Presidents' Athletic Conference
2004 PAC Football Preview
Bethany Bison (1-9 overall, 0-5 PAC
in 2003)
The Bethany Bison football program begins a new era in 2004 as Steven
Lee takes over as head football coach. Lee, who was hired in May,
will also serve as Bethany’s Director of Athletics. In addition to
Lee, the vast majority of the football coaching staff is composed of new
faces. The only returning coach from last year will be graduate assistant
Ryan Lieb, who will coach the defensive backs. Lee’s son, Mark,
who will coach the quarterbacks and wide receivers, was also brought in,
while Charlie Giangrosso, a former head coach at Thiel, will serve
as defensive coordinator.
The Bison lost five All-PAC performers from last season’s team due to graduation,
including first team DB Ryan Nohe. Second teamers LB Steve Ochap,
DB Nick Lion, DL Mike Mills and TE Pat Crossey are also
gone, as well as WR Chad Eimer and PK Paul Barsotti, who were
honorable mention selections.
Those who are returning in 2004 include DL Mark Brown, OL Chris
Betts, WR Zack Merz (left photo) and LB’s Tim Goetz
and Mike Skrinjar, who were all PAC Honorable Mention picks in 2003.
In total, Bethany returns 10 starters, including six on offense and four
on defense.
Offensive Preview
Quarterbacks: Brian Wineberg, who started six games and played
in all 10 last season, returns as the most tested quarterback on the squad.
With no other experienced quarterback on the roster, the Bison will be counting
on Wineberg to have a solid senior season. As a junior, Wineberg led
the Bison with 1,391 yards passing and six touchdowns. He was also
second on the team with 206 rushing yards, along with a score. Sophomore
Ronnel Heard and senior Nazih Bannah will also push for time.
Running Backs: Junior Mike Doyle, a bruising fullback who led
the Bison in rushing last season with 297 yards, returns to lead this unit.
Doyle served as the starting fullback for the Bison and carried the ball
91 times, which were the second-most rushes on the team behind QB Wineberg.
Junior Mike Yandrick, who recorded the only 100-yard game for the
Bison last season (107 yards vs. Apprentice) should see significant time.
Yandrick played in six games and rushed for 144 yards and a team-high two
touchdowns. Both scores came in the Apprentice game. Freshman
Brett Clough should also see time at running back.
Wide Receivers: Zack Merz, who led the squad in receiving in
each of the last two seasons, will lead the receiving corps, which lost the
services of three-year starter Chad Eimer. Merz hauled in 41
receptions last season for 550 yards and four touchdowns after catching 52
passes for 667 yards and two TD’s in 2002. Joining him will be sophomore
T.J. Parker, who caught 22 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns
in 2003. Both of Parker’s TD receptions came in the season-opener against
Carnegie Mellon. Parker also recorded Bethany season-best totals of
nine receptions for 134 yards against Kenyon. Bannah and sophomore
Mike Cowan will provide depth.
Offensive Line: The Bison return three starters on the offensive line,
including junior Chris Betts (6-0, 265), senior Brian Bianchin
(6-0, 260) and junior Bob Niziol (5-10, 280). Sophomore Paul
Duffy will look to earn significant time, and freshman Matt DiGiacomo
will look to make an immediate impact.
Defensive Preview
Defensive Line: Senior leader Mark Brown returns to anchor
the defensive line for the Bison. Brown, a relentless worker during
the season and in the off-season, is the third-leading returning tackler
for the Bison after recording 52 (19 solo, 33 assists) tackles last season.
Brown also racked up 5.5 sacks and 16 tackles for a loss. Terrence
Copney, who had 26 tackles and three tackles for a loss also returns.
The rest of the line will be composed of inexperienced players, as the Bison
lost veterans Mike Mills and Kevin Crivallaro from last year’s
team. Leading candidates to crack the lineup are sophomore Stefan
Bernacki, junior Donnie Lowe and freshman Mike Yocco.
Linebackers: Four-time All-PAC selection Steve Ochap was lost
to graduation, but the linebackers look to be a strong point for Bethany.
Returning are junior ILB Tim Goetz and OLB Mike Skrinjar.
Goetz ranked third on the team in tackles last season with 79 (33 solo, 46
assists). He also notched six tackles for a loss, forced and recovered
one fumble and broke up two passes. Skrinjar was fifth on the team
with 56 stops (14 solo, 42 assists). He added four tackles for a loss
and forced one fumble. Seniors Joe Slezak (25 tackles in 2003)
and T.J. Chambers will also be key pieces to this unit in 2004.
Defensive Backs: Starter Brad Bengele returns to one cornerback
position, while the departure of three-time All-PAC performer Ryan Nohe
leaves an opening on the other side. Senior Aaron Weathers looks
to fill that void after picking off one pass last season and breaking up
four others. He also recorded 25 tackles (19 solo, six assists).
Bengele picked off one pass last season, had five pass breakups and came
up with 19 tackles (14 solo, five assists). Sophomore Robert Koglin,
junior Dan Scriver and sophomore Rodney Heard will add depth.
