Player News - Andrew Cohen a Cliff Harris Award Nominee

Senior defensive end Andrew Cohen has been named a nominee for the Cliff Harris Award which is presented to the small college defensive player of the year. The award was created by the Little Rock Touchdown Club and is presented to the top defensive player among NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA schools as chosen by head coaches and a committee of college and professional football greats.

Andrew Cohen with one of his sacks against Bloomsburg (Photo Bert Garbutt)

Cohen was All-PSAC East first team as a junior and senior and second team as a sophomore. Last season, when the Golden Rams advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs and finished 11-2, he was named third team Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Super Region One, All-ECAC, and Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area. Prior to this season, Cohen was named preseason first team USA Football Network All-American. After leading the entire PSAC with 13.5 sacks for 91 yards and 20.0 tackles for loss this season, he was also named PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year. His 1.23 sacks/game is good for fifth in the country and he set the career PSAC sack record with 33.5.

This season, Cohen had 39 solo tackles and 18 assists for 57 total tackles. He registered at least one sack in every game this season and was credited with two forced fumbles at Mercyhurst. Cohen is also a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award and a nominee for the Harlon Hill Trophy.

Andrew Cohen has been nominated for three major awards this season
(Photo Bert Garbutt)

Among the 104 nominees, 48 are from Division II, 33 are from Division III and 23 are from NAIA schools. Finalists will be announced in the next two weeks and the overall winner will be announced on December 24. The trophy will be presented to the recipient at the Little Rock Touchdown Club’s annual awards banquet in February 2016.

The four nominees from the PSAC are:

• DB Jordan Bowman - California
  
• DE Andrew Cohen - West Chester
  
• DE Marcus Martin - Slippery Rock
  
• S Mike Zanders - Gannon
  

Cliff Harris Award - 2015 Cliff Harris Award Nominees Announced

Cliff Harris Award - Andrew Cohen Profile

Alumni News - Rondell White Commits to Bluebirds

Former Golden Ram running back Rondell White has committed to play with the West Chester Bluebirds. This is the inaugural season for the Bluebirds in the East Coast Football Association, a spring minor league football league. The Bluebirds will play their home games at nearby Cheyney's O'Shields - Stevenson Stadium with their home opener set for Saturday, February 21 at 1:00 pm when they host the Hanover Rhinos of the Atlantic Football Association. The Bluebirds' ECFA ten-game season is scheduled to start on March 12. The ECFA Bowl IX is scheduled for June 25 in Washington D.C.

Rondell White had a tremendous career at WCU (Photo Bert Garbutt)

West Chester Bluebirds - Rondell White Signs to Play for West Chester Bluebirds

Player News - Andrew Cohen Nominated for Harlon Hill Award

Senior defensive end Andrew Cohen has been named one of 38 candidates for the Harlon Hill Trophy. The Harlon Hill Trophy is presented to NCAA Division II's College Football Player of the Year.

Andrew Cohen (Photo Bert Garbutt)

Cohen was All-PSAC East first team as a junior and senior and second team as a sophomore. Last season, when the Golden Rams advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs and finished 11-2, he was named third team Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Super Region One, All-ECAC, and Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area. Prior to this season, Cohen was named preseason first team USA Football Network All-American. After leading the entire PSAC with 13.5 sacks for 91 yards and 20.0 tackles for loss this season, he was also named PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year. His 1.23 sacks/game is good for fifth in the country and he set the career PSAC sack record with 33.5. Cohen is also a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award which is presented to the top lineman in Division II football.

Andrew Cohen with one of his 13.5 sacks this season. (Photo Bert Garbutt)

The country is divided into four regions and the sports information directors from each region voted to get to the current field. Regional voting, which ends November 30, narrows the field to two players from each region. Those eight players are then placed on the national ballot. The winner will be announced via a webcast on December 18 and the Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation will take place at a luncheon on January 8 in Florence, AL.

The eight candidates from Super Region I are:

• RB Andre Anderson - New Haven
  
• DE Andrew Cohen - West Chester
  
• RB Shamar Greene - Slippery Rock
  
• QB Jeremy Johnson - Charleston
  
• QB Connor Simmons - Clarion
  
• QB Matt Soltes - East Stroudsburg
  
• QB Lenny Williams - Indiana
  
• QB Jeff Ziemba - Shepherd
  

Harlon Hill Trophy - Thirty-eight Players Nominated for 2015 Harlon Hill Trophy as Division II Football Player of the Year

Player News - Andrew Cohen a Finalist For Gene Upshaw Award

Senior defensive end Andrew Cohen has been named a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award which is presented to the top lineman in Division II football. The award was created in 2004 by the Manheim Touchdown Club and is presented to the top junior or senior offensive or defensive lineman in Division II as selected by the sports information directors.

