The Friday Tailgate

The 23rd season of Centennial Conference football kicks off Saturday with three games ... two of the contests pit defending Conference champions (granted, we had five champs last season) against each other ... For more information on this week's games ... check out the Gameday section of our website.

Johns Hopkins at Dickinson
The Blue Jays (3-0) are ranked 24th in the country in this week's AFCA poll ... the Red Devils (1-2) have dropped two straight since a season-opening win against Juniata ... this is the 59th meeting between the schools and Hopkins holds a slim 28-26-4 advantage ... Dickinson captured a 17-7 decision last year in Baltimore ... JHU is 22-3 in its last 25 games and is riding a seven-game road win streak ... Hopkins' 30-0 triumph at Biddle Field in 2003 was the Jays' first in Carlisle since 1985 ... listen to the game on WDCV-FM 88.3. (T.J. Lyons, pictured)

Muhlenberg at Franklin & Marshall
The Mules (1-2) and the Diplomats (1-2) meet for the 87th time in a series that dates to 1902 ... it is the third-longest series in the Conference ... F&M holds a 48-37-1 lead and captured a 15-10 decision last year in Allentown ... Muhlenberg has won the last three games at Sponaugle-Williamson Field each by 21 points or more ... Franklin & Marshall's last home win came in 1997 (14-10) ... listen to the game on WMUH-FM 91.7 or WFNM-FM 89.1

Ursinus at McDaniel
The Bears (1-2) travel to Westminster to take on the 24th ranked (by D3football.com) Green Terror (3-0) ... McDaniel is also ranked 25th by the AFCA this week ... it is the 28th meeting between the schools dating to 1976 ... the Green and Gold has dominated the series, winning the last eight games to take a 21-6-1 advantage ... Ursinus' last win was a 7-6 triumph in 1996 in Collegeville, while the last victory at Bair Stadium was in 1993 (42-33) ... Bear QB Vince Gallagher is just 359 yards shy of becoming the 18th passer in CC history to throw for over 4,000 yards ... listen to the game on WTTR-AM 1470.


NCAA Team Rankings (teams ranked in top 30)

Total Defense: Johns Hopkins (15th, 209.7 ypg); Muhlenberg (25th, 245.3)
Pass Efficiency Defense: Johns Hopkins (6th, 77.1 points); Dickinson (28th, 89.6)
Scoring Defense: Johns Hopkins (3rd, 4.3 ppg)
Turnover Margin: McDaniel (11th, 2.0 per game); Dickinson, Ursinus (25th, 1.7)
Team Kickoff Returns: Gettysburg (17th, 25.81 ypr)
Team Punt Returns: Gettysburg (12th, 16.4 ypr)

NCAA Individual Rankings (individuals ranked in top 30)

Rushing: Tom Sturges, Gettysburg (23rd, 128.0 ypg)
Receptions per Game: Anthony Triplin, Johns Hopkins (18th, 7.3)
Kickoff Returns: Nathan Smith, Gettysburg (9th, 32.0 ypr); Dennis Nelson, Dickinson (16th, 29.5)
Field Goals per Game: Ben Scott, Johns Hopkins (2nd, 2.3); Matt Baney, Ursinus (11th, 1.3); Jordon Grube, Muhlenberg (19th, 1.0)
Punting: Corey Allen, McDaniel (16th, 40.7 ypk); Ben Scott, Johns Hopkins (21st, 40.2)
Interceptions: Drew Abbamonte, McDaniel, Andrew Ackley, Dickinson (2nd, 1.3); Mike O'Donnell, Dickinson (9th, 1.0)
Total Tackles: Eric Dube, Dickinson (2nd, 14.7); Harold Barton, Gettysburg (16th, 13.0); Brian Hrynczyszyn, Ursinus (21st, 12.3); Ron Ringgold, McDaniel (29th, 12.0)
Solo Tackles: Harold Barton, Gettysburg (5th, 9.0)
Pass Sacks: Dan McCall, Muhlenberg (10th, 1.7); Mickey Rehring, F&M (30th, 1.2)
Tackles for Loss: Eric Dube, Dickinson (7th, 3.0); Chris Stepien, F&M (17th, 2.5)
Forced Fumbles: Ryan Anderson, Dickinson; Will Corbin, Muhlenberg; Dan McCall, Muhlenberg (13th, 0.67)
Passes Defended: Drew Abbamonte, McDaniel (8th, 2.3); Andrew Ackley, Dickinson (14th, 2.0)

Polls, Polls, Polls

There are a number of big games today in the Conference involving undefeated CC ranked teams.

