The final Bill Zwaan Football Show of the season will be broadcast live from 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,
junior defensive end Ch'aim Smith,
junior defensive back Nydair Rouse, and
redshirt freshman wide receiver Rasheem James
will be the special guests on Coach Zwaan's show.
In West Chester's season opening 51-9 win over Bentley, Smith had two solo tackles, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble which led to a Golden Ram touchdown. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending injury in the game. On Saturday against Indiana, James was held without a catch, but the redshirt freshman had 41 receptions for 674 yards and six touchdowns on the season. His best game of the season came against Kutztown where he had six catches for 142 yards and a score. Rouse had four tackles against Indiana, bringing his season total to 26. He also had 4.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, four pass breakups and a blocked kick this year.
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.
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Monday, November 27, 2017
Team News - PSAC East Championship Gear Available
The Killinger Foundation is sponsoring a "PSAC East Championship Gear" fundraiser. Ideal for year-round layering, the pullover is a true performance piece for running, yoga or just hanging out. Extra stretchy, this pullover has a soft-brushed backing and features Sport-Wick moisture-wicking technology for comfort. A 1/2 zip complete with chin guard lets you control the ventilation. It has the ability to be customized with name and number ($7).
More information and orders can be placed at Weikel Sportswear. Orders must be placed by December 3, 2017 with delivery expected before Christmas.
Celebrate the Golden Rams 2017 season and help support the team in the future by participating.
More information and orders can be placed at Weikel Sportswear. Orders must be placed by December 3, 2017 with delivery expected before Christmas.
Celebrate the Golden Rams 2017 season and help support the team in the future by participating.
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Game Report - Indiana 44 - West Chester 10
Indiana dominated play from start to finish and pounded West Chester by a score of 44-10. The Crimson Hawks will host Assumption on Saturday in the Super Region One final. West Chester finished the 2017 season with a record of 9-4.
Unlike the PSAC championship game when Indiana ran the ball and consumed the clock, in this contest they opened play with a no huddle, hurry up, passing game that knifed through the Golden Ram defense. Even with the pace, due to their success moving the ball, the Crimson Hawks still had the ball for over 11 minutes in the first quarter alone. Meanwhile, the West Chester offense couldn’t do anything. At halftime, the Golden Rams had 17 yards rushing, 21 yards passing for just 38 total yards and only two first downs. That’s compared to Indiana which had 356 yards of offense and a 30-0 lead.
In the third quarter, with the outcome already decided, West Chester started making some strides, mainly on the running of A.J. Long who finished with a team-high 71 yards on the ground. But he lost a fumble and the Crimson Hawks needed just one play to cross 68 yards for the touchdown.
Paul Dooley returned to quarterback and engineered a five-play touchdown drive which included a 26-yard pass to Dan Neuhaus and ended with a 23-yard pass to a wide open Tyler Karpinski for the score. But Indiana responded with another one-play touchdown drive, this one a 62-yard pass play.
This game was certainly decided in the trenches. Dooley was sacked five times and Indiana’s 14 tackles for loss amounted to 55 yards. Meanwhile, the Golden Rams defense managed just five tackles for loss for a total of five yards.
Punter Brendan Paulison had another tremendous day. With the wind at his back in the first quarter, he launched punts of 65 and 61 yards. And although his four punts into the second quarter wind only averaged 37 yards, Indiana didn’t return any of them. For the game, Paulison averaged 45.8 yards and pinned three inside the Indiana 20 yard line.
Running back Jarel Elder did all he could in his final collegiate game as he ran for 59 yards, had a nine-yard catch and 116 yards in kick returns for a game-high 184 all-purpose yards. Defensively, linebacker Tyler Morrissey had 15 tackles in the game with 14 of them coming before halftime. Safety Jarey Elder had five solo tackles before leaving the game with an apparent shoulder injury late in the first half. Senior cornerback Shaquille James had four pass breakups and three tackles.
