Football News

2007 GAME PREVIEW - THE WILKES GAME

DOYLESTOWN (PA) - The Delaware Valley College football team looks to keep its Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) championship and NCAA playoff hopes alive when the Aggies host defending conference champion Wilkes University on Saturday, November 3. Kickoff at Robert A. Lipinski Field at James Work Memorial Stadium is slated for 1:00 p.m.

It is also the final home game of the regular season and Senior Day for Delaware Valley, which will honor its 16 seniors prior to the contest. The class has helped the Aggies win 36 of 45 games as well a pair of MAC titles and NCAA quarterfinal appearances during their tenure.

Delaware Valley fell to 4-4 overall and 4-1 in the MAC with last Friday night's 13-10, rain-soaked setback at Widener University. The loss took control of the conference race out of the Aggies' hands, and they now need a win over Wilkes as well as an Albright victory at Widener on Saturday to have the MAC championship and the automatic berth to the NCAAs come down to the last week of the regular season. A Widener victory clinches the bid for the Pride while an Albright victory and a Delaware Valley loss puts the Lions into the NCAA playoffs.

Delaware Valley's defense held Widener to just 234 yards in the contest, racked up three sacks and forced two turnovers deep in its own territory. In fact, the unit has allowed just 40 points in five MAC games.

For the season, the Aggie defense is ranked first in the MAC (non-conference games included) in scoring (14.2 avg), second in passing (165.4 avg) and total yardage (263.4 avg) and third in rushing (98.0 avg).

All-American linebacker John Pursell (Middletown, DE/Middletown) became just the fourth player in school history to reach the 300-tackle plateau for a career as his team-high 10 stops at Widener upped his career total to 305. He leads Delaware Valley this season with 79 tackles and is among the Division III leaders with 15 stops behind the line of scrimmage. Pursell also has 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble to his credit.

Senior safety Kyle Mancuso (Thorofae, NJ/West Deptford) and junior linebacker Kyle Reuter (Richwood, NJ/Clearview) follow Pursell with 53 and 45 tackles respectively. Mancuso, who also has an interception and a forced fumble this year, recorded six stops at Widener. Reuter has two sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries on the season. He added nine tackles last Friday.

Senior nose guard Travis Albanesius (Green Lane, PA/Upper Perkiomen) and freshman linebacker Kyle Gesswein (Williamstown, NJ.Williamstown) notched eight tackles and a sack apiece at Widener. Albanesius, a 2006 all-conference selection, has 41 tackles and one sack on the season while Gesswein leads the Aggies in sacks with 4.5 and is tied for sixth in tackles with 35.

Junior end Greg Rissinger (Chalfont, PA/Central Bucks West) and senior safety Quincy Thaxton (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) had standout efforts last week. Rissinger recorded five tackles, one sack and forced a fumble that was recovered by Thaxton deep in Aggie territory in the fourth quarter. For the season, Rissinger has 21 tackles and three sacks to his credit.

Thaxton, who was named to the MAC Honor Roll a week earlier for his performance against Lycoming, followed it up with four stops, an interception and the fumble recovery. His interception occurred in the end zone for a touchback in the fourth quarter. Thaxton has 29 tackles and a team-high three interceptions on the year.

Delaware Valley's offense was held to its lowest scoring output of the season in the rain-soaked conditions. The unit amassed just 250 yards and had a crucial turnover that led to Widener's game-winning touchdown.

Despite that performance, the Aggies remained second in the MAC (non-conference games included) in scoring (26.0) and rushing (135.5 avg). They moved up to third in passing (192.8 avg) and slipped to third in total offense (328.2 avg).

Sophomore quarterback Mike Isgro (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) heads the group as he has completed 130 of 215 passes (60.5 percent) for 1,530 passes, 14 touchdowns and just three interceptions (all in the Salisbury game). He is also a threat to run with 187 yards and three score on 93 attempts. Last week, Isgro was 17-for-27 for 194 yards and one score. He gained 45 yards on the ground but five sacks bumped his net yardage down to 16 on 15 attempts.