Andrew Cohen (Photo Bert Garbutt)

Cohen was All-PSAC East first team as a junior and senior and second team as a sophomore. Last season, when the Golden Rams advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs and finished 11-2, he was named third team Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Super Region One, All-ECAC, and Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area. Prior to this season, Cohen was named preseason first team USA Football Network All-American. After leading the entire PSAC with 13.5 sacks for 91 yards and 20.0 tackles for loss this season, he was also named PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year. His 1.23 sacks/game is good for fifth in the country and he set the career PSAC sack record with 33.5.

Andrew Cohen with one of his 13.5 sacks this season. (Photo Bert Garbutt)

The initial field of 47 nominees was narrowed to two finalists from each of four regions. Those eight names now comprise the national ballot. The overall winner will be announced on December 2. The annual winner has a standing invitation to the East/West Shrine Game, which gives the winner an opportunity to play in front of NFL coaches and scouts prior to the NFL Draft.

The eight finalists are:

• Super Region 1 - DE Andrew Cohen - West Chester
  
• Super Region 1 - RT Cory Tucker - Slippery Rock
  
• Super Region 2 - DE Dylan Donahue - West Georgia
  
• Super Region 2 - OT Joey Ray - Lenoir-Rhyne
  
• Super Region 3 - DT Collin Bevins - Northwest Missouri State
  
• Super Region 3 - DE Joshua Gordon - Minnesota State Mankato
  
• Super Region 4 - DE Matt Judon - Grand Valley State
  
• Super Region 4 - DE Morgan Fox - Colorado State-Pueblo
  

Manheim Touchdown Club - Finalists Named for Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award

West Chester Athletic Site - Cohen Named A National Finalist For Gene Upshaw Award

Player News - Golden Rams Named All PSAC East

Headlined by defensive end Andrew Cohen who was named PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year, 12 West Chester Golden Rams were named to the 2015 PSAC East first and second teams. Six members of the offense and six players from the defense were recognized by the conference's coaches. Only four of the twelve are seniors. In addition, head coach Bill Zwaan was named PSAC East Coach of the Year.

Along with Cohen, named to the first team defense were sophomore defensive tackle Josh Ganzelli, junior safety Kevin Malone, and junior cornerback Ted Patton. Named to the second team defense was junior linebacker Ralph Reeves and sophomore cornerback Shaquil James.

Named to the first team offense were senior running back Brandon Monk, junior offensive tackle Doug Gilbert, and senior tight end Tim Brown. All three are appearing on the first team for the second consecutive year. Also appearing on the first team offense is sophomore guard Tyler Drob. Named to the second team offense were senior wide receiver Eddie Elliott and redshirt freshman placekicker Brendan Paulison.

Andrew Cohen with one of his 13.5 sacks this season. (Photo Bert Garbutt)

PSAC Football Site - Soltes and Cohen Headline All-PSAC East

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Lands 12 On All-PSAC Squad; Cohen And Zwaan Major Winners

Team News - PSAC East Championship Gear Available

The Killinger Foundation is sponsoring a "PSAC East Championship Gear" fundraiser. There are two choices, with each having the ability to be customized with name and number ($6). The first is a Sport Tek Repel Unisex 1/4 Zip Pullover ($55) which is designed for all-weather training. The second is Badger Hooded Fleece Sweatshirt ($49). All proceeds go to the Killinger Scholarship Fund. More information and orders can be placed at Weikel Sportswear. Orders must be placed by November 29, 2015 with delivery expected before Christmas. Orders for players and family can be picked up at West Chester University football office during the week of December 14th. For special delivery needs or other questions, please e-mail the Killinger Foundation.

Celebrate the Golden Rams 2015 season and help support the team in the future by participating.

Club News - November 19 Meeting

It's not clear if the Golden Ram Football Club will be meeting on Thursday at 7:45pm at Timothy's in the Parkway Shopping Center in West Chester. If there is a meeting, it will begin immediately following the Bill Zwaan Football Show which is also held at Timothy's 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, junior safety Kevin Malone and sophomore defensive tackle Josh Ganzelli, and senior defensive end Andrew Cohen will be the special guests on Coach Zwaan's show. In Saturday's game against Slippery Rock, Malone had three tackles and a fumble recovery while Ganzelli notched 9 tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss. Cohen had nine total tackles and 2.0 sacks to set the West Chester single season sack record of 13.5 and the PSAC career sack record of 33.5.

Come out to Timothy's at 7:00pm to participate in the show live.

Game Report - Slippery Rock 61 - West Chester 12

Slippery Rock dominated every phase of the game from beginning to end as they manhandled the Golden Rams en route to a 61-12 win to capture the PSAC Championship in front of 3,000 fans on a blustery day at Farrell Stadium.

It started out well enough. Slippery Rock opened the game on their own 23 yard line. Aided by an illegal procedure penalty and an Andrew Cohen sack, the Golden Ram defense forced a quick three-and-out. And a short 21-yard punt gave West Chester great field position at the Rock 40. A 29-yard screen pass from Pat Moriarty to Brandon Monk gave the Golden Rams a first down at the 11 yard line. But West Chester would not get a first down or a touchdown on this possession. And when Brendan Paulison’s field goal sailed wide right, West Chester’s chances for any points were dashed…as was the team’s confidence.

