The Bill Zwaan Show will be held at Timothy's in the Parkway Shopping Center in West Chester on Thursday 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 Show,
junior linebacker Khalib Slaughter and
sophomore center Luke Stengel
will be the special guests on Coach Zwaan's show.
In West Chester's 20-13 loss to Shippensburg, Slaughter made four tackles and notched an interception. He's currently fourth on the Golden Rams with 26 tackles so far this season.
Meanwhile, Stengel centers a young offensive line that currently ranks seventh in the conference in rushing.
Come out to Timothy's at 7:00pm to participate in the show live. Or send your questions for coaches or the players to the Bill Zwaan Show.
Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Sunday, October 9, 2022
Game Report - Shippensburg 20 - West Chester 13
Yes we all saw the blocked punt that the opponent turned into an immediate touchdown for the second week in a row. And we all saw the opponent get a long pass play for a touchdown for the second consecutive week. However the fissures for this tragic 20-13 homecoming loss came in the first half, but they were camouflaged by a disparity in yardage and time of possession.
On their opening possession, Shippensburg was forced to punt fairy quickly, and the Golden Ram offense then executed like a work of art. Quarterback Ethan Kohler connected with Phil Poquie and Rahiem Bowens to pick up a couple of chunk plays, and Ja'Den McKenzie powered into the end zone for the early 7-0 lead.
For the entirety of the first half, the defense held Shippensburg to just 63 yards (before a meaningless hail mary to end the half), forced four punts and Khalib Slaughter notched the Golden Rams' third interception of the season. But consistently poor starting field position was too much for the West Chester offense to overcome. The Golden Rams' second possession started at their own 1-yard line. They ran 16 plays in almost nine minutes and got to the Shippensburg 18, but were forced to a field goal attempt...which missed right. Slaughter's interception set up the ball at the 40, and despite reaching the Ship 15, this trip resulted in a 32-yard field goal. Finally, starting at their own 11-yard line, the Golden Rams navigated 76 yards in three and a half minutes, and settled for another Sean Henry field goal. So that's three consecutive trips into the red zone, which resulted in a total of six points. But again, the Raiders had nothing going offensively, so a 13-0 halftime lead felt okay.
The field position issue continued into the second half, but with more dire results. West Chester was held to a three-and-out from their own 11-yard line. That's when the Raiders obviously did their film study from last week and blocked WCU's punt into the end zone and landed on it for a touchdown. While the two teams then traded punts, it was apparent that Shippensburg had intensified their defense, and it was almost as if West Chester was hoping to run out the clock holding a 13-6 lead.
But the Raiders found a hole in the WCU defense and converted a 49-yard passing touchdown to tie the game with ten minutes left. Facing a fourth-and-two at the Ship 41, rather than punting and pinning Ship deep in their own zone, the Golden Rams elected to go for it, but a short pass fell incomplete. With the momentum completely swung the Raiders' way, they used another deep pass play to get into the red zone, and punched it in for the touchdown a few plays later to take the 20-13 lead. Similar to last week, the Golden Rams would give a valiant effort on their final drive, but also similar to last week their final two passes in Shippensburg territory fell incomplete and the game was over.
It was an all around Jekyll and Hyde affair. Kohler threw for 328 yards, but he also had an interception and another pick was nullified by a defensive pass interference penalty. While the offensive line sprung McKenzie for 81 yards, they also allowed 11 tackles for loss and Kohler was frequently flushed out of the pocket. The WCU defense snuffed Ship's passing game to just four first-half completions, and registered three sacks and the interception, but they allowed 172 yards after half time including completions of 49 and 44 yards. While WCU made two field goals, one was missed. While special teams did a decent job containing Ship's return game, WCU averaged just 29 yards on punts that weren't blocked. While Mari Wright made a spectacular catch, he was also flagged for two blindside block penalties. While Ayyub Dail forced a third-down fumble at midfield, but rather than just landing on the ball, WCU failed an attempted scoop and score which allowed Ship to recover and punt on the next play.