Franklin & Marshall at Ursinus (Field Hockey)
Two of the nation's top teams square off in a match that has implications for who may secure the top seed for November's Conference championship tournament. The Bears (5-1, 2-0) are ranked second nationally this week behind defending Division III champion Salisbury. The Diplomats (7-1, 1-0) are ranked 12th this week. Ursinus has won all three meetings between the two schools, including a thrilling 4-3 overtime decision in last year's CC title game. A key stat ... Ursinus leads the Conference in scoring average (4.45), while F&M leads the CC in goals against average (1.08). Gettysburg is also ranked this week at No. 18. (Ursinus' Karen Wendler, pictured, is the reigning CC Player of the Week)

Dickinson at McDaniel (Men's Soccer)
The Red Devils (6-2, 1-1) and the Green Terror (5-2-1, 1-0-1) meet for the 44th time in their rivalry that dates to 1931. McDaniel holds a slim 20-19-4 lead with wins in the last two matches and five of the last six. Dickinson has not defeated the Green Terror in Westminster since a 3-0 triumph in 1997. Muhlenberg and Johns Hopkins both fell out of the national top 25 this week. The Mules are fifth in the Mid-Atlantic region, while the Blue Jays (6) and Swarthmore (9) are also in the regional top 10.

McDaniel at Dickinson (Women's Soccer)
The Green Terror (4-3-1, 1-0-1) and the Red Devils (4-1-2, 2-0) meet on the pitch in Carlisle as two of the three remaining unbeatens left in the CC. Dickinson has won the last two meetings and has not lost to McDaniel at home since 1999.  Terror GK Michelle Mullen is second in the Conference in saves per game (6.12) and will be tested by the Devils' Lisa Nichols (5.86) and Jessica Griggs (4.14) - 1-3 in the CC in shots per game. Johns Hopkins remains third in the region and 15th nationally this week. Haverford holds onto the No. 7 spot in the Mid-Atlantic.

Muhlenberg at Haverford (Volleyball)
The last remaining CC unbeatens meet at Alumni Field House tonight. The Fords (10-4, 2-0) are fresh from a 3-2 come-from-behind win at Franklin & Marshall, while the Mules (8-6, 1-0) look to rebound from a disappointing weekend in Massachusetts. The match will feature two of the Conference's top hitters in Haverford's Heidi Jutsum and Muhlenberg's Julie Lauro. Jutsum is third in the Centennial in hitting percentage (.329) and Lauro is second in kills (4.46). The Conference does not have a representative in the national top 25.

Also in the national polls ...
Haverford's men's cross country team is fourth nationally again this week, trailing only Calvin, North Central and Wisconsin-La Crosse ... the Fords top the Mideast Regional rankings, while Dickinson (7), Swarthmore (9) and Muhlenberg (10) are also regionally ranked.

Dickinson's women's harriers sit atop the Mideast Regional rankings, while Haverford (4), Swarthmore (5) and Muhlenberg (10) help the Centennial take four of the top 10 spots in the poll. The Red Devils were ranked 14th nationally in the Sept. 20 poll.

McDaniel's football team is ranked 24th by D3football.com and 25th by the American Football Coaches Association ... Johns Hopkins is listed at No. 24 by the AFCA.

Monday Morning Quarterback

Centennial teams saw their non-Conference record evened at 11-11 with a win and two losses on Saturday. Franklin & Marshall posted its first shutout since 1997 with a 6-0 triumph against Carnegie Mellon. The Tartans, who lost to Johns Hopkins, 9-6, last weekend, have not allowed a touchdown in their last two games. Gettysburg and Muhlenberg headed west for contests with Denison and Grove City, respectively, and came back east empty-handed. The Big Red defeated the Bullets, 49-21, while the Mules fell to the Wolverines, 16-6.

Conference Players of the Week

Offense: Tom Sturges, RB, Gettysburg
Sturges carried 31 times for 151 yards and a touchdown at Denison. He leads the CC with 120.0 ypg rushing.

Defense: Chris Stepien, LB, Franklin & Marshall
Stepien registered 13 tackles, including three for losses, and recovered a fumble vs. CMU. It was the Diplomats' first shutout in 75 games dating to a 1997 win against Swarthmore.

Special Teams: Aaron Kolodny, PK, Franklin & Marshall
Kolodny booted field goals of 22 and 31 yards for the game's only points against Carnegie Mellon.

F&M's Defense Provides Victory
Lancaster Sunday News

This Week: Conference play gets underway as Johns Hopkins travels to Dickinson, Muhlenberg visits Franklin & Marshall, and Ursinus heads to McDaniel.

Friday Tailgate

It's the last weekend before Conference play begins. Three teams are in action - Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg and Muhlenberg - while the others have a bye week. For more information on this week's games ... check out the Gameday section of our website.