Unlike the PSAC championship game when Indiana ran the ball and consumed the clock, in this contest they opened play with a no huddle, hurry up, passing game that knifed through the Golden Ram defense. Even with the pace, due to their success moving the ball, the Crimson Hawks still had the ball for over 11 minutes in the first quarter alone. Meanwhile, the West Chester offense couldn’t do anything. At halftime, the Golden Rams had 17 yards rushing, 21 yards passing for just 38 total yards and only two first downs. That’s compared to Indiana which had 356 yards of offense and a 30-0 lead.
Tyler Morrissey had 15 tackles in the game (Photo Ron Hockman)In the third quarter, with the outcome already decided, West Chester started making some strides, mainly on the running of A.J. Long who finished with a team-high 71 yards on the ground. But he lost a fumble and the Crimson Hawks needed just one play to cross 68 yards for the touchdown.
A.J. Long had 71 yards on the ground (Photo Ron Hockman)Paul Dooley returned to quarterback and engineered a five-play touchdown drive which included a 26-yard pass to Dan Neuhaus and ended with a 23-yard pass to a wide open Tyler Karpinski for the score. But Indiana responded with another one-play touchdown drive, this one a 62-yard pass play.
Tyler Karpinski caught West Chester's only touchdown (Photo Ron Hockman)This game was certainly decided in the trenches. Dooley was sacked five times and Indiana’s 14 tackles for loss amounted to 55 yards. Meanwhile, the Golden Rams defense managed just five tackles for loss for a total of five yards.
Punter Brendan Paulison had another tremendous day. With the wind at his back in the first quarter, he launched punts of 65 and 61 yards. And although his four punts into the second quarter wind only averaged 37 yards, Indiana didn’t return any of them. For the game, Paulison averaged 45.8 yards and pinned three inside the Indiana 20 yard line.
Nydair Rouse forced a fumble on this play (Photo Ron Hockman)Running back Jarel Elder did all he could in his final collegiate game as he ran for 59 yards, had a nine-yard catch and 116 yards in kick returns for a game-high 184 all-purpose yards. Defensively, linebacker Tyler Morrissey had 15 tackles in the game with 14 of them coming before halftime. Safety Jarey Elder had five solo tackles before leaving the game with an apparent shoulder injury late in the first half. Senior cornerback Shaquille James had four pass breakups and three tackles.
One of Shaq James' four pass breakups (Photo Ron Hockman)West Chester Athletic Site - No. 3 IUP Downs West Chester, 44-10, In NCAA 2nd Round
Indiana Athletic Site - Williams totals 4 touchdowns, IUP Football soars past West Chester and into regional title game
GoErie.com - IUP routs West Chester in D-II football playoffs
Indiana Gazette - Evans steps up in big game
Indiana Gazette - Williams, Crimson Hawks race to region final
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - IUP advances to NCAA DII region championship after crushing West Chester
Thursday, November 23, 2017
Game Preview - Indiana
The Golden Rams (9-3) travel to Indiana (11-0) in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Division II playoffs. Kickoff at George P. Miller Stadium on Saturday is set for noon. The Crimson Hawks remain ranked #1 in the D2football.com poll and #3 in the AFCA poll. The winner of this game will play the winner of the Findlay at Assumption in the Super Region 1 finals next Saturday.
Series History:
Indiana leads the overall series 13-7. The teams faced each other twice in 1987 with both games being played at Farrell Stadium. West Chester won the season opener by a convincing 31-7 score, but in the PSAC championship game, Indiana won in an equally convincing manner, 21-9.
Head coach Bill Zwaan endeared himself to Golden Ram fans when he broke West Chester's five-game losing streak to Indiana and led West Chester to a 30-20 win in his first game against them in 2005. However, he then lost three straight to the Crimson Hawks, including a 45-35 home loss in the first round of the 2007 playoffs. In a game that vaulted West Chester into the the 2014 playoffs, the Golden Rams won at Indiana in their last meeting.