Strong safety Nick Lion, a four-year starter for Bethany, led the
team with 88 tackles in 2003 and will be sorely missed. David Wojtanowski,
who also saw significant time at safety, will also have to be replaced.
Looking to fill in are Koglin, sophomore Justin Samol and Rodney
Heard. Koglin notched 31 tackles (10 solo, 21 assists) a year ago,
along with two interceptions, two pass breakups and three tackles for a loss.
Special Teams
Place Kicker: Bethany will enter the 2004 season with a new
place kicker, as senior Paul Barsotti was lost to graduation.
Last season, Barsotti went 5-for-6 in field goals, with a long of 31 yards.
Sophomore Clayton Williams will enter the season as the starter.
Punter: Bethany will also have a new punter with the loss of
Chris Petruska from last year’s team. Sophomore Mike Elias
should be able to fill in as punter without missing a beat.
Grove City Wolverines (5-5 Overall, 2-3
PAC in 2003)
With 16 returning starters, the Grove City Wolverines are in prime position
to contend for their third Presidents' Athletic
Conference championship under head coach Chris Smith as well as a
potential post-season berth in 2004.
The Wolverines closed 2003 with a flurry, winning at Alfred before knocking
off nationally-ranked Kings Point in the season finale. Grove City returns
its top two leading rushers, its top two receivers and top three tacklers
from last year's 5-5 campaign.
OFFENSE
Eight starters return this season, including two split ends and all three
starting running backs. Senior split end Dave DiDonato
(right) emerged as one of the region's top receivers in 2003,
hauling in 52 passes for 719 yards and a school-record 10 touchdowns. He
led the PAC in touchdown catches and ranked second in receptions per game.
On the opposite side, senior split end Bo Danton had 26 catches for
479 yards and four scores in 2003. He led Grove City in yards per catch,
averaging 18.4. Veterans Greg Verch, a three-year letterwinner, and
junior Michael Nelson also return at split end.
All three starting running backs return to the Wolverines' wing-T backfield,
including leading rusher Brandon McGlothlin. The
senior fullback ran for 524 yards and a pair of touchdowns last year. He
also pulled in 10 receptions out of the backfield. Junior wingback Adam
Wargo added 409 yards in his first season as a starter, averaging 4.6
yards per attempt. Junior wingback Anthony Giuliani moved into the
starting lineup early in the season and split time with sophomore speedster
Seth Fox. Fox averaged 6.7 yards per carry as a freshman and also
returned seven kickoffs for an average of 22.1 yards per return. Junior fullback
Ken Roudybush ran for three touchdowns early in the 2003 season before
sustaining a season-ending injury. He is also looking to return to the mix
this fall.
Up front, senior BJ Arnold will start at center for the fourth consecutive
season. He is flanked by sophomore guards Fred Mueller and Matt
Rice, who both started all 10 games as freshmen. Sophomore tackle Bob
Perri played both tackle positions as a reserve last year and is a leading
contender to earn one of the vacant starting spots this year. Sophomore tight
end Dan Jeltes lettered as a freshman after splitting time with the
graduated Mike Richards. Jeltes has the inside track towards the starting
tight end position.
For the first time in several seasons, the Wolverines enter a season with
uncertainty at the quarterback position. Junior Bradford
Clark and sophomore Scott Fichter are the only two returning quarterbacks
on the roster. Clark has seen limited action over the past two seasons while
Fichter appeared in seven games in 2003, primarily as a kick returner.
DEFENSE
Grove City also welcomes back eight starters on defense, along with several
other key contributors from a unit that forced 23 turnovers last year.
A veteran linebacking corps helps form the nucleus of the Grove City defense.
Senior Mike Choby moved into the starting lineup as a freshman and
has led the Wolverines in tackles each of the last two seasons. In 2003,
Choby recorded 92 tackles, including 20 for loss, as well as 9.5 quarterback
sacks. Choby is joined by senior Mike Prioletti, another three-year
letterwinner. Prioletti registered 71 tackles in 2003 as the Wolverines'
starting middle linebacker. Junior Ben Szelong added 44 tackles in
nine games at inside linebacker. Sophomore Josh Hoey emerged as a
regular during the second half of 2003 and is once again in the mix at linebacker.
Three starters also return along the defensive line. Seniors Dan Bukowski
and Mike Patterson are returning starters at end while junior
Adam Gaab moved into the starting lineup at nose tackle last year. Bukowski
and Patterson combined for five sacks last year while Gaab recorded 43 stops
and an interception.Junior end Steve Weary led the Wolverines in sacks
in 2002 and is a two-year letterman. He is joined by sophomore end Josh
Gordon, another returning letterman. Sophomore tackle Jordan Johnston
also lettered last year and is a candidate to start at defensive tackle.
Senior cornerback Gene Iannuzzi and junior free safety Ross Trimmer
are returning starters in the defensive backfield. Several other veterans
return and are in contention for the two vacant positions. Junior Aaron
Margo, a starter at linebacker before sustaining a season-ending injury
against Defiance last year, has been switched to strong safety. Junior cornerback
Dave Issler played extensively in nickel situations while sophomore
safety Chris Schwamberger also played in passing situations. A host
of underclassmen will likely contend for playing time in the secondary also.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Wolverines will have to fill both the place-kicking and punting positions
this fall as dual-threat Mike Titzel graduated after
holding both positions for three years.