Franklin & Marshall has been the biggest surprise this season ... the Diplomats, picked to go undefeated and win the Conference by our friends at D3football.com, are 0-2 and look to rebound from the 34-0 loss at Hobart ... this is the 29th meeting between F&M and Carnegie Mellon in a series that dates to 1909 ... the Tartans hold a 20-7-1 advantage with wins in the last four meetings ... the Diplomats' last victory was a 28-7 triumph in the 1996 season opener ... the most telling statistic in Franklin & Marshall's slow start - minus-5 in turnover margin ... no other team in the CC is below zero.

Gettysburg follows the lead of Horace Greeley and heads west to Granville, Ohio, to take on Denison of the North Coast Athletic Conference ... the Bullets have not been to the Buckeye State since a 1963 trip to Springfield against Wittenberg ... Gettysburg leads the CC in total offense (373.7 ypg) which is not a surprise ... the shocker is that the Orange and Blue are second in passing offense (231.0) ... the problem is that Gettysburg is last in scoring (41.3) and total (510.0) defense ... if I'm coaching the Big Red, I'm kicking away from Nathan Smith ... Smith returned a kickoff for a touchdown vs. Rochester last week - the fourth time in his career he has gone the distance ... the Bullets have lost seven straight road games.

Muhlenberg also heads west to Grove City ... the Wolverines are 0-3 with losses to Manchester, Carnegie Mellon and Thomas More ... the Mules are the top passing team in the CC at 243.5 ypg, but are last on the ground (86.0) ... the Muhlenberg defense was unable to suppress the powerful Union offense last week, but still stands second in the CC in total defense (263.0) ... the Mules are 5-for-5 in the red zone in two games with three TDs and two FGs.

Big Weekend on Tap

The first weekend of the fall season is upon us ... and Conference play begins in earnest. Here are some of the key games to watch this weekend.

Field Hockey
It is the first full weekend of Centennial play and a couple of contests may tell us who is for real in the hunt for one of the five playoff spots this season. McDaniel (4-2) travels to Muhlenberg (5-3) in the CC opener for both schools, while Swarthmore (4-2) visits #16 Gettysburg (4-2). The last seven meetings between the Terror and the Mules have been decided by one goal, including the last four by a 2-1 score. In all, five of the 12 meetings between the teams since 1993 have gone into overtime. The Garnet has not won at Memorial Field since 1997 (5-2) and look to end a four-game losing streak to the Bullets.

Women's Soccer
Two key matches on the slate for Saturday, as Haverford (4-2, 0-1) visits Franklin & Marshall (5-0, 1-0), and Ursinus (6-0, 2-0) hits the road to take on Dickinson (3-1-2, 1-0). The Fords have won two straight from the Diplomats, including a 6-1 decision last fall. The Bears are also riding a two-game win streak vs. the Red Devils and have won three of the four matches in Carlisle since 1997. Also keep an eye on the Johns Hopkins-Muhlenberg match. The undefeated and 16th ranked Blue Jays (8-0, 1-0) have not defeated the Mules (1-3-2, 0-0-1) in Allentown since 1997.

Men's Soccer
The big weekend match is at Clothier Field, as Swarthmore (5-1, 1-0) takes on Gettysburg (4-2-1, 1-0). The Garnet is ranked No. 9 in this week's regional poll, but has not defeated the Bullets since a 3-1 triumph in the 1985 MAC semifinals. In fact, Gettysburg has not allowed a goal to Swarthmore since the 3-2 overtime win in 1994, outscoring the Garnet, 33-0.

Volleyball
The key match of the weekend is tonight, as Haverford (9-4, 1-0) comes to Lancaster to meet Franklin & Marshall (8-1, 2-0). The Diplomats have dominated the series, leading 16-4, winning 12 of the 13 matches since the formation of the Conference. The Fords' lone win in that stretch was a 3-0 sweep of F&M in 2001.

On a Poll Roll

It's a beautiful Wednesday here in the heart of Amish country ... let's take our weekly look at where we stand in the world of Division III rankings.

Men's Cross Country
Haverford continues to set the CC pace in the national ranking, remaining at the No. 4 spot behind Calvin, North Central and Wisconsin-La Crosse. The Fords are the top-ranked team in the Mideast Region, while Dickinson (7), Muhlenberg (9) and Swarthmore (10) are also in the regional top 10.

Women's Cross Country
The Sept. 20 ranking has not been posted as yet. Last week, Dickinson was ranked 13th nationally. The Red Devils are the unanimous No. 1 team in the Sept. 20 Mideast Regional rankings with Haverford (4) and Swarthmore (8) also listed.