Indiana is currently under the direction of long-time assistant and first-year head coach Paul Tortorella who took over the position after Curt Cignetti left for Elon University. Tortorella has spent 22 years at Indiana with most of those coming as defensive coordinator and had the interim title removed from his head coach title after the regular season.
Last 10 Meetings:
Last Meeting:
11/11/2017 Indiana 24 - West Chester 7
The Crimson Hawks captured all aspects of the game in securing the PSAC Championship. The Golden Rams offense was held to just 30 yards rushing and 1 of 10 on third down conversions and threw four interceptions in the game. Meanwhile, Indiana scored touchdowns on their first two possessions and three of their first four times touching the ball while controlling the clock for 34 minutes of the game.
Tight end Dan Neuhaus had three catches for 62 yards and West Chester's only score. Linebacker Tyler Morrissey racked up 20 tackles in the game, defensive end Diquan Gilbert registered a sack and defensive back Corey Kelley prevented another Indiana touchdown by picking off a pass in the end zone.
Scouting the Opponent:
Temple transfer and All-PSAC West quarterback Lenny Williams (180 of 266, 2,366 yards, 26 TD's, 6 ints) leads the PSAC in passer efficiency and paces the offense.
Receivers
Allen Wright (61 catches, 607 yards, 3 TD's),
Dom McNeil (28 catches, 546 yards, 4 TD's),
JoJo Gause (20 catches, 249 yards, 4 TD's), and
Chris Wuestner (20 catches, 223 yards, 5 TD's) give Williams a variety of targets.
All-PSAC West running back Samir Bullock (171 carries, 1,044 yards, 11 TD's) and PSAC West Freshman of the Year Justice Evans (119 carries, 669 yards, 6 TD's) manage the ground game.
The offensive line has All-PSAC West performers in
tackle Jerron Searles,
guard Collin McAllister,
center Jeff Arnold, and
tight end Rex Pearce.
Defensive ends Deandre Easterling (28 tackles, 7.5 sacks) and Dondrea Tillman (39 tackles, 5.5 sacks) and tackle Jemal Averette (38 tackles, 7.0 TFL) were All-PSAC West this season. Joining them on the all-league team are linebackers Damon Lloyd (82 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2 int) and Nick Amendola (81 tackles, 2.5 TFL).
Strong safety and Notre Dame transfer Max Redfield (69 tackles, 4 int) was All-PSAC West as was cornerback JR Stevens (38 tackles, 7 int) and free safety Takhi Turner (61 tackles, 2 int).
Kicker Dillon Sarka (11 of 15 FG, 47 of 53 PAT) was All-PSAC West while the punter is East Stroudsburg transfer Nico Ruiz (37.8 avg, 11 I20, 3 50+). McNeil is the primary kick returner while Mike Pietropola returns punts.
Analysis:
There's no doubt that Indiana dominated the match-up in West Chester just two weeks ago, but the Golden Rams looked like a different team in their first round game at Shippensburg. If the same Golden Ram team that handled the Raiders last week shows up in Indiana, it could be a very interesting ball game.
Massey Ratings is predicting a 31-19 Crimson Hawk victory.
Game Coverage:
Series History:
Indiana leads the overall series 13-7. The teams faced each other twice in 1987 with both games being played at Farrell Stadium. West Chester won the season opener by a convincing 31-7 score, but in the PSAC championship game, Indiana won in an equally convincing manner, 21-9.
Head coach Bill Zwaan endeared himself to Golden Ram fans when he broke West Chester's five-game losing streak to Indiana and led West Chester to a 30-20 win in his first game against them in 2005. However, he then lost three straight to the Crimson Hawks, including a 45-35 home loss in the first round of the 2007 playoffs. In a game that vaulted West Chester into the the 2014 playoffs, the Golden Rams won at Indiana in their last meeting.
Indiana is currently under the direction of long-time assistant and first-year head coach Paul Tortorella who took over the position after Curt Cignetti left for Elon University. Tortorella has spent 22 years at Indiana with most of those coming as defensive coordinator and had the interim title removed from his head coach title after the regular season.