Sophomore place-kicker Matt Campbell saw some time in 2003, making three
of four extra points. Junior Henry Johnston is the only returning punter
on the Grove City roster. He has seen limited action over the past
two seasons.
Trimmer led the Wolverines in kickoff returns last season, returning 13 for
234 yards. DiDonato, Fox and Wargo also returned
kickoffs last season while DiDonato led the team in punt returns (21) and
punt return yardage (117).
The versatile DiDonato also held for extra point and field goal attempts.
Iannuzzi and Jordan Johnston shared long-snapping duties in 2003 and may
do so again this season.
Grove City opens the 2004 season at home with as the Wolverines host Manchester
(Ind.) Sept. 4. Grove City will also play Alfred, Carnegie Mellon, Muhlenberg
and Wooster in non-conference action. The Wolverines begin Presidents' Athletic
Conference play Oct. 2 at Bethany. Grove City closes the regular season Nov.
6 at Robert E. Thorn Field against archrival Westminster.
Thiel Tomcats (3-7 Overall, 1-4
PAC in 2003)
With the return of 17 starters and 32 letterwinners, optimism is running
high with the Thiel College football program. The Tomcats are eager
to begin the 2004 season, the program’s 100th overall, with 11 returning
all-Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) selections coming back and after
a very successful spring game against the University of Toronto.
“We are extremely excited about our chances this season. We have a
great nucleus of returning upperclassmen that should be able to provide excellent
leadership. Being able to have spring football gave us a tremendous
boost in our off-season preparations,” said fourth-year head coach Jack
Leipheimer.
Nine starters return for the offense and coordinator John Marzka,
led by an offensive line that yields four returning starters. Six linemen
return with a combined starting experience of 88 games, led by senior center
Robert Munch and senior right tackle Dave Hendricks.
Munch, after garnering an all-PAC honorable mention pick in 2001 and a second
team selection in 2002, was named to the first team in 2003. Hendricks,
a second team all-conference pick in 2002, played in just two games in 2003
before suffering a season-ending injury. Munch and Hendricks have combined
to make 51 combined starts along the line in their three years in Greenville.
Sophomore Ricky Gable returns in 2004 as the Tomcats’ top option at
the right guard spot, while fellow classmate Rock Davis seems to have
the inside track on the left guard spot after making four starts there in
2003. Gable made nine starts along the line in 2003 and hopes to have
found a permanent home at right guard.
Junior Nelton Neal, one of six all-PAC first team selections returning
for Thiel, has made 12 career starts and looks to continue his success at
right tackle. Junior Marcus Oliver, a two-year starter coming
off of a season-ending injury, has made 12 career starts and should battle
Neal in the preseason for the left tackle post. Sophomore Percy
Sweeting started the 2003 season on the defensive line, but his agility
and quickness have led to a move to the top backup at both tackle spots.
“There’s no doubt that the injuries suffered by Dave (Hendricks) and Marcus
(Oliver) in 2003 had an impact on our season. However, there is always
a silver lining to every dark cloud – we were able to get Ricky Gable and
Rock Davis a tremendous amount of work and experience. Coupled with
the advantage of spring ball this year we have very high expectations for
this group. Dave is 100 percent and with Bob (Munch) and Nelton (Neal)
we have a solid group upfront that we are certainly counting on,” said Leipheimer.
A pair of juniors, Dane Haskins and Tom McEntire, should provide
the necessary firepower at wide receiver.
Haskins will be counted on to make a smooth transition from the tight end
position to wide receiver. Haskins, a 2003 all conference honorable
mention, started all 20 games of his career at tight end before making the
switch to receiver this spring. He finished second on the team in catches
(22), yards (321) and touchdown catches (2) last season.
McEntire made a pair of starts at wide receiver last season and finished
with 17 catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns after making the switch
to receiver from quarterback in the preseason. Sophomore Colt Brownstead
saw extended action as a member of the special teams last season and after
a solid performance this spring will be counted to contribute in 2004.
At the tight end position senior Josh Haladyna looks to have the early
edge over sophomore Jon Kutterna.
“Josh Haladyna is a very physical blocker that possesses excellent athleticism.
We felt he deserved to be on the field and because of our confidence in him
we were able to make the move with Dane (Haskins) going to wide receiver
and Shannon (Alston) to defense. Jon Kutterna has great size and is
an excellent technician – he is only a sophomore, but we are expecting a
big contribution from him this season,” said Leipheimer.
Senior co-captain Darrell Satterfield will enter training camp as
the starting quarterback, having earned the job by performing well in the
Tomcats spring practices as well as in the game against the University of
Toronto. Satterfield appeared in four games last season, completing
five passes for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Junior Mike Lindenfelser returns as the top option behind Satterfield
after making six starts as the signal-caller in 2003. Lindenfelser
completed 63-of-144 passes for 742 yards and five touchdowns in nine appearances
as a sophomore.
