The Golden Ram Football Club will be meeting on Thursday at 7:45 pm at Timothy's in the Parkway Shopping Center in West Chester. The meeting will begin immediately following the Bill Zwaan Football Show which is also held at Timothy's starting at 7:00 pm. Golden Ram fans unable to attend the show can listen to it live on WCHE 1520AM. The meeting will not be broadcast.
According to the Bill Zwaan Football Show facebook page, defensive tackle Anthony McCloskey will be the special guest on Coach Zwaan's show. The junior from Glen Mills transitioned from linebacker last season to the defensive line this year. Thus far in 2012, McCloskey has registered 19 total tackles, two sacks and an interception.
Come out to Timothy's at 7:00 pm to participate in the show live.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Team News - 2012 Second Regional Rankings
The West Chester University Golden Rams continue to be listed in the NCAA Super Regional 1 rankings this season. The NCAA released its second regional rankings of 2012 yesterday and the Golden Rams remain on the list at #10.
The top six teams in the final regional rankings qualify for the playoffs. Although the champions of the four conferences in the region - CIAA, NE10, PSAC, and WVIAC - are not guaranteed berths in the playoffs, they are almost assured of it. So how are things progressing since the first regional rankings. Many games went West Chester's way this past Saturday:
1. West Chester defeated Cheyney
2. Shippensburg defeated Bloomsburg
3. Winston-Salem defeated Shaw
4. New Haven defeated Southern Connecticut
5. California lost to Slippery Rock
The Golden Rams almost got some extra help in the NE10, but American International held on against St Anselm (1-8) by a score of 37-34 on Friday night. A complication arose when Charleston lost to Glenville (5-4) by a score of 14-10. Why is that a complication? Because now there's no one obvious team emerging from the WVIAC. Indiana defeated Clarion (4-5) by a score of 45-0 and look to be unstoppable.
How does this affect the cheering interests of the Golden Rams? Some things don't change this week - West Chester to win over Bloomsburg, Shippensburg (uncatchable) to win over Cheyney, Winston-Salem (uncatchable) to win over Fayetteville St, New Haven (uncatchable) to win over American International.
The Rams need things to sort out in the PSAC West and in the WVIAC.
In the PSAC West, at 8-1 and with Gannon (2-7) on tap, Indiana is probably uncatchable by West Chester, but California is. So the change this week is to hope that Mercyhurst beats California on Saturday. This will put Indiana in the PSAC championship game and probably assure them a spot in the postseason, regardless of the outcome against Shippensburg. It will also give California their third loss and hopefully lift West Chester ahead of the Vulcans.
In the WVIAC, despite having one less win, Shepherd remains ahead of Charleston since the Rams defeated the Golden Eagles. West Chester needs at least one of these two teams to go away. Although Charleston has the lower ranking, they have the easier remaining schedule. Take your pick, but hope one of them loses at least one, preferably two, more games.
Ranking |
School |
Conference |
D2 Record |
Overall Record |
1. |
Shippensburg |
PSAC East |
9-0 |
9-0 |
2. |
Winston-Salem |
CIAA |
9-0 |
9-0 |
3. |
New Haven |
NE10 |
8-0 |
8-0 |
4. |
Bloomsburg |
PSAC East |
8-1 |
8-1 |
5. |
California |
PSAC West |
7-2 |
7-2 |
6. |
Indiana |
PSAC West |
8-1 |
8-1 |
7. |
Shepherd |
WVIAC |
6-2 |
6-2 |
8. |
American International |
NE10 |
7-1 |
7-1 |
9. |
Charleston |
WVIAC |
7-2 |
7-2 |
10. |
West Chester |
PSAC East |
6-2 |
6-3 |
The top six teams in the final regional rankings qualify for the playoffs. Although the champions of the four conferences in the region - CIAA, NE10, PSAC, and WVIAC - are not guaranteed berths in the playoffs, they are almost assured of it. So how are things progressing since the first regional rankings. Many games went West Chester's way this past Saturday:
1. West Chester defeated Cheyney
2. Shippensburg defeated Bloomsburg
3. Winston-Salem defeated Shaw
4. New Haven defeated Southern Connecticut
5. California lost to Slippery Rock
The Golden Rams almost got some extra help in the NE10, but American International held on against St Anselm (1-8) by a score of 37-34 on Friday night. A complication arose when Charleston lost to Glenville (5-4) by a score of 14-10. Why is that a complication? Because now there's no one obvious team emerging from the WVIAC. Indiana defeated Clarion (4-5) by a score of 45-0 and look to be unstoppable.
How does this affect the cheering interests of the Golden Rams? Some things don't change this week - West Chester to win over Bloomsburg, Shippensburg (uncatchable) to win over Cheyney, Winston-Salem (uncatchable) to win over Fayetteville St, New Haven (uncatchable) to win over American International.
The Rams need things to sort out in the PSAC West and in the WVIAC.
In the PSAC West, at 8-1 and with Gannon (2-7) on tap, Indiana is probably uncatchable by West Chester, but California is. So the change this week is to hope that Mercyhurst beats California on Saturday. This will put Indiana in the PSAC championship game and probably assure them a spot in the postseason, regardless of the outcome against Shippensburg. It will also give California their third loss and hopefully lift West Chester ahead of the Vulcans.
In the WVIAC, despite having one less win, Shepherd remains ahead of Charleston since the Rams defeated the Golden Eagles. West Chester needs at least one of these two teams to go away. Although Charleston has the lower ranking, they have the easier remaining schedule. Take your pick, but hope one of them loses at least one, preferably two, more games.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Game Preview - Bloomsburg
The Golden Rams' new four-man defensive line will face its toughest test yet as West Chester (6-3, 4-2) travels to Bloomsburg (8-1, 5-1) to take on the Huskies in the final PSAC East game of 2012 for both teams. Last week, West Chester secured its first winning record since 2009 by strolling past Cheyney 59-14. Meanwhile, Bloomsburg lost in the final seconds at Shippensburg, 49-42. Along with it being the Huskies' first loss of 2012, it also dashed all hopes for Bloomsburg to win the PSAC East and participate in the PSAC championship game. They'll finish next week at Slippery Rock.
There is no question that Bloomsburg is led by their offensive running game. Their 335 yards per game is good for third best in Division II and they have the nation's top runner and scorer, Franklin Quiteh 1,618 yards and 17 touchdowns. Over his first two seasons (that's right, he's only a junior), he's garnered several accolades including: PSAC East Freshman of the Year, first team All-PSAC East, Division II All-Super Region One team, Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-American team, the list goes on and on. Not to be overlooked is his backfield running mate, Eddie Mateo who's picking up 111 yards per game on the ground and is also a Don Hansen All-Super Region One team and All-PSAC first team selection.
While Bloomsburg's passing game doesn't post a lot of yards, it is very efficient behind Tim Kelly. The redshirt freshman is 95-184 for 1,501 yards, 19 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, and a passer rating of 145.5 which is good enough for 31st in the country. His primary targets are Ryan Dickerson (27 catches, 492 yards, 6 TD's), pro prospect Kyle Fisher (23 catches, 439 yards, 5 TD's) who missed three mid-season games due to injury, and Glenn Hutton Jr. (15 catches, 215 yards, 2 TD's). When Bloomsburg gets close to the goal line, look for big Larry Webster who only has two catches, but both were touchdowns. More on Webster later.
Dan Fisher handles all of the Bloomsburg kicking duties averaging 58 yards on kickoffs and 39 yards on punts. But Fisher is best known for his kick scoring. On the season, he's 44-47 on PATs and 8-12 on field goals with a long of 52. He's been named to the Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-American team, Don Hansen All-Super Region One team, Pre-Season All-American by D2Football.com, first team Daktronics, Inc. Division II All-Super Region One and All-PSAC first team. He's among the PSAC career leaders in several kicking categories and is only a junior.
