[Kutztown Football] Senior Day, Homecoming, Hall of Fame Day This Weekend

[Josh Leiboff]

KU Football Fact Sheet #07-2006 - KU vs. West Chester 
(CLICK HERE FOR A PDF VERSION OF THIS RELEASE)  

Senior Day, Homecoming, Hall of Fame Day This Weekend

The Game

         The Kutztown University Football team will play at University Field for the final time this season, when it takes on West Chester this Saturday, Oct. 21.  The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division contest is set to kickoff at 1:05 PM.  

         It will be homecoming, Hall of Fame and Senior Day for the Golden Bears.

Kutztown is 2-4 overall, 1-2 in the PSAC East, coming off a 41-14 loss at Bloomsburg.  The Golden Bears opened the season with a 27-10 win over Clarion, before falling at Shippensburg (42-27).  A loss to Slippery Rock (34-10) was followed with a loss vs. Millersville (45-17).  KU bounced back with a  win over Mansfield (51-7) before last week's setback.

West Chester is 4-3 overall, 2-1 in the PSAC East.  The Golden Rams come to KU after a 54-27 win over Millersville.  The Rams lost to Edinboro (28-14) and I-AA Delaware (30-7) before defeating Clarion (49-21), Shippensburg (24-0) and Cheyney (53-12).  WCU lost to Bloomsburg (30-27) prior to last week's victory. 

Homecoming and Hall of Fame Day

Saturday will be homecoming for Kutztown University.  In addition to the homecoming festivities, KU's six new Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized at halftime of the game vs. Millersville.  This year's class, which will be inducted Friday night, includes Barb (Bergstresser) Dietrich '86, a record-setting forward for the field hockey team; Lorie (Erie) Schmalzle '98, an All-America short stop in softball; John Gabriel '78, a men's basketball player who went on to become a National Basketball Association (NBA) General Manager; Kevin Kelly '99, a multiple All-America decathlete in men's track & field; the late Dr. Dennis Roth, a long time administrator and track & field and basketball coach; and the late Clyde Rothenberger '31; one of Kutztown's first champions in men's track & field.    

The Seniors

Saturday will mark the final home game for 12 Golden Bear seniors.  They are DB Akil Boucaud (Orange, NJ/Orange), LB Brian Burke (Langhorne/Neshaminy), OL Randy Chilcoat (York/Dallastown), LB Dan Chominski (Boothwyn/Chichester), OL Rick DiStefano (Quarryville/Solanco), DE Mike Grosso (Hackettstown, NJ/Pope John), WR Brett Harbach (West Lawn/Wilson), TE Jason Henley (Gilbertsville/Boyertown), LB Carl Thomas (Philadelphia/Germantown), OL Dustin Woodward (Lancaster/Penn Manor) and OL Raymond Yannuzzi (Wallingford/Strath Haven). 

Electronic Coverage

The game will be broadcast on WEEU, AM 830, based out of Reading.  Mitch Gerhart and Matt Santos will call the action.   Listeners throughout the world can also hear the broadcast on KU's Website at kubears.com.  The broadcast will begin 15 minutes before kickoff.

KUTV (Service Electric Channel 24, Hometown Utilicom Channel 41) will also televise the game live and on tape-delay in Kutztown and Eastern Berks County.  Mike Miller and Jason Ogle will call the game.  The game will be rebroadcast on Sunday at 6:00 PM, Monday at 3:00 PM and Tuesday at noon.  

The Coaches

Kutztown's first-year coach, Raymond Monica (North Alabama, '90), is 2-4 in his inaugural season. Monica came to the Golden Bears from Division I-A Temple University, where he spent eight seasons as defensive coordinator.  Prior to Temple, Monica coached for nine seasons at the University of North Alabama, during which time the Lions won three NCAA Division II national championships from 1993-95. 

Bill Zwaan (Delaware, '79) is in his fourth season at the helm at West Chester.   He is 31-14 at West Chester and holds an 80-28 record in 10 seasons of coaching, including six season at Widener.  Zwaan is 2-1 against Kutztown. 