“Darrell Satterfield earned the respect and confidence of the team in the
final ball game last year, when he came off of the bench in relief of Mike
(Lindenfelser), after he went down with a slight concussion, and orchestrated
the game-winning drive. His performance in the spring, his off-season
work ethic and leadership has solidified that position in his teammates’
minds. In fact, they voted him team captain in the spring,” said Leipheimer.
“We are certainly in a good situation at the quarterback position with the
experience Mike obtained during the 2003 season. He is able to step
in at any moment and I am confident he will push Darrell daily for the job.
That’s the great thing about competition – it makes everyone at the position
better!”
The biggest question mark on the offensively for the Tomcats remains in the
backfield. Junior John Dziurzynski will be asked to carry the
load in 2004 after appearing in only four games last season, finishing with
nine carries for 40 yards and touchdown while making a pair of receptions
for 56 yards.
Senior Justin Kuban started eight games at fullback last season and
should make a valuable contribution this year after carrying the ball 36
times for 139 yards and one score in 2003.
In addition, Kyle Brown is expected to make a strong contribution
at fullback, based on his efforts in spring practices and the game against
the University of Toronto. Kyle was recently named a scholar All-American
based on his success as a member of the Tomcat wrestling team this past winter.
The Tomcats will feature plenty of familiar faces defensively, with all four
starters along the defensive front returning for the 2004 season. The
defensive line will be led by two-time all-PAC selection senior defensive
end and co-captain George Kum-Nji, 
who tallied 39 tackles and five sacks in 2003.
Manning the other end position is junior Jonathan Howson (left,
with Kum-Nji), a second team all conference performer in 2003.
Howson, a two-year starter, finished second in the PAC in both sacks (6.5)
and tackles for loss (14.5) and concluded the season seventh on the team
in tackles with 39.
Thiel also returns three interior linemen who have logged significant minutes
during their careers. Seniors Chris Minton and Shawn Zappia
have combined to make 36 starts, with Minton starting all 10 contests last
season. Zappia was lost to injury early in the season and looks to
build on his honorable mention selection in 2002. Minton totaled 48
stops with 16 tackles for loss and six sacks.
Sophomore Logan Malie comes back as the top option behind Minton and
Zappia after posting six tackles as a freshman.
“There is no doubt that we are counting on a strong return by Shawn.
He has a tremendous work ethic and has all the tools for success. In
addition to the five players previously mentioned, three other young men
deserve a look – sophomore Kellen Manning, senior Charles Benning
and junior transfer Mike Maluk,” said Leipheimer.
All three starting linebackers also return, led by senior middle linebacker
Robert Drake. Drake, an honorable mention pick in 2001, second
team selection in 2002 and first team pick in 2003, finished fourth on the
team in tackles (50) last season to go along with five tackles for loss.
Drake has 202 career stops going into his senior season.
Senior Casey Diemert and junior Tom Wozniak return to their
outside linebacker spots. Wozniak led the team in tackles last season
with 58 while Diemert totaled 51 stops and nine tackles for loss, earning
him a spot on the all-PAC second team.
“We really believe that the strength of our defense is our defensive front
– which includes not only our defensive line, but our linebackers as well.
Robert Drake is an outstanding linebacker with a great nose for the ball.
We were able to move him back to his natural position of middle linebacker
last season when Casey (Diemert) moved over from the offensive side and Tommy
(Wozniak) slid from strong safety to the outside linebacker position,” said
Leipheimer. “All three are very gifted athletes that run extremely
well. In addition, we have received solid play from junior Aaron
Zane, who will see significant playing time. We also feel really
good about sophomore Jeff Wagner in the middle.”
The Tomcat secondary will be lead by junior Shaun Jackson, who saw
plenty of action in the defensive backfield as a sophomore. Three very
athletic players return at the corner spots in senior Lawrence Whiting
and sophomores Zjaque Douglas and Steve Boyle.
Jackson is a talented multi-sport athlete for the Tomcats. As a sprinter
with coach Clyde Morgan’s track and field squad, Jackson finished third in
the 400-meter dash and ran a leg on the winning 1600-meter relay team at
the 2004 PAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Senior Paul Stibich is back to handle the kicking duties. Stibich,
a starter since his arrival in 2001, had an off year in 2003, converting
just three-of-11 field goal attempts. He is the school’s all-time leader
in made field goals (26) and points kicking (127), while sitting second in
extra points (49) and extra points in a season (17 in 2001 and 2003).
Washington & Jefferson Presidents
(9-2 Overall, 4-1 PAC in 2003)
A convincing 41-19 victory at Wilkes in the 2003 ECAC Southwest Bowl Game
to conclude the season was extremely satisfying to coach Mike Sirianni.
A record of 9-2 capped a great career for 21 seniors, but the vision of what
could be in 2004 was the real reason Sirianni was smiling.
“We looked at that ECAC bowl game as the first game of our 2004 season,”
said the second-year head coach. “We set a tone from the start of the trip
and we played our best game of the season against the most talented team
on our schedule. You could tell our kids really enjoyed playing that game
and I can only hope we bring that same intensity into our opener this year.”
Although the Presidents return 42 letterwinners and 13 starters from a year
ago, youth will play a key role on the offensive line and in the defensive
backfield. In the secondary, one of the nation’s top performers, senior strong
safety Frank Pilato (right), will be a steadying force for
the inexperienced group.