Some participation notes: Mason Griffiths returned after missing some time with an injury. Maurice Beverly was on the sideline in a sling after last week's injury at Bloomsburg. Dylan Nichols made an appearance as an additional blocker on McKenzie's one-yard touchdown run. Maurice Mazzccua was no where to be seen. Phil Poquie left the game late in third quarter after a five-yard run and did not return.
On their opening possession, Shippensburg was forced to punt fairy quickly, and the Golden Ram offense then executed like a work of art. Quarterback Ethan Kohler connected with Phil Poquie and Rahiem Bowens to pick up a couple of chunk plays, and Ja'Den McKenzie powered into the end zone for the early 7-0 lead.
For the entirety of the first half, the defense held Shippensburg to just 63 yards (before a meaningless hail mary to end the half), forced four punts and Khalib Slaughter notched the Golden Rams' third interception of the season. But consistently poor starting field position was too much for the West Chester offense to overcome. The Golden Rams' second possession started at their own 1-yard line. They ran 16 plays in almost nine minutes and got to the Shippensburg 18, but were forced to a field goal attempt...which missed right. Slaughter's interception set up the ball at the 40, and despite reaching the Ship 15, this trip resulted in a 32-yard field goal. Finally, starting at their own 11-yard line, the Golden Rams navigated 76 yards in three and a half minutes, and settled for another Sean Henry field goal. So that's three consecutive trips into the red zone, which resulted in a total of six points. But again, the Raiders had nothing going offensively, so a 13-0 halftime lead felt okay.
Rahiem Bowens makes an over the shoulder catch (Photo Joan Gillen)The field position issue continued into the second half, but with more dire results. West Chester was held to a three-and-out from their own 11-yard line. That's when the Raiders obviously did their film study from last week and blocked WCU's punt into the end zone and landed on it for a touchdown. While the two teams then traded punts, it was apparent that Shippensburg had intensified their defense, and it was almost as if West Chester was hoping to run out the clock holding a 13-6 lead.
Khalib Slaughter makes a diving interception (Photo Joan Gillen)But the Raiders found a hole in the WCU defense and converted a 49-yard passing touchdown to tie the game with ten minutes left. Facing a fourth-and-two at the Ship 41, rather than punting and pinning Ship deep in their own zone, the Golden Rams elected to go for it, but a short pass fell incomplete. With the momentum completely swung the Raiders' way, they used another deep pass play to get into the red zone, and punched it in for the touchdown a few plays later to take the 20-13 lead. Similar to last week, the Golden Rams would give a valiant effort on their final drive, but also similar to last week their final two passes in Shippensburg territory fell incomplete and the game was over.
It was an all around Jekyll and Hyde affair. Kohler threw for 328 yards, but he also had an interception and another pick was nullified by a defensive pass interference penalty. While the offensive line sprung McKenzie for 81 yards, they also allowed 11 tackles for loss and Kohler was frequently flushed out of the pocket. The WCU defense snuffed Ship's passing game to just four first-half completions, and registered three sacks and the interception, but they allowed 172 yards after half time including completions of 49 and 44 yards. While WCU made two field goals, one was missed. While special teams did a decent job containing Ship's return game, WCU averaged just 29 yards on punts that weren't blocked. While Mari Wright made a spectacular catch, he was also flagged for two blindside block penalties. While Ayyub Dail forced a third-down fumble at midfield, but rather than just landing on the ball, WCU failed an attempted scoop and score which allowed Ship to recover and punt on the next play.
Phil Poquie turns upfield after making a reception (Photo Joan Gillen)Some participation notes: Mason Griffiths returned after missing some time with an injury. Maurice Beverly was on the sideline in a sling after last week's injury at Bloomsburg. Dylan Nichols made an appearance as an additional blocker on McKenzie's one-yard touchdown run. Maurice Mazzccua was no where to be seen. Phil Poquie left the game late in third quarter after a five-yard run and did not return.
Sean Henry converted two field goals in the game (Photo Joan Gillen)West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Falls To Shippensburg on Homecoming, 20-13
Shippensburg Athletic Site - Football’s second-half comeback sparks win at West Chester, 20-13
Daily Local News - Rams blow early lead, fall to Shippensburg on Homecoming Saturday
WCU Football Family - Photo Album - Shippensburg
Thursday, October 6, 2022
Game Preview - Shippensburg
West Chester University (3-2, 1-1) hosts the Shippensburg Raiders (2-3, 1-1) for homecoming on Saturday. Kickoff at John A. Farrell Stadium is set for 2:00 pm.