The Series

This game will mark the 52nd meeting between Kutztown and West Chester. West Chester holds a 43-7-1 advantage in the series, which dates back to 1937. West Chester has won the last two meetings including last year's 48-21 meeting at KU.  Brent Steinmetz rushed for 142 yards and three TDs, while Matt Burdalski passed for 199 yards and two scores.  Kyle Spotts was 18-of-36 for 218 yards and three TDs for KU.  DT Scott Smith led KU with a career high 12 tackles.  WCU also won the 2004 meeting (51-9). 

Kutztown's last win vs. West Chester came in 2003 (17-16), which was also its last win over the Rams at University Field.  Matt Scartozzi's 38-yard field goal with 0:50 left gave KU the win.   

Notable

Elfren Quiles set a Kutztown record with a TD catch in his sixth-straight game against Bloomsburg...the feat had been accomplished in five-straight games numerous times.Quiles streak means QB Kyle Spotts has thrown a TD pass in six straight as well, the longest such streak since Josh Warren hit paydirt in nine consecutive games in 1999...DE Mike Grosso has had at least one tackle for loss in four of the last five games...KU is 7-3 over the last 10 years on homecoming, but has lost the last two. 

Tracking the Golden Bears

OFFENSE: Kutztown's offense had glimpses of success against the nationally ranked Bloomsburg Huskies.  KU had five possessions that ended in Bloomsburg territory, but scored on just two.  WR Elfren Quiles (jr. New Britain, CT/New Britain) caught four passes for 80 yards and a TD, all on a scoring drive just before halftime.  QB Kyle Spotts (jr. Tamaqua/Tamaqua) completed 13-of-28 passes for 189 yards and two TDs.  He completed a 24-yard TD pass to Larry Baumgardner (sr. New Oxford/New Oxford) early in the third as KU cut BU's edge to 20-14.  TE Jason Henley (sr. Gilbertsville/Boyertown) had three grabs for 35 yards, while WR Brett Harbach (sr. Sinking Spring/Wilson) had three catches for 32.  RB Maurice Adams (jr. West Chester/Henderson) had 46 yards on 18 carries.  

Through six games, KU's offense is averaging 349.7 yards, including 124.5 rushing and 225.2 passing.  Spotts has completed 90-of-168 passes for 1,324 yards.  He has 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.  Spotts' 220.7 yards passing and 227.2 yards of total offense per game rank second in the PSAC.  Quiles leads the receivers with 534 yards and seven TDs on 32 catches.  He has a TD catch in all six games, a school record streak.  Harbach has 23 grabs for 277 yards and two scores.  Baumgardner has notched two TDs and 288 yards on 18 receptions.  Henley has 12 catches for 193 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  Adams has 351 yards on 112  carries.  He has one TD.  

KU's offensive line, which allowed just one sack vs. Bloomsburg, consists of center Raymond Yannuzzi (sr. Wallingford/Strath Haven), guards Nick Cresta (so. Wallingford/Strath Haven) and Rick DiStefano (sr. Quarryville/Solanco), and tackles Dustin Woodward (sr. Lancaster/Penn Manor) and Tyler Romberger (r-fr. Muir/Williams Valley) or Mike Casciano (jr. Birdsboro/Twin Valley).

DEFENSE: Kutztown's defense struggled to stop Bloomsburg's potent running game.  The Huskies piled up 373 yards on the ground and 515 total yards against KU.  DE Mike Grosso (sr. Hackettstown, NJ/Pope John) had 10 tackles, including nine solos, three tackles for losses of 13 yards and an eight-yard sack.  He also broke up a pass.  SS Brian Bingnear (jr. Boothwyn/Chichester) had 12 tackles, while FS Justin Gibbs (jr. Pottstown/Pottstown) notched seven tackles.  DE Mark Irwin (so. Newtown/Council Rock North) had a tackle for loss among his six hits.  CB Brent Howard (so. Gilbertsville/Boyertown) had four tackles, one for loss, and a pass breakup.