Pilato earned All-America honors from the AFCA, D3football.com and CoSIDA
last season after collecting 95 tackles, 15 pass breakups, six interceptions
and four forced fumbles. He is fourth all-time at the College with 11 interceptions.
“Without Pilato, we would have been a 5-5 team last year,” added Sirianni.
“He received All-America awards from the very best organizations and we expect
another fantastic season. He made some big plays for us last year, but he
also does all of the little things correctly and few people see that every
game.”
Sophomore Nick Cherish will take over for Jonathan Herbert
at free safety. A West Virginia transfer, Cherish moves back to his natural
position after posting 44 tackles and two sacks as a linebacker last year.
Senior Paul Onofrio, junior Matt Wujcik and sophomores Gabe
McKee and Adam Ravenstahl will all provide depth in different
packages.
“Cherish is arguably our best overall athlete,” noted Sirianni. “He is moving
to a position where he belongs this year and we want him to become a dominant
force along with Pilato. We also have some guys who we will use on different
occasions to help us become a better secondary.”
The youth really shows at cornerback as four athletes will compete for two
positions without a varsity start among them. Juniors Mike Wilmus
and Joe Bond and sophomores Colby Giles and Cory Walsh
will have a shot to crack the starting lineup.
“We are concerned with the inexperience, but I think our secondary possesses
the best talent that I have seen in my six years here,” said Sirianni. “The
play of our corners will definitely be a key to how our season pans out.”
Senior Eric Field returns for his final year in the middle of the
linebacker corps. Field, who started at W&J late in his freshman season,
has collected 250 career tackles and can become the school’s all-time leader
with 67 more stops. He was named the MVP of the ECAC game after totaling
13 tackles and returning an interception 72 yards for a touchdown.
“With Field in the middle, I feel our linebackers are the best position on
our team,” noted Sirianni. “Eric had a great junior season and if he improves
more this year, he should rank as one top linebackers in the country.”
In addition to Field, senior Andy Shook and junior Mike Sklarsky
will start for the second-straight season. Shook had 45 tackles and two interceptions,
while Sklarsky made 67 stops, including eight for a loss. Sirianni has also
been impressed with sophomores Aaron Bane and Eric Taslov and
expects both to see a lot of playing time.
“Shook is a very athletic defender, who runs very well,” said Sirianni. “Sklarsky
has a ton of talent and I am hoping he is ready for a breakout season. Bane
and Taslov saw some action as freshmen, but will be counted on to make larger
contributions this year.”
Senior Rocco Nori has been a mainstay on the defensive line for two
past seasons and will be expected to help lead a group of first-year starters.
Nori led the Presidents with 14½ tackles for loss last year at tackle.
Junior Erick Shreve and sophomores Anthony Cappelli and Tim
Landis will battle for the other open tackle position. At defensive end,
junior Rick Notarianni and sophomore Matt Sutphen will get
the first opportunity to enter the starting lineup along with sophomores
Sean Mackiewicz and Josh Smith.
“This is Nori’s final season and it is time that he starts playing like a
dominant 6-foot-2, 295-pounder who is the strongest player on our squad,”
added Sirianni. “As far as the younger players are concerned, we played nine
freshman games and went 7-2 with our only losses to Mount Union so they have
been primed and ready for their chance on Saturdays.”
The offensive unit will be led by junior quarterback Chris Edwards,
who started the first seven games before an injured shoulder cut his season
short. He still managed to throw for 1,546 yards and 13 touchdowns and was
ranked as high as 17th in the nation in passing efficiency before the injury.
Senior signal caller Brent Marsteller performed admirably as his replacement,
throwing for 960 yards and 11 scoring strikes. Slippery Rock transfer sophomore
Luke McCaffrey and junior Nick Rizzo will also be in the mix
during the preseason.
“I have a tremendous amount of confidence in all of our quarterbacks,” said
Sirianni. “Edwards was maturing before his injury and his shoulder is 100
percent. Marsteller is a great leader who played very well after being thrown
into the fire. McCaffrey is a wild-card for us, who started as a freshman
at (Division II) Slippery Rock last season.”
The Presidents return their top two running backs from last season in senior
Matt Bettinazzi and junior R.J. Zitzelsberger. Bettinazzi led
the team with 826 yards and seven touchdowns, while Zitzelsberger rushed
for 236 yards and three scores after missing the first five games due to
an injury. Sophomore Ryan Mendel gained 154 yards in a backup role
and will see more carries in 2004, while senior Jim Ziesche will see
action at fullback.
“Bettinazzi did what we asked of him last year and will be expected to increase
his numbers,” noted Sirianni. “Zitzelsberger was never really 100% after
his injury, but still played very well against Hanover and will be a vital
part of our running game. Mendel and Ziesche are also capable of carrying
the ball when we call their numbers.”
