Player News - Chegia Named PSAC East Special Teams POW

For his efforts in West Chester's 48-7 win at Millersville, junior kicker Andrew Chegia has been named PSAC East Special Teams Athlete of the Week. He had a perfect day as he converted on all six PAT attempts and field goals of 20 and 25 yards. Chegia is a two-time All-PSAC East kicker and is currently second in the conference in field goals with four and fifth in the PSAC in kick scoring with 29 points through four games.

Kicker Andrew Chegia (Photo Ron Hockman)

PSAC Site - PSAC Football Athletes of the Week - 9/30

West Chester Athletic Site - Andrew Chegia Named PSAC East Special Teams Player of the Week

Game Report - West Chester 48 - Millersville 7

The Golden Ram defense dominated once again as #16 West Chester (4-0, 1-0) clobbered Millersville (1-3, 0-1) by a score of 48-7. The Marauders were held to just 32 yards in the first half while the Golden Rams held a 24-0 lead at intermission.

Millersville's seven first half possessions resulted in five three-and-outs and two lost fumbles. For the game, the Marauders turned the ball over five times and West Chester converted those opportunities into 24 points. Defensive end Ch'aim Smith stuffed his stat line with three solo tackles, two of which were sacks, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Michael Gobora, Joe DeSanto and Wyatt Smith each registered a sack.

Offensively, despite rolling up 424 yards and 22 first downs, things just still aren't quite clicking. Sure the Golden rams churned 245 yards rushing, but 152 of that cam from quarterbacks including a Paul Dooley 50-yard touchdown and a 54-yard explosion from Yahmir Wilkerson. West Chester's three main running backs - Ja'Den McKenzie, Phil Poquie and Isaiah Bruce - totaled 71 yards on 30 carries for just a 2.4 yard average per carry. McKenzie did account for two scores. Receiver Lex Rosario had a nice game with four catches for 72 yards. Dooley was 14 of 24 passing for 164 yards and a score, but also tossed an interception in the end zone.

Kicker Andrew Chegia was perfect on his eight kicks - two field goals and six PAT's - and punter George Lambritsios averaged 47 yards on his four punts on the day.

The known soft part of the schedule is complete and West Chester is 4-0 as they were expected to be. Although the Golden Rams' next two opponents - Shippensburg and Bloomsburg - are each 1-3, they are expected to give West Chester a better battle.

Notes - Quinton Derr got the start at right tackle, but he shared time at the spot with Dom Carey...Golden Rams fans got some excitement from watching little Marcus Owens bob and weave for 15 yards and a touchdown late in the game...Millersville's touchdown came after West Chester already had a 41-0 lead. The Maruaders moved the ball down the field in large part due to three pass interference penalties. Although the drive stalled at the two, West Chester only managed one yard of offense which forced Lambritsios to punt from deep inside the endzone. The Marauders took just five plays to navigate the 38 yards for their only points of the day...tight end Dan Neuhaus had a ten-yard touchdown catch.

Sortable Box Score   

West Chester Athletic Site - No. 16 West Chester Defeats Millersville, 48-7

Millersville Athletic Site - No. 16 West Chester capitalizes on Marauders' miscues in PSAC East opener

Daily Local News - West Chester blows out Millersville in PSAC opener

Game Preview - Millersville

The #16 Golden Rams (3-0) open PSAC East play when they travel to Millersville (1-2) on Saturday to take on the Marauders. Kickoff at Biemesderfer Stadium is scheduled for noon.

Series History:
West Chester leads the overall series 69-17. Golden Ram head coach Bill Zwaan remains perfect against the Marauders in his 16 years at West Chester. J.C. Morgan (Bucknell '04) is in his second season as head coach of the Marauders after spending three years as Millersville's offensive coordinator.

Last 10 Meetings:

Year	H/A	W/L	Score	Year	H/A	W/L	Score
2009	Away	Win	63-10	2014	Home	Win	62-7
2010	Home	Win	45-14	2015	Away	Win	48-3
2011	Away	Win	49-13	2016	Home	Win	52-0
2012	Home	Win	56-14	2017	Away	Win	27-24
2013	Away	Win	48-3	2018	Home	Win	42-16

Last Meeting:

09/22/2018 West Chester 42 - Millersville 16

West Chester ran out to a 28-0 lead after the first quarter and coasted to a 42-16 win. Big plays led the day as the Golden Rams had only 14 first downs despite gaining 353 yards.