Last 10 Meetings:
|
Year
|
H/A
|
W/L
|
Score
|
Year
|
H/A
|
W/L
|
Score
|
1993
|
Home
|
Loss
|
37-26
|
2007
|
Home
|
Loss
|
45-35
|
1995
|
Away
|
Loss
|
50-7
|
2010
|
Away
|
Loss
|
27-10
|
1998
|
Home
|
Loss
|
19-10
|
2011
|
Home
|
Loss
|
34-7
|
1999
|
Away
|
Loss
|
12-9
|
2014
|
Away
|
Win
|
28-17
|
2005
|
Home
|
Win
|
30-20
|
2017
|
Home
|
Loss
|
24-7
|
Last Meeting:
11/11/2017 Indiana 24 - West Chester 7
The Crimson Hawks captured all aspects of the game in securing the PSAC Championship. The Golden Rams offense was held to just 30 yards rushing and 1 of 10 on third down conversions and threw four interceptions in the game. Meanwhile, Indiana scored touchdowns on their first two possessions and three of their first four times touching the ball while controlling the clock for 34 minutes of the game.
Tight end Dan Neuhaus had three catches for 62 yards and West Chester's only score. Linebacker Tyler Morrissey racked up 20 tackles in the game, defensive end Diquan Gilbert registered a sack and defensive back Corey Kelley prevented another Indiana touchdown by picking off a pass in the end zone.
Scouting the Opponent:
Defensive ends Deandre Easterling (28 tackles, 7.5 sacks) and Dondrea Tillman (39 tackles, 5.5 sacks) and tackle Jemal Averette (38 tackles, 7.0 TFL) were All-PSAC West this season. Joining them on the all-league team are linebackers Damon Lloyd (82 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2 int) and Nick Amendola (81 tackles, 2.5 TFL).
Strong safety and Notre Dame transfer Max Redfield (69 tackles, 4 int) was All-PSAC West as was cornerback JR Stevens (38 tackles, 7 int) and free safety Takhi Turner (61 tackles, 2 int).
Kicker Dillon Sarka (11 of 15 FG, 47 of 53 PAT) was All-PSAC West while the punter is East Stroudsburg transfer Nico Ruiz (37.8 avg, 11 I20, 3 50+). McNeil is the primary kick returner while Mike Pietropola returns punts.
Analysis:
Massey Ratings is predicting a 31-19 Crimson Hawk victory.
Game Coverage:
West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Battles No. 3/1 IUP In Second Round Saturday
Indiana Athletic Site - The Paul Tortorella Show for November 13
Indiana Athletic Site - Top seed IUP Football hosts West Chester in second round of NCAA playoffs
Indiana Athletic Site - IUP pregame party set for Saturday’s NCAA playoff matchup with West Chester
KYW Newsradio - WCU Gets Rematch With #1 IUP In NCAA Second Round
Indiana Gazette - IUP looks to make run despite tough playoff scene
Indiana Gazette - IUP FOOTBALL: Defensive ends are young, but dangerous
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - After historic season, playoff test awaits IUP football
Indiana Gazette - How well Crimson Hawks focus will determine their fate
Indiana Gazette - Balanced Crimson Hawks complement themselves on offense, defense
Daily Local News - West Chester must solve IUP to earn spot in Elite Eight
D2football - National Columnist - Bob Eblen - National Columnist
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Game Report - West Chester 27 - Shippensburg 6
Wow. Just wow.
The Golden Rams hadn't put forth a solid, all around game effort like they did on their 27-6 win over Shippensburg in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs since....since they knocked off Shippensburg in early October.
The West Chester offense scored touchdowns on three of its first four possessions, racking up 232 yards of offense and consuming over 11 minutes off the clock. The first touchdown drive used a good combination of Jarel Elder rushing and Paul Dooley passing highlighted by a Mike Class 25-yard run. During the second scoring drive, the Raider defense had a hard time finding the ball as A.J. Long used the read-option to accumulate 44 yards on the ground before he connected with Rasheem James on 20- and 37-yard passes with the latter being a miraculous touchdown catch. Dooley returned on the third scoring drive, connecting twice with Jordan Banks and finding Marcus Sydnor for a 36-yard touchdown strike. Perhaps the horrendous weather conditions dictated the game plan, but it was a solid mix of running and passing, with an emphasis on short- and mid-range passes.