Field Hockey
Three teams in this week's NFHCA top 20 with Ursinus leading the pack at No. 6. Franklin & Marshall dropped a spot after its loss at Eastern Mennonite to No. 11, while Gettysburg fell three slots to No. 16. Let's see if any of the "pollsters" noticed that Ursinus knocked off another No. 3 team yesterday - The College of New Jersey. That's two number-threes for the Bears this season ... and they'll probably still be ranked No. 6 next week. Poll watchers beware!

Football
McDaniel remained No. 23 in this week's D3football.com poll - one spot ahead of Bridgewater, whom the Terror defeated on the road in the season opener. The American Football Coaches Association does not list McDaniel, but does include Bridgewater at No. 24. Your guess is as good as mine. Just three games on this week's slate - Carnegie Mellon at Franklin & Marshall, Muhlenberg at Grove City, and Gettysburg at Denison. Conference play gets underway next Saturday!

Men's Soccer
Fresh off its 4-2 win against Johns Hopkins, Muhlenberg jumped five spots to the No. 13 position in this week's NSCAA national top 25 and to the second spot in the Mid-Atlantic poll, trailing only national No. 1 Messiah. The Blue Jays tumbled eight spots nationally to No. 17 and one place to No. 3 in the region. Swarthmore returns to the regional rankings at No. 9.

Women's Soccer
Johns Hopkins improved by one spot to No. 15 following its thrilling win against Haverford. The Jays remain No. 3 in the region behind Messiah and TCNJ. The Fords fell one place in the Mid-Atlantic Region listing to No. 7.

Volleyball
The Conference is not represented in this week's AVCA national top 25. In fact, only four East Coast teams dot the list - Juniata (2), NYU (6), Cortland (19) and Eastern (25).

Monday Morning Quarterback

A 3-4 non-Conference week for Centennial teams with the three victories coming by a combined total of five points - Johns Hopkins defeated Carnegie Mellon, 9-6; McDaniel edged Catholic, 37-36; and Ursinus nipped La Salle, 13-12. As far as bragging rights go, a tip of the hat to our friends in the Liberty League, as Kings Point, Hobart, Rochester and Union all recorded wins over CC teams.

Conference Players of the Week

Offense: Meikos Parker, McDaniel, RB
Parker ran for 105 yards and scored three touchdowns vs. Catholic.

Defense: Drew Abbamonte, McDaniel, DB
Abbamonte had 10 tackles and picked off a pair of passes vs. Catholic.

Special Teams: Nathan Smith, Gettysburg; Ben Scott, Johns Hopkins
Smith tied a Conference record by returning a kickoff for a touchdown for the fourth time in his career. He took one back 92 yards against Rochester - the second time he has returned a kickoff for a score this season. Scott (pictured) booted three field goals, including a 24-yarder as time expired, vs. Carnegie Mellon. His first boot equaled his career-long of 45 yards, while his next three-pointer exceeded that kick by a yard.

Ursinus Slips Past Explorers
Pottstown Mercury

Terror Work OT to Net Win
Carroll County Times

Union Spoils Mules' Home Opener
Allentown Morning Call

Statesmen Blank F&M
Finger Lakes Times

Friday Tailgate

Notes and Quotes from around the Conference to get you ready for the third weekend of gridiron action.

Dickinson looks to bounce back from its shutout loss vs. Hobart when it visits Kings Point ... the Mariners are 0-2 on the year after losses to Kean and Claremont ... PK Geoff Troy tied a school record with four FGs against CMS ... QB Chuck Kleinschnitz had to ice his arm after completing 32 of 61 passes for 272 yards last weekend ... Dickinson QB Matt Torchia has completed 64.4 percent of his passes (29 of 45) ... DB Andrew Ackley has four picks on the year and moved into the career top 10 at the school with 12 career thefts ... P Aren Johnson has landed five of his 15 punts inside the 20-yard line ... LB Eric Dube leads the team with 16 tackles, four for loss of yardage, with 1.5 sacks.

Franklin & Marshall has had two weeks to recover from its disappointing season opening defeat at Bethany ... the Diplomats travel to the Finger Lakes to take on Hobart, the three-time defending Liberty League champions ... the Statesmen are 1-0 on the year after a 21-0 win at Dickinson and look to avenge last season's loss at F&M - the only regular-season blemish for Hobart ... Franklin & Marshall is 0-4 all-time at Boswell Field.

Gettysburg welcomes Rochester for its Homecoming game ... it is the first trip for the Yellowjackets to the Battlefield, as the previous two games were in upstate NY in 1912 and 2004 ... Bullet QB Hunter McMillan had quite the game last Saturday against 23rd ranked Hampden-Sydney, completing 35 of 62 passes for 404 yards and four scores ... WR Shawn Hollingsworth caught 12 of those balls for 172 yards and two TDs ... Gettysburg has won three straight games before the alumni, defeating Ursinus in 2002 and 2004 and Waynesburg in 2003 ... UR is 0-2 after losses to Johns Hopkins (9-7) and St. John Fisher (58-32) ... the Yellowjacket defense has surrendered 563 passing yards in two games.