Series History:
West Chester leads the overall series 28-12-1. In his 19 years at West Chester, Bill Zwaan is 15-5 against the Raiders, as the two schools faced each other twice in both the 2004 and 2017 seasons. Shippensburg alumnus Mark Maciejewski is in his 12th season as head coach and entered the year with a 75-38 record.
In one of the most memorable games in West Chester football history, Golden Ram quarterback Sean McCartney made his first collegiate start and threw for 444 yards and five touchdowns to lead West Chester to a 44-43 victory in two overtimes in a nationally televised Thursday night game in 2010. The following year, West Chester laid a 52-17 loss on the Raiders, but Shippensburg returned the favor in 2012, beating West Chester 42-24 on homecoming at Farrell Stadium and continued on to the PSAC championship game and the NCAA playoffs that year.
In 2013, Shawn Leo booted a 26-yard field goal with one second left to give West Chester the thrilling victory. And in 2017, West Chester defeated Shippensburg on the road in October only to have to do it again in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. Last year's loss at Shippensburg broke a streak of five consecutive wins for the Golden Rams over the Raiders. Shippensburg finished last year 9-2 and just missed the NCAA Division II playoffs.
Last 10 Meetings:
Last Meeting:
10/10/2021 Shippensburg 34 - West Chester 18
The Golden Rams committed five turnovers - three fumbles and two interceptions - that led to 17 Shippensburg points. In the first half, West Chester was limited to two Sean Henry field goals. Even so, when Desman Johnson scored a touchdown on a one-yard run, it pulled the Golden Rams to within 23-18, but the Raiders scored the final ten points, including a 71-yard touchdown pass, to seal the 34-18 win.
Phil Poquie had 78 yards rushing and a 62-yard kickoff return, while Johnson was 10 of 29 for 131 yards passing to go with 16 yards on the ground. Jackson Taylor had a game-high ten tackles, an interception and recovered a fumble.
Scouting the Opponent:
Shippensburg was forced to turn the page after quarterback Brycen Mussina graduated with a year of eligibility left. In his three years with the Raiders, he threw for 8,500 yards and 73 touchdowns. The new signal caller was a choice between redshirt freshman transfers. And Boston College transfer Sam Johnson III (82 of 132, 844 yards, 7 TD's, 6 int) edged out Maine transfer Joey McCracken (7 of 16, 114 yards, 1 int). Johnson has leaned heavily on two of the top receivers in the conference: Ian Sheehan (26 catches, 299 yards, 2 TD's), who was All-PSAC East last season, and Redd Douglas (23 catches, 321 yards, 2 TD's), who has captured the PSAC East Special Teams Athlete of the Week award twice this season. He'll also throw to the running backs: Howard transfer Khalid Dorsey (31 carries, 191 yards, 1 TD, 8 catches, 53 yards, 1 TD) and Nasai Moon (42 carries, 134 yards, 1 TD, 6 catches, 48 yards, 1 TD).
The defense is led by linebacker Matt Feeney (47 tackles, 10.5 TFL) who is among the leaders in the PSAC in both tackles and tackles for loss. Pace transfer strong safety Brandon Holt (18 tackles, 2 int) and free safety Isaiah Gilmore (12 tackles, 2 int) are among the conference leaders in interceptions. Defensive tackle Jacoby Sherard (6 tackles, 1 TFL) was All-PSAC East after last season, but he's only played in their season opener this year. So defensive end Jake Hines (14 tackles, 2.0 sacks) and defensive tackle Riley Good (26 tackles, 7.5 TFL) have applied the pressure up front.
Kicker Jackson Montross was All-PSAC East last season, but is only 1 of 5 on field goals this year, hitting on a 44 yarder. Tanner Luther does the punting and kickoffs. Douglas has returned two kickoffs for touchdowns this season.