Meanwhile, the defense made the necessary adjustment from the last meeting with the Raiders. All-PSAC East receiver Winston Eubanks had seven catches for 176 yards against the Golden Rams in October, but due to a constant double team and a wet football, Eubanks was held to just two catches for 42 yards on nine targets. Quarterback Ryan Zapoticky was on the mark with many of his passes, but very few of the Shippensburg receivers wore gloves, which seemed ridiculous considering the conditions. Zapoticky was pressured all afternoon, with George Shipp, Tyler Morrissey, Diquan Gilbert, Shane Griffin, and Mark Webb each registering solo sacks in the game. He did escape enough times to gain 78 yards for the contest, but that was the extent of the Raider running game. And Shippensburg amassed 109 of their 300 yards in the game in the final quarter, after the Golden Rams were already up 21-0.
And special teams did what they needed to do. Brendan Paulison averaged 46.5 yards on just four punts and put the Raiders on their own 1 and 2 yard line on their first two possessions of the second half. Jarey Elder secured four fair catches on Shippensburg punts, Andrew Chegia converted three PAT's and the kickoff coverage team prevented the Raiders from getting good field position.
The Golden Rams' effort was not perfect - a 29-yard field goal was pushed wide, a PAT was blocked, a late first-half pass was intercepted and six penalties cost 40 yards - but the team played with confidence and composure not seen in a while, but is completely necessary in the postseason.
Finally, kudos to the marching band, cheerleaders and many fans and family that made the trip and endured the cold rain that persisted throughout the entire contest. The conditions were brutal to say the least, but the Golden Rams persevered.
The Golden Rams hadn't put forth a solid, all around game effort like they did on their 27-6 win over Shippensburg in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs since....since they knocked off Shippensburg in early October.
The West Chester offense scored touchdowns on three of its first four possessions, racking up 232 yards of offense and consuming over 11 minutes off the clock. The first touchdown drive used a good combination of Jarel Elder rushing and Paul Dooley passing highlighted by a Mike Class 25-yard run. During the second scoring drive, the Raider defense had a hard time finding the ball as A.J. Long used the read-option to accumulate 44 yards on the ground before he connected with Rasheem James on 20- and 37-yard passes with the latter being a miraculous touchdown catch. Dooley returned on the third scoring drive, connecting twice with Jordan Banks and finding Marcus Sydnor for a 36-yard touchdown strike. Perhaps the horrendous weather conditions dictated the game plan, but it was a solid mix of running and passing, with an emphasis on short- and mid-range passes.
Paul Dooley actually kept this ball and ran for the TD (Photo Ron Hockman)Meanwhile, the defense made the necessary adjustment from the last meeting with the Raiders. All-PSAC East receiver Winston Eubanks had seven catches for 176 yards against the Golden Rams in October, but due to a constant double team and a wet football, Eubanks was held to just two catches for 42 yards on nine targets. Quarterback Ryan Zapoticky was on the mark with many of his passes, but very few of the Shippensburg receivers wore gloves, which seemed ridiculous considering the conditions. Zapoticky was pressured all afternoon, with George Shipp, Tyler Morrissey, Diquan Gilbert, Shane Griffin, and Mark Webb each registering solo sacks in the game. He did escape enough times to gain 78 yards for the contest, but that was the extent of the Raider running game. And Shippensburg amassed 109 of their 300 yards in the game in the final quarter, after the Golden Rams were already up 21-0.
Shaq James separates the ball from the Ship receiver (Photo Ron Hockman)And special teams did what they needed to do. Brendan Paulison averaged 46.5 yards on just four punts and put the Raiders on their own 1 and 2 yard line on their first two possessions of the second half. Jarey Elder secured four fair catches on Shippensburg punts, Andrew Chegia converted three PAT's and the kickoff coverage team prevented the Raiders from getting good field position.