Johns Hopkins looks to go 2-0 against the UAA when it travels to Carnegie Mellon ... the Blue Jays have won six straight games and 13 consecutive September contests ... the Tartans are 2-0 after victories vs. Hiram (45-0) and Grove City (20-16) ... CMU has not led in any of the previous three games against JHU ... Hopkins has 12 straight wins over non-CC opponents ... the Jay defense ranked first in scoring defense (3.5), second in rushing (70.0) and total (176.5) defense and third in passing defense (106.5) ... Tartan RB Travis Sivek was named the ECAC Southwest Offensive Player of the Week after running for 103 yards and two TDs in the second half vs. Grove City.

McDaniel opens its home schedule against Catholic ... the Green Terror has won five straight decisions from the Cardinals and posted a 34-0 shutout last season in Washington ... CUA's last victory came in 1935 (20-6) ... McDaniel is off to its first 2-0 start since 1999 and is ranked 23rd in the D3football.com poll ... RB Broderick Maybvank has nine 100-yard rushing games in his career ... QB Brad Baer is out of action with a separated shoulder ... Tom Wenrich will get the start against this week ... he produced 184 yards of total offense against Seton Hill ... the Cardinals are 0-2 after losses to Shenandoah (12-0) and Augustana (52-26) ... CUA has only rushed for 45 yards on 41 attempts this season.

Muhlenberg returns to action after a bye week and plays host to Union under the lights Saturday ... the Flying Dutchmen are 1-0 after a 35-7 rout of Springfield ... Tom Arcidiacono carried 29 times for 137 yards and two scores, while QB Anthony Marotti completed 21 of 35 passes for 295 yards and three TDs ... Steve Angiletta was on the receiving end of 10 of those balls for 148 yards and two touchdowns ... Muhlenberg leads DIII in rushing (-24.0) and total defense (73.0) ... WR Kyle Douglass leads the team in rushing (3-48) and receiving (4-31).

Ursinus takes to the road to battle DI-AAA La Salle ... the Bears have squandered leads in their two losses ... UC led Susquehanna, 16-0, before falling 24-16, and Albright, 24-0, before succumbing, 34-33 ... the Bears are 7-for-7 in the red zone this season with three TDs and four FGs, as PK Matt Baney has made all four FG attempts ... DB Adam Schmidt blocked two punts against Albright ... one was returned for a touchdown and another recorded a safety ... Ursinus also blocked two extra point attempts ... the Explorers are 0-2 with losses to Wagner (41-27) and Monmouth (65-27) ... QB Michael Jump has accounted for 651 yards of total offense in two games.

Getting Ready for the Weekend

here are some of the key games to watch for in the Conference this weekend.

Ursinus opens defense of its 2004 CC field hockey title when it welcomes Dickinson to Snell Field. The Bears (2-1) are ranked sixth in this week's NFHCA Division III poll. Franklin & Marshall (4-0) looks to keep its record spotless when it visits Eastern Mennonite (Sat.) and Mary Washington (Sun.).

It is annually one of the top games in men's soccer in the CC, but this year's Muhlenberg-Johns Hopkins match takes on even more intrigue as the Mules are ranked 18th in the country and the Blue Jays are ninth. Read more on the game in the Allentown Morning Call. Elsewhere, Dickinson and Swarthmore pit their 4-1 records against each other on the Clothier Field pitch in the CC opener for both schools.

A couple of interesting matches on the women's side, as Haverford (4-1) travels to #16 Johns Hopkins (6-0) and Ursinus (3-0) plays host to Gettysburg (1-3-1) in rematches of the 2004 CC semifinal pairings. The Fords have not won in Baltimore since 1995, while the Bullets are 9-0-1 all-time against the Bears.

At the Polls

Today, we'll take a look at the Conference teams and their placement in their sport's weekly ranking.

Men's Cross Country
The DIII coaches released a preseason poll on Aug. 31 and 12-time defending CC champion Haverford is ranked fourth.

Women's Cross Country
The DIII coaches released their first poll on Sept. 8 and ranked Dickinson at No. 14. Haverford also received votes.

Field Hockey
Three CC teams in the national top 20 this week - Ursinus (6), Franklin & Marshall (10) and Gettysburg (13). I just hope someone can explain to me how the Bears can beat Messiah on the road ... and the Falcons are still ranked third with a first-place vote. BTW, Ursinus received two firsts from the DIII coaches.