Bloomsburg's defensive numbers - 29th in the country against the run and 138th against the pass - may be more a product of their opponents than it is of their team. Edinboro, Kutztown, East Stroudsburg, Shippensburg and even Stonehill, are all more passing than rushing teams. And it's worth noting that Bloomsburg held a slim 14-13 lead over Cheyney midway through the fourth quarter. They are led in the middle by Jarrett Pidgeon (71 total tackles, two interceptions and two sacks). The senior linebacker was named PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week for his accomplishments against Shippensburg last week which included nine solo tackles and an interception returned for a touchdown. Alongside him in the middle is Justin Shirk (57 total tackles, three pass breakups, one forced fumble and two quarterback hurries).
In the secondary, the Huskies are guided by 5'8" cornerback Terrell Oglesby (33 total tackles, three interceptions, five pass breakups, one forced fumble) and safety Dan Haverstock (51 total tackles, two interceptions, three pass breakups). But one of the most intriguing stories for Bloomsburg this year is 6'7" defensive end Larry Webster. After earning PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year honors in his last year of eligibility for the Huskies' basketball team, Webster turned to Danny Hale to play football for the first time since high school. All he's done thus far, besides the aforementioned two receiving touchdowns, is registered 28 total tackles, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and one quarterback hurry. Most impressive is his PSAC leading 10.5 sacks which is good for fifth in the country.
Notes - The weather forecast for Bloomsburg shows a high of 46°, but expect it to feel much colder with a 11 mph wind out of the north...West Chester travels to Clarion next week...quarterback Mike Mattei ranks 7th in the country in passing efficiency...running back Rondell White ranks 16th in rushing with 123 yards per game and is 7th among all-purpose performers with 183 yards per game...linebacker Ronell Williams is 6th in total tackles with 11.3 per game...keep in mind that neither White nor Williams participated in the second half against Cheyney...The Rams will seek to dash the memory of blowing a 35-point lead last year against the Huskies in what turned out to be a 55-42 homecoming loss...This season, WCU is 5-0 when they don't throw an interception. They're also 5-0 when they score 30 or more points...Bloomsburg leads the PSAC in third down conversions; the Golden Rams are second.
There is no question that Bloomsburg is led by their offensive running game. Their 335 yards per game is good for third best in Division II and they have the nation's top runner and scorer, Franklin Quiteh 1,618 yards and 17 touchdowns. Over his first two seasons (that's right, he's only a junior), he's garnered several accolades including: PSAC East Freshman of the Year, first team All-PSAC East, Division II All-Super Region One team, Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-American team, the list goes on and on. Not to be overlooked is his backfield running mate, Eddie Mateo who's picking up 111 yards per game on the ground and is also a Don Hansen All-Super Region One team and All-PSAC first team selection.
While Bloomsburg's passing game doesn't post a lot of yards, it is very efficient behind Tim Kelly. The redshirt freshman is 95-184 for 1,501 yards, 19 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, and a passer rating of 145.5 which is good enough for 31st in the country. His primary targets are Ryan Dickerson (27 catches, 492 yards, 6 TD's), pro prospect Kyle Fisher (23 catches, 439 yards, 5 TD's) who missed three mid-season games due to injury, and Glenn Hutton Jr. (15 catches, 215 yards, 2 TD's). When Bloomsburg gets close to the goal line, look for big Larry Webster who only has two catches, but both were touchdowns. More on Webster later.
Dan Fisher handles all of the Bloomsburg kicking duties averaging 58 yards on kickoffs and 39 yards on punts. But Fisher is best known for his kick scoring. On the season, he's 44-47 on PATs and 8-12 on field goals with a long of 52. He's been named to the Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-American team, Don Hansen All-Super Region One team, Pre-Season All-American by D2Football.com, first team Daktronics, Inc. Division II All-Super Region One and All-PSAC first team. He's among the PSAC career leaders in several kicking categories and is only a junior.
Bloomsburg's defensive numbers - 29th in the country against the run and 138th against the pass - may be more a product of their opponents than it is of their team. Edinboro, Kutztown, East Stroudsburg, Shippensburg and even Stonehill, are all more passing than rushing teams. And it's worth noting that Bloomsburg held a slim 14-13 lead over Cheyney midway through the fourth quarter. They are led in the middle by Jarrett Pidgeon (71 total tackles, two interceptions and two sacks). The senior linebacker was named PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week for his accomplishments against Shippensburg last week which included nine solo tackles and an interception returned for a touchdown. Alongside him in the middle is Justin Shirk (57 total tackles, three pass breakups, one forced fumble and two quarterback hurries).
In the secondary, the Huskies are guided by 5'8" cornerback Terrell Oglesby (33 total tackles, three interceptions, five pass breakups, one forced fumble) and safety Dan Haverstock (51 total tackles, two interceptions, three pass breakups). But one of the most intriguing stories for Bloomsburg this year is 6'7" defensive end Larry Webster. After earning PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year honors in his last year of eligibility for the Huskies' basketball team, Webster turned to Danny Hale to play football for the first time since high school. All he's done thus far, besides the aforementioned two receiving touchdowns, is registered 28 total tackles, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and one quarterback hurry. Most impressive is his PSAC leading 10.5 sacks which is good for fifth in the country.
Notes - The weather forecast for Bloomsburg shows a high of 46°, but expect it to feel much colder with a 11 mph wind out of the north...West Chester travels to Clarion next week...quarterback Mike Mattei ranks 7th in the country in passing efficiency...running back Rondell White ranks 16th in rushing with 123 yards per game and is 7th among all-purpose performers with 183 yards per game...linebacker Ronell Williams is 6th in total tackles with 11.3 per game...keep in mind that neither White nor Williams participated in the second half against Cheyney...The Rams will seek to dash the memory of blowing a 35-point lead last year against the Huskies in what turned out to be a 55-42 homecoming loss...This season, WCU is 5-0 when they don't throw an interception. They're also 5-0 when they score 30 or more points...Bloomsburg leads the PSAC in third down conversions; the Golden Rams are second.
PSAC Site - Football - Week 10 Notes
Bloomsburg Athletic Site - Huskies Return Home for Senior Day Against West Chester
KYW Newsradio - West Chester With Big Test At Bloomsburg
D2football - PSAC Columnist - Final Week of Divisional Play in the PSAC
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Game Report - West Chester 59 - Cheyney 14
The Golden Rams (6-3, 4-2) showed no sign of a mental letdown, as they scored touchdowns the first seven times they touched the ball in a 59-14 route over the visiting Cheyney Wolves.
Leary of Cheyney's ball control offense, West Chester won the toss and chose to receive. The play calling was designed to consume some clock, but West Chester ball handlers couldn't help but gain chunks of yards as Rondell White turned a short pass from Mike Mattei into a 21-yard touchdown.
Blair Gower clears the way for Rondell White (Photo Geoff Ruth)
Then Cheyney went to work. Squeezing every second from the play clock, keeping the ball on the ground, and earning four first downs, including converting a fourth and one, the Wolves consumed nearly seven minutes of game time in getting to the West Chester 30-yard line. But that's when John O'Donnell picked off a Cheyney pass and raced 70 yards for the second Golden Ram touchdown. That sparked the West Chester defense as they held Cheyney to just two first downs on the remaining five Cheyney possessions of the first half.
Meanwhile, the offense performed admirably. Touchdowns were earned by White on a 20-yard run, tight end Justin Curry on a 9-yard pass, two by Jared Bonacquisti on plunges of one and two yards, and wide receiver Nick Hall on a 7-yard run. With the Golden Rams holding a 49-0 lead at halftime, White and PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year candidate Ronell Williams returned sans their shoulder pads as Coach Bill Zwaan gave everyone playing time.