Analysis:
Under Coach Zwaan, the Golden Rams are 14-4 on homecoming and have not lost since 2012 to....Shippensburg. In the PSAC, defensively the Raiders are 12th against the run, 13th against the pass, and 14th overall. The West Chester offense should be able to build on last week's best production of the season, as long as they hold on to the football. It wouldn't appear that Shippensburg's rushing offense stands much of a chance against the Golden Rams run defense, so expect the Raiders to use an aerial attack which should give opportunities for West Chester to pick up some sacks and/or interceptions.
Massey Ratings is expecting a 28-24 West Chester win and Versus Sports simulates a similar 27-21 Golden Ram victory.
Game Coverage:
Series History:
West Chester leads the overall series 28-12-1. In his 19 years at West Chester, Bill Zwaan is 15-5 against the Raiders, as the two schools faced each other twice in both the 2004 and 2017 seasons. Shippensburg alumnus Mark Maciejewski is in his 12th season as head coach and entered the year with a 75-38 record.
In one of the most memorable games in West Chester football history, Golden Ram quarterback Sean McCartney made his first collegiate start and threw for 444 yards and five touchdowns to lead West Chester to a 44-43 victory in two overtimes in a nationally televised Thursday night game in 2010. The following year, West Chester laid a 52-17 loss on the Raiders, but Shippensburg returned the favor in 2012, beating West Chester 42-24 on homecoming at Farrell Stadium and continued on to the PSAC championship game and the NCAA playoffs that year.
In 2013, Shawn Leo booted a 26-yard field goal with one second left to give West Chester the thrilling victory. And in 2017, West Chester defeated Shippensburg on the road in October only to have to do it again in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. Last year's loss at Shippensburg broke a streak of five consecutive wins for the Golden Rams over the Raiders. Shippensburg finished last year 9-2 and just missed the NCAA Division II playoffs.
Last 10 Meetings:
| Year |
H/A |
W/L |
Score |
Year |
H/A |
W/L |
Score |
2012 |
Home |
Loss |
42-24 |
2017 |
Away |
Win |
37-27 |
2013 |
Away |
Win |
32-29 |
2017 |
Away |
Win |
27-6 |
2014 |
Home |
Win |
55-28 |
2018 |
Home |
Win |
28-21 |
2015 |
Away |
Loss |
24-11 |
2019 |
Away |
Win |
29-21 |
2016 |
Home |
Win |
31-15 |
2021 |
Away |
Loss |
34-18 |
Last Meeting:
10/10/2021 Shippensburg 34 - West Chester 18
The Golden Rams committed five turnovers - three fumbles and two interceptions - that led to 17 Shippensburg points. In the first half, West Chester was limited to two Sean Henry field goals. Even so, when Desman Johnson scored a touchdown on a one-yard run, it pulled the Golden Rams to within 23-18, but the Raiders scored the final ten points, including a 71-yard touchdown pass, to seal the 34-18 win.
Phil Poquie had 78 yards rushing and a 62-yard kickoff return, while Johnson was 10 of 29 for 131 yards passing to go with 16 yards on the ground. Jackson Taylor had a game-high ten tackles, an interception and recovered a fumble.
Scouting the Opponent:
The defense is led by linebacker Matt Feeney (47 tackles, 10.5 TFL) who is among the leaders in the PSAC in both tackles and tackles for loss. Pace transfer strong safety Brandon Holt (18 tackles, 2 int) and free safety Isaiah Gilmore (12 tackles, 2 int) are among the conference leaders in interceptions. Defensive tackle Jacoby Sherard (6 tackles, 1 TFL) was All-PSAC East after last season, but he's only played in their season opener this year. So defensive end Jake Hines (14 tackles, 2.0 sacks) and defensive tackle Riley Good (26 tackles, 7.5 TFL) have applied the pressure up front.
Kicker Jackson Montross was All-PSAC East last season, but is only 1 of 5 on field goals this year, hitting on a 44 yarder. Tanner Luther does the punting and kickoffs. Douglas has returned two kickoffs for touchdowns this season.
Analysis:
Massey Ratings is expecting a 28-24 West Chester win and Versus Sports simulates a similar 27-21 Golden Ram victory.
