District College Football Recap for Saturday, October 12th

By: Bruce Markey
Sunday, October 13, 2013 | 10:43 AM

It was not a good day for ranked teams in either the PSAC and PAC. IUP came into the day ranked number 7 in D-II and gave up more points than the Crimson Hawks had allowed all season. Thomas More came off a 61-0 pounding of Geneva, the 20th ranked Saints were dumped at W & J.

Here are recaps of all the games:

Slippery Rock 42 – IUP 16
In a battle of bitter rivals, the Rock staked their claim to the PSAC West Division title with a dominating first half performance in the victory over the #7 ranked Crimson Hawks. The Rock led 28-3 at the half and 42-3 after three quarters.

Something had to give in this game, the Rock came in as the third best passing offense in D-II, while IUP was the top defense in the NCAA D-II ranks. QB Nigel Barksdale threw for 425 yards and two touchdowns, he also ran for a score. The win puts the Rock and IUP, along with California in a tie for second place in the PSAC West at 2-1. Gannon sits on top of the conference standings at 3-0, the Golden Knights handed the Rock their only loss of the season.

Slippery Rock scored on their second possession, Brett Crenshaw scored on a yard run. The Rock added to the lead four plays into the second quarter, Barksdale connected with John Schademan for a 38 yard touchdown and the 14-0 lead. Slippery Rock took advantage of a Drew Carswell fumble, Gary Allen recovered and took the football to the IUP 16. IUP transfer Teddy Blakeman scored the first of two touchdowns on a two yard run, Blakeman added a three yard run on the next possession for a 28-0 lead. IUP was driving for a score late in the half, but Mike Peacock sacked QB Mike Box, forcing Brett Ullman to kick a 44 yard field goal to put the Crimson Hawks on the board.

SRU started the second half where it left off, Barksdale used his running skills this time for a one yard run and on the next possession hit Schademan for a 42 yard touchdown to send the crowd at Thompson-Mihalik Stadium into a frenzy.

IUP scored twice in the fourth quarter. Mike Box hit Terrill Barnes for a 23 yard touchdown on the fourth play. De’Antwan Williams scored on a one yard run with 6:33 left to make the score 42-16, SRU drove down deep into IUP territory but Blakeman fumbled inside the 10, keeping the Rock out of the end zone again.

SRU posted 676 total yards against the IUP defense, which had only allowed 30 points all season. That’s the most yardage ever allowed by an IUP team. Barksdale was 27 of 38, Ken Amos had 9 catches for 85 yards. Schademan grabbed 6 passes for 170 yards, he has gone over 100 yards receiving in all of the Rock’s wins this season. Shamar Greene carried 17 times for 101 yards. The Rock defense held IUP to just 59 yards rushing.

IUP was led by Barnes with 9 catches for 160 yards, Carswell had 7 receptions for 103 yards. Carl Fleming made 13 stops for the Crimson Hawks.

Both teams are now 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the PSAC West.

W & J 45 – Thomas More 21
One week after falling to Bethany for the first time in 30 years, the Presidents put themselves right back into the PAC title chase with the home win over the #20 Saints. W & J scored the last 21 points on the way to the win.

The win sets up a three way tie for the top spot in the Presidents Athletic Conference as W & J, Waynesburg and Thomas More are all now 3-1, with Bethany and Geneva sitting ½ game back at 2-1.

Alex Baroffio and Dion Wiegand each scored three times for W & J, Thomas More was penalized 10 times for 89 yards.

It was Thomas More who jumped out to the early lead, scoring on the opening possession. Domonique Hayden scored on a 28 yard run. W & J answered with a Baroffio 1 yard run. The Saints countered with a Jensen Gebhardt 49 yard pass to Hayden to put the Saints back up seven after one quarter.

W & J was driving to start the second, the Presidents got a Baroffio 10 yard touchdown pass from Matt Bliss to even the score. The Presidents went on a long drive on the next possession, Craig Popp hit a 19 yard field goal to give W & J the lead for good. The Presidents got a punt block by Daniel Lis to set up a Wiegand one yard run. The Saints drove in the final minute, but Gebhardt was intercepted by B J Monacelli in the end zone to end the threat

Hayden started the third period scoring with a one yard run to cut the W & J lead to three, but that was the closest it was going to get. Wiegand took the following kickoff 92 yards for a score to put the Presidents up 31-21. After taking over on downs, W & J got another quick score with Bliss going to Baroffio for a 59 yard touchdown. Wiegand added a yard run with 12 minutes remaining to close the scoring.