Mike Culbreath drags down Cheyney QB Blaze Wasserleben for one of the five WCU sacks (Photo Geoff Ruth)
Defensively, the Rams were led by Camille Max who had 10 total tackles and a forced fumble, and Kayo Bakare who also had 10 total tackles and a forced fumble. Demrick Cook, Anthony McCloskey, Mike Culbreath, Andrew Cohen, Ronell Williams, Eric Edwers, and Barry Lyons all had a hand in sacking the Cheyney quarterback.
Notes - White had 151 all-purpose yards - 110 yards rushing and 41 receiving in one half of play...Brandon Monk tallied 213 total yards - 80 yards rushing, 32 yards on punt returns and 101 yards on kick returns...Bonacquisti, Curry, Hall, and true freshman Eddie Elliott scored the first touchdowns of their collegiate careers...R-Fr. Chris Smallwood picked up 54 yards rushing in his first West Chester appearance...after the game, dozens of young fans joined several players on the field to participate in the "Catch A TD Pass From A Golden Ram" promotion.
Leary of Cheyney's ball control offense, West Chester won the toss and chose to receive. The play calling was designed to consume some clock, but West Chester ball handlers couldn't help but gain chunks of yards as Rondell White turned a short pass from Mike Mattei into a 21-yard touchdown.
Blair Gower clears the way for Rondell White (Photo Geoff Ruth)Then Cheyney went to work. Squeezing every second from the play clock, keeping the ball on the ground, and earning four first downs, including converting a fourth and one, the Wolves consumed nearly seven minutes of game time in getting to the West Chester 30-yard line. But that's when John O'Donnell picked off a Cheyney pass and raced 70 yards for the second Golden Ram touchdown. That sparked the West Chester defense as they held Cheyney to just two first downs on the remaining five Cheyney possessions of the first half.
Meanwhile, the offense performed admirably. Touchdowns were earned by White on a 20-yard run, tight end Justin Curry on a 9-yard pass, two by Jared Bonacquisti on plunges of one and two yards, and wide receiver Nick Hall on a 7-yard run. With the Golden Rams holding a 49-0 lead at halftime, White and PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year candidate Ronell Williams returned sans their shoulder pads as Coach Bill Zwaan gave everyone playing time.
Mike Culbreath drags down Cheyney QB Blaze Wasserleben for one of the five WCU sacks (Photo Geoff Ruth)Defensively, the Rams were led by Camille Max who had 10 total tackles and a forced fumble, and Kayo Bakare who also had 10 total tackles and a forced fumble. Demrick Cook, Anthony McCloskey, Mike Culbreath, Andrew Cohen, Ronell Williams, Eric Edwers, and Barry Lyons all had a hand in sacking the Cheyney quarterback.
Notes - White had 151 all-purpose yards - 110 yards rushing and 41 receiving in one half of play...Brandon Monk tallied 213 total yards - 80 yards rushing, 32 yards on punt returns and 101 yards on kick returns...Bonacquisti, Curry, Hall, and true freshman Eddie Elliott scored the first touchdowns of their collegiate careers...R-Fr. Chris Smallwood picked up 54 yards rushing in his first West Chester appearance...after the game, dozens of young fans joined several players on the field to participate in the "Catch A TD Pass From A Golden Ram" promotion.
West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Rolls To 59-14 Victory Over Cheyney
Cheyney Athletic Site - Two Fourth Quarter TDs Prevent Shutout
Daily Local News - West Chester takes frustration out on Cheyney
Philly.com - West Chester rolls by Cheyney, 59-14
D2football - PSAC Columnist - Ship Prevails to win PSAC East, Other Headlines from Week 9
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Club News - October 25 Meeting
The Golden Ram Football Club will be meeting on Thursday at 7:45 pm at Timothy's in the Parkway Shopping Center in West Chester. The meeting will begin immediately following the Bill Zwaan Football Show which is also held at Timothy's starting at 7:00 pm. Golden Ram fans unable to attend the show can listen to it live on WCHE 1520AM. The meeting will not be broadcast.
According to the Bill Zwaan Football Show facebook page, wide receiver Jimmy Kelly will be the special guest on Coach Zwaan's show. The senior from Norristown is the leading receiver for the Golden Rams this season, registering 33 catches for 555 yards and 6 touchdowns. Kelly posted 100-yard games against Kutztown, California, and Shippensburg. He also tossed a 24-yard touchdown pass against Millersville.
After head coach Bill Zwaan speaks at the meeting, this week's guest speaker will be Football Trainer Scott Heinerichs.
Come out to Timothy's at 7:00 pm to participate in the show live.
According to the Bill Zwaan Football Show facebook page, wide receiver Jimmy Kelly will be the special guest on Coach Zwaan's show. The senior from Norristown is the leading receiver for the Golden Rams this season, registering 33 catches for 555 yards and 6 touchdowns. Kelly posted 100-yard games against Kutztown, California, and Shippensburg. He also tossed a 24-yard touchdown pass against Millersville.
After head coach Bill Zwaan speaks at the meeting, this week's guest speaker will be Football Trainer Scott Heinerichs.
Come out to Timothy's at 7:00 pm to participate in the show live.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Team News - 2012 First Regional Rankings
The West Chester University Golden Rams appear in the NCAA Super Regional 1 rankings for the first time since 2008. The NCAA released its first regional rankings of 2012 yesterday and the Golden Rams appear on the list at #10.
The top six teams in the final regional rankings qualify for the playoffs. Although the champions of the four conferences in the region - CIAA, NE10, PSAC, and WVIAC - are not guaranteed berths in the playoffs, they are almost assured of it. What must happen for West Chester to capture one of those top six places?
1. Win their remaining three games against Cheyney, Bloomsburg and Clarion. This will give West Chester a final D2 record of 8-2 on the season.
2. Have Shippensburg win their remaining games against Bloomsburg, Cheyney and California in the PSAC championship game. This accomplishes two things. First, it assures Shippensburg one of the spots in the postseason with an undefeated record. But it also gives both California and Bloomsburg two losses and West Chester would own the head-to-head tiebreaker over both of those teams.
3. Have Winston-Salem win their remaining three games, including the CIAA championship game. Since Winston-Salem is undefeated and currently ranked second, and no other CIAA team appears in the rankings, it's best to not let any other CIAA team enter the playoff picture.
4. Have New Haven win their remaining three games, including the NE10 championship game. This is the same reasoning as Winston-Salem with one small exception. New Haven is scheduled to play Southern Connecticut this Saturday, then American International. Then it's likely that the Chargers will play American International again the following week in the NE10 championship. So New Haven winning out will lay the second and third losses on American International, ending their regular season at 7-3.
5. Hope that California loses to Slippery Rock, defeats Mercyhurst, then loses to Shippensburg in the PSAC championship game. This would give California a total of three losses. By beating Mercyhurt, they ensure that they, and not Indiana or Mercyhurst, go to the PSAC championship game.
6. Have Charleston win their remaining three games, for much the same reason as New Haven and Winston-Salem.
7. Have Shepherd lose one or both of their final two games. Shepherd has a bye this Saturday, but then faces Glenville (4-4) and Fairmont St (4-3).
8. Hope that Indiana loses at least one of their remaining three games. The Crimson Hawks are scheduled to play Clarion (4-4) this Saturday and Gannon (1-7) next week. Indiana is scheduled to play Shippensburg in the final week, but if Shippensburg beats Bloomsburg on Saturday, the Raiders will play in the PSAC championship game and Indiana will play Millersville for the second time this season.
There's no doubt that the Golden Rams need a lot of help. Basically, Shippensburg, Winston-Salem, New Haven and Charleston can not be caught. Of the other five teams currently ranked in front of West Chester, the Rams need to leap four of them. They hold the tie-breaker over California (head-to-head) and Indiana (common opponent - California) and could hold the tie breaker over Bloomsburg (head-to-head), but they need help to get close enough to those teams in order for the tiebreakers to come into play.