Slippery Rock made quick work of the 80 yards ahead of them, scoring in just seven plays and two minutes. For most of the game, West Chester’s defense was just not ready for the Rock’s hurry up offense, as many plays were run with 25 seconds remaining on the play clock. Fortunately, West Chester answered back, using a personal foul, and catches by Tyler Karpinski and A.J. DePietro, the latter a 23-yard touchdown, to get into the end zone. But the PAT failed and West Chester remained at a 7-6 deficit.

A.J. DePietro with a TD catch from Pat Moriarty (Photo Ron Hockman)

The Rock’s next three possessions each resulted in touchdowns. Two came on 41-yard touchdown passes while the third was setup by a short field after a West Chester interception. In that time, the Golden Rams mustered only one first down on offense. Trailing 35-6, West Chester moved the ball well in its two minute drill, including tight end Connor McGrath’s first collegiate catch which went for 19 yards. However, the drive would stall as the game moved to halftime. Besides the score, the most telling halftime statistic was West Chester rushing yardage - which was net -4 yards.

Corey Kelley and Drew Formica make a tackle (Photo Ron Hockman)

Not much changed in the third quarter as the Rock defense forced three three-and-outs while their offense tacked on two more touchdowns. Trailing 48-6 with four minutes left in the third quarter, the Golden Ram offense had their most productive drive of the game. But even it was not without a gaff. The quarter closed after Jarel Elder converted a key fourth down run to the Rock 26. But after the extended media time out as the teams changed sides, for whatever reason, West Chester was forced to call a time out of their own. At least it paid off as one play later, Moriarty completed a 17-yard touchdown to Eddie Elliott.

Eddie Elliott hauls in a touchdown pass (Photo Ron Hockman)

For the game, the Rock dialed up 557 yards of offense while holding West Chester to just 245 yards. In their final games for the Golden Rams, Monk had 173 all-purpose yards, while Elliot and Adam Dempsey had one catch each. Linebacker Ralph Reeves had a game-high 12 tackles. Seniors Barry Lyons and Drew Formica had six and four tackles respectively. And in his final collegiate game, defensive end Cohen notched nine tackles including two sacks to set the school single season record for sacks at 13.5 and the PSAC career sack record at 33.5.

Andrew Cohen with one of his two sacks (Photo Ron Hockman)

Sortable Box Score    Coaches Box Score

West Chester Athletic Site - No. 9 Slippery Rock Captures PSAC Championship Game

Slippery Rock Athletic Site - #9 Rock rolls to PSAC title at WCU

post-gazette.com - Slippery Rock repeats as PSAC champ

York Daily Record - Slippery Rock repeats as PSAC football champion

D2football - PSAC Columnist - Slippery Rock Wins PSAC Title

Players News - Keyser Named PSAC Scholar Athlete

In each sport that the PSAC sponsors, the conference presents the scholar athlete award to the participant at the championship site with the highest grade point average. The player with the highest GPA at the PSAC Football Championship game was West Chester defensive back Kyle Keyser. The junior currently boasts a 3.817 as a finance major.

Kyle Keyser receives the PSAC Football Scholar Athlete award from Commissioner Steve Murray (Photo PSAC)

PSAC Site - West Chester's Kyle Keyser Earns Football Champion Scholar Award

Reader Question - NCAA Playoff Chances

Q - Many questions have been received regarding the Golden Rams' chances of making the NCAA playoffs, assuming a win over Slippery Rock in the PSAC Championship game.

A - Just a quick recap, for Division II football, the NCAA divides the country into four regions and seven teams from each region qualify for the playoffs. Teams within each region are ranked based on their record and strength of schedule. Starting after week seven, the NCAA publishes their top ten teams in each region. After last week, West Chester is not in the top ten. To answer the question - very slim.