Jarey Elder had seven tackles and Jordan Burney made an interception. In addition to two pass breakups, Ch'aim Smith had two of the team's ten sacks on the day.

Scouting the Opponent:

Collin Shank (23 of 38, 245 yards, 1 TD, 1 int) and freshman Miles Miller (17 of 31, 184 yards) have both seen time at quarterback, although Miller only played one game. Chris Dolan (9 catches, 114 yards) and Xavier Jenkins (11 catches, 108 yards) are the main targets in the passing game. The running game is paced by Bryan Malone (25 carries, 92 yards, 1 TD).

The defense is led by two senior All-PSAC East performers: linebacker Cameron Boykin (13 tackles, 1.5 TFL) and defensive end Zac Button (20 tackles, 3.5 TFL). Their top two tacklers are safety Christian Martir (27 tackles) and linebacker Isaiah Onuschak (27 tackles, 3 sacks).

Punter Tyler Reiman (37.2 average, 13 fair catches, 4 inside the 20) has been busy, while Millersville has yet to convert a field goal on two attempts.

Analysis:

The Marauders, with over 70 newcomers to their roster, had a tough PSAC crossover schedule, having played #10 Slippery Rock and #21 IUP. As a result, Millersville hasn't scored since their season opening win at Pace. West Chester's defense had their first shutout last week and should have their second one of the season on Saturday as Millersville ranks last in the conference in offense. The Marauders are also last in the PSAC in passing defense, so expect the Golden Rams to throw enough to get an early lead and then run out the clock.

Both Massey Ratings and Atomic Football expect West Chester to eclipse 30 points while not permitting a Millersville touchdown.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video

PSAC Site - PSAC Football Notes - Week 4

Millersville Athletic Site - Millersville opens PSAC East play with third consecutive nationally-ranked opponent

KYW Newsradio - West Chester looks to keep rolling Saturday at Millersville

D2football - PSAC East Columnist - PSAC East - Week Four Preview

Event News - September 26 Bill Zwaan Football Show

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

According to the Bill Zwaan Football Show, junior safety Jordan Burney and redshirt freshman receiver Kenny Edelin will be the special guests on Coach Zwaan's show. In addition, West Chester University president Dr. Christopher M. Fiorentino will join the show.

In West Chester's 29-0 shutout over Seton Hill on Saturday, Burney logged five tackles and two pass breakups. On the offensive side of the ball, Edelin had a game-high six catches for 104 yards and a 35-yard touchdown.

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

Team News - Golden Rams Up to #16 in AFCA Poll

Among the top 25 teams from last week, only #9 Colorado State Pueblo, #14 West Georgia and #20 West Alabama lost. As a result, West Chester rose two spots in the top 25 of the coaches' poll. The Golden Rams are now ranked #16 after defeating Seton Hill by a score of 29-0. West Chester rose one spot to #17 in the D2football.com poll.

West Chester's next action is Saturday at noon when they travel to Millersville to take on the Marauders (1-2).

American Football Coaches Association - Colorado School of Mines Moves up After Upset Win Over Colorado State-Pueblo

Player News - Lambritsios Named PSAC East Special Teams POW

For his efforts in West Chester's 29-0 win over Seton Hill, junior kicker/punter George Lambritsios has been named PSAC East Special Teams Athlete of the Week. He had another stellar day punting as he averaged 49.8 yards on four punts with three traveling more than 50 yards and three landing inside the Seton Hill 20. In fact, one of his punts was downed on the one-yard line and directly led to West Chester's first points of the game. After three weeks of the 2019 season, Lambritsios is third in the country in punting with a 46.2 yard average and West Chester leads the nation in team net punting with a 43.9 yard average.

George Lambritsios (Photo Ron Hockman)

PSAC Site - PSAC Football Athletes of the Week - 9/23

West Chester Athletic Site - George Lambritsios Cops PSAC East Special Teams Player of the Week

Game Report - West Chester 29 - Seton Hill 0

#18 West Chester (3-0) used a dominating defensive performance to nab a 29-0 win over the visiting Seton Hill Griffins (0-2). It was the Golden Rams first shutout since a 52-0 whitewashing of Millersville in 2016.