Game Coverage:
West Chester Athletic Site - Homecoming Weekend Welcomes Shippensburg To Farrell Stadium Saturday
PSAC Site - PSAC Football Notes, Week 6
D2football - PSAC East Columnist - PSAC Week Six Preview
Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Player News - Players Among Statistical Leaders After Week 5
After five games, several Golden Rams are among the statistical leaders in the PSAC:
- Phil Poquie is 7th in all purpose yards with 143.6 yards/game. He leads the conference and is 6th in the nation in punt returns with 20.4 yards/return.
- Linebacker Jackson Taylor leads the PSAC in tackles for loss with 13.0 and with fumbles recovered with 4. He also is 8th in tackles with 9.4 per game.
- Defensive end Zach Liggitt is tied for the league lead in sacks with 4.5.
- Liggitt, Oscar Uduma, and Maurice Beverly are tied for 2nd in the conference with 2 fumbles forced.
- Kicker Sean Henry is tied for 2nd in the PSAC in field goals with 7. He is also 5th in the PSAC in kick scoring with 30 points. Henry is tied for the second longest made field goal in the PSAC at 44 yards.
- Punter Chris Barbera is 3rd in the conference in punting with 40.5 yards/punt. He's also 2nd in the PSAC in punts inside the 20 yard line with 11.
- Cornerbacks Sterlen Barr and Obi Anyatonwu are tied 4th in the PSAC in passes defended with 6.
- Running back Ja'Den McKenzie is 8th in rushing in the PSAC with 338 yards.
Tuesday, October 4, 2022
Event News - October 6 Bill Zwaan Show
The Bill Zwaan Show will be held at Timothy's in the Parkway Shopping Center in West Chester on Thursday 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 Show, junior defensive tackle Ayyub Dail and sophomore wide receiver Julian Kelly will be the special guests on Coach Zwaan's show.
In West Chester's 21-16 loss at Bloomsburg, Dail had two tackles, both for losses. On Bloomsburg's first play of the second half, Dail took down their running back for a four-yard loss. Later in the quarter, he had an eight-yard sack to dampen another Husky possession. He's currently sixth on the Golden Rams with 15 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. Meanwhile, Kelly made six catches in the game for 66 yards. Four of his six receptions resulted in first downs for the Golden Rams. He's currently second on the team in receptions.
Come out to Timothy's at 7:00pm to participate in the show live. Or send your questions for coaches or the players to the Bill Zwaan Show.
According to the Bill Zwaan Show, junior defensive tackle Ayyub Dail and sophomore wide receiver Julian Kelly will be the special guests on Coach Zwaan's show.
In West Chester's 21-16 loss at Bloomsburg, Dail had two tackles, both for losses. On Bloomsburg's first play of the second half, Dail took down their running back for a four-yard loss. Later in the quarter, he had an eight-yard sack to dampen another Husky possession. He's currently sixth on the Golden Rams with 15 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. Meanwhile, Kelly made six catches in the game for 66 yards. Four of his six receptions resulted in first downs for the Golden Rams. He's currently second on the team in receptions.
Come out to Timothy's at 7:00pm to participate in the show live. Or send your questions for coaches or the players to the Bill Zwaan Show.
Sunday, October 2, 2022
Game Report - Bloomsburg 21 - West Chester 16
The Golden Rams (3-2, 1-1) dominated every statistic in the box score, but only the scoreboard matters, and that's where Bloomsburg (2-3, 1-1) finished ahead 21-16. A week after West Chester had a pitiful offensive output against Millersville but got the win, the tables turned as the Golden Rams moved the ball with ease against Bloomsburg, but took the loss. The outcome really came down to four big plays.
In the fourth quarter, the offense finally hit the scoreboard. They navigated 65 yards in 10 plays in five minutes, capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass from Kohler to Thatcher Miller. And after the WCU defense produced their seventh three-and-out of the game, Phil Poquie had three carries for 40 yards including an 11-yard touchdown run to close the score to 21-16 with five minutes left.
After two straight scores and another defensive stop, the Golden Rams seemed to have momentum. Poquie built on it by having a 43-yard punt return to the Bloomsburg 32 with two and a half minutes left. McKenzie rushed to the 29, but Kohler's third-down pass to Rahiem Bowens was dropped and the fourth down attempt had the same fate.