Ranking |
School |
D2 Record |
Overall Record |
1. |
Shippensburg |
8-0 |
8-0 |
2. |
Winston-Salem |
8-0 |
8-0 |
3. |
Bloomsburg |
8-0 |
8-0 |
4. |
California |
7-1 |
7-1 |
5. |
New Haven |
7-0 |
7-0 |
6. |
Charleston |
7-1 |
7-1 |
7. |
Indiana |
7-1 |
7-1 |
8. |
Shepherd |
6-2 |
6-2 |
9. |
American International |
6-1 |
6-1 |
10. |
West Chester |
5-2 |
5-3 |
The top six teams in the final regional rankings qualify for the playoffs. Although the champions of the four conferences in the region - CIAA, NE10, PSAC, and WVIAC - are not guaranteed berths in the playoffs, they are almost assured of it. What must happen for West Chester to capture one of those top six places?
1. Win their remaining three games against Cheyney, Bloomsburg and Clarion. This will give West Chester a final D2 record of 8-2 on the season.
2. Have Shippensburg win their remaining games against Bloomsburg, Cheyney and California in the PSAC championship game. This accomplishes two things. First, it assures Shippensburg one of the spots in the postseason with an undefeated record. But it also gives both California and Bloomsburg two losses and West Chester would own the head-to-head tiebreaker over both of those teams.
3. Have Winston-Salem win their remaining three games, including the CIAA championship game. Since Winston-Salem is undefeated and currently ranked second, and no other CIAA team appears in the rankings, it's best to not let any other CIAA team enter the playoff picture.
4. Have New Haven win their remaining three games, including the NE10 championship game. This is the same reasoning as Winston-Salem with one small exception. New Haven is scheduled to play Southern Connecticut this Saturday, then American International. Then it's likely that the Chargers will play American International again the following week in the NE10 championship. So New Haven winning out will lay the second and third losses on American International, ending their regular season at 7-3.
5. Hope that California loses to Slippery Rock, defeats Mercyhurst, then loses to Shippensburg in the PSAC championship game. This would give California a total of three losses. By beating Mercyhurt, they ensure that they, and not Indiana or Mercyhurst, go to the PSAC championship game.
6. Have Charleston win their remaining three games, for much the same reason as New Haven and Winston-Salem.
7. Have Shepherd lose one or both of their final two games. Shepherd has a bye this Saturday, but then faces Glenville (4-4) and Fairmont St (4-3).
8. Hope that Indiana loses at least one of their remaining three games. The Crimson Hawks are scheduled to play Clarion (4-4) this Saturday and Gannon (1-7) next week. Indiana is scheduled to play Shippensburg in the final week, but if Shippensburg beats Bloomsburg on Saturday, the Raiders will play in the PSAC championship game and Indiana will play Millersville for the second time this season.
There's no doubt that the Golden Rams need a lot of help. Basically, Shippensburg, Winston-Salem, New Haven and Charleston can not be caught. Of the other five teams currently ranked in front of West Chester, the Rams need to leap four of them. They hold the tie-breaker over California (head-to-head) and Indiana (common opponent - California) and could hold the tie breaker over Bloomsburg (head-to-head), but they need help to get close enough to those teams in order for the tiebreakers to come into play.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Team News - Second Lambert 2012 Poll
The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has released the second Lambert Meadowlands football poll of the 2012 season, presented by FieldTurf Tarkett. The West Chester University Golden Rams appear on the list at #7. The Lambert Meadowlands Trophy recognizes supremacy in Eastern college football.
Ranking |
School |
Overall Record |
1. |
Bloomsburg |
8-0 |
2. |
Shippensburg |
8-0 |
3. |
New Haven |
7-1 |
4. |
California |
7-1 |
5. |
Indiana |
7-1 |
6. |
American International |
6-1 |
7. |
West Chester |
5-3 |
8. |
Mercyhurst |
6-2 |
9. |
Bentley |
5-2 |
10. |
Slippery Rock |
4-4 |
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Game Preivew - Cheyney
The Golden Rams (5-3, 5-2) conclude their 2012 home season when they host the Cheyney Wolves (1-7, 0-5) on Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon.
Although Cheyney has not defeated West Chester since 1979, keep in mind:
The Wolves are led by former Golden Ram receiver Blaze Wasserleben who has transitioned to quarterback at Cheyney. On the season, Wasserleben is 47-100 for 486 yards, 6 interceptions and 3 touchdowns. He's been more effective on the ground, with 427 yards and one touchdown on 101 carries, although he has fumbled 16 times already this season. The Wolves' top receivers are running back Justin Watkins (11 catches, 161 yards, 1 touchdown), South Carolina State transfer wide receiver Marquis Garcia-Palmer (13 catches, 110 yards), and wide receiver Khalif Dandy (9 catches, 100 yards, 1 touchdown). Marcus Jones has 434 yards and two touchdowns on 114 carries and Watkins has added 167 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Defensively, the Wolves are led by the men in the middle: linebacker Khalil Neal (35 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2 QB hurries and a forced fumble), linebacker Isaiah Fleming (67 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 2 forced fumbles), and linebacker Shannon Burch (50 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, an interception and 2 forced fumbles).
Notes - West Chester appeared at #10 in the first NCAA Super Region 1 rankings this season...Golden Ram quarterback Mike Mattei remains sixth in the country in passing efficiency...Rondell White is fourth in the country in all-purpose yards...Ronell Williams leads the nation in total tackles and is second in total tackles per game...It will be Senior Day for West Chester, when senior football players, cheerleaders and band members will be recognized during the game...WCU Football is teaming up with WCU's Catholic Newman Student Association to "Help Hungry Neighbors have a Happy Thanksgiving". All fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items (stuffing mix, instant mashed potatoes, gravy, boxed brown sugar, hot chocolate, coffee, tea, or canned items - sweet potatoes, corn, green beans, carrots, cranberry sauce, fruit, pumpkin pie filling) to the game for collection. The items will benefit two major food distributors in Chester County: St. Agnes Day Room and Project 1 which servers families affected by HIV/AIDS.
Although Cheyney has not defeated West Chester since 1979, keep in mind:
- 2010 - The last time the two teams met at Farrell Stadium, Cheyney led at halftime 21-20 and West Chester held a 41-34 lead in the fourth quarter before adding another touchdown for the 48-34 final.
- 2011 - West Chester led 9-7 late in the thrid quarter and Cheyney was driving before Bob Sabol picked off a pass at the Ram 16 yard line.
- 2012 - Cheyney trailed #4 Bloomsburg by only one point as their game entered the fourth quarter last week.
West Chester will celebrate Senior Day against Cheyney (Photo Ray Doyle)The Wolves are led by former Golden Ram receiver Blaze Wasserleben who has transitioned to quarterback at Cheyney. On the season, Wasserleben is 47-100 for 486 yards, 6 interceptions and 3 touchdowns. He's been more effective on the ground, with 427 yards and one touchdown on 101 carries, although he has fumbled 16 times already this season. The Wolves' top receivers are running back Justin Watkins (11 catches, 161 yards, 1 touchdown), South Carolina State transfer wide receiver Marquis Garcia-Palmer (13 catches, 110 yards), and wide receiver Khalif Dandy (9 catches, 100 yards, 1 touchdown). Marcus Jones has 434 yards and two touchdowns on 114 carries and Watkins has added 167 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Defensively, the Wolves are led by the men in the middle: linebacker Khalil Neal (35 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2 QB hurries and a forced fumble), linebacker Isaiah Fleming (67 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 2 forced fumbles), and linebacker Shannon Burch (50 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, an interception and 2 forced fumbles).
