Game Preview - Seton Hill

In their final game before division play commences, the #18 Golden Rams (2-0) host the Seton Hill Griffins (0-1) on Saturday. Kickoff at John A. Farrell Stadium is set for noon.

Series History:
West Chester owns a 3-0 lead in the series after defeating Seton Hill 45-10 in their first ever meeting in 2014 and then staging a fourth quarter rally to knock off the Griffins 48-38 the following year. Last year, West Chester handily won 59-14.

Last Meeting:

09/15/2018 West Chester 59 - Seton Hill 14

West Chester shot out to a 35-0 lead and coasted to a 59-14 thumping of the host Griffins. Lex Rosario had three catches for 53 yards, Sterlen Barr made five solo tackles and Omar Peterkin had two tackles for loss. Kicker George Lambritsios booted a 42-yard third-quarter field goal to cap the scoring for the Golden Rams.

Scouting the Opponent:

Seton Hill pulled within three points of East Stroudsburg last week before the Warriors pulled away for the 31-18 victory. Quarterbacks Ryan Barabe (9 of 15 for 78 yards, 1 int) and Chris Jones (4 of 15 for 20 yards, 1 int) split time at quarterback last week. But the primary offensive threat from the Griffins comes in the form of junior running back Logan Wiland. Wiland carried the ball 24 times for 236 yards and two touchdowns and also had three catches. His rushing yards against East Stroudsburg last week eclipsed his two-year career total.

Linebacker Jayden Emberton-Gaines amassed 12 tackles last week while safety Fardan Allen notched 11. Cornerback Syeko Noble, Jr made two interceptions and linebacker Jaylen McDuffie was credited with two quarterback hurries and four tackles.

Hunter Miller handles all of the kicking duties and converted field goals of 33 and 26 yards. He also averaged 40 yards on seven punts, dropping two inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

Analysis:

Seton Hill is 1-25 in their past 26 games, with that one victory being a one-point comeback over Mercyhurst last year. That being said, the Griffins are under first-year coach and Seton Hill alumnus Daniel Day and they've only played one game this season, so there is a certain amount of unknown associated with the Griffins. But West Chester's talent, especially if they play like they did on Saturday in Erie, should handle the game with ease. The Golden Ram defense needs to focus on Wiland and let anybody else beat them.

Both Atomic Football and Massey Ratings are predicting a 20+ point victory for West Chester.

Note:
The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a Benchmark FCU fan bag.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video  

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Hosts Seton Hill Saturday In Football; Busy Day On South Campus

PSAC Site - Football - Week 3 Notes

Seton Hill Athletic Site - SHU, West Chester Mathchup to be Broadcast by Sports Fever TV and ESPN3

KYW Newsradio - West Chester back home Saturday to host Seton Hill

Daily Local News - Zwaan knows key to West Chester's success is avoiding injury bug

D2football - PSAC East Columnist - PSAC East - Week 3 Preview

D2football - PSAC West Columnist - PSAC West - Week 3

Event News - September 19 Bill Zwaan Football Show

The Bill Zwaan Football Show will be held at Timothy's in the Parkway Shopping Center in West Chester starting at 7:00pm. Golden Ram fans unable to attend the show can listen to it live on WCHE1520AM.COM.

According to the Bill Zwaan Football Show, sophomore offensive lineman Brendan Ruskowski and sophomore linebacker Cole Zapf will be the special guests on Coach Zwaan's show. In addition, cheerleading coach Kelly Moyer will join the show.

Left tackle Ruskowski was part of an offensive line that paved the way for 24 first downs and 440 yards of total offense in the 48-14 win at Gannon. The running game ground out 180 yards on 41 carries. Meanwhile, second-year player Zapf led the team in tackles with six. Also, as the Golden Knights approached the red zone, Zapf thwarted the drive when he made his first career interception.

Come out to Timothy's at 7:00pm to participate in the show live. Or send your questions for coach or the players to Bill Zwaan Show.

Team News - Golden Rams Up to #18 in AFCA Poll

Even though the top 24 teams all won this past weekend, West Chester rose in the top 25 of the coaches' poll. The Golden Rams are now ranked #18 after defeating Gannon by a score of 48-14. West Chester remained #18 in the D2football.com poll.

West Chester's next action is Saturday at noon when they host Seton Hill (0-1).

American Football Coaches Association - Ferris State Stays No. 2 After Big Win at Central Washington

Game Report - West Chester 48 - Gannon 14

Sterlen Barr had a 61-yard pick-six and the Golden Rams scored on their first three offensive possessions as #19 West Chester rolled to a 48-14 win over Gannon in Erie. The Golden Rams move to 2-0 on the young season while the Golden Knights drop to 1-1.