West Chester's 412 yards was the best offensive output of the season. Kohler, who was plagued by several drops by his receivers, went 15 of 33 for 185 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and he was only sacked once. Kelly was his favorite target, hauling in six catches for 66 yards. Poquie had a video game day: 106 yards and a touchdown rushing, 3 catches for 46 yards receiving, 55 yards in kickoff returns and 70 yards in punt returns for a total of 277 all purpose yards. Defensively, Ayyub Dail and Zach Liggitt each had a sack while Jackson Taylor and Daniel Hicks shared in one. Among Taylor's team high eight tackles were 4.5 tackles for loss and he recovered a fumble. Henry did nail a 41-yard field goal to initially get West Chester on the scoreboard.
Maurice Beverly went out with what appears to be a serious shoulder injury. He was replaced by Elijah Beard who had a forced fumble. After missing last week, Patrick Methlie was back at left tackle and the offensive line returned to normal.
- On Bloomsburg's first possession of the game, they completed a 58-yard catch-and-run touchdown. The WCU defense has given up a few big plays this season, so it wasn't a big surprise, but that one play accounted for over one-third of the Huskies yards in the contest. The Golden Ram defense really did shut Bloomsburg down for the remainder of the game. +7 for Bloomsburg
- West Chester responded by going on 78-yard, six-minute drive. But Ja'Den McKenzie fumbled into the end zone and it was recovered by the Huskies. At the very least this possession should have ended in a field goal, but the way the Golden Rams were moving the ball, everyone expected a touchdown. -7 for West Chester.
- Early in the second quarter, Bloomsburg blocked Chris Barbera's punt and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. The Huskies had been getting good pressure on previous WCU punts, and they finally cashed in on this one. +7 for Bloomsburg
- With less than two minutes left in the first half, freshman quarterback Ethan Kohler and the Golden Ram offense started at their own 32-yard line and swiftly moved down the field to the Bloomsburg 5-yard line. But Kohler was unable to handle a third-down snap and Bloomsburg did an 88-yard scoop and score. - 7 for West Chester, +7 for Blooomsburg.
David Blay makes his way to the quarterback (Photo Joan Gillen)In the fourth quarter, the offense finally hit the scoreboard. They navigated 65 yards in 10 plays in five minutes, capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass from Kohler to Thatcher Miller. And after the WCU defense produced their seventh three-and-out of the game, Phil Poquie had three carries for 40 yards including an 11-yard touchdown run to close the score to 21-16 with five minutes left.
Julian Kelly made six first down catches (Photo Joan Gillen)After two straight scores and another defensive stop, the Golden Rams seemed to have momentum. Poquie built on it by having a 43-yard punt return to the Bloomsburg 32 with two and a half minutes left. McKenzie rushed to the 29, but Kohler's third-down pass to Rahiem Bowens was dropped and the fourth down attempt had the same fate.
West Chester's 412 yards was the best offensive output of the season. Kohler, who was plagued by several drops by his receivers, went 15 of 33 for 185 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and he was only sacked once. Kelly was his favorite target, hauling in six catches for 66 yards. Poquie had a video game day: 106 yards and a touchdown rushing, 3 catches for 46 yards receiving, 55 yards in kickoff returns and 70 yards in punt returns for a total of 277 all purpose yards. Defensively, Ayyub Dail and Zach Liggitt each had a sack while Jackson Taylor and Daniel Hicks shared in one. Among Taylor's team high eight tackles were 4.5 tackles for loss and he recovered a fumble. Henry did nail a 41-yard field goal to initially get West Chester on the scoreboard.
Bill Martelon keeps the Huskies at bay for Phil Poquie (Photo Joan Gillen)Maurice Beverly went out with what appears to be a serious shoulder injury. He was replaced by Elijah Beard who had a forced fumble. After missing last week, Patrick Methlie was back at left tackle and the offensive line returned to normal.
West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Nearly Pulls Off Comeback in Loss to Bloomsburg, 21-16
Bloomsburg Athletic Site - Strong Defense and Special Teams Leads Football to a 21-16 Win Over West Chester
WCU Football Family - Photo Album - Bloomsburg
Thursday, September 29, 2022
Game Preview - Bloomsburg
The Golden Rams (3-1, 1-0) travel to Danny Hale Field at Redman Stadium to take on the Bloomsburg Huskies (1-3, 0-1) on Saturday in a PSAC East matchup. Due to the PSAC tennis championships being held at Bloomsburg, kickoff for is scheduled for 6:00pm .