1. Shepherd (9-0) - Shepherd is in regardless of tomorrow's outcome, but they're playing a 2-8 team, so a likely win and top seed.
2. Bowie St (9-0) - Bowie St is interesting in that they played their first four Division II games of the season with an ineligible player. So those wins will be nullified, but not forfeited. That means that their winning percentage gets dinged a little bit. Their conference, the CIAA, applied nullification to their conference record and determined that they still won their division and qualified for the CIAA Championship game. A win over Winston-Salem St, and Bowie St is likely in. But a loss tomorrow will make nullification a bigger impact to their status.
3. Charleston (9-1) - Charleston's only loss is to Shepherd, so they are in regardless of tomorrow's outcome, but they're playing a 1-9 team, so a likely win.
4. Slippery Rock (9-1) - even a West Chester loss will only make the Rock 9-2. They're in.
5. Assumption (9-1) - similar to the Rock, a loss to New Haven in the Northeast-10 Championship game tomorrow will make them only 9-2. Hard to exclude them from the NCAA playoffs.
6. Indiana (7-2) - a probable win over Cheyney tomorrow will make them 8-2, only slightly better than West Chester's 8-3. Also important to point out is that among common opponents with West Chester - Kutztown, Lock Haven, Seton Hill, Mercyhurst, Slippery Rock, Cheyney - Indiana will be 4-2 (lost to Kutztown and Slippery Rock) and West Chester would be 5-1 (loss to Mercyhurst). So this is a possibilty.
7. Virginia Union (8-1) - Virginia Union doesn't play tomorrow, but they stand a good chance based on their current position in the regional rankings.
8. California (7-3) - similar to New Haven even though the Vulcans have the same record as West Chester, their strength of schedule is better. It will diminish when they play Lock Haven (2-8) tomorrow.
9. New Haven (7-3) - Assumption's opponent in the Northeast 10 Championship tomorrow, they're ahead of West Chester based on their superior strength of schedule.
10. Glenville St (7-3) - the Pioneers took themselves out of the picture with a loss to Fairmont St last night.

Since the list only includes ten teams, it's obvious that West Chester is no better than 11th, however, they may actually be lower since they have the same overall record as Shippensburg (7-3), but lost the head-to-head meeting with the Raiders. Clarion is also 7-3 and plays at Kutztown tomorrow.

So what needs to happen? First and foremost, West Chester needs to beat Slippery Rock. And the bottom line, that's the only thing that the team can control. After that, root for Assumption to beat New Haven, since Assumption is likely in either way, this would make New Haven 7-4. Hope Kutztown beats Clarion and Mercyhurst beats Shippensburg. The CIAA will surely get a team in, and if the nullification is not going to hurt Bowie St, then hope they win and Virginia Union's two fewer games and lesser strength of schedule (after West Chester's improves after tomorrow) catches up to them. Is there any chance California loses to Lock Haven? Doubtful. Some have pointed out that under this scenario, West Chester will have defeated Slippery Rock where as the Vulcans lost to the Rock. But that would be cherry picking a common opponent. Looking at all of the common opponents that California and West Chester have - Bloomsburg, Shippensburg, Seton Hill, Slippery Rock, Mercyhurst and Lock Haven - both teams are 4-2. So a lot of things have to happen just right, but even then, there appears to be too many teams in front of the Golden Rams to get into the number seven spot based on the selection criteria.

As always, if you have any questions, comments or ideas for topics, please e-mail them to GoldenRamFootballClub@comcast.net and be sure to follow us on twitter @GoldenRamFC

D2football - PSAC Columnist - Championships Are Set In SR1

Game Preview - Slippery Rock

The Golden Rams (7-3) host Slippery Rock (9-1) on Saturday at noon with the winner being crowned the PSAC Champion. West Chester has 18 PSAC Championships, but none since the championship game between the East and the West was re-instituted in 2008. Slippery Rock has ten titles with their last one coming last year against Bloomsburg. The Rock is ranked #9 in both the AFCA and D2football.com polls.

This season, Slippery Rock and West Chester had four common opponents. The only outcomes that the two teams did not share were Seton Hill (Slippery Rock lost 41-38, West Chester won 48-38) and Mercyhurst (Slippery Rock won 35-24, West Chester lost 37-35).

The game will also serve as Senior Day when West Chester University senior band members, cheerleaders, football players and team training staff will be honored before the game.

Series History:
West Chester leads the overall series 8-7, with head coach Bill Zwaan owning a 3-1 record against the Rock. Slippery Rock head coach George Mihalik is in his 28th season and has a career record of 194-110-4.

These two teams met for the conference championship game in 1961, 1963, 1972, 1973 and 1974 with West Chester winning the first two and Slippery Rock capturing the final three. In the final game of the regular season in 2006, with both teams owning a 7-3 record and the winner destined for the NCAA playoffs, West Chester won by a score of 21-20 when the Rock's 48-yard field goal attempt drifted wide left in the pouring rain in Slippery Rock.

In 2010 also in Slippery Rock, Shawn Leo kicked a field goal to put the Golden Rams up 27-24 with two and a half minutes left. But the Rock converted a 47-yard field goal of their own with 31 seconds left to send the game into overtime. The Rock quickly scored a touchdown in overtime, but Nick Garcia blocked the point after giving West Chester hope. Although the Golden Rams picked up a first down, they were unable to get into the end zone and fell 33-27.