Barr's interception happened on the opening drive of the game on a James Bell blitz. Ironically it came three plays after Jarey Elder's interception got negated due to a West Chester offside penalty. It worked in the Golden Rams favor, though, as Elder's diving catch couldn't be advanced whereas Barr was able to streak 61 yards into the end zone.

So the defense set the tone early. Gannon's second possession was thwarted when Omar Peterkin registered a third-down sack. Then West Chester's offense established their running game. Quarterback Paul Dooley, who didn't run until the second half last week, tallied 59 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. And while Ja'Den McKenzie (13 carries, 87 yards, 2 scores) seems to have emerged as the primary running back, Phil Poquie (6 carries, 18 yards) and Isaiah Bruce (7 carries, 9 yards) also saw time.

Unfortunately, the chippiness that was expected came to fruition. Tight end Cody Boozel made a fantastic touchdown catch in the third quarter, but when he made sure the defender knew how great the catch was, he was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taunting. In total, the Golden Rams were flagged for four personal fouls and Nyeem Jones was ejected for a late hit/targeting call.

But after last week's sluggish performance, this was an effort that was more typical of a Bill Zwaan team. Ten different players caught passes, the defense snagged five interceptions (Barr, James Bell, Jackson Taylor, Cole Zapf, Izaiah McPherson), all four quarterbacks played, Gannon was held to under 100 yards rushing while the Golden Rams ran 41 times for 180 yards and five touchdowns.

And just when you thought the Golden Rams couldn't get any younger, West Chester was without Dom Carey so freshman Quinton Derr got the start at right tackle. While Zach Liggitt got the start at defensive end in place of Fulani Freeman, redshirt freshman Michael Gobora also saw significant time and teamed up with classmate Joe Janick on a sack.

Sortable Box Score    Coaches Box Score

West Chester Athletic Site - No. 19 West Chester Handles Gannon, 48-14

Gannon Athletic Site - Fast Start, Turnovers Help Push No. 19 West Chester Past Golden Knights

GoErie.com - No. 19 West Chester dominates Gannon

Erie News Now - West Chester Spoils Gannon Home Opener

Game Preview - Gannon

The #19 Golden Rams (1-0) travel to Erie to take on the Gannon Golden Knights (1-0). This will be the last contest between the two schools for the foreseeable future as the crossover rotation changes next season. Saturday's contest at McConnell Family Stadium will commence at noon.

Gannon is coming off a 14-7 win at Southern Connecticut State last Thursday giving head coach Brad Rzyczycki a career record of 37-42. The SCSU Owls dominated that game offensively, but were hurt by three interceptions, one of which led to a Gannon touchdown.

Series History:

West Chester is 3-0 against the Golden Knights, including winning a 56-41 shootout in Erie in 2013.

Last Meeting:

09/08/2018 West Chester 31 - Gannon 7

Gannon used a short field to score on their first possession of the game, but it was all West Chester the rest of the way as the Golden Rams won 31-7. The Golden Ram defense held All-American running back Marcus Jones to just 62 yards on the ground. Safety Jarey Elder had two interceptions and five tackles and true freshman cornerback Sterlen Barr made five stops. Lex Rosario and Cody Boozel each had 72 yards and a touchdown receiving.

Scouting the Golden Knights:

Other than the departure of running back Jones, there are a lot of familiar faces on the Gannon offense. Quarterbacks Jimmy Keefe (56 of 122 for 658 yards, 4 TD's, 5 int's in 2018; 11 of 27 for 130 yards, 2 TD's last week) and Jason Dambach (65 of 149 for 938 yards, 7 TD's, 3 int's in 2018) provide Gannon options under center. They both will target receiver Joey Cox (47 catches, 444 yards, 2 TD's in 2018, 8 catches, 87 yards, 1 TD last week). Melvin Blanks (15 carries for 47 yards) has taken over the running duties, but look for Keefe to run as well.

Gannon returns two All-PSAC West performers in defensive ends Jay Bullock (6 tackles last week) and Andrew Berger (2 tackles and 1 QBH against SCSU). A.J. Satcher (54 tackles, 9 PD's in 2018), one of three safeties in Gannon's 4-2-5 defense, is their top returning tackler and the reigning PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year. Although only expected to compete for playing time last year as a redshirt freshman, linebacker Aaron Webb (43 tackles) ranked fourth on the team in tackles and had a monster 13-tackle performance last week in Connecticut.