Football
McDaniel comes in at No. 23 this week in the D3football.com top 25 poll. Muhlenberg and Johns Hopkins also received votes.

Men's Soccer
It's one of the top games in the country this weekend in Allentown as No. 9 ranked Johns Hopkins travels to take on No. 18 Muhlenberg. The Blue Jays and Mules are 2-3 in the Mid-Atlantic region, trailing only defending national champion Messiah. Franklin & Marshall also received votes in the regional poll.

Women's Soccer
Another Hopkins soccer team has a big game this weekend, as the 16th ranked women play host to Haverford. The Jays are ranked third in the Mid-Atlantic region behind Messiah and TCNJ, while the Fords are ranked sixth in the region.

Volleyball
No Centennial team is ranked in the national top 25, nor received two or more votes in the poll.

In Recruiting, A Big Push from the Small Colleges, Too

An excellent story on recruiting at the Division III level in Sunday's New York Times, featuring our friends at Haverford College. Take a look.

Monday Morning Quarterback

Every Monday during the football season, we'll recap the highlights of the weekend's football action.

Conference Players of the Week
Offense: Hunter McMillan, QB, Gettysburg
35-62, 404 passing yards, four TDs
Defense: Brian Nickel, DL, Johns Hopkins
six tackles, 1.5 sacks, JHU held Randolph-Macon to 145 yards
Special Teams: DeVohn Butler, DB, Ursinus
returned blocked punt 21 yards for TD

Penalties Hurt Griffins in Home Debut
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Hobart's Defense Stymies Red Devils
Carlisle Sentinel

Terror Off to a Quick Start
Carroll County Times

Baer Will Have to be Reevaluated
Carroll County Times

Friday Tailgate

Notes and Quotes from around the Conference to get you ready for the weekend.

Dickinson plays its home opener Saturday against Hobart ... the Statesmen were 9-2 a year ago and champions of the Liberty League ... Hobart's lone regular-season loss was to Franklin & Marshall ... Dickinson soph Jerome Igle ran for 120 yards in the win at Juniata, boosting coach Darwin Breaux's record to 43-8 when a Devil back reaches the century mark ... DB Andrew Ackley picked off three Juniata passes and now has five career picks against the Eagles ... while time will tell the Devils' 2005 fotunes, look out for the future ... Dickinson has just two seniors listed on the offensive two-deep (both starters) and two more on the defensive two-deep (non-starters).

Franklin & Marshall is idle this week. The Diplomats travel to Hobart next Saturday.

Gettysburg looks to break a seven-game losing streak against Hampden-Sydney ... the Bullets' last win was a 33-7 triumph in 1997 ... the Orange and Blue defense will be challenged by Tiger QB J.D. Ricca, who threw for 494 yards and six TDs against Sewanee last weekend ... Nathan Smith returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the third time in his collegiate career with his 86-yard return against Lebanon Valley ... he had a 100-yard return against Averett in 2002 and an 87-yarder against LVC in 2003 ... only Muhlenberg's Joshua Carter '02 has more career KOR touchdowns (4) in CC history ... Gettysburg has not started the season with two wins since 1993 ... H-SC is ranked 23rd by D3football.com.

Johns Hopkins welcomes Randolph-Macon to Homewood Field for its home opener ... the Yellow Jackets lead the all-time series, 14-12-1 ... The Blue Jays have won their last 12 September games and are 20-3 in their last 23 contests ... PK Ben Scott was the hero of last week's 9-7 win at Rochester, booting a 37-yard field goal with :01 left ... the last time JHU came from behind to win in the final minute was 1997, when RB Adam Gentile scored on an 8-yard run with 33 ticks on the clock to beat Muhlenberg, 24-21.

McDaniel is the first home opponent for Seton Hill College - a first-year program located in Greensburg, Pa. ... the Griffins lost their inaugural game to Urbana, 28-27, as a game-tying extra point was blocked with three minutes left ... the Green Terror will play without QB Brad Baer, who suffered a shoulder separation in the fourth quarter at Bridgewater ... junior Tom Wenrich gets the call ... this is not Wenrich's first time as a reliever, as he pitched for the Terror baseball team last spring, striking out 11 in 11 1/3 IP with a 3.09 ERA ... the 19-point halftime deficit (22-3) erased by McDaniel last weekend was the largest margin overcome since at least 1975 ... the Green and Gold is ranked 24th by D3football.com.

Muhlenberg is idle this week and returns to action next Saturday night for its home opener against Union.

