Region still searching for its beast
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Is the East region the weakest region in the bunch? Forget the NEFC, who steal a playoff bid in the East every year. Who’s going to step up from the E8, LL and NJAC? This column covers the ACFC, but if they get a Pool B, either Salisbury or Wesley could wind up in the South bracket. Since the MAC has moved to the NCAA’s East region, either Delaware Valley or Moravian will grab a spot with the Pool A bid.
Last week, No. 14 Rowan was ranked second in the East Region NCAA polls, which is a key indicator of regional playoff seedings. Springfield’s loss moves the Profs up to the No. 1 seed in the East. Rowan has one of the toughest schedules in the nation, but has struggled against some good but not great Division III teams. A big measuring stick will be their performance against Brockport State in Brockport, N.Y., this Saturday. A loss will probably put one of the MAC teams as the leading No. 1 playoff seed. Which is either the current No. 19 Delaware Valley or No. 25 Moravian on the D3football.com poll. Ouch!
Our highest ranked team in the D3football.com poll is at No.14. Barring any upsets, the NCAA playoff selection committee will probably try to pit No. 1 Mount Union and No. 2 Linfield in the Stagg Bowl. That means that the East representative will most likely be heading to Alliance, Ohio, to face a team giving up only 7.7 points per game while scoring while scoring 47.1 point per game.
Who’s up to the challenge? Three weeks to go in the regular season. RPI hung for a half with the national champ St. John’s last year. Do we have a championship contender this year?
I believe one team will emerge and put a fight. Perhaps the pollsters are overrating teams in other regions and underrating the East. There isn’t a clear national contender in the East because favored teams have been dropping like flies the past couple weeks. Is this a display of regional strength or weakness? Stay tuned.
Cardinals humble the Pride
St. John Fisher came through with a 45-24 win over visiting Springfield at Growney Stadium in an Empire 8 Conference matchup.
No. 5 Springfield is the highest-ranked opponent the Cardinals have ever defeated. Springfield owned a 19-game winning streak during the regular season, prior to the loss.
With the win, Fisher, ranked 24th in the D3football.com poll, improves to 7-1 overall for the first time in the program’s 18-year Division III history, but more importantly, 3-1 in the Empire 8. With two games left, Fisher controls its own destiny. If the Cardinals can win their final two games, they will automatically-qualify for the NCAA Division III Championship. With the loss, Springfield falls to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Empire 8.
"It's the most amazing feeling," said receiver Noah Fehrenbach in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. His 22-yard touchdown reception gave Fisher a 21-10 halftime lead.
Sophomore Mark Robinson led Fisher with a career-high 225 yards on 41 carries. The nation’s leading rusher and scorer also found the end zone three times, bringing his season totals to 1,476 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns.
"We don't have to watch the scoreboard anymore," Robinson told the paper. "We just have to win."
St. John Fisher had been watching the scoreboard after an upset loss at Norwich knocked the Cardinals out of the driver’s seat in the conference.
Fisher enjoyed a 21-10 lead at halftime, before the Pride cut the lead to three just 16 seconds into the third quarter. Mitch Dupuis scooped up a Fisher fumble at the Cardinals’ 7-yard line and return it for a touchdown to cut the lead to 5 and Kevin Domurat scored on the two-point conversion to make it 21-18.
Fisher answered by scoring the next 21 points to take command. After both teams exchanged punts, Fisher ended an 11-play, 76-yard drive with a 6-yard run from Robinson. On Fisher’s next possession, senior quarterback Curt Fitzpatrick hit younger brother Craig Fitzpatrick on a 7-yard pass with 13:07 left. After another Springfield punt, Robinson scored his third touchdown of the day with a career-long 68-yard run.
Springfield scored its final touchdown of the day on a Ryan Sylvia 1-yard touchdown run to end an eight-play, 98-yard drive, but Fisher’s Will Bean ended the scoring with a 31-yard field goal with 2:08 left.