Notes - West Chester appeared at #10 in the first NCAA Super Region 1 rankings this season...Golden Ram quarterback Mike Mattei remains sixth in the country in passing efficiency...Rondell White is fourth in the country in all-purpose yards...Ronell Williams leads the nation in total tackles and is second in total tackles per game...It will be Senior Day for West Chester, when senior football players, cheerleaders and band members will be recognized during the game...WCU Football is teaming up with WCU's Catholic Newman Student Association to "Help Hungry Neighbors have a Happy Thanksgiving". All fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items (stuffing mix, instant mashed potatoes, gravy, boxed brown sugar, hot chocolate, coffee, tea, or canned items - sweet potatoes, corn, green beans, carrots, cranberry sauce, fruit, pumpkin pie filling) to the game for collection. The items will benefit two major food distributors in Chester County: St. Agnes Day Room and Project 1 which servers families affected by HIV/AIDS.
West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Celebrates Senior Day With Cheyney Saturday
PSAC Site - Football - Week 9 Notes
KYW Newsradio - West Chester Hosts Cheyney In PSAC Action
Daily Local News - WCU, Cheyney renew rivalry
D2football - PSAC Columnist - PSAC Week 9 Preview
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Game Report - Shippensburg 42 - West Chester 24
One thing that's hard to deny about the 2012 Golden Ram football team is that they are that - a team. At California, they won as a team. And against Shippensburg, they lost as a team, 42-24. Turnovers on offense, inopportune penalties on special teams, and mistakes on defense - it was a team effort.
With the talk all week about establishing the running game, controlling the clock and keeping the ball out of Shippensburg quarterback Zack Zulli's right hand, there was a sneaky suspicion that the Rams would come out throwing. And they did just that with Mike Mattei hitting Jim Kelly with a 16-yard strike on the first play from scrimmage. West Chester's first three drives of the game were filled with a step backward followed by a step forward. The opening possession continued with a Mattei sack followed by a 26-yard completion. A silly WCU substitution penalty was followed by a Rondell White 17-yard touchdown run. On the Rams' second possession, a Mattei sack and a WCU personal foul penalty were followed by a 77-yard touchdown pass to Tom Shrader. And on the third possession, a three-yard loss and a false start penalty were followed by two completions to Kelly, the second being a 42-yard touchdown.
The good news was that West Chester scored touchdowns on their first three possessions, while the defense held Shippensburg to a missed field goal and a couple of punts. Early in the second quarter, the Golden Rams were up 21-0 with the ball at midfield and things were looking good. Maybe too good. Images of Homecoming 2011 started to creep into everyone's mind. And they'd soon be realized.
A bad WCU center-quarterback exchange on the first play of the series gave the Raiders the ball back at midfield. Shippensburg used only four plays to cut the lead to 21-7. West Chester's next possession was cut short when Mattei threw an interception. This time, though, the Ram defense forced Zulli into three incomplete passes and a punt. But the punter was roughed, giving the Raiders the ball back with a fresh set of downs. West Chester gifted the Raiders another 15 yards with a personal foul penalty and Zulli later topped off the drive with another touchdown pass.
With the lead down to a touchdown, West Chester tried to regain control of the game and consume some clock. Although only gaining 15 yards, they managed to consume over four minutes of game time. And punter Rich Bruno pinned Shippensburg inside the 20. But the Raider offense was clicking as they went 86 yards in two and half minutes to knot the score at 21. With 70 seconds left in the half, Mattei used his arm for 28 yards and his legs for 14 yards which was enough to get into field goal position. Shawn Leo knocked the 40-yarder through and West Chester owned a 24-21 halftime lead over the #13 team in the country. It would be the last points the Golden Rams would score.
The defense opened the second half by forcing a three-and-out. On the Rams' first play of the second half, White broke a 64-yard run to the Shippensburg 5-yard line. But West Chester failed to score on White's next four carries as the Rams turned it over on downs. It was deflating to be that close and not cash in, but with Shippensburg pinned deep, the defense forced another three-and-out and West Chester soon had the ball again at midfield. The Rams managed a couple of first downs on nice catches by Jared Bonacquisti and Erick Brundidge. However, as West Chester crept closer to the red zone, a receiver zigged when he should have zagged and Mattei's pass went right into a Shippensburg defender's hands who returned the interception 77 yards to the Ram 15. The defense held yet again, forcing a Raider field goal attempt on fourth and seven. But West Chester jumped offside and with only two yards to go for the first down, Shippensburg choose to go for it and converted the first down, giving the Raiders a first and goal from the four. The Ram defense again stepped up, and Shippensburg settled for another field goal attempt. This time, however, a bad snapped slowed the play enough for Bob Sabol to come around the edge and block the attempt. Bullets were being dodged, and the third quarter would remain scoreless.
In the fourth quarter, the mistakes were too large to overcome, however. The Ram offense picked up a 15-yard face mask penalty and was forced to punt. The defense gave up a 20-yard completion which was extended by a 15-yard personal foul penalty. Three plays later, Shippensburg crossed the endzone to take the lead 28-24. What made this devastating is that the ball bounced out of the hands of safety John O'Donnell and into the receivers hands who walked into the end zone. The tide had turned. A brief set of downs and a short punt gave the Raiders the ball at their own 39. This time, in more typical Zulli fashion, Shippensburg went 61 yards in 80 seconds and the lead grew to 35-24.
After a couple of incomplete passes and a sack, West Chester was faced with a fourth and 18 from their own 43. Down two scores with around six minutes left to play, the Rams elected to punt, essentially surrendering the game. This time Shippensburg took their time scoring, using over five minutes and another WCU personal foul to make the final score 42-24.
Notes - Kelly had another 100-yard receiving day, catching 7 balls for 113 yards...White had another nice all-purpose day - 119 yards rushing and 56 receiving...Ronell Williams registered 18 total tackles...fellow linebacker Mike Culbreath tallied 14 total tackles, including one for a loss, and two pass breakups.
Injuries - It's worth noting the players that watched the game in street clothes due to injury: starting strong safety Carl Barnes and his backup Mike Lonergan; starting linebacker Mike Labor and his backup Drew Persa; starting cornerback Al-Haj Shabazz; fullback James Rosseau, wide receiver Tim Keyser, tight end Shawn Driggins. Add in players that were lost very early in the season like quarterback Sean McCartney, defensive tackles Mike Martin and Tylor Unger and it's easy to see that the coaches are doing a great job with a makeshift lineup. For example, Matt Carroll who moved from quarterback to rover this offseason, has since assumed the strong safety position. And Mike Culbreath is now starting at linebacker instead of backing up Ronell Williams. The lack of experienced depth on defense means a lot of playing time for everyone. Jared Bonacquisti showed his versatility last season, and is doing so again this year by playing tight end in those two tight end sets as well as his role as lead blocker and special teams performer.
With the talk all week about establishing the running game, controlling the clock and keeping the ball out of Shippensburg quarterback Zack Zulli's right hand, there was a sneaky suspicion that the Rams would come out throwing. And they did just that with Mike Mattei hitting Jim Kelly with a 16-yard strike on the first play from scrimmage. West Chester's first three drives of the game were filled with a step backward followed by a step forward. The opening possession continued with a Mattei sack followed by a 26-yard completion. A silly WCU substitution penalty was followed by a Rondell White 17-yard touchdown run. On the Rams' second possession, a Mattei sack and a WCU personal foul penalty were followed by a 77-yard touchdown pass to Tom Shrader. And on the third possession, a three-yard loss and a false start penalty were followed by two completions to Kelly, the second being a 42-yard touchdown.
The good news was that West Chester scored touchdowns on their first three possessions, while the defense held Shippensburg to a missed field goal and a couple of punts. Early in the second quarter, the Golden Rams were up 21-0 with the ball at midfield and things were looking good. Maybe too good. Images of Homecoming 2011 started to creep into everyone's mind. And they'd soon be realized.