Last 10 Meetings:

Year	H/A	W/L	Score	Year	H/A	W/L	Score
1963	Home	Win	36-7	1997	Away	Loss	27-14
1972	Away	Loss	29-27	2006	Away	Win	21-20
1973	Home	Loss	28-14	2010	Away	Loss	33-27 OT
1974	Away	Loss	20-7	2011	Home	Win	20-17
1996	Home	Win	31-21	2014	Home	Win	46-20

Last Meeting:

11/23/2014 West Chester 46 - Slippery Rock 20

In the first round of the 2014 NCAA Division II playoffs, West Chester easily dispatched the PSAC Champions in a game that was not as close as the final score indicates, as many Golden Ram players got an opportunity to participate in the game. The Golden Ram defense held the vaunted Rock rushing game to a mere 31 yards on the day. Eddie Elliott, Brandon Monk and Jarel Elder combined for 124 yards on the ground and Tim Brown had seven catches for 164 yards and three touchdowns. But the real key to the game was the defense, led by Andrew Cohen. The defensive lineman had nine total tackles including 5.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup. Drew Formica and Brandon Pepper had two of the teams' four interceptions.

Scouting the Opponent:

The Rock leads the PSAC in total offense and that's primarily due to their strong running game. Right tackle Cory Tucker and center Joe LoSchiavo were both All-PSAC West last season and four of the five offensive linemen have started every game together this season. They primarily pave the way for Shamar Greene (181 carries, 984 yards, 9 TD's) who was also All-PSAC in 2014, but 5'8" Kent State transfer Julian Durden (136 carries, 782 yards, 17 TD's) provides a speedy option for a running game that puts up 286 yards per game. Youngstown State transfer Dante Nania (178 of 316, 2,167 yards, 19 TD's, 10 int's) is completing his final year of eligibility as quarterback at Slippery Rock. Six different players have at least 15 catches, led by 5'8" Cornelius Raye (41 catches, 507 yards, 6 TD's), and 5'8" Jaimire Dutrieuille (32 catches, 442 yards, 5 TD's), Marcus Carter (29 catches, 401 yards, 2 TD's) and Taishan Tucker (27 catches, 334 yards, 3 TD's).

Dutrieuille handles punt returns and returned one 91 yards for a score last week, making him PSAC West Special Teams Player of the Week. Concord transfer Andrew Huska (47 punts, 42.3 avg, 9 inside the 20, 6 50+) leads the PSAC in punting, although he has had three blocked. Kicker Mike Wainauskis (28 of 31 PAT, 5 of 9 FG, with a long of 34) was All-PSAC last year.

The defense is led by reigning PSAC West Freshman of the Year defensive end Marcus Martin (60 tackles, 9.0 sacks, 8 QB hurries). Also contributing to Slippery Rock's status of second most sacks in the PSAC is defensive end Cody Conway (41 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 3 QB hurries). Linebacker Bob Vernick (72 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss) leads the team in tackles and fellow linebacker and Youngstown St transfer Teven Williams (68 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss) also provides second level defense. The Rock is third in the PSAC in interceptions with 17 led by cornerbacks Pittsburgh transfer Titus Howard (49 tackles, 3 int, 13 pass breakups) and Alfon Cook (39 tackles, 3 int, 7 pass breakups). Free safety Derrick Fulmore (31 tackles, 4 int, 4 pass breakups) has missed the last two games but strong safety Derek Morgan (28 tackles, 2 int, 6 pass breakups) is back after missing three games. Howard is the reigning PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week.

Analysis:

The headline of the game is the PSAC's best offense - Slippery Rock gains 513 yards/game - against the PSAC's best defense - West Chester allows only 310 yards/game. While the Rock relies on their running game with 286 yards/game, they are quite capable throwing the ball as well with 220 yards/game. So they certainly possess far more balance than either Bloomsburg or East Stroudsburg, which will require the Golden Ram defense to stay honest on both counts.

The Slippery Rock defense is first in points allowed (18.4) and fourth in yards allowed (348 yards/game). They lead the conference in rushing yards allowed with only 64 yards/game. Indiana, aided greatly by their mobile quarterback, rushed for almost 186 yards and surprisingly threw for 364 yards in their narrow loss at Slippery Rock, but the Rock held both Mercyhurst and Millersville to negative yards rushing. Seton Hill, the only team that defeated Slippery Rock this season, threw for 472 yards and four touchdowns in that game. So success on offense might come down to the passing game. Certainly the Golden Rams need to run the ball, but it may be another Bloomsburg type performance where 32 carries produced only 74 yards.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video (also WPHL17)

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Plays For The PSAC Title On National TV Saturday Afternoon

PSAC Site - 2015 PSAC Football Championship

PSAC Site - Football Notes Week 11

Slippery Rock Athletic Site - Week 11 Preview: #9 Rock at West Chester

KYW Newsradio - West Chester Hosts Slippery Rock In PSAC Title Game Saturday

KYW Newsradio - West Chester’s Andrew Cohen, A Nightmare For PSAC QB’s

TimesOnline.com - Game of the Week: Slippery Rock at West Chester

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Another PSAC title game for No. 9 Slippery Rock

D2football - PSAC Columnist - Previewing Week 11 in the PSAC

D2football - PSAC Columnist - PSAC Championship Preview

D2football - National Columnist - Bob Eblen - National Columnist

Club News - November 12 Meeting

The Golden Ram Football Club will be meeting on Thursday at 7:45pm at Timothy's in the Parkway Shopping Center in West Chester. This week's meeting will feature the 2015 team captains - Brandon Monk, Brandon Pepper, Andrew Cohen, and Tim Brown. The meeting will begin immediately following the Bill Zwaan Football Show which is also held at Timothy's starting at 7:00pm. Golden Ram fans unable to attend the show can listen to it live on WCHE1520AM.COM. The meeting will not be broadcast.