Springfield, who entered the game as the No. 2 rushing offense in the country, averaging 412 yards per game, gained 276 yards, including a career-high 202 yards on just 22 carries from Tim Lutgens. Lutgens also scored Springfield’s first touchdown of the day.
Curt Fitzpatrick threw for 140 yards on 13-of-24 passing and threw for three touchdowns. Mike Kallfelz scored on a 9-yard pass late in the first quarter, and Fehrenbach, who led Fisher with six catches for 79 yards, scored on a 22-yard pass with 44 seconds left in the first half.
Mike Fox led the Fisher defense with 13 tackles. He also intercepted a pass and fell on one of three fumbles recovered by the Cardinals. Andrew Madigan led Springfield with 14 tackles.
Wesley beats Brockport
The Wesley Wolverines set up an Atlantic Central Football Conference title match next week with Salisbury by defeating visiting Brockport at home 24-17. Sophomore quarterback Chris Warrick, was an efficient 18-of-27 for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Wolverine running back Kevin Nelson upped his weekly average by rushing for 161 yards on 34 carries. Wesley runs it record to 6-1 on the season, and a perfect 4-0 in conference play.
Two well-matched teams took the field at Wolverine Stadium, but it was Wesley that struck first. Kicker Chris Carlton’s 41 yard field goal put the Wolverines ahead with 0:29 seconds left in the first quarter. The score capped a 13 play drive that only went 36 yards.
Brockport was quick to counter as return man, Mike Maciewjewski, took the ensuing kickoff 41 yards to the Eagles’ 48-yard line. Six plays later, quarterback Bob Darnley found Mike Mahoney for a 4 yard touchdown. Collin Hoffman’s extra point was true giving Brockport a 7-3 lead with 13:06 left in the half.
The two teams traded punts for most of the second quarter until Darnley was intercepted by Wesley’s linebacker Bryan Sorenson. Sorenson returned the pick 19 yards to the Eagles’ 26 yard line. A tough defensive stand forced another Chris Carlton field goal attempt, but this one was blocked by Maciewjewski.
The Eagles used the swing in momentum to drive the length of the field, but Darnley was intercepted for the second time in the game. Wesley’s defensive star, Rocky Myers hauled in Darnley pass in the end zone for a touchback ending the threat. Both teams came up short in their final two possessions of the first half leaving the score at Brockport 7, Wesley 3.
"In the first half, we were driving the ball up and down the field and we just kept dying," Warrick told Wilmington, Del.’s, The News Journal. "We talked about it at halftime and decided what kind of team we are. Are we going to kick somebody's butt or just go out there and die?"
In big games, with two good teams, second half adjustments come into play. This was very evident for Wesley as they took the second half kickoff and drove through the Eagles’ defense. The 9 play, 71-yard drive ended with Ken Busch slamming in a 2-yard touchdown run. Carlton’s extra point put Wesley out in front 10-7.
The Eagles’ return unit again shined when Brian Wise sprinted 41 yards to the Wesley 45 on the ensuing kickoff. Brockport stalled and attempted a 47-yard field goal that fell short.
Wesley continued to control the ball, and marched 70 yards in 11 plays to extend its lead to 9. Warrick found big tight end, Josh Kline in the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown. Carlton’s extra point went wide giving Wesley a 16-7 lead with 3:47 left in the third quarter.
Later in the fourth quarter, Hoffman made good on his former miss by finding the uprights on 28 yard attempt, bringing the Eagles’ closer to the Wolverines at 16-10.
Wesley jumped right back and used the strong and quick legs of Kevin Nelson to pound the ball down the field. Nelson ran the ball six times for 38 yards on the following drive that ended when Warrick found wide out Jon Lanouette for a 16-yard touchdown strike. Nelson finished the scoring by taking a pitch to the outside for the two point conversion giving Wesley a commanding 24-10 lead with 3:30 left in the game.