A bad WCU center-quarterback exchange on the first play of the series gave the Raiders the ball back at midfield. Shippensburg used only four plays to cut the lead to 21-7. West Chester's next possession was cut short when Mattei threw an interception. This time, though, the Ram defense forced Zulli into three incomplete passes and a punt. But the punter was roughed, giving the Raiders the ball back with a fresh set of downs. West Chester gifted the Raiders another 15 yards with a personal foul penalty and Zulli later topped off the drive with another touchdown pass.
With the lead down to a touchdown, West Chester tried to regain control of the game and consume some clock. Although only gaining 15 yards, they managed to consume over four minutes of game time. And punter Rich Bruno pinned Shippensburg inside the 20. But the Raider offense was clicking as they went 86 yards in two and half minutes to knot the score at 21. With 70 seconds left in the half, Mattei used his arm for 28 yards and his legs for 14 yards which was enough to get into field goal position. Shawn Leo knocked the 40-yarder through and West Chester owned a 24-21 halftime lead over the #13 team in the country. It would be the last points the Golden Rams would score.
The defense opened the second half by forcing a three-and-out. On the Rams' first play of the second half, White broke a 64-yard run to the Shippensburg 5-yard line. But West Chester failed to score on White's next four carries as the Rams turned it over on downs. It was deflating to be that close and not cash in, but with Shippensburg pinned deep, the defense forced another three-and-out and West Chester soon had the ball again at midfield. The Rams managed a couple of first downs on nice catches by Jared Bonacquisti and Erick Brundidge. However, as West Chester crept closer to the red zone, a receiver zigged when he should have zagged and Mattei's pass went right into a Shippensburg defender's hands who returned the interception 77 yards to the Ram 15. The defense held yet again, forcing a Raider field goal attempt on fourth and seven. But West Chester jumped offside and with only two yards to go for the first down, Shippensburg choose to go for it and converted the first down, giving the Raiders a first and goal from the four. The Ram defense again stepped up, and Shippensburg settled for another field goal attempt. This time, however, a bad snapped slowed the play enough for Bob Sabol to come around the edge and block the attempt. Bullets were being dodged, and the third quarter would remain scoreless.
In the fourth quarter, the mistakes were too large to overcome, however. The Ram offense picked up a 15-yard face mask penalty and was forced to punt. The defense gave up a 20-yard completion which was extended by a 15-yard personal foul penalty. Three plays later, Shippensburg crossed the endzone to take the lead 28-24. What made this devastating is that the ball bounced out of the hands of safety John O'Donnell and into the receivers hands who walked into the end zone. The tide had turned. A brief set of downs and a short punt gave the Raiders the ball at their own 39. This time, in more typical Zulli fashion, Shippensburg went 61 yards in 80 seconds and the lead grew to 35-24.
After a couple of incomplete passes and a sack, West Chester was faced with a fourth and 18 from their own 43. Down two scores with around six minutes left to play, the Rams elected to punt, essentially surrendering the game. This time Shippensburg took their time scoring, using over five minutes and another WCU personal foul to make the final score 42-24.
Notes - Kelly had another 100-yard receiving day, catching 7 balls for 113 yards...White had another nice all-purpose day - 119 yards rushing and 56 receiving...Ronell Williams registered 18 total tackles...fellow linebacker Mike Culbreath tallied 14 total tackles, including one for a loss, and two pass breakups.
Injuries - It's worth noting the players that watched the game in street clothes due to injury: starting strong safety Carl Barnes and his backup Mike Lonergan; starting linebacker Mike Labor and his backup Drew Persa; starting cornerback Al-Haj Shabazz; fullback James Rosseau, wide receiver Tim Keyser, tight end Shawn Driggins. Add in players that were lost very early in the season like quarterback Sean McCartney, defensive tackles Mike Martin and Tylor Unger and it's easy to see that the coaches are doing a great job with a makeshift lineup. For example, Matt Carroll who moved from quarterback to rover this offseason, has since assumed the strong safety position. And Mike Culbreath is now starting at linebacker instead of backing up Ronell Williams. The lack of experienced depth on defense means a lot of playing time for everyone. Jared Bonacquisti showed his versatility last season, and is doing so again this year by playing tight end in those two tight end sets as well as his role as lead blocker and special teams performer.
West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Falls To No. 13 Shippensburg, 42-24
Shippensburg Athletic Site - No. 13 Football Overcomes 21-Point Deficit, Shuts Out Golden Rams In Second Half En Route to 42-24 Victory
Daily Local News - WCU fades in second half, falls to Shippensburg
Penn Live - Shippensburg rallies to beat West Chester
The Sentinel - Raiders rally to remain unbeaten
Public Opinion - Shippensburg gets 12th straight win despite trailing early
Bert Garbutt - Photo Collage
D2football - PSAC Columnist - Ship stays unbeaten, Underdogs step up
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Player News - White, Williams nab ECAC Player of the Week Honors
For his efforts against LIU Post, running back Rondell White has been named ECAC Division II Offensive Player of the Week. In West Chester's 41-6 win over the Pioneers, the junior carried the ball 28 times for 167 yards and a touchdown. He also caught six passes for 176 yards a three touchdowns. White's 343 all-purpose yards ranks fourth in West Chester history for a single game.
For his efforts against LIU Post, linebacker Ronell Williams has been named ECAC Division II Defensive Player of the Week. The sophomore from Chester registered 14 total tackles and a quarterback hurry and led a defense that only allowed one touchdown.
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For his efforts against LIU Post, linebacker Ronell Williams has been named ECAC Division II Defensive Player of the Week. The sophomore from Chester registered 14 total tackles and a quarterback hurry and led a defense that only allowed one touchdown.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Club News - October 18 Meeting
The Golden Ram Football Club will be meeting on Thursday at 7:45 pm at Timothy's in the Parkway Shopping Center in West Chester. The meeting will begin immediately following the Bill Zwaan Football Show which is also held at Timothy's starting at 7:00 pm. Golden Ram fans unable to attend the show can listen to it live on WCHE 1520AM. The meeting will not be broadcast.
According to the Bill Zwaan Football Show facebook page, cornerback Bob Sabol will be the special guest on Coach Zwaan's show. The senior from Wilmington ranks 6th on the team in total tackles with 29 and is among the leaders in the PSAC in passes defended with seven. When he gets his hands on the ball, the Rams tend to score. Sabol snared his only interception of the season against Delaware and the West Chester offense converted that into a touchdown. Against California, Sabol returned two kickoffs for a total of 50 yards and the Golden Rams scored touchdowns on both of those ensuing possessions as well.
After head coach Bill Zwaan speaks at the meeting, this week's guest speakers will be WCU Women's Basketball Head Coach Deirdre Kane and WCU Men's Basketball Head Coach Damien Blair to preview their upcoming 2012-2013 seasons.
Come out to Timothy's at 7:00 pm to participate in the show live.
According to the Bill Zwaan Football Show facebook page, cornerback Bob Sabol will be the special guest on Coach Zwaan's show. The senior from Wilmington ranks 6th on the team in total tackles with 29 and is among the leaders in the PSAC in passes defended with seven. When he gets his hands on the ball, the Rams tend to score. Sabol snared his only interception of the season against Delaware and the West Chester offense converted that into a touchdown. Against California, Sabol returned two kickoffs for a total of 50 yards and the Golden Rams scored touchdowns on both of those ensuing possessions as well.
After head coach Bill Zwaan speaks at the meeting, this week's guest speakers will be WCU Women's Basketball Head Coach Deirdre Kane and WCU Men's Basketball Head Coach Damien Blair to preview their upcoming 2012-2013 seasons.