Freshman wide receiver Dan Heiland (Willow Grove, PA/Upper Moreland) hauled in five passes for 77 yards last Friday, including a 33-yard touchdown in the opening moments of the fourth quarter which gave Delaware Valley a 10-6 lead. For the season, Heiland is fourth on the team with 19 catches for 285 yards and two trips to the end zone.

Senior wideout Joel Foreman (Bernville, PA/Hamburg) leads the Aggies with 31 receptions for 468 yards and five touchdowns. At Widener, he grabbed four passes for 94 yards, including a 56-yard reception that set up an early field goal and a 3-0 advantage.

The Delaware Valley running game is led by the tandem of freshman Matt Cook (Selinsgrove, PA/Selinsgrove) and senior Jake Sheffield (Glenolden, PA/Interboro). Cook is second in the MAC with 533 yards and he has also scored six times in 110 attempts. He paced the team at Widener, but managed just 39 yards on 12 carries.

Sheffield is Delaware Valley's fifth all-time leading rusher with 1,932 yards while his 19 rushing scores has him tied for seventh on that list. He battled through injuries earlier this season and has amassed 254 yards and four touchdowns on 73 carries as well as 22 receptions for 168 yards and another score. He carried the ball nine times for nine yards and caught five passes for five yards last week.

Sophomore plackekicker Shane Toohey (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) gave the Aggies a 3-0 lead at Widener by booting 31-yard field goal through the driving rain. It was the fourth straight field goal for Toohey as he has connected on five of six attempts and is also 12-for-14 on extra-points for 27 points.

WILKES UNIVERSITY

The defending conference champions moved its record to 3-5 overall (3-2 MAC) and snapped a two-game losing streak with a dominating, 35-0 victory over cross-town rival King's College last week. The Colonel defense held their opposition to only seven yards of total offense, including minus-35 yards rushing, and forced five turnovers in the shutout.

Wilkes' defensive unit leads the MAC in rushing (50.4 avg) and total yardage allowed (225.1 avg). It is also second in scoring (15.1 avg) and fifth in passing (174.8 avg).

Heading the attack is All-American linebacker and two-time MAC Defensive Player of the Year Kyle Follweiler. The senior is tied for the conference lead in tackles with 104 (72 solo) and is tops in tackles for losses with 20. Follweiler, who recently went over the 400-tackle milestone in his career, has also recorded four sacks and three interceptions this season.

Junior end Tim Yeagley was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week as he racked up eight tackles (four for losses) and two sacks against King's. He leads the Colonels with seven sacks and is third in tackles with 39.

Senior tackle Jason Acquaye is another player to watch up front for Wilkes. He has 33 stops (11 for losses) and three sacks on the season, including three tackles and half a sack last week.

Freshman safety Darius Harrison is tied for the team lead in interceptions with three and returned one of them for a touchdown. He also has 2.5 sacks with 1.5 coming last week at King's.

Offensively, the Colonels notched 273 yards (133 rushing, 140 passing) a week ago. The unit is third in MAC in scoring (23.6 avg) and rushing (114.8 avg) while placing fourth in both passing (189.2 avg) and total yardage (304.0 avg).

Senior Al Karaffa is the team's signal-caller. He has completed 128 of 234 passes for 1,335 yards and eight touchdowns, but has been picked off nine times. Last week, he was 8-for-14 for 132 yards and one score.
Karaffa's favorite target is junior wideout Jason Prushinksi. Prushinski has caught 39 passes for 541 yards and three trips to the end zone. He was held to just one, 10-yard receptions against King's.

Freshman tailback Alex Pearson has played in just five games this season, but he has made an impact with 458 yards and four touchdowns on 109 touches. He scored two times and netted 72 yards on 23 carries last week.