Analysis:

West Chester will be battling youth for a good portion of the start of its season, but the Golden Knights are still trying to find their way offensively. Last year, Gannon was in the lower third in the PSAC in most categories, so this may be a good opportunity for the Golden Rams to find some rhythm offensively. The Golden Knights have a history of 15-yard penalties and were flagged for five of them last Thursday including two personal fouls and one unsportsmanlike conduct call. So the young Golden Rams must keep their composure. It's a long trip and an awful place to play, so West Chester will need to overcome those mental obstacles as well.

The only change that appears on West Chester's depth chart is Zach Liggitt will get his first start at defensive end replacing Fulani Freeman who was injured against Bentley. With four tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, and a pass breakup in the Bentley game, Liggitt performed admirably, so this change is not surprising.

Atomic Football is predicting a nine-point victory for West Chester while Massey Ratings projects a 15-point margin.

Notes:

Those of you making the trip to Gannon for the first time are in for a real treat. In that single stadium, the Golden Knights not only play football and soccer, but also baseball, lacrosse, and softball. As such seating is a challenge, with poor visibility from behind the visitor's stands. There are no parking lots; all parking is on street.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video

West Chester Athletic Site - Depth Chart - West Chester vs. Gannon

PSAC Site - Football - Week 2 Notes

Gannon Athletic Site - Gannon Kicks Off 2019 Home Slate Against No. 19 West Chester

KYW Newsradio - West Chester heads to Erie for Saturday game with Gannon

GoErie.com - Erie-area college football previews, Sept. 14

Daily Local News - Shaky Week 1 win not enough to scare Zwaan, WCU before trek to Gannon

papreplive.com - First-time starters make immediate strides for West Chester University

D2football - PSAC West Columnist - PSAC West Week 2

D2football - PSAC East Columnist - Week 1 Recap / Week 2 Preview

Event News - September 12 Bill Zwaan Football Show

The Bill Zwaan Football Show will be held at Timothy's in the Parkway Shopping Center in West Chester starting at 7:00pm. Golden Ram fans unable to attend the show can listen to it live on WCHE1520AM.COM.

According to the Bill Zwaan Football Show, redshirt freshman running back Ja'Den McKenzie and sophomore cornerback Sterlen Barr will be the special guests on Coach Zwaan's show. In addition, Dr. Christine Karpinski, Associate Professor and Chair of Nutrition, will join the show.

In West Chester's 14-7 win over Bentley, McKenzie ran for 112 yards on ten carries, including the game-winning touchdown in his first collegiate game. Meanwhile, second-year player Barr, a veteran for this team, made seven total tackles and made a pass breakup.

Come out to Timothy's at 7:00pm to participate in the show live. Or send your questions for coach or the players to Bill Zwaan Show.

Team News - Golden Rams Up to #19 in AFCA Poll

After slipping by Bentley by a score of 14-7, West Chester has risen in the top 25 of the coaches' poll. The Golden Rams are now ranked #19. West Chester also moved up in the D2football.com poll to #18.

West Chester's next action is Saturday at noon when they travel to Erie to take on Gannon (1-0).

American Football Coaches Association - Valdosta State Stays No. 1 in Coache's Top 25 Poll

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Moves Up To No. 19 In AFCA Poll

Game Report - #22 West Chester 14 - Bentley 7

Was there ever any doubt? For the first 59 minutes and 37 seconds there sure was. And c'mon, even after redshirt freshman running back Ja'Den McKenzie motored around the right side for a 30-yard touchdown run, did you really feel comfortable in that final 23 seconds? Games like these pioneered the phrase "a win is a win".

What went right:

• George Lambritsios and the punt coverage team. WCU's first official punt went 40 yards and was caught at the 9, but Julian Trammell forced a Bentley fumble which pushed the ball to the 6. The next one was downed at the 4 and the third one went 57 yards. But the final kick was most impressive - Lambritsios' boot flew and rolled 73 yards and was downed at the Bentley 1.
  
• McKenzie's first career touchdown was always going to be memorable for him, but the fact that it was a game-winner will lock it in everyone's mind. For the game the big back carried the ball ten times for 112 yards and didn't take a loss in the contest.
  
• The Golden Ram defense was bend but don't break. Except for Bentley's first quarter 20-yard touchdown run, West Chester stifled Bentley in the red zone. Jordan Burney blocked a 21-yard field goal attempt as time expired in the first half and Nyeem Jones deflected a 32-yard attempt midway though the fourth quarter with the score still tied.
  
• Sophomore tight end, er, defensive end Zach Liggitt has firmly embraced his new role. He finished the game with four total tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup.
  
