Football News

2007 GAME PREVIEW - THE LYCOMING GAME

DOYLESTOWN (PA) - Delaware Valley College aims for its fourth win in a row when the first-place Aggies host Lycoming College for a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) contest on Saturday, October 20. Kickoff at Robert A. Lipinski Field at James Work Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

Delaware Valley is 3-3 overall but, more importantly, 3-0 and tied with both Albright College and Widener University for the top spot in the MAC. The Aggies play both of those squads on the road in the upcoming weeks as well as hosting Lycoming and defending MAC champion Wilkes University. The conference champion receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Delaware Valley continued its early dominance in conference play with last Saturday's 42-14, Homecoming victory over FDU-Florham. The Aggies have now outscored their MAC opponents (King's, Lebanon Valley and FDU-Florham) by a 118-27 margin while averaging 474 yards of offense and allowing 216.3 yards per game.

Last Saturday's effort against FDU-Florham saw Delaware Valley lead 35-0 at halftime and 42-0 after three quarters of play. The offense finished with 467 yards (229 rushing, 238 passing) while the defense permitted just 173 yards. That offensive outing put the team on top in the conference with an average of 341.8 yards in their six overall games.

Sophomore quarterback Mike Isgro (Galloway, NJ/Absegami), was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week for the second week in a row as he completed 18 of 24 passes for 239 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 39 yards and one score in just three quarters of play. It was the third game in a row - all against conference foes - that Isgro completed at 75 percent of his passes.

For the season, Isgro is 97-for-158 (61.4%) for 1,078 yards, 12 touchdowns and just three interceptions. In the last three games alone, he has completed 53 of 70 attempts (75.7%) for 688 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions. Isgro has also netted 170 yards and two trips to the end zone on the ground, with both scores coming in MAC contests.

Isgro threw touchdowns passes to Brad Emmons (Marlboro, NJ/Colts Neck), Jimmy Smith (Bayonne, NJ./Bayonne) and Dan Heiland (Willow Grove, PA/Upper Moreland) against FDU-Florham.

Emmons, a junior tight end, hauled in a two-yard scoring toss for his second touchdown of the season and his career. He has seven grabs for 65 yards on the year. Smith, a sophomore transfer, caught three passes for 73 yards, including a 59-yard bomb. The wideout is second on the team with 17 catches for 199 yards and two scores.

Heiland, a freshman wideout, made his second consecutive start in the FDU-Florham game and grabbed four passes for 100 yards (the first of his young career), including a 42-yard touchdown in the final moments of the first half. For the season, he has 13 receptions for 194 yards and one trip to the end zone.

Isgro's top target this season has been senior wideout Joel Foreman (Bernville, PA/Hamburg). Foreman has 22 catches for 330 yards and five touchdowns, including a two-reception, 22-yard effort last week.

The tailback tandem of freshman Matt Cook (Selinsgrove, PA/Selinsgrove) and senior Jake Sheffield (Glenolden, PA/Interboro) continue to shine this season as the two combined for 128 yards and two touchdowns against FDU-Florham.

Cook, who had back-to-back, 100-yard efforts against King's and Lebanon Valley, carried the ball 13 times for 58 yards and one score last week. For the year, he has team highs of 85 carries, 450 yards and six touchdowns.

After seeing limited time earlier in the season due to an injury, Sheffield is back to his old form and has 229 yards and three touchdowns on 50 rushes while also catching 15 balls for 114 yards and one score. He ran for a game-high 70 yards and scored once on 10 attempts against FDU-Florham last week and, in the process, moved into fifth place on the Aggie all-time rushing list with 1,907 yards.

The Delaware Valley defense entered last week's game ranked fourth in Division III with an average of 11 tackles for losses per game. The unit added 10 more against FDU-Florham, including two sacks, and also finished the day with two interceptions and three total turnovers.

All-American linebacker John Pursell (Middletown, DE/Middletown) leads the way with 63 tackles (39 solo) and is 11 shy of becoming just the fourth player in school history to reach the 300-tackle plateau for a career. Pursell, who was 14th in the nation in both solo tackles (7.2 avg) and tackles for losses (2.2 avg) going into the FDU-Florham game, had five stops (three solo) including three in the backfield against the Devils.

Senior tackle Travis Albanesius (Green Lane, PA/Upper Perkiomen) and junior linebacker Zach McCann (Royersford, PA/St. Pius X) paced last week's balanced attack with six tackles apiece. Albanesius, a 2006 all-conference selection, has 29 tackles on the year while McCann has 33 stops, 2.5 sacks and two blocked kicks.

Senior safety Quincy Thaxton (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) had a big play defensively last week as he forced a fumble on a sack that was recovered by a teammate and led to a first-half touchdown. Thaxton has 18 tackles on the year.

Fellow safety Kyle Mancuso (Thorofare, NJ/West Deptford) had three stops to up his season total to 42 (second on the team). Secondary mates Joe Barnicle (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock) and Matt Carr (Frenchtown, NJ/Delaware Valley) notched the first interceptions of their career. Barnicle, a junior starter at cornerback, also has 21 tackles on the year. Carr, a sophomore safety and special teams player, has five stops this season.

LYCOMING COLLEGE

Legendary head coach Frank Girardi and his squad pulled off the biggest upset in conference play this season with last Saturday's 19-17 victory over defending champion Wilkes. The Warriors were winless heading into that game, but are now 1-5 overall and 1-2 in the MAC.

Lycoming managed just 188 yards of total offense against Wilkes, but used a strong defensive effort (288 yards allowed) and a 66-yard punt return for a touchdown to notch the victory.

For the season, the Warrior offense is averaging 12.2 point and 195.7 yards per game. Freshman signal-caller Tim Hook took over the starting duties three weeks ago and has completed 42 of 72 passes for 366 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions. Last week, he was 14-for-25 for 135 yards and one score.

Sophomore wideout Brad Shellenberger and senior tight end Bill Margetich lead Lycoming with 26 and 21 catches respectively. Shellenberger's output has gone for 188 yards and one touchdown, including three grabs for 19 yards against Wilkes. Margetich has 195 yards and three touchdowns to his credit and he hauled in four passes for 67 yards last week.

Josh Kleinfelter carried the ball 28 times for 98 yards and one score against Wilkes to up the freshman's season totals to 325 yards and two touchdowns on 78 rushes. He has also caught 20 passes out of the backfield for 127 yards and one trip to the end zone.

Lycoming's defense is ranked third in the MAC with an average of 286.2 yards allowed per game. Senior linebacker Mike DiPlacido paces the unit with 49 tackles and is tied for the team lead with six sacks. He made 14 tackles and 2.5 sacks against Wilkes and was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week.

Two other players to watch on the defensive side of the ball are sophomore safety Travis Leonarczyk and senior end Ryan Yaple. Leonarczyk is second on the team in tackles with 32, including two stops last Saturday. Yaplehas 23 tackles and is tied with DiPlacido for top honors in sacks with six. He made one stop behind the line of scrimmage against Wilkes.