Game Preview - Seton Hill

In their final game before division play commences, the Golden Rams (0-2) travel to Greensburg, PA to take on the Seton Hill Griffins (1-2) on Saturday. Kickoff at Offutt Field is set for noon.

Series History:
West Chester owns a 4-0 lead in the series. The Golden Rams won handily in both 2014 and 2018 in Greensburg, and held on in a shootout in 2015 in West Chester. In their last meeting, the Golden Rams' defense dominated in a shutout victory in Farrell Stadium.

Last Meeting:

09/21/2019 West Chester 29 - Seton Hill 0

The Golden Rams had a dominating defensive performance by holding the Griffins to just 19 rushing yards on 23 attempts and 93 total passing yards. Of Seton Hill's eight first downs, three came as a result of a WCU penalty. The West Chester defense registered three sacks, an interception, and scored the game's first points on a safety. The West Chester offense was more methodical than explosive - they held the ball for almost 35 minutes, converting on 9 of 21 third downs and four of five fourth downs.

Scouting the Opponent:

Running back Ky'Ron Craggette (71 carries, 314 yards, 3 TD's) was first team All-PSAC West last season and is currently second in the conference in rushing, averaging 105 yards/game. Angelo State transfer Jake Cruz (44 of 91, 566 yards, 3 TD's, 2 int) is in his second full season at quarterback for the Griffins, although his top receiver from 2023, Mark Bails Jr., has since transferred to FCS Southern Utah University where he currently leads the Thunderbirds in receiving. Besides Craggette (10 catches, 74 yards), top pass catchers for the Griffins are tight end Ethan Fame (10 catches, 159 yards, 2 TD's), 6'5" Todd Phillips (5 catches, 155 yards, 1 TD), and receiver Cody Rubrecht (5 catches, 77 yards).

Ben Weaver (11 tackles, 2.5 TFL's) was second team All-PSAC West last year and is recognized as one of best defensive ends in NCAA Division II. Chadron State transfer linebacker Ritchie McCormack (22 tackles, 3.0 sacks) is the Griffins' best defender so far this season. David Awuah (20 tackles, 1 int) and Demetri Whitehead (15 tackles, 1 int, 2 PBU) are part of their five-man secondary. Whitehead led the entire PSAC in interceptions in 2023.

Punter Jack Wagner was named second team All-PSAC West last season and has pinned seven of 18 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line this season. Seton Hill's all-conference return specialist from last season has transferred to Division III Marietta College where he's getting an opportunity to play running back.

Analysis:

The Golden Rams are likely looking forward to playing a game against a questionable defense, since Seton Hill ranks last in the PSAC in points allowed with 30 per game. However, the Griffins are looking at this game the same way, as West Chester allows 29 points per game. With the passing games for both teams being similar in competency, the primary question is if the WCU defense, which ranks second to last in rushing yards allowed, can slow one of the best running backs in the conference? Last week, Seton Hill fought back from a 14-3 deficit entering the fourth quarter to score two touchdowns including the game winner with just nine seconds left in the game to defeat Bloomsburg 15-14, so know that the Griffins play until the clock shows triple zeros.

Seton Hill head coach and alumnus Daniel Day is in his sixth season with a record of 16-30. He led the Griffins to a 6-5 season in 2023 which was their best finish since joining the PSAC in 2012. Both Versus Sports and Massey Ratings expect a touchdown victory for West Chester.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video  

West Chester Athletic Site - Football Heads West In Search of First Win of the Season Saturday

PSAC Site - 2024 PSAC Football Week 3 Notes

Game Report - California 38 - West Chester 28

In a game that was not nearly as close as the final score, the Golden Rams dropped a 38-28 decision to the visiting California Vulcans (1-1) to start the season 0-2 for the first time since 2015.

The opening possession for each team set the tone for the eventual outcome. California took the opening kickoff and received little resistance in marching 75 yards in almost five minutes for a touchdown. Conversely, the Golden Rams parlayed a first-and-five position into a fourth-and-eight punting situation.