• It was Bentley's first game of the season. The Falcons had a first-quarter touchdown called back due to a holding call. Later in the frame, the Falcon receiver got behind the West Chester defense but failed to haul-in what would have been an easy touchdown.
  
• It took until the second half, but Paul Dooley finally ran the ball like West Chester fans are used to seeing. While he finished with just 30 yards on seven carries, he had the play of the game. With under two minutes remaining in the game and facing third and 12 at midfield, Dooley was pressured back at least ten yards behind the line of scrimmage. But he scrambled out of the pressure and found his way to dive for the first down.
  

What could have gone better:

• With the safeties providing help against the normally pass happy Falcons, the front four were given responsibility for stopping the run. Despite Tyrone Barge's game-high ten tackles, Bentley ran for 203 yards, often up the middle. The Golden Ram defense failed to record a sack or a turnover.
  
• Meanwhile, the West Chester offense turned the ball over five times. Granted, two of them came on fourth down, but one came on first down, one in the end zone, and one deep in Golden Ram territory.
  
• Bentley was definitely more physical throughout the game. It looked like West Chester was often physical after the whistle blew and were fortunate not to receive any penalties for it.
  
• Defensive end Fulani Freeman only had one tackle, but was credited with a pass breakup and two quarterback hurries. Unfortunately he suffered what appears to be a serious leg injury. The other starting defensive end, Ch'aim Smith, had six tackles despite a heavily taped hand.
  
• West Chester failed to score in the first half for the first time since the second round playoff loss at Indiana in 2017.
  

Other observations:

• With so many players seeing their first collegiate action, there were a lot of firsts in the game.
  
• As the contest progressed, it appeared that Shippensburg transfer Rashon Wiggins (4 tackles) was getting more snaps than starter Cole Zapf (3 tackles, including 1 TFL) at linebacker, and converted wide receiver Jalik Smith (4 tackles) had taken the place of starter Izaiah McPherson (2 tackles, 1 PBU) at corner.
  
• We did see one wrinkle on offense when IUP transfer Yahmir Wilkerson came in at quarterback and Dooley was split out wide. Although the play didn't go as planned, Wilkerson lost two yards, Dooley connected with Dan Neuhaus on the next play for a 25-yard touchdown.
  
• The game program indicated that Bentley and West Chester agreed to a two-year extension and will play each other in both 2020 and 2021.
  

Sortable Box Score   

West Chester Athletic Site - McKenzie’s Run Saves No. 22 West Chester In Opener, 14-7

Bentley Athletic Site - Late TD Gives No. 22 West Chester 14-7 Win over Bentley; Falcons Denied Despite 5 Takeaways

papreplive.com - Neuhaus scores TD, helps lead WCU to opening game squeaker

The Quad - Defense, McKenzie help WCU take down Bentley 14-7

D2football - NE10 Columnist - Week 1 Thoughts

West Chester Athletic Site - WCU Football vs Bentley - Highlight Video

Ron Hockman - WCU Football vs Bentley - First Quarter Photos

Ron Hockman - WCU Football vs Bentley - Second Quarter Photos

Ron Hockman - WCU Football vs Bentley - Third Quarter Photos

Ron Hockman - WCU Football vs Bentley - Fourth Quarter Photos

Game Preview - Bentley

The #22 Golden Rams open the 2019 season when they host the Bentley Falcons on Saturday. Kickoff in John A. Farrell Stadium is scheduled for noon. This will mark the fourth and final year of opening the season against the Falcons.

Series History:
West Chester holds a 3-0 lead in the series with the Golden Rams winning in Waltham in 2016 by a score of 31-24 before hammering Bentley at home in 2017 by a score of 51-9. West Chester also secured a dominating victory last season in Waltham. Bentley head coach Bill Kavanaugh enters his sixth season at the helm with a record of 25-28 after going 4-6 last year. Meanwhile, Golden Ram head coach Bill Zwaan starts his 17th season at West Chester with an overall record of 135-59, including 10-3 against Northeast-10 opponents and 3-0 against Bentley.

Last Meeting:

08/30/2018 West Chester 44 - Bentley 6

West Chester had a 27-point second quarter outburst, and exhibited a stifling defensive effort en route to a 44-6 romp in Waltham, MA. The Falcons were held to just 63 total yards and seven first downs. The Golden Ram defense also registered seven sacks and forced three turnovers.

Cole Zapf had six total tackles while Ch'aim Smith had four tackles including 1.5 sacks. Jordan Burney returned an interception 15 yards. Lex Rosario had two catches for 36 yards and Andrew Chegia converted 4-5 PAT attempts and a 28-yard field goal.