According to the Bill Zwaan Football Show, junior defensive back Pete Galiano and junior left tackle Doug Gilbert will be the special guests on Coach Zwaan's show. In Saturday's 41-27 win against East Stroudsburg, Galiano had four total tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery. He's currently fourth on the West Chester roster in tackles with 38. He also had an interception at Lock Haven. At 6'5" and 345 lbs, Gilbert protects the quarterback's blind side on an offensive line that has allowed only 14 sacks this season. In the PSAC, the Golden Ram offense is sixth in passing at 270 yards/game, sixth in rushing at 183 yards/game and fifth in total yardage at 453 yards/game. On Saturday, the offense amassed almost 400 yards for the eighth time this season.

Come out to Timothy's at 7:00pm to participate in the show live.

Player News - Monk Named MNYFW Offensive Player of the Week

For his effort in West Chester's 41-27 win over East Stroudsburg, senior running back Brandon Monk has been named Metropolitan New York Football Writers Division II Offensive Player of the Week . Monk, who also won the PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week, rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. He also had a catch for five yards.

MNYFW Site - Eastern Football/MNYFW Players of the Week - 11/7

Player News - Monk, Elder Named PSAC East Players of the Week

For their efforts in West Chester's 41-27 win over East Stroudsburg, senior running back Brandon Monk has been named PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week and sophomore running back Jarel Elder has been named PSAC East Special Teams Player of the Week. Monk, who won the same award after last year's game against East Stroudsburg, rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. He also had a catch for five yards. Elder returned all five of East Stroudsburg's kickoffs for a total of 133 yards for an average of 26.6 yards per return.

PSAC Site - PSAC Football Athletes of the Week - 11/8

West Chester Athletic Site - Monk And Elder Take Home PSAC Athlete Of The Week Honors

Allentown Morning Call - Around the PSAC

Game Report - West Chester 41 - East Stroudsburg 27

The Golden Rams took advantage of East Stroudsburg's mistakes to get out to a 31-7 halftime lead, and then hung on for the 41-27 victory. The win, coupled with Kutztown's 51-27 pasting of Shippensburg, gives West Chester the PSAC East Division crown outright for the first time since 2008. Instead of playing Indiana as originally schedule, the Golden Rams will host Slippery Rock in the PSAC Championship game on Saturday.

Okay, let’s face it, this was a big win. And more importantly, it was a team win. Offensively, the line didn’t allow a sack, there was only one turnover, and West Chester held a ten minute advantage in time of possession. Defensively, two interceptions and four sacks were key to thwarting East Stroudsburg’s passing offense which was second in the NCAA coming into the game. And special teams was perfect on place kicks, performed well on kickoff coverage, and recovered an East Stroudsburg muffed punt.

Brandon Monk ran for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns (Photo Ron Hockman)

Similar to last year’s game, Brandon Monk ran all over the Warriors, picking up 170 yards on the ground. He accounted for 60 yards on West Chester’s opening possession which lasted 11 plays, six minutes and 93 yards. That drive almost stalled when Golden Rams heard the words they fear so much - “first and goal from the five”. But Pat Moriarty flipped a one-yard touchdown pass to Camille Max who was making his first appearance of the season.

Camille Max makes a short touchdown catch (Photo Ron Hockman)

Sophomore cornerback Shaquil James was given the task of covering East Stroudsburg’s top receiver one-on-one all day, and he was up to the task. James was at a six inch height disadvantage and allowed a handful of first-half completions, but all were short patterns and accounted for only 49 total yards. The secondary got help from a constant pass rush as Kavon Johnson, Tyler Morrissey and Andrew Cohen each had sacks while Johnson teamed up with Josh Ganzelli on a fourth.

Shaquil James was locked up on ESU's top receiver (Photo Ron Hockman)

Holding a 7-0 lead after the first quarter, the second period was particularly productive for West Chester. Jarel Elder accounted for 18 yards on the ground and Moriarty tossed a 16-yard completion to Shannon Mayer and a 37-yard pass to Jim Hurley to set up another first and goal from the five. This time, Monk finished off the drive to put West Chester up 14-0. The offense got only 37 seconds of rest thanks to a Nydair Rouse interception which led to a Tyler Karpinski touchdown catch.