Wiegand carried 26 times for 111 yards rushing, he ended with 239 all purpose yards. Bliss was 17-26 for 176 yards. Baroffio had 8 catches for 119 yards. W & J is now 4-2 overall.

Hayden ran 30 times for 205 yards. Gebhardt was 11-22 for 159 yards. Thomas More is now 4-1 overall.

Gannon 55 – Edinboro 14
The Golden Knights broke a 14 all tie in the second quarter, scoring 41 unanswered points to take over sole possession of first place in the PSAC West at 3-0. The victory was the first ever for Gannon against one of their Erie County rivals in eight tries.

Jansen Jones ran for 209 yards on 35 carries and became the first Golden Knight to run for four touchdowns in one game. Gannon also got 350 passing yards from Liam Nadler on 26 of 38 throwing, he also ran for three scores.

Edinboro took the early lead on a Jon Girvin one yard run, he got the start at quarterback this week as Cody Harris missed another game with an injury. Gannon took back the lead on a Nadler two yard run and Jones with a 5 yard scamper.

Jeremy Donaldson scored for the second consecutive week, this time on a four yard run to tie the game at 14, 27 seconds into the second quarter. It was all Gannon from that point. Donnie Mann hit a 37 yard field goal and Nadler scored on a one yard run late in the half to put Gannon up 24-14 at the break.

Mann hit a 39 yard field goal on the Golden Knight’s first possession of the third. Jones added touchdown runs of 31 and 6 yards in the third. Nadler scored on another yard run and Jones went in from a yard out in the fourth to complete the rout.

Jones averaged six yards per carry. Gannon is now 4-2 overall. Girvin was just 9 of 32 for the Fighting Scots for 192 yards, Edinboro managed just 66 yards rushing, the Fighting Scots are now 3-3 overall and fall to 1-2 in the PSAC West.

Mercyhurst 50 – Seton Hill 19
The Lakers hit the half-century mark for the second straight week. Backup QB Alec Swartz got the start and threw for three touchdowns in the win. The Griffins continue to struggle in their move to the PSAC, Seton Hill has lost 19 straight games.

Mercyhurst led 17-0 after one quarter as Swartz threw touchdown passes to Marcus Snipes and T.J. Latimer. Denzell Jackson put Seton Hill on the board three minutes into the second on a two yard run. The Lakers got the running game going as Allen Jones II scored on a two yard run and Brandon Brown-Dukes on a 51 yard run.

The Lakers added Steven Wakefield’s third field goal of the day in the third and picked up a safety. Swartz hit Snipes for a 16 yard touchdown to make it 43-7. Rafael Garcarz became the third Seton Hill quarterback to throw a td pass this season in the fourth, going seven yards to Lance Williams. Former Union star Drew Robinson scored his second touchdown in as many weeks on a 45 yard run. Jackson got his second touchdown on a three yard run with 2:33 remaining.

Brown-Dukes carried 13 times for 127 yards. Robinson had 6 carries for 88 yards, Jones II added 82 yards on 14 totes. Mercyhurst is now 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the division. Seton Hill got 115 yards on 10 catches from Eric Kerns, the Griffins are now 0-6.

California 35 – Clarion 7
The Vulcans pulled away in the fourth quarter to place themselves into the PSAC West title picture with the Homecoming win. Jeff Knox ran for two touchdowns as Cal got the ground game going, running for 230 yards against the Golden Eagles defense.

Knox opened the scoring with a one yard run in the first quarter. James Harris made his second straight start at QB for Cal and hit Mike Williams for a 52 yard touchdown and a 14-0 Cal lead at intermission.

Both teams ran the football in the third quarter, neither team with a scoring opportunity. Knox scored three plays into the final frame on a two yard run. Clarion had a punt blocked, Darrelle Carson threw an interception and turned the ball over on downs at the Cal 26 on three straight possession. Nick Grissom scored on a seven yard run and Cody Schroeder came on at quarterback and hit Gary Brown for a 23 yard score. Carson scored on a yard run with 2:49 left to end the scoring.

Mike Williams led the Vulcans with seven catches for 115 yards. Cal is now 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the West, tied with SRU and IUP. Clarion falls to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the West, the Golden Eagles have dropped three straight.

Westminster 27 – Carnegie Mellon 24
Tyler Banks scored his second touchdown of the game on a 1 yard run with 2:57 remaining as the Titans claim the home field win. Westminster was able to hold on despite allowing 305 yards passing by CMU quarterback Rob Kalkstein.