Series History:
West Chester leads the overall series 52-27 and these two schools often play big games. The two schools have met twice in playoffs - in 2008 and again in 2013 - with both postseason games played in Bloomsburg. The Huskies took the 2008 contest while the Golden Rams won in 2013 en route to the NCAA Division II semi-finals. There was the homecoming debacle in 2011 when West Chester took a 35-0 second quarter lead only to see the Huskies rattle off 55 straight points and steal a 55-42 win. The past four games have been decided by a total of ten points.
Former Bloomsburg All-American linebacker Frank Sheptock is in his second season as head coach at his alma mater after going 3-8 in 2021.
Last 10 Meetings:
Last Meeting:
10/02/2021 West Chester 21 - Bloomsburg 20
In front of another huge homecoming crowd at John A. Farrell Stadium, West Chester took a narrow 14-13 lead into halftime due to a missed Husky PAT. Bloomsburg scored a touchdown on their first drive of the fourth quarter to take a 20-14 lead and they had an opportunity to extend that lead on their next possession, but their 28-yard field goal attempt sailed wide. This was enough to spark the Golden Ram offense as Ja'Den McKenzie and Phil Poquie accounted for 73 yards in three minutes and the tieing score. Sean Henry's PAT gave West Chester the 21-20 lead which was later preserved by a Golden Ram interception at the one with 14 seconds left.
McKenzie finished with 121 yards and two touchdowns while Poquie rushed for 107 yards and a score. Linebacker Jackson Taylor tallied seven tackles while Obi Anyatonwu and Elijah Beard each made six stops.
Scouting the Opponent:
Over the past few games, the Huskies have been struggling on offense (sound familiar?) and in Saturday's 31-17 loss to Shippensburg, they made a change at quarterback (sound familiar?). True freshman KJ Riley (34 of 58, 476 yards, 5 TD's, 3 ints) has started every contest, but last season's starter David LePoidevin (7 of 13, 145 yards, 1 TD, 1 int) entered last week's game midway through the third quarter and led Bloomsburg on two touchdown drives. Last year, LePoidevin (106 of 188, 1,428 yards, 16 TD's, 6 int's) played in ten games and started the final six. So like West Chester, who plays quarterback will be a game time surprise. Running back Kaleb Monaco (64 carries, 202 yards) was All-PSAC East as a freshman last season. Riley (37 carries, 117 yards, 1 TD) and LePoidevin (10 carries, 25 yards, 2 TD's) run as necessary.
At 6'3 240, H-back Matthew Bowes (10 catches, 161 yards, 2 TD's) is Bloomsburg's leading receiver and poses matchup problems. Wide receiver Tyshaun Pollard (6 catches, 118 yards, 1 TD) and 6'4 tight end John Mack (6 catches, 92 yards, 1 TD) are also top targets, although ten different players have made at least one catch for the Huskies this season.
Defensively, All-PSAC East safety Quentin Gaskill (37 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 8 PBU's) leads the team in tackles and leads the PSAC in pass breakups. Cornerbacks Chris Monaco (16 tackles, 5 PBU's) and Jake Davis (8 tackles, 5 PBU's) are also among the conference leaders in pass breakups.
Defensive tackles Kenny Yurkonis (15 tackles, 2.0 sacks) and Joseph Kahn (10 tackles, 2.0 sacks) lead the Huskies in sacks. The linebackers in Bloomsburg's 4-2-5 alignment are Adam Burkhart (13 tackles, 2.0 TFL's) and Tom Goetz (9 tackles, 1 FR).
Place kicker Brendan McGonigle is 6 of 7 on field goals including two from 44 yards. Kickoff specialist Kevin Carrigan has booted three touchbacks, but has also kicked two out of bounds.