While the West Chester defense held the Vulcans to a field goal on thier next possession, California held the ball for an additional seven minutes. Midway through the second quarter, trailing 10-0, West Chester took advantage of a Cal 13-yard punt to give the Golden Rams the ball at the Cal 44. Cooper Jordan connected with D'Shaun Seals on a 40-yard pass and then Jayden Williams scored a touchdown on a four-yard run to make the score 10-7.

After Cal scored a touchdown late in the half, the Golden Rams had a final possession, but on the first play, Jordan threw deep down the middle into double coverage and was picked off. The Vulcans quickly converted the WCU miscue into another touchdown, and the teams made their way to halftime with Cal up 24-7. Exhibiting their dominance on both sides of the ball at halftime, Cal at least doubled West Chester in first downs (12-5), total yards (270-128), and time of possession (20-10).

After Cal extended their lead to 31-7 in the second half, the Golden Rams' offense finally found their footing. West Chester scored touchdowns on their final three possessions, with each drive lasting at least 11 plays, four minutes and 74 yards. Jordan (20 of 34, 269 yards, 2 TD, 1 int) connected on touchdown passses to tight end Thatcher Miller and receiver Zack Gillen. Seals had a huge game nabbing eight catches for 112 yards. Juke Peaker had 22 yards on the ground while Williams had 21 yards and two scores.

Defensively, Shane Mosley had a game-high ten tackles and Connor Noble made nine stops. Abdul Stewart had four pass breakups, including one in the end zone, to go with two tackles. Zaire McLaurin and Seamus McCain each had third-down solo sacks which forced both of Cal's punts. On a Cal screen play on second-and-goal in the fourth quarter, Luke Trunell forced a fumble that was recovered by Nate Desmond.

But in general, the defense struggled mightily. Cal had seven plays of 20+ yards including a 60-yard touchdown run by their quarterback. Contributing to Cal's time of possession advantage was them converting on two fourth down attempts, including a fourth-and-14.

Notes:

• Last week's leading rusher Dayshawn Jacobs was in uniform on the sideline but did not play.
• On WCU's final possession, Jordan tried twice to get a pass over the middle to Gillen only to have the the ball punched away. When the two did connect, Gillen held on despite taking a crushing blow from the Vulcan defensive back.
• Although not targeted, receiver Collin Callahan saw a lot of time.

Sortable Box Score    Coaches Box Score

West Chester Athletic Site - Cal Downs West Chester, 38-28

Daily Local News - Offensive uptick not enough to rescue West Chester

California Athletic Site - California posts win at West Chester

WCU Football Family - Photo Album - California

Golden Rams Review - Photo Album - California

Game Replay

Game Preview - California

The Golden Rams (0-1) host the California Vulcans (0-1) on Saturday in John A. Farrell Stadium. Kickoff for this PSAC crossover game is set for noon.

Series History:
Prior to this millennia, West Chester held a 4-0 advantage in the series. But from 2007 to 2009, the next four games went to California. This was the same three-year period that the Vulcans were winning the PSAC West and the NCAA Super Region 1. Included in this time frame were two meetings in 2008 when West Chester made their way out to California to open the season on a hot August day and then again for the PSAC championship game on a cold and windy November afternoon. However, the Golden Rams have won the past three matchups and West Chester now holds a 7-4 lead in the series. California's Gary Dunn entered his eighth season as head coach with a 49-18 record and made playoff appearances in both 2016 and 2017.

Last 10 Meetings:

Year	H/A	W/L	Score	Year	H/A	W/L	Score
1957	Home	Win	52-0	2008	Away	Loss	47-36
1994	Away	Win	60-14	2009	Home	Loss	30-23
1995	Home	Win	25-24	2012	Away	Win	37-34
2007	Home	Loss	30-14	2013	Home	Win	38-31
2008	Away	Loss	44-32	2019	Home	Win	20-19

Last Meeting:

11/16/2019 West Chester 20 - California 19

Entering the game, the Golden Rams needed a win to secure a spot in the NCAA Division II playoffs, however they played with no such urgency. Their first four possessions resulted in a mere three points and WCU trailed California late in the first half by a score of 13-3. But quarterback Paul Dooley connected on two touchdown passes to tight end Dan Neuhaus, and Andrew Chegia converted a 29-yard field goal to put West Chester up 20-13 with four minutes to play. The Vulcans were not done as they drive 84 yards, including converting two fourth downs, and scored a touchdown on the final play of regulation to bring the score to 20-19. Fortunately, California's PAT pass attempt fell incomplete and West Chester secured the one-point win and a trip to the postseason for the third consecutive year.