Brockport wasn’t finished though. After a short kickoff, the Eagles started with good field position on their own 45-yard line. As much as the last Wesley scoring drive was on the legs of Nelson, the Eagles were now flying on the arm of Darnley. Darnley completed five passes and rushed for 14 yards in finding his way to the end zone with a 14-yard completion to Maciewjewski. Hoffman’s kick was good, and Brockport was in striking position late in the game.
Myers was in position to recover the ensuing kickoff giving Wesley a little comfort with only 1:43 left in the game and Brockport had only one time out left. After two Nelson rushes and a first down, Wesley was able to kneel on the ball and run out the remainder of the clock. Wesley wins 24-17.
"Brockport is a great football team, and you've got to play hard against them," Wolverines coach Mike Drass told The News Journal. "I told them before the game, 'Don't leave anything in the locker room here.' "
Myers had a great day on defense collecting 9 tackles with one interception and one pass breakup, but fellow defensive back Brian Bush also shined with 12 tackles and three breakups. Wesley sacked Darnley three times in the game and had 9 tackles for loss on the day. Even though Wesley gave up 225 yards passing, they only allowed 55 rushing yards. Wesley outgained the Eagles 424 to 280 and had an outstanding 30 first downs on the day. Wesley was nearly 50 percent on third down conversions and never went three and out in the game.
Wesley travels to Salisbury this Saturday for the annual Route 13 showdown. Both teams are currently undefeated in conference play and the winner will lock in the ACFC championship and also get a good look into the playoff picture. Salisbury had a bye this week after trouncing Kean 44-0 in Week 7.
Notes
Buffalo State’s David Barabas blocked two punts, including one recovered for a touchdown as Buffalo State defeated Newport News 30-19.
St. John Fisher’s All-American linebacker Mike Fox recorded 13 total tackles with eight solo hits and two tackles for loss as St. John Fisher defeated fifth-ranked Springfield 45-24, ending the Pride's regular season winning streak at 19 games. He recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass, his 10th career pick, second-best all-time at the school.
Union’s Tom Arcidiacono carried the ball 35 times for a career-high 226 yards and touchdown runs of 1 and 4 yards. He averaged 6.5 yards a carry (with a long of 24) and did not get stopped behind the line once. His 1-yard TD gave Union a 7-0 lead in the first quarter and his 4-yard run with 3:35 left made it 19-7. Arcidiacono’s 226 yards outpaced Coast Guard's 209 yards in total offense in the 19-7 win. Union still controls its own destiny in the Liberty League.
Sal Fama earns NJAC Defensive Rookie honors after playing a key role in Montclair State's 27-7 NJAC victory at Western Connecticut. He collected three tackles, forced a fumble, and garnered three interceptions in the game in which the Red Hawk defense held Western Connecticut to just 225 total yards of offense. His three interception tied the Montclair State school record held by several players, but last accomplished by Ron Broking against Rowan in 2000. Fama currently leads the NJAC in interceptions with an average of 0.67 per game.
Games of the Week
Wesley (6-1) at No. 17 Salisbury (7-0), 1 p.m., Salisbury, Md.: Winner grabs the AFCA title, loser is out of the Pool B playoff race.
New Jersey (5-1) at Montclair (4-2), 6 p.m., Montclair, N.J.: Last year Montclair dropped New Jersey out of NJAC title contention in overtime 34-31 on a controversial touchdown catch. A win by New Jersey keeps the Lions’ Pool C playoff hopes alive.
No. 14 Rowan (5-2) at Brockport (4-3), 1 p.m., Brockport, N.Y.: Brockport dropped a close on to Wesley last week. They’ve beaten Ithaca but lost in the final seconds to St. John Fisher and were blown out by Salisbury. Rowan was lackluster in a win against Kean (2-6). Rowan can take firm control of the East Region with a win at Brockport or can the Golden Eagles pull the upset.
Worcester Polytech (4-3) at RPI (3-3), 1 p.m., Troy, N.Y.: Winner gets the Transit Trophy. RPI won last year 34-26.