Through six games, Kutztown's defense is allowing 387.2 yards, including 240.0 rushing and 147.2 passing.  Bingnear leads the team with 59 tackles, with one for loss, two interceptions and three breakups.  Grosso has 45 tackles and leads KU with eight tackles for loss (-23 yards) and two sacks (-12 yards).  He has also recovered two fumbles.  LB Dan Chominski (sr. Boothwyn/Chichester) has 42 tackles, with three for loss and an interception.  Gibbs checks in with 35 tackles, including two for loss.  He also has an interception and four breakups.  LB Tom Cressman (jr. Sellersville/Pennridge) has 30 tackles, three for loss and a sack.  CB Cory Porrino (jr. Orwigsburg/Blue Mountain) has 23 tackles, with an interception and four breakups.  Howard leads KU with five breakups.  

SPECIAL TEAMS: Ryan Nye (so. Bernville/Holy Name) averaged 35.0 yards on five punts, hampered by the stiff wind at Redman Stadium.  He placed two punts inside Bloomsburg's 10 yardline.  Bloomsburg avoided the PSAC's leading kick returner, Adams, who had just one return for nine yards.  

Nye leads all PSAC punters, averaging 41.7 yards per kick.  He has placed four punts inside opponents' 20 yardlines.  PK Steve Sandberg (jr. Northeast Philadelphia/Quakertown) is 2-of-6 on field goals and 18-of-20 on PATs, hitting his last 14 consecutive extra point tries.  Adams averages a PSAC-best 23.2 yards on 16 kick returns, including an 85 yard return for a TD vs. Clarion.  Harbach nets 14.3 yards on seven punt returns, with a 62 yarder for a TD vs. Mansfield.  

Scouting The West Chester Golden Rams

West Chester's quick-scoring offense made short work of Millersville last week.  The Golden Rams had five scoring drives of under one minute in the 54-27 win.  The game was 28-21 at halftime before the Rams broke it open.  RB Brent Steinmetz scored four TDs and rushed for 65 yards on 13 carries in place of injured starter Osagie Osunde.  WR Mike Washington caught three TD passes and had 193 yards on five receptions.  Cody Clark had 101 yards and a score on three catches.  QB Bill Zwaan, son of the head coach, was 7-of-13 for 209 yards and three TDs, while Matt Burdalski was 4-of-5 for 46 yards and a score.  LB Jimmy Lewis had 20 tackles, including 18 solos.  DE Dave Montgomery notched 1.5 sacks and forced a fumble.

On the season, the Golden Rams are averaging 390.0 yards per game, including 181.4 yards rushing and 208.6 yards passing.  WCU leads the PSAC, averaging 32.6 points per game.  Zwaan has completed 68-of-122 passes for 1,041 yards, 11 TDs and four picks.  Washington has 651 yards and nine TDs on 28 catches.  WR Eric Ruffenbach has 21 catches for 213 yards and a TD.  Clark has 11 catches for 189 yards and two scores.  Osunde has 522 yards and six TDs on 89 carries.  Dean Millard has 22 yards and three scores, while Steinmetz has 140 yards and four TDs in five games.  

Defensively, WCU allows 324.4 yards per game, including 121.7 rushing and 202.7 passing.  West Chester tops the PSAC with 14 interceptions by 10 different players.  The Rams are led by LB Lateef Ferguson, who has 55 tackles, four for loss and 2.5 sacks.  Lewis has 54 tackles, with 4.5 for loss and a sack.  FS Mike Mignono has 40 tackles.  SS Anthony Belasco has three interceptions, while Montgomery has 3.5 sacks.  

Belasco handles the punting duties, averaging 41.2 yards on 23 boots.  Alex Walsh is 3-of-5 on field goals, with a long of 33.  Washington averages 4.8 yards on six punt returns, while Steinmetz nets 21.4 yards on five kickoff returns. 

Kelly's Sports, Ltd. 
Player of the Game

Mike Grosso is this week's Kelly's Sports Player of the Game.  The defensive end had 10 tackles, including three for loss and a sack.  He also broke up a pass in KU's loss to Bloomsburg.

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Josh Leiboff
Kutztown University Sports Information
Phone: (610) 683-4182
Fax: (610) 683-4676
Email: leiboff at kutztown.edu
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