Scouting the Opponent:

The Vulcans finished 2023 with a 7-3 record with all three losses coming to playoff teams. From that team, they return: second Team All-PSAC West quarterback Davis Black (162 of 276, 2,525 yards, 19 TD's, 12 int, 5 rushing TD's), first team All-PSAC West receiver Eric Willis III (56 catches, 925 yards, 9 TD's), receiver Omari Hopkins (32 catches, 573 yards, 6 TD's) and running backs Eric McKan III (127 carries, 598 yards, 9 TD's) and Bobby Boyd, Jr. (94 carries, 582 yards, 3 TD's). Willis is considered one of the best receivers in the country.

There's just as much talent returning on the defensive side: first team All-PSAC West defensive back Keith Charney (30 tackles, 4 int, 6 PBU), second team All-PSAC West defensive back Dominic Solomon, Jr. (50 tackles, 2 int, 3 PBU), linebacker John Hutchinson (63 tackles, 5.0 sacks) and defensive lineman Julien Laventure (31 tackles, 6.5 TFL). Fortunately for Vulcan opponents, their best defender from 2023, linebacker Ibrahim Sanogo (40 tackles, 14.5 TFL, 8.0 sacks, 8 QB hurries), is now at the University at Albany.

On special teams, kicker Anthony Beitko (11 of 13 FG, 37 of 41 PAT) is a three-time All-PSAC West selection. Punter Clayton Rosensteel (34 punts, 38.6 avg, 5 I20 and 2 50+) returns this season. Willis averaged 9.2 yards per punt return and 15.9 yards per kick return.

Analysis:

Although California is currently 0-1, the Vulcans fell on the road to a nationally ranked opponent last week. In so doing, they outgained their opponent by almost 100 yards and held a 17 minute advantage in time of possession. California did turn the ball over three times with the final two leading to nine points and flipping their 19-14 lead to a 23-19 final score loss. Without significant improvement in the Golden Rams' offense, creating turnovers and converting them to points may be WCU's only option.

Versus Sports simulates a 33-22 Vulcan triumph while Massey Ratings favors California by a touchdown.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video   Game Program

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Football Looks to Bounce Back Against California (Pa.) Saturday at Home

PSAC Site - 2024 PSAC Football Week 2 Notes

D2football - PSAC Columnist - PSAC Week Two Preview

Game Report - Bentley 20 - West Chester 17

Although West Chester (0-1) got out to a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter, Bentley (1-0) took the long game approach which paid off when the Falcons converted a 38-yard field goal as time expired to capture a 20-17 win at John A. Farrell Stadium to open the 2024 season for both teams.

The Golden Rams opened the game with a 10-play, 79-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard Cooper Jordan to D'Shaun Seals touchdown pass over the middle. Jordan was four of five on the drive, completing two passes to sophomore Robby Longo. On Bentley's first possession, they gambled on a fourth-and-three from midfield which the WCU defense thwarted, but it was a sign of things to come in this game. West Chester responded with a three-play, 50-yard drive which was capped by a 33-yard touchdown run by sophomore Dayshawn Jacobs. When the Golden Ram defense forced a very quick three-and-out, fans on the home side were feeling pretty good about the day. But it was still early.

Dayshawn Jacobs slips past the last would-be tacklers (Photo Chuck Bitner)

West Chester's next drive went 44 yards and consumed more than five minutes, however it resulted in no points when a bad snap cost a field goal. And it got much worse for the offense - their next seven possessions resulted in a total of 31 yards. The only points the Golden Rams would score in the remainder of the contest was a Sean Henry 24-yard field goal.