Rasheem James hauls in a 37-yard pass from A.J. Long (Photo Ron Hockman)The Golden Rams' effort was not perfect - a 29-yard field goal was pushed wide, a PAT was blocked, a late first-half pass was intercepted and six penalties cost 40 yards - but the team played with confidence and composure not seen in a while, but is completely necessary in the postseason.
George Shipp and Diquan Gilbert close on the QB (Photo Ron Hockman)Finally, kudos to the marching band, cheerleaders and many fans and family that made the trip and endured the cold rain that persisted throughout the entire contest. The conditions were brutal to say the least, but the Golden Rams persevered.
The band, cheerleaders and fans endured miserable weather but a great winWest Chester Athletic Site - West Chester’s Balanced Attack Downs Shippensburg; Golden Rams Advance
Shippensburg Athletic Site - No. 19 Football Falls in 2017 NCAA First Round to Rival West Chester, 27-6
Daily Local News - WCU tosses Ship in playoffs
TheSlateonline.com - Red Raiders fall short to Golden Rams, 27-6
The Quad - Football advances in NCAA tourney
HERO Sports - Upsets Take Over Opening Round Play
Friday, November 17, 2017
Game Preview - Shippensburg
West Chester University (8-3) travels to Seth Grove Stadium to take on the Shippensburg Raiders (10-1) on Saturday at noon in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. The winner of this game will travel to Indiana to take on the Crimson Hawks on Saturday, November 25.
Series History:
West Chester leads the overall series 27-11-1. In his 14 years at West Chester, Bill Zwaan is 12-4 against the Raiders including winning this year's game at Shippensburg. Zwaan is currently 9-7 in the NCAA Division II playoffs. Shippensburg head coach Mark Maciejewski is in his 7th season and holds a 56-22 record and is 1-1 in the postseason, guiding the Raiders to the playoffs in 2012.
In the final regular season game of the 2004 season, Shippensburg knocked off the Golden Rams at Farrell Stadium in overtime. But two weeks later in the second round of the NCAA playoffs, West Chester avenged that loss in Shippensburg. West Chester took the next four contests during the Golden Rams' run of qualifying for the NCAA playoffs from 2005-2008. Shippensburg won in 2009 and went on to win the PSAC championship that season.
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.
Last 10 Meetings:
Last Meeting:
10/07/2017 West Chester 37 - Shippensburg 27
The Golden Rams took a 27-10 lead early in the third quarter against the undefeated Raiders, only to see the lead evaporate early in the fourth period. Sophomore Andrew Chegia kicked a 41-yard field goal to give West Chester the lead and, after a defensive stop, running back Jarel Elder ripped off a 63-yard touchdown run to set the final score.
The game was knotted at ten midway through the second quarter when Jarey Elder picked off a pass and returned it to the Shippensburg 7-yard line. Brother Jarel ran it in on the next play to give West Chester the lead. Elder finished with 149 yards and two touchdowns rushing and quarterback Paul Dooley had one of the best games in his young career, completing 19 of 34 for 276 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Tyler Karpinski was the top receiver with 130 yards on eight catches while Marcus Sydnor had a 41-yard touchdown reception.
As was a usual occurrence this season, linebacker Tyler Morrissey had a game-high ten tackles including a sack. Defensive end George Shipp had two sacks and four total tackles while cornerback Shaquille James made seven tackles.
Scouting the Opponent:
The focal point of the Shippensburg offense is senior quarterback Ryan Zapoticky (193 of 314, 2,790 yards, 25 TD's, 5 int). The pre-med major has the highest passer efficiency rating in the division and was first team All-PSAC East and All-Academic Super Region 1. His primary target is redshirt freshman, All-PSAC East receiver Winston Eubanks (43 catches, 1,160 yards, 12 TD's). He'll also look to Kyle Haines (40 receptions, 485 yards, 6 TD's).