Tyler Karpinski makes another TD catch (Photo Ron Hockman)

A Pete Galiano interception then led to Brendan Paulison’s 32-yard field goal. After an East Stroudsburg touchdown closed the gap to 24-7, it looked like the Warriors were going to get one last opportunity in the half. But East Stroudsburg muffed the punt return and Mike Catalano pounced on it. Moriarty completed a 12-yard pass to Adam Dempsey to get to the 32. It may have been a little too far for a field goal attempt, or maybe it was the perceived need to score more points, but West Chester went for the touchdown and Eddie Elliott made a great catch in the end zone as time expired. The Golden Rams would take a 31-7 lead into the locker room.

Eddie Elliott brings down a touchdown to end the half (Photo Ron Hockman)

The Warriors get into the end zone and West Chester responded with only a field goal. Then East Stroudsburg used an overhand lateral to a wide receiver who lobbed a 66-yard touchdown pass beyond a fooled Golden Ram defense. The third period would end with West Chester up 34-20. Although there was a full period left, fans started watching the clock. The Golden Ram defense allowed yards but no points in over five minutes of game time. But Monk lost a fumble on the first play from scrimmage and the defense was right back on the field. This time, East Stroudsburg was more efficient, getting into the end zone in only two and a half minutes. With just under seven minutes left, the Golden Rams would take over at their own 23, holding onto a 34-27 lead.

But the game ended as it started. With the exception of a critical third-down completion to Karpinski, the Golden Rams ran the ball seven times with Monk getting six of those carries including a 34-yard touchdown run. The drive covered 77 yards in over four minutes. When Galiano covered another East Stroudsburg fumble, Monk and the offensive line ran out the clock.

Pate Galiano covered this fumble to seal the victory (Photo Ron Hockman)

Moriarty really showed a lot in this game. He used a hard count to draw East Stroudsburg offsides, he ran a designed draw play, he scrambled and showed off his spin move to buy time, he completed passes to seven different receivers and none was named Tim Brown whose college career ended last week due to an injury. Kevin Duggan and Drew Formica were the team’s leading tacklers with seven and six respectively. And Connor Foley placed his kickoffs well, pinning the Warriors inside their own 25 on four his seven kickoffs. Yes, it was a team effort, which is exactly what was needed to win the PSAC East.

Pat Moriarty showed his mobility (Photo Ron Hockman)

Sortable Box Score    Coach's Box Score   Game Replay

West Chester Athletic Site - PSAC East Champions

East Stroudsburg Athletic Site - ESU Football Falls at West Chester, 41-27

Morning Call - Kutztown finishes second in PSAC East

Game Preview - East Stroudsburg

The Golden Rams (6-3, 5-1) host East Stroudsburg (6-3, 5-3) in the final week of divisional play in the PSAC. Regardless of the outcome of the Bloomsburg-Lock Haven game, a West Chester win coupled with a Kutztown defeat of Shippensburg will send the Golden Rams to the PSAC Championship next week at Farrell Stadium. If Shippensburg and West Chester both win, then the Golden Rams have to hope that Bloomsburg also wins, leaving all five teams in a tie for first place, meaning a coin flip will determine which school represents the East in the PSAC Championship. Kickoff at Farrell Stadium is set for 1:00 pm on Saturday.

Series History:
West Chester leads the overall series 57-22. Golden Ram head coach Bill Zwaan is 10-3 against the Warriors, including two wins in the Poconos in 2004. In the first matchup that season, the Golden Rams blocked a PAT in overtime, then scored a touchdown and won the game on Dan Wilbourne’s converted PAT to hand then #7 East Stroudsburg their first loss of the season in front of a homecoming crowd of almost 6,000. The second game came on a frigid and blustery November afternoon in the NCAA regional finals. With a crowd of over 7,200 on hand, current West Chester running backs coach Osagie Osunde ran for 144 yards and three touchdowns as the Golden Rams handed East Stroudsburg their second loss of the season.

The following year, West Chester tipped the #6 ranked Warriors, 18-17, in muddy Farrell Stadium. 2005 was the last season that Farrell Stadium had natural grass. In 2009, East Stroudsburg ruined West Chester’s homecoming 21-20. The Golden Rams failed to convert a PAT early in the game and a 35-yard field goal late in the game. It's the only time that East Stroudsburg has won at West Chester in the past dozen years. The Warriors are led by head coach Denny Douds who is in his 42nd season at the helm.

Last 10 Meetings:

Year	H/A	W/L	Score	Year	H/A	W/L	Score
2005	Home	Win	18-17	2010	Away	Win	35-31
2006	Away	Win	49-28	2011	Home	Win	37-26
2007	Home	Win	30-15	2012	Away	Loss	35-28
2008	Away	Win	34-24	2013	Home	Win	34-20
2009	Home	Loss	21-20	2014	Away	Win	35-24

Last Meeting:

11/08/2014 West Chester 35 - East Stroudsburg 24

West Chester never trailed in the contest, although East Stroudsburg closed to within four points twice, including on the final play of the third quarter. After Tim Brown's second touchdown catch of the day put West Chester up 35-24 midway through the fourth quarter, the Warriors immediately stormed back down the field. But Brandon Pepper intercepted a pass at the West Chester four-yard line and Brandon Monk, Jarel Elder, and the Golden Ram offensive line ran out the final five and a half minutes of the contest.