Banks opened the scoring in the first with a 41 yard td run. Kalkstein led the Tartans on a 90 yard drive, hitting Bryce Pardoe for a 32 yard touchdown.  The Titans took the lead back midway thru the second on a Dak Britt 28 yard touchdown pass to Colin Wallace. But Kalkstein answered with a 44 yard strike to Troy Witt to tie the game at 14 going into the break.

Westminster took the lead again on a Britt to T Sifontes-Lavine 31 yard pass, CMU scored a minute later on a Kalkstein 62 yard connection to Tim Kitka. The big series of the game came early in the fourth quarter when Britt was picked off by Jack Butler at the Westminster 15. But the Tartans could not put it in the end zone, setting up a 28 yard Connor Young field goal.

The Titans got the go-ahead score on a five plus minute drive. Banks scored on the 11th play of the drive and Westminster went up for good. CMU got to the Westminster 46 but turned the ball over on downs, giving Westminster the win.

Banks carried 15 times for 86 yards. Britt was 14-27 for 160 yards. Westminster is now 203. Kitka had 6 catches for 102 yards for the Tartans, now 3-3.

Waynesburg 38 – Grove City 0
Carter Hill threw for 332 yards and four touchdowns as the Yellow Jackets posted their first shutout of the Wolverines since 1984.

Mike Ferraro opened the scoring with a 7 yard pass from Hill. Grove City was driving later in the first but Steve Maskrey fumbled the football. Josh Tolliver took it 75 yards for a touchdown. In the second quarter, Andrew English made it happen on both special teams and offense, he blocked a punt then caught a 6 yard td pass from Hill. Hill hit Tim Cooper for 49 yards and Willie Leavell for a 2 yard score on the final play of the half.

English had 6 catches, Bernie Thompson made five. Hill was 22 of 38 in the game. Waynesburg is now 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the PAC. Brian Pell threw for 212 yards on 23 of 44 but he was sacked four times. Grove City is now 3-3 overall and 1-3 in the PAC.

Thiel 30 – Saint Vincent 3
The Tomcats picked up their first win of the season ending a six game losing streak. The Bearcats have now dropped 16 straight games.

Thiel led 10-0 at the half on a Rich Kolesar three yard run in the first and a Jon Fennick 18 yard field goal in the second. Morgan Porter kicked a 37 yard field goal for Saint Vincent for the only score of the third. It was all Thiel in the fourth, Josh Potter broke a 58 yard run for a score, followed by a Rob Edwards 47 yard Pick 6. Ryan Radke used another short field to hit Tim Walker for a 12 yard score to end the scoring.

Potter ran for 138 yards on 18 carries, Josh Wannamaker added 89 yards on 17 totes. The Tomcats are now 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the PAC, Saint Vincent managed just 155 yards of offense, the Bearcats are now 0-5.

Duquesne 34 – Wagner 7
The Dukes pick up their second straight win and open NEC play with the victory at Rooney Field.

Duquesne led 10-0 on a Dillon Buechel 12 yard touchdown pass to Chris King in the first and Austin Crimmons kicked a 47 yard field goal 13 seconds into the second. Mathias McKinnon put Wagner on the board with a 15 yard run on the next drive.

Neither team scored in the third, Duquesne pulled away in the fourth. Ryan Ho scored on a two yard run. Crimmins kicked his second field goal and Devin Rahming added a 62 yard punt return. Ethan Dorsey went 40 yards for a td in the final two minutes to add to the Dukes lead.

Gianni Carter had eight catches, Dave Thomas added six for Duquesne. Buechel was 25-37 for 189 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Duquesne is now 3-2 overall. Wagner falls to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in the NEC.

Saint Francis 28 – Monmouth 10
The Red Flash used a 21 point first quarter and three Monmouth turnovers to cruise to the NEC victory.

Saint Francis scored 12 seconds into the game. Bishop Neal picked up a fumble, the former Clairton star went eight yards for a touchdown. Max Ward hit Terell Smith for an 18 yard touchdown and DaQuan Minter took a Pick 6 for 44 yards and the big lead.
Trailing 21-3 in the fourth, the Hawks finally got things going with a Thaddus Richards eight yard run. Kyle Harbridge hit the scoring column with a 23 yard run midway thru the final frame.

Harbridge ended with 26 carries for 94 yards. The Red Flash defense held Monmouth to just 110 yards rushing. Saint Francis is now 2-4. Monmouth falls to 3-4.