The West Chester defense was actually responsible for the first points of the game when sophomore linebacker Rashon Wiggins was credited for a safety when he and redshirt freshman defensive lineman Connor Munnelly tackled the Seton Hill running back in the end zone. But the stifling defense persisted throughout the contest as Seton Hill was limited to just eight first downs and 112 yards of total offense. West Chester was also credited with three sacks (Zach Liggitt, A.J. Perez, and Ch'aim Smith) while true freshman defensive back Shamar Edwards grabbed his first interception. In all, West Chester registered eleven tackles for loss.

A George Lambritsios punt is downed at the one...(Photo Ron Hockman)

...which led to a Rashon Wiggins safety (Photo Ron Hockman)

And it's a good thing the defense came to play as the offense sputtered most of the afternoon. The line struggled with the Griffin defense and the Golden Rams managed only 62 yards rushing with the leading ground gainer being quarterback Paul Dooley with 32 yards on 12 attempts. And while Dooley did throw for 291 yards and two scores, he wasn't particularly sharp (19 of 41, 46%) and left some points on the field. Some youngsters had an impact in the passing game as redhsirt freshman Kenny Edelin had six catches for 104 yards and a touchdown and true freshman Seth Degree had two catches for 42 yards and a score.

Kenny Edelin scores his first Golden Ram touchdown (Photo Ron Hockman)

Although kickoff coverage left a lot to be desired, George Lambritsios had another stellar day punting as he averaged 49.8 yards on four punts with three traveling more than 50 yards and three landing inside the Seton Hill 20. In fact, it was his 52-yard punt to the one that led to the safety. Kicker Andrew Chegia was 3-3 on PAT's and 2-3 on field goals with the only miss being a partially blocked 47-yard attempt as time expired in the first half.

Jarey Elder breaks up this Seton Hill pass (Photo Ron Hockman)

Notes - Quinton Derr played at right tackle again this week as Dom Carey was not dressed this week due to an injury...although shark linebacker Nyeem Jones was dressed, he did not play likely due to his ejection from last week's game. Edwards took his place and got more comfortable as the game progressed. And he looked like his high school running back self when he returned his interception 21 yards...defensive tackle Tyrone Barge did not see much playing time with Joe DeSanto getting most of the rotation in the interior defensive line...running back Phil Poquie had a nice 21-yard catch and run to convert a third and 18 early in third quarter...Smith finished with six tackles and Wiggins finished with five including 3.5 for loss.

Sortable Box Score   

West Chester Athletic Site - No. 18 West Chester Shut Out Seton Hill, 29-0

Seton Hill Athletic Site - Football Shutout at #18 West Chester

papreplive.com - Wiggins, Edwards step up defensively in West Chester’s 29-0 shutout

Ron Hockman - WCU Football vs Seton Hill - First Quarter Photos

Ron Hockman - WCU Football vs Seton Hill - Second Quarter Photos

Ron Hockman - WCU Football vs Seton Hill - Third Quarter Photos

Ron Hockman - WCU Football vs Seton Hill - Fourth Quarter Photos

Game Preview - Seton Hill

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

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

Last Meeting:

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

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

Scouting the Opponent:

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

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

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

Analysis:

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

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

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

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video  

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

PSAC Site - Football - Week 3 Notes

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

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

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

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

D2football - PSAC West Columnist - PSAC West - Week 3

Event News - September 19 Bill Zwaan Football Show

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Game Report - West Chester 48 - Gannon 14

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sortable Box Score    Coaches Box Score

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

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

GoErie.com - No. 19 West Chester dominates Gannon

Erie News Now - West Chester Spoils Gannon Home Opener

Game Preview - Gannon

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

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

Series History:

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

Last Meeting:

09/08/2018 West Chester 31 - Gannon 7

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

Scouting the Golden Knights:

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

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

Analysis:

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

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

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

Notes:

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

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video

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

PSAC Site - Football - Week 2 Notes

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

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

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

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

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

D2football - PSAC West Columnist - PSAC West Week 2

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

Event News - September 12 Bill Zwaan Football Show

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Game Report - #22 West Chester 14 - Bentley 7

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

What went right:

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

What could have gone better:

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

Other observations:

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

Sortable Box Score   

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

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

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

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

D2football - NE10 Columnist - Week 1 Thoughts

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

Ron Hockman - WCU Football vs Bentley - First Quarter Photos

Ron Hockman - WCU Football vs Bentley - Second Quarter Photos

Ron Hockman - WCU Football vs Bentley - Third Quarter Photos

Ron Hockman - WCU Football vs Bentley - Fourth Quarter Photos