Ursinus takes on high-flying QB John Port and the Albright Lions for its home opener ... Port was an honorable mention All-America last season after throwing for 3,799 yards and 35 touchdowns ... the Bears allowed just 152 passing yards at Susquehanna last week ... QB Vince Gallagher accounted for 227 of UC's 330 yards against the Crusaders with 192 in the air and 35 on the ground ... PK Matt Baney, who missed the entire 2004 season, announced his return with authority, booting three field goals (35, 22, 23 yards).

Bastion of Athletic Purity

Props to Larry Beckish, a retired assistant college football coach and the head coach of the Beaufort Academy football team. He wrote an article for the "Island Packet" in Hilton Head, S.C. that was published on September 7. The link for the entire story follows ... but here are a few highlights:

"I am approaching college football differently this these days.

After decades of coaching the likes of the Clemson Tigers, the Miami Hurricanes, the East Carolina Pirates, the Ole Miss Rebels and the Duke Blue Devils, I need a change. After years of watching Wolverines, Gators, Bulldogs, Wolfpack, Nittany Lions and other Division I-A teams battle on television, my interest has wandered.

Maybe it is an age thing, but I now find myself curious to see how the Whittier Poets, Franklin and Marshall's Diplomats, the Kenyon Lords, Heidelberg's Student Princes, Oberlin's Yeoman, Muhlenberg's Mules, Austin's Kangaroos and other similarly named NCAA Division III football teams fare in 2005.

Through most of my adult life, I believed college football was a noble and beneficial part of higher education. However, it has come to the point where this old-school coach can't tolerate many more recruiting and academic scandals, arrests for a wide array of offenses, pranks involving thefts, in-your-face attitudes, clumsy end zone celebrations or the look-at-me mentality.

I have explained to numerous high school players that not every kid can play at Clemson, the University of South Carolina, Georgia or other football factories. However, there are 234 Division III schools playing football, and if a kid is serious about playing in college there is a place for him ... if he is academically eligible. I sincerely hope many are serious, because the football experience, in a small college environment, can open numerous doors to a bright future. Being successful in football isn't about playing in front of 90,000 people, it's about education and interacting with classmates who someday could be a senator or a CEO of a Fortune 500 company."

Complete Story

You're Looking Live

There are some of us old enough to remember Brent Musberger opening "The NFL Today" with that line every single Sunday ... when CBS had the NFC contract. Well, it's not "looking" live in the Centennial Conference - unless you're sitting in front of your computer.

The Conference has made a commitment with its member institutions to provide audio and live internet stats and play-by-play (when possible) for a number of home events. Here is a list of links that you can save to "hear" your favorite fall team's games:

Live Football Audio
Dickinson
McDaniel
Muhlenberg

Live Internet Stats / Play-by-Play
Gettysburg
McDaniel
Washington

More schools have audio and live internet stat capability during the winter in their gymnasium, so look for more links during basketball season.

Monday Morning Quarterback

Every Monday during the football season, we'll recap the highlights of the weekend's football action. Now granted, today is not Monday, but we believe in national holidays as much as the next person ... so here we go ... a day late.

Conference Players of the Week
Offense: Tom Sturges, RB, Gettysburg - 32 rushes, 206 yards, 2 TDs
Defense: Andrew Ackley, DB, Dickinson - three interceptions, five passes broken up
Special Teams: Ben Scott, PK, Johns Hopkins - three field goals, including 37-yard game-winner with :01 left

Mules' QB Tandem a Success
Allentown Morning Call

McDaniel Stuns No. 14 Bridgewater
Baltimore Sun

Tale of Two Halves
Carroll County Times

Streeter Receives Heart-Stopping Win
Harrisburg Patriot-News

McDaniel Rallies to Beat BC
Harrisonburg Daily News-Record

Crusaders Rally Past Ursinus
Pottstown Mercury

Susquehanna Football Rallies for Victory
Sunbury Daily Item

Sloppy TCNJ Falls to Battle-Tested Muhlenberg
Trenton Times

Friday Tailgate

Notes and Quotes from around the Conference to get you ready for the weekend.

A pair of 2005 graduates will return to Dickinson as QB Keven Williams and DE Bob Ziegler join the coaching staff ... Where do you put promising first-year players in the Red Devil scheme ... obviously at inside linebacker ... Matt Williams was the team's 2003 Rookie of the Year, while Eric Dube was the recipient in 2004.

Franklin & Marshall QB Jeff Harner was named the D3football.com Preseason Player of the Year in the Conference. “Jeff brings a lot of calmness to the huddle,” head coach Shawn Halloran said. “There won’t be many panic situations out there. We will have some young tailbacks, but with an experienced guy at quarterback who has been through it … that goes a long way.” What does F&M need to do this season to make another championship run? “Now we have to do two things: stay healthy and make plays. Simple as that. Easy game, right?”