Come out to Timothy's at 7:00 pm to participate in the show live.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Team News - First Lambert 2012 Poll
The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has released the first Lambert Meadowlands football poll of the 2012 season, presented by FieldTurf Tarkett. The West Chester University Golden Rams appear on the list at #6. The Lambert Meadowlands Trophy recognizes supremacy in Eastern college football.
Ranking |
School |
Overall Record |
1. |
Bloomsburg |
6-0 |
2. |
New Haven |
5-0 |
3. |
Shippensburg |
6-0 |
4. |
California |
5-1 |
5. |
Indiana |
6-1 |
6. |
West Chester |
5-2 |
7. |
American International |
5-1 |
8. |
Mercyhurst |
6-1 |
9. |
Bentley |
5-1 |
10. |
East Stroudsburg |
3-3 |
Monday, October 15, 2012
Game Preview - Shippensburg
How to stop Zach Zulli. If the answers were published here, this would be the most read website by all PSAC coaches. To date, the answer does not exist. Through seven games this season, the junior signal caller has completed 69% of his passes for 2,723 yards, 33 touchdowns and only three interceptions.
Yes, this is what West Chester (5-2, 3-1) faces when it welcomes #13 Shippensburg (7-0, 4-0) to Farrell Stadium for homecoming this Saturday at 2:00 pm.
This past week, the Raiders ruined Kutztown's homecoming with a 73-35 flogging of the Golden Bears and they'll look to do the same this Saturday to West Chester. Shippensburg brings lofty national rankings in several offensive categories: first in passing with 423 yards per game; first in total offense with 578 yards per game; second in scoring offense with 53.5 points per game; fourth in kickoff returns with nearly 27 yards per return; and second in passing efficiency with a 188.1 rating. Oh and their running game isn't too shabby with 155 yards per game. Okay, so what about their defense? Continuing with national rankings: sixth in rushing defense allowing 82 yards per game; 21st in total defense allowing 305 yards per game; 13th in sacks with 3 per game; and 46th in scoring defense allowing 21 points per game. There just are not a lot of chinks in the armor.
For his incredible numbers against Kutztown, quarterback Zulli (46 of 61, 581 yards, 9 TD's 0 interceptions) picked up his fifth PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week award in the first seven weeks of the season. Nine Raiders have ten or more receptions. Top targets are 6'3" So. WR Trevor Harman (46 catches, 710 yards, 10 TD's), 6'1" Sr. WR Jacob Baskerville (30 catches, 567 yards, 5 TD's) and 5'11" Sr. WR Bryan Barley (22 catches, 432 yards, 4 TD's). Running backs Mike Frenette (29 catches, 295 yards, 1 TD, 92 rushes, 551 yards, 7 TD's) and Kevin Herod (16 catches, 192 yards, 3 TD's, 27 rushes, 70 yards, 1 TD) are just as dangerous receiving as they are running.
Defensively, Shippensburg is led by linebackers Brian Sourber (50 total tackles, 2 sacks) and Cody Fleming (45 total tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, 3 pass breakups). Up front, there is 6'7" Jake Metz (36 total tackles, 8 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 pass breakups, 4 forced fumbles) and Dainen Green (17 total tackles, 3.5 sacks). The secondary is led by Avery Coleman (41 total tackles, 2 interceptions, 4 pass breakups) and Corey Hunt (33 total tackles, 1 interception, 1 pass breakup).
Look for West Chester to establish the running game in an attempt to keep the ball out of Zulli's hands since it will be a tall order for the depleted West Chester defense to contain the number one passing offense in the country.
Notes - West Chester rode a 17 point third quarter to a 52-17 win last season at Shippensburg. In that game, LaRonn Lee had three touchdowns and Zulli threw three interceptions...West Chester quarterback Mike Mattei is now fourth in the country in pass efficiency. Rondell White is 17th in rushing and fifth in all-purpose yards...reigning PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week Ronell Williams is tenth in the country in tackles...Zulli is D2football.com's reigning offensive player of the week...West Chester has not won their homecoming game since Dr. Weisenstein became president of the university, losing 21-20 to East Stroudsburg in 2009, 39-37 to CW Post in 2010 and 55-42 to Bloomsburg in 2011...Zwaan is 7-2 against Shippensburg.
Yes, this is what West Chester (5-2, 3-1) faces when it welcomes #13 Shippensburg (7-0, 4-0) to Farrell Stadium for homecoming this Saturday at 2:00 pm.
This past week, the Raiders ruined Kutztown's homecoming with a 73-35 flogging of the Golden Bears and they'll look to do the same this Saturday to West Chester. Shippensburg brings lofty national rankings in several offensive categories: first in passing with 423 yards per game; first in total offense with 578 yards per game; second in scoring offense with 53.5 points per game; fourth in kickoff returns with nearly 27 yards per return; and second in passing efficiency with a 188.1 rating. Oh and their running game isn't too shabby with 155 yards per game. Okay, so what about their defense? Continuing with national rankings: sixth in rushing defense allowing 82 yards per game; 21st in total defense allowing 305 yards per game; 13th in sacks with 3 per game; and 46th in scoring defense allowing 21 points per game. There just are not a lot of chinks in the armor.
For his incredible numbers against Kutztown, quarterback Zulli (46 of 61, 581 yards, 9 TD's 0 interceptions) picked up his fifth PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week award in the first seven weeks of the season. Nine Raiders have ten or more receptions. Top targets are 6'3" So. WR Trevor Harman (46 catches, 710 yards, 10 TD's), 6'1" Sr. WR Jacob Baskerville (30 catches, 567 yards, 5 TD's) and 5'11" Sr. WR Bryan Barley (22 catches, 432 yards, 4 TD's). Running backs Mike Frenette (29 catches, 295 yards, 1 TD, 92 rushes, 551 yards, 7 TD's) and Kevin Herod (16 catches, 192 yards, 3 TD's, 27 rushes, 70 yards, 1 TD) are just as dangerous receiving as they are running.
Defensively, Shippensburg is led by linebackers Brian Sourber (50 total tackles, 2 sacks) and Cody Fleming (45 total tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, 3 pass breakups). Up front, there is 6'7" Jake Metz (36 total tackles, 8 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 pass breakups, 4 forced fumbles) and Dainen Green (17 total tackles, 3.5 sacks). The secondary is led by Avery Coleman (41 total tackles, 2 interceptions, 4 pass breakups) and Corey Hunt (33 total tackles, 1 interception, 1 pass breakup).
Look for West Chester to establish the running game in an attempt to keep the ball out of Zulli's hands since it will be a tall order for the depleted West Chester defense to contain the number one passing offense in the country.
Notes - West Chester rode a 17 point third quarter to a 52-17 win last season at Shippensburg. In that game, LaRonn Lee had three touchdowns and Zulli threw three interceptions...West Chester quarterback Mike Mattei is now fourth in the country in pass efficiency. Rondell White is 17th in rushing and fifth in all-purpose yards...reigning PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week Ronell Williams is tenth in the country in tackles...Zulli is D2football.com's reigning offensive player of the week...West Chester has not won their homecoming game since Dr. Weisenstein became president of the university, losing 21-20 to East Stroudsburg in 2009, 39-37 to CW Post in 2010 and 55-42 to Bloomsburg in 2011...Zwaan is 7-2 against Shippensburg.
West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Welcomes Shippensburg On Homecoming Saturday
PSAC Site - Football - Week 8 Notes
Shippensburg Athletic Site - No. 13 Red Raider Football Travels to West Chester Saturday for Showdown with the Golden Rams
KYW Newsradio - West Chester Hosts Undefeated Shippensburg
The Sentinel - Shippensburg looking to avoid trap against West Chester with No. 4 Bloomsburg on the horizon
Public Opinion - Shippensburg to play dangerous West Chester
Shippensburg News-Chronicle - No. 13 SU heads to WCU on nation's longest win streak
D2football - PSAC Columnist - PSAC Week 8 Preview
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Player News - Williams Named PSAC East Defensive POW
For his efforts against LIU Post, linebacker Ronell Williams was named PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week. The sophomore from Chester registered 14 total tackles and a quarterback hurry and led a defense that only allowed one touchdown.