The running game is a two-headed monster with All-PSAC East and All-Academic Super Region 1 Cole Chiappialle (147 carries, 688 yards, 9 TD's) and All-Academic Super Region 1 Colin McDermott (136 carries, 697 yards, 8 TD's). Offensive linemen Alec Petrillo and Zach Warren were both All-PSAC East this season.
Defensive ends Dakota Thompson (35 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 12 QB hurries) and Richard Nase (35 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 9 QB hurries) were both first team All-PSAC East selections as was linebacker Tyler Emge (53 tackles, 8.5 TFL). First-team All-PSAC East selections in the secondary were cornerback Kevin Taylor II (33 tackles, 5 int, 11 passes defended) and free safety Richard Sheler (48 tackles, 3 int, 11 passes defended). Reserve defensive back Eric Dzieniszewski (21 tackles, 4 int) has a pick-six this season and backup defensive lineman John Durkin (26 tackles, 5.0 sacks) also plays a key role on the Radiers' defense.
Kicker Billy Deane (49-55 PAT, 8 of 14 FG with a long of 40 yards) was all-conference last season, but has struggled scoring thus far this year. Deane also handles kickoffs and punts.
Analysis:
Shippensburg is among the conference leaders in most offensive and defensive team statistics and that's primarily due to the poor schedule that they've faced. Other than their loss to West Chester in October, the other teams with wining records that they played were Kutztown and Bloomsburg. However, those were the last two PSAC East games and they won those games rather convincingly.
In the earlier meeting this season between these two teams, the statistics were very even. As cliche as it may be, this game will likely come down to turnovers, penalties and big plays. Regarding turnovers, in West Chester's three losses this season, the Golden Rams were -4 compared to their eight wins where they were +4. The Shippensburg contest is just one of two games this year (Millersville is the other), where West Chester didn't turn over the ball. The Raiders are +14 on the season with 18 interceptions, but in the game against West Chester, they were -1 with an interception setting up the Golden Rams' first touchdown.
In the area of penalties, Shippensburg is in the top third in the country in fewest penalties (6) and penalty yards (57) per game compared to a Golden Rams team which is in the lower third in the country in penalties (8) and penalty yards (71) per contest. And when it comes to penalties, timing is everything affecting first downs, field position and momentum.
Finally, in the first meeting, Winston Eubanks had the biggest day for an opposing receiver this season with 176 yards. And Zapoticky had many other opportunities in the passing game, but several of his passes missed the mark. Edinboro, Slippery Rock and most recently Millersville all had a lot of success in the passing game against the Golden Rams, so there's a lot of vulnerability there. The weather may become the twelfth defender in this contest.
Massey Ratings favors the Raiders 28-21.
Game Coverage:
Series History:
West Chester leads the overall series 27-11-1. In his 14 years at West Chester, Bill Zwaan is 12-4 against the Raiders including winning this year's game at Shippensburg. Zwaan is currently 9-7 in the NCAA Division II playoffs. Shippensburg head coach Mark Maciejewski is in his 7th season and holds a 56-22 record and is 1-1 in the postseason, guiding the Raiders to the playoffs in 2012.
In the final regular season game of the 2004 season, Shippensburg knocked off the Golden Rams at Farrell Stadium in overtime. But two weeks later in the second round of the NCAA playoffs, West Chester avenged that loss in Shippensburg. West Chester took the next four contests during the Golden Rams' run of qualifying for the NCAA playoffs from 2005-2008. Shippensburg won in 2009 and went on to win the PSAC championship that season.
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.
