Game Preview - American International

The #15 Golden Rams (10-1) play their first postseason game since 2008 when they host American International (9-2) of the Northeast-10 Conference this Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon at Farrell Stadium. West Chester received the #3 seed in Super Region I and its only blemish is a three-point loss to Bloomsburg. The preseason favorite to win the Northeast-10 conference, American International received the #6 seed after defeating Stonehill in the NE10 championship game on Saturday.

American International has appeared in the NCAA playoffs one other time. In 2008 they won the Northeast-10 Conference championship and finished the regular season 9-1. As the third seed in the region, AIC hosted Seton Hill (9-2) of the now defunct West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Yellow Jackets lost that game 14-7 in front of 732 fans on a warm, but rainy, November afternoon. On that same day, fourth seeded West Chester comfortably defeated NE10 runner-up Southern Connecticut 52-32 at Farrell Stadium.

This season, American International and West Chester shared two common opponents. AIC opened the season with a 21-14 loss at East Stroudsburg and on the first Saturday of November, the Yellow Jackets defeated New Haven 43-34 in West Haven, Connecticut. West Chester played both of those teams at Farrell Stadium, dominating New Haven 45-14 on the first week of the season and coming back to defeat East Stroudsburg 34-20 on homecoming.

Series History:
West Chester leads the overall series with the Yellow Jackets 10-2. The Golden Rams have won the last six meetings, however the two teams haven't faced one another since 1991. West Chester head coach Bill Zwaan has never faced AIC, but is 4-2 all time against NE10 teams and 5-5 in the NCAA Division II playoffs. AIC head coach Art Wilkins is the all-time winningest coach at AIC and is in his 20th season at the helm of the Yellow Jackets with a record of 128-78.

Last 10 Meetings:

Year	H/A	W/L	Score	Year	H/A	W/L	Score
1975	Home	Loss	13-9	1987	Home	Win	30-3
1977	Home	Win	21-7	1988	Away	Win	54-21
1979	Away	Win	14-10	1989	Home	Win	34-7
1980	Home	Loss	37-9	1990	Away	Win	31-18
1984	Away	Win	26-10	1991	Home	Win	36-13

Bill Zwaan will be looking to add to his five Division II playoff win total

West Chester in the Playoffs Under Zwaan:

Year	Round	H/A	Opponent	Conf	W/L	Score
2004	First	Home	C.W. Post	NE10	Win	35-3
2004	Second	Away	Shippensburg	PSAC	Win	33-28
2004	Regional Final	Away	East Stroud.	PSAC	Win	48-38
2004	National Semi’s	Away	Valdosta St	GSC	Loss	45-21
2005	First	Away	C.W. Post	NE10	Loss	24-20
2006	First	Away	Bryant	NE10	Win	31-29
2006	Second	Away	Bloomsburg	PSAC	Loss	21-20
2007	First	Home	Indiana	PSAC	Loss	45-25
2008	First	Home	South. Conn.	NE10	Win	52-32
2008	Second	Away	Bloomsburg	PSAC	Loss	28-21

First Round - 3-2
Home - 2-1
vs NE10 - 3-1

Scouting the Opponent:

Although the total offensive yards are very balanced – 2,682 rushing and 2,374 passing – this is a run oriented team by play selection – 504 rushing and 282 passing. And six players have at least 25 carries and 150 yards on the season. Their rushing offense is ranked 19th in the country.

The Yellow Jackets are led on offense by their best player - quarterback Kevin Arduino. Arduino is a dual threat both throwing (151-281, 2,374 yards, 13 TD's, 10 interceptions) and running (167 carries, 942 yards, 20 TD’s). Their top running back coming into the season was All-NE10 player Terrell Williams (60 carries, 484 yards, 4 TD’s), but he only played the first three games of the season before being injured. So now when Arduino does hand off the ball, he gives it to Maurice Easterling (106 carries, 510 yards, 8 TD’s) who is listed on the roster as a wide receiver but has made the move to running back with the loss of Williams. On the offensive line, both center George Grosz and tackle Viondy Merisma were All-NE10 a year ago.