Connor Noble and Seamus McCain team up for a stop (Photo Chuck Bitner)

Defensively, things seemed to go okay for West Chester. Safety Shane Mosley had an interception to go along with three pass breakups. Defensive end Nate Desmond recovered a Bentley fumble at the Falcon 7 yard line giving the WCU offense great field position. Overall, the Golden Ram defense held the Falcons to a paltry 2 of 17 on third down. However, as was said earlier, Bentley played the long game and converted on 4 of 7 fourth down attempts which led to the Falcons having a six minute advantage in time of possession.

Shane Mosley with the first interception of the year (Photo Chuck Bitner)

There were four costly plays for West Chester:

• Leading 17-10 with four minutes left in the game, the Golden Rams had the ball on their own 19. Needing to run some clock, the absolute worst possible thing happened when Jordan fumbled and Bentley recovered leading to their game-tying score.
• Leading 14-0 just ten minutes into the game after Bentley had a quick three-and-out, Jordan had a wide open Rahiem Bowens deep over the middle. It appeared that Bowens was looking to the end zone instead of securing the catch. Rather than a demoralizing 21-0 West Chester lead, it instead became the last best chance that the Golden Rams had of scoring a touchdown.
• With the game tied at 17 with a little over a minute left in the game, the Golden Rams faced a fourth-and-one on the Bentley 33. Going for it wasn't a bad idea, but attempting a "tush push" into the Falcon's best defensive player was. West Chester turned the ball over on downs and Bentley went on to kick the game-ending field goal.
• Leading 14-0 early in the second quarter, West Chester's drive stalled at the Bentley 14. Henry came out to attempt a 32-yard field goal, but Luke Vereb's snap bounced to holder Zack Liberatore who was unable to set the ball in time and the three points went awry.

Rahiem Bowens appears to possess this catch which was eventually ruled incomplete (Photo Chuck Bitner)

Other observations:

• Captains were D'Shaun Seals, Connor Noble, Shane Mosley, and Patrick Methlie.
• Maurice Beverly was not dressed for the game but was on the sidelines.
• Although not listed on the published depth chart, Johnny Pergine saw a lot of time at linebacker and had a key fourth down pass breakup.
• The Bentley offense often executed their plays quickly which caught the Golden Ram defense not being ready or unable to substitute.
• Connor Noble had a game high 14 tackles while redshirt freshman Jamir Reyes posted nine stops.

Sortable Box Score   

West Chester Athletic Site - Last-Second Field Goal Lifts Bentley to 20-17 Victory in Season Opener

Bentley Athletic Site - Campbell kicks game-winning field goal in season-opener at West Chester

Daily Local News - West Chester blows early lead in Greco’s coaching debut

WCU Football Family - Photo Album - Bentley

Chuck Bitner - Photo Album - Bentley

Golden Rams Review - Photo Album - Bentley

Game Replay

Game Preview - Bentley

The West Chester Golden Rams host usual season-opening opponent the Bentley Falcons on Saturday at noon in John A. Farrell Stadium.

Series History:
The Golden Rams lead the series 6-1, although four of West Chester's wins required late game heroics. The Golden Rams had dominating wins in 2017 and 2018, while the Falcons won handily in 2021 in Waltham, MA.

Bentley head coach Saj Thakkar (6-4) returns for his second season, while the Golden Rams will be introducing a new leader for the first time in over 20 years as Duke Greco will make his West Chester debut after going 91-15 in 10 seasons at nearby Delaware Valley University.

Last 10 Meetings:

Year	H/A	W/L	Score	Year	H/A	W/L	Score
				2018	Away	Win	44-6
				2019	Home	Win	14-7
				2021	Away	Loss	14-7
2016	Away	Win	31-24	2022	Home	Win	17-16
2017	Home	Win	51-9	2023	Away	Win	20-19

Last Meeting:

09/02/2023 West Chester 20 - Bentley 19

Bentley held an early 14-0 lead and took a 19-10 lead into the final quarter, but Sean Henry's PAT after a Jayden Williams seven-yard touchdown run with 53 seconds left lifted the Golden Rams to a 20-19 win to open the season.