Sirianni boasts that his wide receiving corps should be the most talented
group on the team. Junior Aaron Krepps, the 2003 Team Offensive MVP,
caught 31 passes for 656 yards and nine touchdowns. Senior Jacob Shields
is a big target who hauled in 18 passes for 279 yards, while junior Garrett
Brain was the team’s third-leading receiver with 20 catches and five
scores. Juniors Jon Miller and R.J. Soeder will be asked to
increase their production from a year ago as well. According to Sirianni,
sophomores Talan Conjack and Peter Briggs will also get a chance
to impress in the preseason after solid performances on the freshman squad.
“Krepps is a game-breaker and we need to get the ball in his hands more often
this season,” said Sirianni. “He does a lot of things for us and reminds
me a lot of (former St. John’s All-American) Blake Elliott. All of
our receivers are talented and ready to take the next step, but they must
improve their consistency.”
The main concern for Sirianni is the play of the offensive line. After yielding
29 sacks last season, Sirianni believes improvement up front will be the
main key for this year’s success.
“We lose our top lineman from last year (Bob Jazwinski) and we have
to improve dramatically to help our offense move the football,” noted Sirianni.
“We have to be more physical and play the way we did against Wilkes.”
Seniors Jay Ernst, Chad Edwards and Kyle Hamilton and
sophomores Chris Hickey and Eric Beebe will battle for the
opening guard positions, while senior Matt Phillips and sophomore
Chris Teter will most likely start at the tackle spots. Sophomore
Mike Banyasz and freshman Steve Mort will also get a look in the
preseason. At center, sophomore J.J Rousher started the second half
of 2003 after Ernst came down with an injury.
The W&J special teams return intact led by Krepps, who averaged 31.8
yards per kickoff return, helping the Presidents rank third in the nation
with an average of 23.6 yards per return. Miller and Giles will join Krepps
on both punt and kickoff return teams. McKee averaged 37.2 yards per punt
in his first season and cornered 16 kicks inside the 20-yard line. Sophomore
Mike Niccols will handle the kickoff duties once again, while classmate
Kyle Sidebotham was the team’s leading scorer last year with 59 points
(7-for-13 field goals, 38-for-43 PATs).
“We are excited to get the season underway,” concluded Sirianni. “We are
going to be young in a number of positions, but with six home games on the
schedule, I think we have a good shot to get back into the national playoff
picture.”
Waynesburg Yellow Jackets (9-2 Overall,
5-0 PAC in 2003)
Although Waynesburg College finished last season as Presidents’ Athletic
Conference Champions with a perfect conference record and the program’s first-ever
NCAA Division III Playoff birth, the Yellow Jackets are not satisfied.
The Jackets were stopped just seven yards short of victory against Bridgewater
(Va.) in the playoffs last season, as a last second pass just eluded the
grasp of a Jacket receiver in the end zone. Waynesburg lost, 28-24, giving
them ample motivation going into the 2004 season. The Yellow Jackets return
all but one offensive starter and feature a defense that ranked in the top
20 in the country in points per game and total offense.
However, fourth-year head coach Jeff Hand knows the rest of the PAC
will be gunning for the new conference champions.
Offense
Under the direction of offensive coordinator Mike Uremovich, Waynesburg
featured a balanced offensive scheme and broke two school records in the
process. A year after breaking the school record for passing yards in a season,
the Jacket offense broke the single-season team rushing (2,130 yards) and
total offense (4,412 yards) records. With only one starter gone from last
year’s squad that averaged 36 points and over 400 yards per game, the parts
are in place for more history to be made.
Quarterbacks: Two-time first-team all-PAC quarterback Jeff Dumm
(left) returns for his senior campaign and is in hot pursuit of rewriting
the school’s career passing records. Last season, Dumm threw for 2,092 yards
and 20 touchdowns and finished with a 61 percent completion percentage, the
highest of his career. He enters the season ranked second in career passing
yards, fourth in total offense and is only four touchdown passes away from
breaking the school’s career record. Junior Tres Cobb and sophomores
Justin Marsinko and Jeff Puckey will compete for the back-up
position.
Receivers and Tight Ends: Waynesburg returns the most prolific group
of receivers in school history in senior Paul D’Imperio and juniors
Ivan Hawkins and Dominick Hunter. The trio has combined for
over 250 receptions the last two seasons and each is ranked in the top ten
on the all-time receptions list. D’Imperio is fourth with 97 receptions,
Hawkins is fifth with 91 receptions and Hunter is eighth with 81 receptions.
D’Imperio earned first-team all-PAC honors last season after leading the
team with eight touchdowns grabs and 810 yards (73.6 per game) on 53 receptions.
Hawkins received honorable mention from the PAC last year after posting a
team-high 55 receptions, while Hunter scored four touchdowns on 32 catches.
Junior Garett Wiley, along with sophomores Larry Boyd, Josh
Engle, Bryan Clinton and Mike Shields will split time at
the fourth receiver position and provide depth. Added to the receiving mix
this year will be the tight end position. Sophomore Chuck Wright enters
the season as the leading candidate to be featured at the position.