Analysis:
Bloomsburg's offense, despite its recent challenges, is still slightly better than West Chester's, however the Golden Ram defense holds the edge over the Huskies. Iffy weather doesn't bode well for either offense. West Chester has an advantage in the punting game, and hopefully the inclement weather won't nullify that advantage. Expect a close game between two young squads.
Massey Ratings is expecting a 5-point West Chester win and Versus Sports simulates a similar 26-20 West Chester victory.
Game Coverage:
Series History:
West Chester leads the overall series 52-27 and these two schools often play big games. The two schools have met twice in playoffs - in 2008 and again in 2013 - with both postseason games played in Bloomsburg. The Huskies took the 2008 contest while the Golden Rams won in 2013 en route to the NCAA Division II semi-finals. There was the homecoming debacle in 2011 when West Chester took a 35-0 second quarter lead only to see the Huskies rattle off 55 straight points and steal a 55-42 win. The past four games have been decided by a total of ten points.
Former Bloomsburg All-American linebacker Frank Sheptock is in his second season as head coach at his alma mater after going 3-8 in 2021.
Last 10 Meetings:
|
Year |
H/A |
W/L |
Score |
Year |
H/A |
W/L |
Score |
2012 |
Away |
Loss |
24-23 |
2016
|
Away |
Win |
27-7 |
2013 |
Home |
Loss |
31-28 |
2017 |
Home |
Loss |
20-19 |
2013 |
Away |
Win |
40-38 |
2018 |
Away |
Win |
17-14 |
2014 |
Away |
Loss |
41-10 |
2019 |
Home |
Win |
20-17 |
2015 |
Home |
Win |
33-22 |
2021 |
Home |
Win |
21-20 |
Last Meeting:
10/02/2021 West Chester 21 - Bloomsburg 20
In front of another huge homecoming crowd at John A. Farrell Stadium, West Chester took a narrow 14-13 lead into halftime due to a missed Husky PAT. Bloomsburg scored a touchdown on their first drive of the fourth quarter to take a 20-14 lead and they had an opportunity to extend that lead on their next possession, but their 28-yard field goal attempt sailed wide. This was enough to spark the Golden Ram offense as Ja'Den McKenzie and Phil Poquie accounted for 73 yards in three minutes and the tieing score. Sean Henry's PAT gave West Chester the 21-20 lead which was later preserved by a Golden Ram interception at the one with 14 seconds left.
McKenzie finished with 121 yards and two touchdowns while Poquie rushed for 107 yards and a score. Linebacker Jackson Taylor tallied seven tackles while Obi Anyatonwu and Elijah Beard each made six stops.
Scouting the Opponent:
At 6'3 240, H-back Matthew Bowes (10 catches, 161 yards, 2 TD's) is Bloomsburg's leading receiver and poses matchup problems. Wide receiver Tyshaun Pollard (6 catches, 118 yards, 1 TD) and 6'4 tight end John Mack (6 catches, 92 yards, 1 TD) are also top targets, although ten different players have made at least one catch for the Huskies this season.
Defensively, All-PSAC East safety Quentin Gaskill (37 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 8 PBU's) leads the team in tackles and leads the PSAC in pass breakups. Cornerbacks Chris Monaco (16 tackles, 5 PBU's) and Jake Davis (8 tackles, 5 PBU's) are also among the conference leaders in pass breakups.
Defensive tackles Kenny Yurkonis (15 tackles, 2.0 sacks) and Joseph Kahn (10 tackles, 2.0 sacks) lead the Huskies in sacks. The linebackers in Bloomsburg's 4-2-5 alignment are Adam Burkhart (13 tackles, 2.0 TFL's) and Tom Goetz (9 tackles, 1 FR).
Place kicker Brendan McGonigle is 6 of 7 on field goals including two from 44 yards. Kickoff specialist Kevin Carrigan has booted three touchbacks, but has also kicked two out of bounds.
Analysis:
Massey Ratings is expecting a 5-point West Chester win and Versus Sports simulates a similar 26-20 West Chester victory.
Game Coverage:
PSAC Site - PSAC Football Notes, Week 5
Bloomsburg Athletic Site - Game Five Notes - Bloomsburg vs West Chester
FOX 56 - Bloomsburg football better in 2022
D2football - PSAC Columnist - PSAC Week Five Preview
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