Most of the West Chester offense came from quarterback Cooper Jordan who threw for 292 yards and rushed for 84 yards to account for 376 of the Golden Rams' 404 yards. His performance earned him PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week honors. There was good distribution in the passing game among D'Shaun Seals (4 catches, 95 yards), Raheim Bowens (2 catches, 55 yards), Thatcher Miller (3 catches, 42 yards, 1 TD) and Jonathan Haynes (3 catches, 38 yards).

The Golden Ram defensive effort was led by two players making their debut for the purple and gold: Connor Noble (14 tackles, including 1.5 TFL) and Shane Mosley (13 tackles, 1.0 TFL and 2 PBU). Nate Desmond registered four tackles including a sack and Daniel Hicks forced a fumble to accompany his two tackles.

Henry had a stat-filled season opener. He converted both PAT's and both field goals that he attempted, accounting for eight points including the game winner. Two of his six kickoffs went for touchbacks, and he averaged 38.5 yards on two punts, dropping one of them inside the 20.

Scouting the Opponent:

Last season's starting quarterback, Youngstown State transfer Mark Waid (153 of 274 for 1,445 yards, 14 TD's, 9 int, 712 yards and 6 TD's rushing last season), has departed leaving a question mark at the position for Bentley. Graduate student Brett Pullman (27 of 49 for 291 yards, 2 TD's 2 int) was the only other player to throw a pass for the Falcons last season. Juniors Billy Osborn and Nick Battoni are other potential candidates. Top targets will likely be All-NE10 wide receiver Rashon Bradford (31 catches, 261 yards, 5 TD's) and big tight end Nayvon Reid (23 catches, 228 yards, 2 TD's). Graduate student running back Vinnie Holmes (174 carries, 846 yards, 3 TD's) returns after receiving first-team All-NE10 honors last year. Junior Joe LoChiatto is considered one of the top offensive guards in the country.

Graduate student Mason Campbell is a two-time first team all Northeast-10 kicker and last season converted on 26 of 29 PAT's and 15 of 24 field goals with a long of 49 yards. Punter Matt Richardson (34 yrd avg) returns. Look for Bradford to handle kick returns.

Defensively, Bentley is attempting to fill the hole left by first team AFCA All-American linebacker and NE10 MVP Salvatore Lupoli Jr. The strength appears to be on the line with a pair of first team All-NE10 performers and now graduate students in Zachary Goodwin (22 tackles, 1 TFL) and Herve Tshibamba (37 tackles, 5.5 TFL). Graduate student Nick Pucillo (33 tackles, 1 TFL) is the returning linebacker. The secondary is led by cornerback Rene Nunez (42 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 int) and safety Mike DiPlacido (41 tackles, 1 int, 5 PBU).

Analysis:

Bentley lists 15 graduate students and 20 seniors on their roster, so they are certainly coming in with plenty of experience. And the Falcons were picked to finish second in the NE10 Football Coaches’ Poll. While the Golden Rams look to be rather intact from a personnel perspective on offense, how well the unit adapts to a new scheme will be key. Defensively, West Chester will have to get acclimated to a new scheme as well as a lot of new personnel in the secondary. It's Coach Greco's first game leading the purple and gold, so there's a lot of anticipation for that as well.

Oddly enough, the Bentley opener has served as a barometer for the season. West Chester had big wins over the Falcons in 2017 and 2018 and in both of those years, went on to capture a share of the PSAC East and qualify for the NCAA Division II playoffs. The past three contests consisted of a loss and two one-point wins and WCU ended those seasons barely above .500. Will this game foretell the 2024 season as well?

Versus Sports simulates a 24-23 Golden Ram victory while Massey Ratings projects a similar 24-21 outcome.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video   Game Program  

West Chester Athletic Site - Gridiron Gang Ready To Lift Lid on 102nd Season Saturday at Home

West Chester Athletic Site - Saturday Brings Football Season Opener at 12 Noon

PSAC Site - 2024 PSAC Football Week 1 Notes

Bentley Athletic Site - Bentley football ready to take the next step in 2024

KYW Newsradio's 1-On-1 with Matt Leon - 2024 College Football Preview - West Chester Golden Rams