Running Backs: The running game began the 2003 season with a question
mark, but the answer was a talented freshman class of running backs. Sophomore
running backs Ryan Abels, a first-team all-PAC pick last year, and
Eric Daniels, a second-team all-PAC selection, combined for more than
1,700 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground. Abels rushed for a team-high
877 yards on 182 attempts and 12 scores, while Daniels carried 150 times
for 830 yards and led the team with 13 rushing touchdowns. Also returning
to the tailback position is sophomore Dennis Gearhart. Last season
before suffering an injury, Gearhart posted consecutive 100-yard rushing
games. Sophomores Aaron Giorgi and Danny Reed are candidates
for the vacant fullback position due to the graduation of first-team all-PAC
member Jared Plisko.
Offensive Line: Waynesburg returns all five offensive line starters,
after all five members were recognized by the PAC. Guard Jim Hyland
returns for his senior year after receiving two pre-season recognitions on
all-America teams during the summer. Hyland garnered an Honorable Mention
on the all-America team last year, in addition to being named an ECAC All-Star
and first-team all-PAC. The Jackets also return three second-team all-PAC
linemen: center Matt Biddle, guard Andy Palko and tackle Craig
Petrus. At the other tackle, junior Kelby Church returns after
receiving honorable mention from the PAC last season. Senior John Herzog
joins juniors Kyle Bills, Ryan O’Toole and Dan Tom as
reserves. Sophomores Tab Bodi, Joe Echardt, Keith Kovaly,
J.T. Sciascia and Chase Shaffer are expected to provide further
depth to an experienced offensive line.
Defense
The defense faces a difficult task in replacing five of its front seven from
last year. In 2003 the Jacket defense ranked 19th in the country yielding
only 14.5 points per game and 264.6 yards per game. The entire secondary
returns and will help in the maturation of a revamped defensive line.
Defensive Line: Unlike the team’s offensive line, the defensive front
will have some new faces for this season. Last season the team graduated
its entire front line, including two-time first-team all-PAC defensive tackle
Brandon Doppelheuer. Juniors Justin Delaini, Jerry Powell
and John Rainis, along with sophomores Dan Maloney and Drew
Dindl will battle for the two defensive end positions. Junior Mike
McElroy and sophomore Ashley Boyers will compete for playing time
in the center of the 3-4 defensive alignment. Sophomores Ed Okosun,
James Peters and Jason Umbleby are expected to compete for
playing time on various spots on the line.
Linebackers: Though the linebacking unit lost Sean Ross, the
team’s leading tackler the last two seasons, he will continue to have an
impact. Ross returns to the team as linebackers coach and will have seniors
Mark Harnish and Ryan Seitzinger, along with converted safety
Nick Emley as probable starters. Harnish, the team’s top returning tackler,
is slated to move inside after receiving second-team all-PAC accolades last
year on the outside. In his first year as a starter, Seitzinger recorded
44 tackles, while Emley notched 38 tackles and three interceptions at strong
safety and earned a second-team all-PAC selection.
Senior Justin Brownlee, along with junior Wayne Roebuck and
sophomore John Antonelli will compete for playing time on the outside.
While on the inside, junior Chris Johnson and sophomores J.R. Anderson,
Bryan Gust, Marcus Imrich and Rob Lerda are challenging
for playing time.
Defensive Backs: The entire secondary returns this season, including
free safety Matt Harnish, a two-year starter who earned a second-team
all-PAC selection after posting 29 tackles and three interceptions. Andy
Tenney, who appeared in all 11 games in 2003, looks to be the leading
candidate to fill the void at strong safety. Starting cornerbacks Luke
Cunkleman and Eric Singer return after showing marked improvement
in their first year as starters. Sophomores Brad Chase, Travis
Chropka, Pierre Martin, Matt McGarrity and Anthony Taylor
return to add depth to the secondary.
Special Teams
First-year special teams coordinator Jason Falvo helped groom a young
group of specialists into one of the top units in the PAC. Waynesburg finished
second in the conference in kickoff return yardage (20.5), kickoff coverage
(16.2) and field goal percentage (69.2) after attempting a conference-high
13 field goals.
The Jackets return key contributors from last year’s special teams unit.
Sophomore kicker Ben Popson returns after making 9 of 13 field goals
and making over 95 percent of his PAT attempts, earning him a first-team
all-PAC selection. Wayne Roebuck earned all-PAC honorable mention
in his first year handling the punting duties.
Hunter, the team’s primary kickoff and punt returner, earned second-team
all-PAC as a returner last year after posting a kick return average of 25.3
yards and an 8.9 average for punt returns. Daniels, Hunter’s high school
teammate, helped split the kickoff return duties and ended last season with
a 22.1 yards average, including an 85-yard touchdown return.
Westminster Titans (5-5 Overall,
3-2 PAC in 2003)
As the 2004 season approaches, fifth-year Westminster Titan head football
coach Jerry Schmitt has reason to feel good about his program’s chances
for success.
Westminster was 5-3 against Division III competition a year ago (5-5 overall
– the program’s 48th record of .500 or better in the past 52 seasons). In
2004, the Titans return the team’s top rusher, receiver and passer, along
with eight defensive starters from a team which was playing for the Presidents’
Athletic Conference (PAC) title during the final week of the 2003 season.
After slowly rebuilding the program over the past three years, Schmitt hopes
the Titans are ready to take the next step atop the conference standings
this fall.
