham (Orefield, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) continues to make a big impact in his rookie year posting 30 tackles and three tackles-for-loss from his outside linebacker position. The Wilkes linebackers figure to have a busy day against Delaware Valley as the Aggies like to mix the ground game (267.4 ypg) and aerial attack (222.6 ypg) on offense.

THE COLONEL DBs
The Wilkes defensive backline is allowing 233.8 yards per-game through the first eight games of the season. Wilkes allowed just 86 yards through the air at Morrisville limiting Mustang quarterbacks to 11 completions, but struggled against an experienced quarterback-receiver combo against Albright (319 yards), at Widener (467 yards), Lycoming (239), and against FDU (337 yards). Rookie corner Marcus Leaf (Reading, PA/Berks Catholic) has seen significant playing time earning seven starts totaling 29 tackles and five pass break-ups, while fellow corner sophomore Matt Briskie (Moosic, PA/Riverside) posts 17 tackles and four pass deflections.

At safety, sophomore Jake Sarson (Belvidere, NJ/Belvidere) suffered a season-ending knee injury against FDU-Florham and has been replaced by J.T Keer (21 tackles), while junior Paul Gaffney (Sparta, NJ/Sparta) adds 46 stops and a team-high two interceptions.

THE COLONEL SPECIALISTS
After a career-day in the opening season win against Morrisville (3-for-3 FG's including game-winner with 1:25 left), junior Jordan Fredo (Williamsport, PA/Williamsport Area) remains the MAC's top kicker going 6-for-10 (60.0 percent) from 20 yards or better. He earned MAC Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season after kicking home a 20-yard game-winner with eleven seconds left at Stevenson. Freshman Frank Bobo (Southampton, NJ/Seneca) has taken over kickoff duties posting a 53.2 yard average per-kick in 26 attempts.

SCOUTING THE AGGIES
Delaware Valley is led offensively by quarterback Aaron Wilmer who has thrown for 1,731 yards on 129-for-203 passing and 14 touchdowns. On the ground, Kyle Schuberth has rushed for 706 yards and 13 scores on 136 carries. Defensively, Delaware Valley boasts one of the best units in the MAC allowing just 11.9 ppg. John Robinson leads the group with 50 tackles and three interceptions. Dwayne Shaw tops the front line with 44 tackles, 10.5 tackles-for-loss, and 4.5 sacks.

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