Top receivers are Matt Brown (43 catches, 578 yards, 2 TD’s), 6’3” Stephan Davis (28 catches, 599 yards, 4 TD’s), 6’3” Evan Graham (13 catches, 347 yards, 1 TD), and Cal Brownridge (24 catches, 280 yards, 4 TD’s).

Kicker Jared Hulsey is only 4 of 7 on field goal attempts with a long of 32 yards. All NE10 performer Daniel Backx handles the kickoffs, averaging 56 yards per kick with three touchbacks and has assumed the punting duties averaging 39 yards per punt, landing ten inside the opponents 20 and booting four longer than 50 yards. He’s also had one punt blocked. Brown handles the punt returns, averaging six yards per return and Marcel Depina and Brownridge split the kickoff return chores. Lenroy Neysmith returned both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown.

The AIC defense is stingy when it comes to scoring. They’re 37th in the country in rushing defense, 36th in scoring defense and first in the nation in red zone defense. Andrew Justice (42 tackles, 7 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 pass breakups, 1 QB hurry) is listed as a linebacker, plays defensive end, and seems to be everywhere on the field. Starting linebackers Jaquawne Simpkins (94 tackles, 7.0 TFL’s, 1 interception, 3 pass breakups), who was All-NE10 last season, and Demetrius Sneed (69 tackles, 8.0 TFL’s), who was a NE10 All-Rookie last season, are the Yellow Jackets leading tacklers.

Safeties, freshman Daquan Holmes (54 tackles, 3.0 TFL’s, 3 interceptions) and sophomore Darion Chappel (44 tackles, 2 interceptions, 7 pass breakups), are young but talented. Sophomore cornerback Mike Ford (36 tackles, 4 interceptions, 8 pass breakups), who was named to the NE10 All-Rookie team last year, and junior Carron McCluney (43 tackles, 1 interception, 8 pass breakups) round out the young secondary.

Analysis:

Stopping QB Arduino is the obvious key for the Golden Ram defense. Getting it done is the question. The East Stroudsburg game film should provide some clues as he connected on only 40% of his pass attempts and threw two interceptions. But then again, that was the first game of the season and their offense has evolved since then. His 20 rushing touchdowns, including 15 in the last five games, are one more than West Chester's Rondell White, so his ground game is probably a bigger concern. The Golden Ram defense didn't contain the Bloomsburg and East Stroudsburg quarterbacks too well, so this will need to be an area of emphasis this week. Also, AIC has two receivers at 6'3" which may pose a challenge for the West Chester secondary.

Except for the kickoff return for touchdown by AIC, West Chester looks to have a decided advantage in special teams play.

Offensively, West Chester will be facing a very good run defense as AIC yields only 116 yards per game on the ground. It would seem their young secondary could be the victim of some of West Chester's passing schemes, but they're not going to be beaten merely due to athleticism. Based on the Yellow Jackets' red zone numbers, long pass plays may be what puts the Golden Rams into the end zone.

Notes:

The winner of this contest will travel to Bloomsburg to face the #2 seed Huskies at noon on Saturday, November 30...Running back Rondell White is 36 rushing yards and two overall touchdowns away from setting West Chester single season records in each of those categories...Kicker Shawn Leo is six PAT's away from setting the West Chester career record in that category.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video ($7)

American International Athletic Site - Football Goes Dancing

philly.com - West Chester to host American International in D-II playoffs

KYW Newsradio - West Chester Hosts AIC Saturday In Tourney Opener

Daily Local News - West Chester begins Division II playoff journey

D2football - PSAC Columnist - Super Region 1 First Round Playoff Breakdown

D2football - NE10 Columnist - Playoff Time in the NE-10