Scouting the Opponent:

After falling to West Chester in the season opener last year, Bentley went 4-5 in the Northeast 10 finishing in sixth place in their conference. The Falcons were picked to finish fourth in their conference this season.

Perkiomen Valley product Stephen Sturm (136 of 256 for 1,681 yards, 9 TD's, 7 int's) starts his junior season at quarterback with 13 starts under his belt. He should get a big boost from the return of receiver Drew Mahoney (51 catches, 485 yards, 6 TD's in 7 games in 2017) who was lost for the year due to an injury incurred in the first half of last year's game against West Chester. Sophomore Noah Neville (29 catches, 394 yards, 4 TD's) is the top returning receiver while classmate Isaiah Collins (4 catches, 13 yards, 11 carries, 22 yards) was named to the Northeast-10 All-Rookie Team for his efforts as a kick returner (25 returns, 633 yards). Junior running back Andrew Brazicki (142 carries, 537 yards, 4 TD's) was Bentley's leading ground gainer last year while right guard Matt Boyle earned third-team All-Northeast-10 honors after starting all ten games in 2018.

The defense is led by defensive back and team captain Pete Thorbahn (76 tackles, 6 interceptions) who was the Falcons' top tackler and received first team All-NE10 honors. Linebacker Marc Doran (56 tackles, 5.5 TFL) and defensive backs Derek Perkins (28 tackles, 5 int's, 7 PD's) and Tom Sullivan (50 tackles, 1 TFL) are among the top returning tacklers. Sophomore defensive linemen Cedric Dashiell II (28 tackles, 4 TFL) and Steven Paulino (17 tackles, 2 TFL) were both named to the Northeast-10 All-Rookie Team last season.

Senior kicker Grant Buchanan (22 of 23 PAT's, 8 of 12 FG, 46 long) returns for his final season.

Analysis:

Bentley was young last year and returns a good portion of its nucleus. Meanwhile, West Chester is inexperienced on defense and lacks depth at a lot of positions. The two-deep for the season opener shows 14 freshman or redshirt freshman. This game will be a good measuring stick for the Golden Rams for the remainder of the season.

Atomic Football is predicting a 26-point win for West Chester while Massey Ratings projects a similar 22-point margin.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video  

West Chester Athletic Site - Depth Chart - West Chester vs. Bentley

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Football Opens Season Saturday Against Bentley

PSAC Site - PSAC Football Notes: Week 1

Bentley Athletic Site - Bentley Kicks Off 2019 Season Saturday at No. 22 West Chester

Bentley Athletic Site - Kavanaugh previews the 2019 season

Daily Local News- With James ineligible, Zwaan needs West Chester receivers to step up

D2football - PSAC East Columnist - PSAC East Week 1 Preview

D2football - Northeast-10 Columnist - Week 1 in the NE-10

Team News - 2019 Second Scrimmage Report

The Golden Rams held their final scrimmage before hosting Bentley next Saturday at noon. Here are some observations:

• Scrimmages always start with kicking drills and more time was spent in this area this week. Despite the extra effort, the kicking game - both kick scoring and punting - is still very inconsistent. It can be very good some times, but it just seems so unpredictable.
  
• Prior to actual game action, the officiating crew gave the entire team a briefing at midfield.
  
• Scrimmages have their own set of rules which can be very amusing. Where else can you see an incomplete pass on third down result in a first down without a defensive penalty?
  
• The offenses struggled to score early in the event, which is a concern since the first team offense was facing the second team defense.
  
• Zach Gilbert got the first set of reps with the second team offense, but Mike Piperno stood out. He connected with Seth Degree for a long gain, and lobbed a touchdown pass to Carrington Hooks. And not to be overlooked was his effort attempting to track down Sterlen Barr on a scoop and score. It was a scrimmage after all, but that didn't prevent Piperno from an all out sprint in pursuit of the high school running back.
  
• The younger coach Zwaan even got to practice yelling at the officials when Marcus Wilson was ruled short on a goal line plunge. Ja'Den McKenzie did punch it across on the next play though.
  
• Cole Zapf had a nice interception on a little dump pass over the middle. The sophomore is likely to see a lot of time this season.
  
• If practice jersey numbers are right, and there's no one being held out for precautionary reasons, true freshman Izaiah McPherson may be starting at the one cornerback spot on Saturday.
  

Lex Rosario picks up a first down (Photo Gina Chapman)

Nick Chapman rides Isaiah Bruce out of bounds (Photo Gina Chapman)

Carrington Hooks eludes a host of tackles (Photo Gina Chapman)

Zach Gilbert tosses a pass to Isaiah Allen (Photo Gina Chapman)