Who's the QB at Gettysburg? Junior QB Mark Campo and sophomore QB Hunter McMillan are the team’s top two candidates to replace three-year starter Joe Gossweiler, and both could see action in Saturday’s opener. Head coach Barry Streeter returns to the sidelines after a year's absence. “It’s been good to get back into this routine. The preseason has gone fast, which they all do. It’s like getting back on the horse – it didn’t take long to figure out what I was doing. So it’s been good.”

Johns Hopkins looks to continue a number of streaks against Rochester Saturday. The Blue Jays have won 11 straight games in the month of September since 2001 and have a five-game road winning streak. Hopkins is 19-3 over its last 22 contests. For all the different numbers and statistics that can be applied to the Johns Hopkins football team, there has been one simple way to measure the success of the Blue Jays in the last two years. Since the beginning of the 2003 season the Blue Jays are 19-0 when scoring more than seven points and 0-3 when they have been held to seven points or less.

Expect a close game when McDaniel travels to Bridgewater. Each of the last three games have been decided by three points with the Terror taking a 14-11 decision last year in Westminster. The Eagles have won 23 consecutive regular-season games at Jopson Field since Nov. 13, 1999. That year was the last win for McDaniel at bridgewater (24-0).

Muhlenberg went 8-3 a year ago, winning their fourth straight CC title and a third consecutive trip to the NCAA playoffs. But that's not enough in West Allentown. “We have to expect better of ourselves, expect better of our teammates and expect better of all our opponents,” said Mike Donnelly, who enters his ninth year as head coach. “This is the toughest schedule we’ve ever had.”

Ursinus welcomed back 78 letterwinners to Collegeville, including nine starters on offense and all 11 on defense. “For the first time in my tenure, I am returning 17 seniors that represent my first recruiting class,” said head coach Peter Gallagher. “Many of them are three year starters, which should provide the experience and leadership necessary for us to accomplish our goals.” Senior QB Vince Gallagher leads all returning CC passers with 3,169 career yards. He has the deep threats this season in WR Josh Hannum, a transfer from Penn State, and Brandon Evans. The pair helped set a school 4x100 record in outdoor track last spring, winning the CC championship.

The Real Football Previews

The men's and women's soccer season begins today at nine different venues. Here are links to team previews (where available) throughout the Centennial Conference.

Men
Franklin & Marshall: The Franklin & Marshall College men's soccer team has been selected to finish fourth in the quest for the Centennial Conference (CC) title according to a poll of the CC head coaches.
Gettysburg: In 2004, the Gettysburg men’s soccer team absorbed a tough lesson about margin of error – or, more specifically, the lack of one in the Centennial Conference (CC).
Haverford: Led by seniors Ben Bowens and Ben Leftwich in attack, and by seniors David Poolman and Greg Reed on defense, the Fords look forward to competing for a Centennial Conference playoff berth in 2005.
Johns Hopkins: The Blue Jays return seven starters and enter the season ranked first in the Centennial Conference and 11th in the nation, which is exactly where they left off last November.
Muhlenberg: Imagine a place so dreaded that the mere mention of it elicits groans. Now imagine going there voluntarily.
Swarthmore: The Swarthmore men’s soccer team kicks off the 2005 season at the annual Garnet Alumni Classic on Labor Day Weekend.

Women
Bryn Mawr: Thanks to a strong core of returning players and a talented recruiting class, Head Coach Amy Nakamoto and her Bryn Mawr soccer team are ready to make some noise in the Centennial Conference this season.
Franklin & Marshall: The Franklin & Marshall College women's soccer team has been selected to finish eighth in the quest for the Centennial Conference (CC) title according to a poll of the CC head coaches.
Gettysburg: Yes, the Gettysburg women’s soccer team graduated a number of key players from last year’s Centennial Conference (CC) championship squad. But that doesn’t mean the r-word applies to the 2005 version.
Haverford: After a record-breaking 2004 campaign - in which the Fords set new college marks in wins (15), goals scored (65) and fewest losses (2), Haverford is focused on winning the Centennial Conference Championship this year for the first time since 1995.
Johns Hopkins: Despite success, winners never settle. For Leo Weil's Johns Hopkins women's soccer team, 2004 was another winning season, highlighted by a 16-5-1 record, good for second most wins in the program's history and a tie for the third best winning percentage (.750) by a Hopkins squad.
Muhlenberg: While the members of the Muhlenberg women’s soccer team spent their preseason waiting for Head Coach Leslie Benintend to give birth to her first child, they were also working hard to help the program experience a rebirth.
Swarthmore: The leaf that is the 23rd edition of the Swarthmore women’s soccer team has turned, bringing new faces to scenic Clothier Field. Eight seniors and head coach Amy Brunner have departed, signaling a changing of the guard for the Garnet.