Schmitt will be joined on the sidelines by several familiar names. On offense,
assistant coaches Joe DeGruttola (running backs), Gary Krol
(quarterbacks-passing game), Scott Renninger (administrative assistant)
and Nate Tengowski (wide receivers) all return. Defensive coordinator
Len Rich is joined by Don Augustine (defensive line/special
teams) and longtime assistant Pat Cuba (secondary), who returns to
the program after sitting out the 2003 campaign. Tim Widdowfield returns
for his second year as a defensive assistant, while former Youngstown State
standout Chris DeMauro starts his first season as an assistant coach
on defense.
The 2004 Titans return 33 letterwinners, including 16 starters (six offensive,
eight defensive, two special teams). The key holes to fill will be on the
offensive line and defensive lines, where five starters (three offense, two
defense) have graduated.
Leading the offensive attack for his final season will be Preseason All-American
tailback Scott Froelich (right). The 2003 PAC and ECAC Division
III South Region Player of the Year, Froelich rushed for 1,486 yards in 2003
and accounted for 19 total touchdowns (15 rushing, two receiving, two passing).
A two-time All-PAC selection and 2004 team co-captain, he enters his senior
year needing 1,718 yards to become the all-time leading rusher in school
history.
While Westminster continues its traditional emphasis on rushing the football,
the passing game reached new heights a year ago spearheaded by a pair of
returning fifth-year seniors in quarterback Joe Getsy and wide receiver
Brian Ekis. An All-PAC honorable mention pick, Getsy was 5-3 as a
starter after taking over signal caller duties in the third week of the season,
as he completed 99-of-181 passes (54.7%) for 1,394 yards and 11 touchdowns.
He also threw for a school-record 409 yards against Thomas More. Ekis, a
two-time All-PAC selection, caught 58 passes for a school-record 927 yards
(16.0 avg.) and seven scores in 2003, including single-game records with
13 catches for 221 yards in the Thomas More contest.
Up front, leading the offensive line returnees is senior right tackle Phil
Frye, an All-PAC Second team honoree. He is joined by senior tight end
Lou Fani, an All-PAC honorable mention selection. A pair of centers
with starting experience also return, as senior Tony Mullins started
the first five games before a season-ending injury. The loss of Mullins opened
the door for junior B.A. Lambie, who started the final five contests.
Entering 2004, replacement starters must be found at fullback, wide receiver
and several offensive line slots. Senior Brooks LeViere, the team’s
third receiver a year ago, has the inside track on the starting wideout job,
while the other positions remain up for grabs entering training camp.
Defensively, a pair of starting defensive linemen and 2004 co-captains return
in senior tackle Tony Ventresco and senior end Don Waldron.
Ventresco recorded 67 total tackles in 2003, while Waldron was an All-PAC
First Team honoree after tallying 59 total tackles last season. Players expected
to battle for the remaining two starting positions include senior end Sean
Diefenderfer, junior tackle Ryan Chmura and junior ends Adam
Hadbavny and Matt Hanhold.
All three of the team’s starting linebackers from a year ago return, led
by senior All-PAC First Team outside linebacker Jerry Bonenberger.
Bonenberger was the team’s leading tackler last season with 102 total stops,
including 63 solo tackles. The other starters, seniors Ryan Aleski
(66 tackles on the outside) and Tom Kaminsky (60 stops on the inside)
were both All-PAC honorable mention selections.
The secondary is another area of depth, as three starters from 2003 return
including both starting cornerbacks in senior Clint DeLuca and junior
Tom Froelich. DeLuca was an All-PAC honorable mention pick after posting
60 tackles and seven pass breakups, while Froelich earned First Team honors
after posting team-best totals in pass breakups (eight), interceptions (four)
and blocked kicks (four). Senior Mike Kohowski (49 tackles in 2003)
returns at one of the safety positions, while the other is open entering
camp. The team also returns senior Justin Martinchek, a starter at
cornerback in 2002 who missed the entire 2003 season due to injury.
Westminster returns sophomore kicker Jason Montgomery and sophomore
punter Kyle Trimble on special teams this season. Montgomery connected
on 5-of-10 field goals, including a game-winning 31-yarder in the mud to
lift the Titans over North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) champion Allegheny
3-0 in overtime. Trimble averaged 31.5 yards per boot as a freshman, including
10 kicks inside the 20-yard line. Junior running back Sean Buggey
is back for his third season as the team’s primary kick returner, while the
job returning punts is opening heading into camp.
Westminster will again do battle in the PAC, which has developed into one
of the stronger Division III football conferences in the region. Defending
league champion Waynesburg was an NCAA playoff team in 2003 (falling to eventual
semifinalist Bridgewater in the final seconds of an opening round contest),
while PAC runner-up Washington & Jefferson played in and easily captured
the ECAC Division III Southwest Bowl. Local rivals Grove City and Thiel both
field strong programs, while Bethany is looking to rebuild under a new coaching
staff. In addition, the Titans face a challenging non-conference schedule
including opening the season at Ohio Athletic Conference power Ohio Northern,
which will open its new Dial-Roberson Stadium. Return engagements with Allegheny,
Thomas More and Frostburg State are on tap, along with a battle against nearby
NCAC member Hiram.
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