West Chester Athletic Site - Ronell Williams Named PSAC East Defensive Player Of The Week
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Game Report - West Chester 41 - LIU Post 6
The Pioneers should have had Paul Revere warn them that Rondell White was coming by land and by air. Instead, White amassed 343 total yards and four touchdowns as West Chester (5-2, 3-1) controlled LIU Post (2-4, 1-3) 41-6 on a sunny, but chilly afternoon.
After last week's lackluster performance, West Chester came out with a lot of emotion, which is great when it pays off. But the offense was rather sluggish to open the game, totaling 21 yards in less than three minutes on their first two possessions into the wind. The field position battle was on and LIU Post leveraged a couple of first downs to pin West Chester at their own 14. That's when the Rams went on a long drive that consisted of 30 yards of LIU Post penalties and 73 yards of White rushing, including his 38-yard pinball touchdown run. Post was on the verge of tying the game on a nice lob pass to running back Anthony Brunetti, but the PAT attempt went wide left, and the Rams owned a 7-6 lead early in the second quarter.
After the Rams' next drive stalled, several key factors came into play. First punter Rich Bruno launched a 50-yard punt that rolled out of bounds at the LIU Post 3-yard line. Then the defense maintained their intensity and forced LIU Post to punt from their own 15, giving the Rams great field position at the Post 46. Finally, the offense adjusted to a struggling passing game (QB Mike Mattei was only 1 of 9 at this point), and used eight consecutive rushing attempts by White and Brandon Monk to get to the Post 7 yard line. Mattei then found Tom Shrader on a 7-yard slant for the touchdown.
Mattei got on track on the next possession, hitting White for 20 yards, Jim Kelly for 23 yards, and finally White for a 23-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 21-6 with 1:17 remaining. The defense came up big again, forcing a three and out and, with the wind at their back, the Rams decided to go for more. This time, Mattei connected with Erick Brundidge for 9 yards, White for 19 yards, and LaRonn Lee for 30 yards to setup Shawn Leo's 26-yard field goal as time expired. The Rams had a comfortable 24-6 halftime lead.
Mike Culbreath and the defense kept LIU Post wrapped all game long (Photo Geoff Ruth)
West Chester kicked off to start the second half, which would give LIU Post an opportunity to get back into the game. But after Adam Dempsey poked the ball out on that opening kickoff return, the Rams pounced on it. Mattei completed two third-down passes - the first was an 18-yarder to Kelly to keep the drive alive and the second was a 22-yarder to White, who made an amazing catch for the touchdown. Instead of the Pioneers clawing their way back into the games, the Rams had extended their lead to 31-6.
Rather than relax, the Rams increased the intensity further. The defense forced another three-and-out and the WCU special teams came up with a blocked punt by Camille Max. White carried the ball three times for 23 yards to setup another Leo field goal.
Late in the third, with West Chester leading 34-6, LIU Post pinned the Rams at their own three-yard line. On third-and-two, Mattei found White on a little out pattern which was enough to pick up the first down, but White turned on the speed and raced 89 yards for the final touchdown. Although it was still the third quarter, White's day, along with anyone who had a healthy back up, was done.
Notes - Shrader saw his first game action since breaking his collarbone against Delaware in week one...WR Tim Keyser, who missed the Kutztown and California games, saw his season come to an end with an ankle injury in the third quarter...Although Ronell Williams led the Rams with 14 tackles, can anyone but Matt Carroll be the defensive player of the game? Carroll moved from quarterback to rover to start the season, but due to injuries to Carl Barnes and Mike Lonergan, played strong safety against LIU Post. He finished the game with seven tackles, two pass break-ups and recovered a fumble on special teams...For the second time this season, the offensive line did not yield a sack in the game... Bruno landed three of his five punts inside the 20
After last week's lackluster performance, West Chester came out with a lot of emotion, which is great when it pays off. But the offense was rather sluggish to open the game, totaling 21 yards in less than three minutes on their first two possessions into the wind. The field position battle was on and LIU Post leveraged a couple of first downs to pin West Chester at their own 14. That's when the Rams went on a long drive that consisted of 30 yards of LIU Post penalties and 73 yards of White rushing, including his 38-yard pinball touchdown run. Post was on the verge of tying the game on a nice lob pass to running back Anthony Brunetti, but the PAT attempt went wide left, and the Rams owned a 7-6 lead early in the second quarter.
After the Rams' next drive stalled, several key factors came into play. First punter Rich Bruno launched a 50-yard punt that rolled out of bounds at the LIU Post 3-yard line. Then the defense maintained their intensity and forced LIU Post to punt from their own 15, giving the Rams great field position at the Post 46. Finally, the offense adjusted to a struggling passing game (QB Mike Mattei was only 1 of 9 at this point), and used eight consecutive rushing attempts by White and Brandon Monk to get to the Post 7 yard line. Mattei then found Tom Shrader on a 7-yard slant for the touchdown.
Mattei got on track on the next possession, hitting White for 20 yards, Jim Kelly for 23 yards, and finally White for a 23-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 21-6 with 1:17 remaining. The defense came up big again, forcing a three and out and, with the wind at their back, the Rams decided to go for more. This time, Mattei connected with Erick Brundidge for 9 yards, White for 19 yards, and LaRonn Lee for 30 yards to setup Shawn Leo's 26-yard field goal as time expired. The Rams had a comfortable 24-6 halftime lead.
Mike Culbreath and the defense kept LIU Post wrapped all game long (Photo Geoff Ruth)West Chester kicked off to start the second half, which would give LIU Post an opportunity to get back into the game. But after Adam Dempsey poked the ball out on that opening kickoff return, the Rams pounced on it. Mattei completed two third-down passes - the first was an 18-yarder to Kelly to keep the drive alive and the second was a 22-yarder to White, who made an amazing catch for the touchdown. Instead of the Pioneers clawing their way back into the games, the Rams had extended their lead to 31-6.
Rather than relax, the Rams increased the intensity further. The defense forced another three-and-out and the WCU special teams came up with a blocked punt by Camille Max. White carried the ball three times for 23 yards to setup another Leo field goal.
Late in the third, with West Chester leading 34-6, LIU Post pinned the Rams at their own three-yard line. On third-and-two, Mattei found White on a little out pattern which was enough to pick up the first down, but White turned on the speed and raced 89 yards for the final touchdown. Although it was still the third quarter, White's day, along with anyone who had a healthy back up, was done.
Rondell White posted 167 rushing and 176 yards receiving against LIU Post (Photo Geoff Ruth)Notes - Shrader saw his first game action since breaking his collarbone against Delaware in week one...WR Tim Keyser, who missed the Kutztown and California games, saw his season come to an end with an ankle injury in the third quarter...Although Ronell Williams led the Rams with 14 tackles, can anyone but Matt Carroll be the defensive player of the game? Carroll moved from quarterback to rover to start the season, but due to injuries to Carl Barnes and Mike Lonergan, played strong safety against LIU Post. He finished the game with seven tackles, two pass break-ups and recovered a fumble on special teams...For the second time this season, the offensive line did not yield a sack in the game... Bruno landed three of his five punts inside the 20
West Chester Athletic Site - Rondell White Carries The Load In 41-6 Win Over LIU Post
LIU Post Athletic Site - High Offense Powers West Chester To 41-6 Win Over Football
Daily Local News - White’s 4 TDs help Golden Rams get back on track
Long Island Newsday - West Chester romps past Post
Bert Garbutt - Photo Collage
D2football - PSAC Columnist - PSAC Week Seven Headlines