Monk was tremendous in the game, running 36 times for 257 yards and two touchdowns without being tackled for a loss. Elder chipped in with 44 yards rushing while Brown had a total of three catches for 43 yards. Besides the interception, Pepper also had four total tackles and two pass breakups.

Scouting the Opponent:

East Stroudsburg typically has a potent passing attack and this year is no different. Quarterback Matt Soltes (218 of 393, 3,239 yards, 33 TD’s, 8 int’s) leads the PSAC in passing and is a Harlon Hill candidate again this season. His touchdown numbers are somewhat inflated as, against Shippensburg, he threw nine scores in the four overtime affair which provided a shortened field. Although he only played three quarters against Cheyney, he still managed to throw for 419 yards and seven touchdowns. “Congratulations”. Ironically, he did not throw a touchdown pass in the Warriors’ win over Bloomsburg, but that’s because he’s also mobile and has a net 143 yards rushing.

There’s no doubt that his top targets are 6’6” Jon Schnaars (88 catches, 1,301 yards, 17 TD’s) and Gerard Wendowski (38 catches, 655 yards, 9 TD’s). Running back Robert Healy (132 carries, 698 yards, 1 TD, 42 catches, 620 yards, 1 TD) is a dual threat while Gerald Van De Cruz (94 carries, 330 yards, 12 TD’s) is the guy who puts the ball in the end zone on the ground for East Stroudsburg. Opponents have been able to sack Soltes 21 times through nine games this season.

Defensively, the Warriors are led by outside linebacker Sekou Jones (62 tackles, 7.5 TFL’s) and freshman defensive end Joseph Odebode (23 tackles, 7.5 TFL’s). Strong safety Jimmy Verzicco (54 tackles, 2 int’s, 6 pass breakups) and free safety Chase May (25 tackles, 2 int’s) lead the secondary. Cornerbacks Teron Dobbs (30 tackles, 6 pass breakups) and Jimmy Myers (20 tackles, 7 pass breakups) are both seniors.

Freshman kicker Nicolas Ruiz (40-43 PAT’s, 8-11 FG with a long of 42) hasn’t been as reliable as East Stroudsburg kickers usually are. Redshirt freshman punter Sam O'Brien (38.1 yard average, 7 touchbacks, 11 inside the 20, 5 50+) has had two punts blocked this season. Dobbs is dangerous as a punt returner and freshman Anthony Guarino handles most of the kick return duties.

Analysis:

East Stroudsburg always has been an offensive oriented team. They score 40+ points per game and lead the PSAC with 361 passing yards per contest. West Chester has played well against the pass, including throwing teams like Kutztown and Shippensburg. Seton Hill threw for a lot of yards against the Golden Rams, but they also threw three interceptions. That’s probably the type of game this will be for West Chester. The Golden Rams were effective in taking Bloomsburg out of their running game; it will be interesting to see if they can take East Stroudsburg out of theirs. Under Zwaan, West Chester has only allowed the Warriors to score more than 35 points twice, and both games were in 2004 and both were West Chester victories. So even the most potent offensive East Stroudsburg teams struggled to outscore their opponents. In fact, West Chester is 9-0 when scoring at least 30 points under Zwaan.

So then it turns to West Chester’s offense, which has been inconsistent this year. They played well against Kutztown, poor at Shippensburg, well against Bloomsburg, poor at Cheyney. Is it a game on, game off thing, or a home and away thing? Who knows, but both cycles favor this Saturday at Farrell Stadium. West Chester played without a lot of starters at Cheyney, including Eddie Elliott who serves as one of the team’s top three rushers and receivers. Also missing were Brandon Monk, Jarel Elder and Shannon Mayer on offense, and both Eerin Young and Tim Brown left the game early due to injuries. Fortunately, Mike Class and Anthony Brown have both shown to be capable, although need more battle testing at running back. The Golden Rams have seven players with at least 15 catches, so there’s plenty of targets, it’s just a matter of finding the right combination to put in the game and then for the quarterback to find the open guy.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video (also check Comcast #253)  

PSAC Site - Football Notes Week 10

East Stroudsburg Athletic Site - ESU Football Game Notes at West Chester

KYW Newsradio - West Chester Hoping To Earn Berth In PSAC Title Game

Morning Call - Week 10 football preview capsules for East Stroudsburg, Kutztown

Allentown Morning Call - ESU at West Chester

D2football - PSAC Columnist - Divisional Titles On The Line In The PSAC