Last 10 Meetings:
|
Year
|
H/A
|
W/L
|
Score
|
Year
|
H/A
|
W/L
|
Score
|
2008
|
Home
|
Win
|
25-7
|
2013
|
Away
|
Win
|
32-29
|
2009
|
Away
|
Loss
|
24-19
|
2014
|
Home
|
Win
|
55-28
|
2010
|
Home
|
Win
|
44-43 2OT
|
2015
|
Away
|
Loss
|
27-21
|
2011
|
Away
|
Win
|
52-17
|
2016
|
Home
|
Win
|
31-15
|
2012
|
Home
|
Loss
|
42-24
|
2017
|
Away
|
Win
|
37-27
|
Last Meeting:
10/07/2017 West Chester 37 - Shippensburg 27
The Golden Rams took a 27-10 lead early in the third quarter against the undefeated Raiders, only to see the lead evaporate early in the fourth period. Sophomore Andrew Chegia kicked a 41-yard field goal to give West Chester the lead and, after a defensive stop, running back Jarel Elder ripped off a 63-yard touchdown run to set the final score.
The game was knotted at ten midway through the second quarter when Jarey Elder picked off a pass and returned it to the Shippensburg 7-yard line. Brother Jarel ran it in on the next play to give West Chester the lead. Elder finished with 149 yards and two touchdowns rushing and quarterback Paul Dooley had one of the best games in his young career, completing 19 of 34 for 276 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Tyler Karpinski was the top receiver with 130 yards on eight catches while Marcus Sydnor had a 41-yard touchdown reception.
As was a usual occurrence this season, linebacker Tyler Morrissey had a game-high ten tackles including a sack. Defensive end George Shipp had two sacks and four total tackles while cornerback Shaquille James made seven tackles.
Scouting the Opponent:
Defensive ends Dakota Thompson (35 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 12 QB hurries) and Richard Nase (35 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 9 QB hurries) were both first team All-PSAC East selections as was linebacker Tyler Emge (53 tackles, 8.5 TFL). First-team All-PSAC East selections in the secondary were cornerback Kevin Taylor II (33 tackles, 5 int, 11 passes defended) and free safety Richard Sheler (48 tackles, 3 int, 11 passes defended). Reserve defensive back Eric Dzieniszewski (21 tackles, 4 int) has a pick-six this season and backup defensive lineman John Durkin (26 tackles, 5.0 sacks) also plays a key role on the Radiers' defense.
Kicker Billy Deane (49-55 PAT, 8 of 14 FG with a long of 40 yards) was all-conference last season, but has struggled scoring thus far this year. Deane also handles kickoffs and punts.
Analysis:
In the earlier meeting this season between these two teams, the statistics were very even. As cliche as it may be, this game will likely come down to turnovers, penalties and big plays. Regarding turnovers, in West Chester's three losses this season, the Golden Rams were -4 compared to their eight wins where they were +4. The Shippensburg contest is just one of two games this year (Millersville is the other), where West Chester didn't turn over the ball. The Raiders are +14 on the season with 18 interceptions, but in the game against West Chester, they were -1 with an interception setting up the Golden Rams' first touchdown.
In the area of penalties, Shippensburg is in the top third in the country in fewest penalties (6) and penalty yards (57) per game compared to a Golden Rams team which is in the lower third in the country in penalties (8) and penalty yards (71) per contest. And when it comes to penalties, timing is everything affecting first downs, field position and momentum.
Finally, in the first meeting, Winston Eubanks had the biggest day for an opposing receiver this season with 176 yards. And Zapoticky had many other opportunities in the passing game, but several of his passes missed the mark. Edinboro, Slippery Rock and most recently Millersville all had a lot of success in the passing game against the Golden Rams, so there's a lot of vulnerability there. The weather may become the twelfth defender in this contest.
Massey Ratings favors the Raiders 28-21.
Game Coverage:
West Chester Athletic Site - Football Heads to Shippensburg for First Round of NCAA II Playoffs
West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Travels To Shippensburg On Saturday For First Round Of NCAA II Playoffs
Shippensburg Athletic Site - ADVISORY: Fan Information For Saturday's Home Football Game at Noon
Shippensburg Athletic Site - NCAA PLAYOFFS: No. 19 Football Hosts West Chester at Noon Saturday
D2football - National Columnist - Bob Eblen - National Columnist
HERO Sports - Compare Stats: Shippensburg vs West Chester
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