The Friday Tailgate

pictured: Eric Dube, Dickinson

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Dickinson (2-0, 4-0) at Moravian (2-0, 4-0)
It's the feature game of the week in the Conference as two of the Centennial's four unbeatens square off in Bethlehem ... the 'Hounds are 4-0 for the second time in four years and fifth overall ... the Red Devils are undefeated through four games for the first time since 1994 ... Dickinson is looking for its first-ever win at the Steel Field Complex (0-3-1) ... Moravian may be without both its top backs, as Tyler McCambridge is questionable with a sprained ankle and Morgan de Rouen is out with a knee injury ... 'Hound QB Marc Braxmeier is sixth in the nation in pass efficiency (192.1), completing 65.8 percent of his passes with 11 TDs and just two picks ... Moravian has the highest-scoring offense in the CC (35.0), while Dickinson is third (28.0).

Johns Hopkins (0-2, 1-3) at Muhlenberg (1-0, 3-0)
Two teams seemingly headed in different directions meet on Homecoming in Allentown ... the Blue Jays have dropped three straight home games since a season-opening win at Hampden-Sydney ... the Mules are 3-0 for the fifth time since 2000 and 10th time in history ... the Lehigh Valley teams - 'Berg and Moravian - are both unbeaten this late in the season for just the second time, matching 2004 ... Muhlenberg earned its first one-point win since 1994 with the 14-13 triumph at Gettysburg ... the 44-41 loss to Moravian was the first time that Hopkins has played a game in which both teams reached 40 or more points ... this is the second of a four-game stretch for JHU against teams that are all undefeated (14-0).

Gettysburg (1-1, 2-2) at Ursinus (1-0, 3-0)
The Bears are looking for their second consecutive 4-0 start, while the Bullets look for a second straight win over UC ... Gettysburg leads the CC in rushing (228.8) and total offense (402.0), while Ursinus is second in the Conference in total defense (252.7) and against the rush (91.7) ... Bullet RB Tom Sturges is 106 all-purpose yards away from cracking the CC career top 10 ... Bear QB Nicholas Dye tied a school record with five TD passes in the win at Juniata.

Juniata (0-2, 0-3) at McDaniel (0-2, 0-4)
The Eagles make their first Centennial road trip when they visit Westminster to take on the Green Terror ... Juniata QB Jay Leonard surpassed the 4,000-yard mark in career passing (4,159) with his 274 vs. Frankliun & Marshall ... the Eagles have 17 underclassmen among their top 22 starters ... McDaniel is still looking for its 500th all-time victory ... the Terror has given up four returns for touchdowns this season - two punt returns, one interception and one fumble return ... RB Eric Zwilsky ran for three TDs vs. Dickinson.

Catholic (3-1) at Franklin & Marshall (1-2)
The Diplomats step out of Centennial play and welcome the Cardinals to Lancaster ... football will fill the air at Sponaugle-Williamson Field, as Catholic QB Keith Ricca has thrown for 1,088 yards and seven TDs in four games, while F&M's Kyle Turner has 659 yards and six scores in three games ... Cardinal WR Pete Mercatanti is averaging 23.8 yards on 11 catches, while running mate Miles Sabrick is right behind with a 20.2 average on 12 receptions ... Diplomat WR George Eager has 26 catches for 262 yards and five scores in the last two games.

NCAA Statistical Leaders (top 20)
Total Defense: 5. Muhlenberg, 141.3
Rushing Defense: 12. Muhlenberg, 50.3
Pass Efficiency Defense: 9. Muhlenberg, 65.6
Scoring Defense: 5. Muhlenberg, 4.3
Pass Sacks: 19. Muhlenberg, 4.0

Rushing Yards per Game: 13. Tom Sturges, Gettysburg, 132.5
Passing Efficiency: 6. Marc Braxmeier, Moravian, 192.1
Receptions per Game: 7. George Eager, Franklin & Marshall, 9.3
Receiving Yards per Game: 9. Lance Tippett, Juniata, 136.7
Kickoff Returns: 7. Ryan Van Wright, Ursinus, 36.8
Field Goals per Game: 7. Alex Lachman, Johns Hopkins, 1.5; 17. Brian Reckenbeil, Moravian, 1.3
Total Tackles: 10. Eric Dube, Dickinson, 14.5
Solo Tackles: 17. Josh Roy, Juniata, 7.7
Forced Fumbles: 2. Andrew Morrissey, Moravian, 1.0

Five-Star Matchups

Brooks Paul Short Run (Cross Country)
It could almost be a Conference championship preview as nearly all the Centennial harriers will get together at the annual Brooks Paul Short Run at Lehigh. Haverford's Ian Ramsey-North will be one of the contenders for individual honors for the men, while Dickinson's Cait Bradley (pictured) will contend for women's honors. Mideast Region poll

Gettysburg at Ursinus (Field Hockey)
The Bullets (2-1, 5-3) make the trip to Collegeville to take on the No. 1 ranked Bears (3-0, 6-1) in their annual showdown. Ursinus has won 43 consecutive Centennial regular-season games.

Dickinson at Moravian (Football)
Two of the four unbeaten teams in the Conference meet in a critical matchup in Bethlehem as the defending CC champion Red Devils (2-0, 4-0) travel to meet the Greyhounds (2-0, 4-0). Two of the Centennial best players will be on display in Dickinson LB Eric Dube, the 2006 CC Defensive Player of the Year, and Moravian QB Marc Braxmeier, who is in the national top 10 in passing efficiency.

Gettysburg at Ursinus (Women's Soccer)
This may be the match where we find out if the first-place Bears (3-0, 6-1-1) are a contender or a pretender for the Centennial title as they host the Bullets (3-6, 2-1). Gettysburg has a 10-1-2 series advantage against Ursinus, but the Bears won the last meeting in Collegeville (1-0) in 2005 along with a penalty-kick win over the Bullets in the '05 CC tournament.

Johns Hopkins at Muhlenberg (Men's Soccer)
The #8 Blue Jays (3-0, 10-0) travel to Allentown to take on the Mules (2-1, 5-2) in a Homecoming tilt for 'Berg. The two teams have only met 22 times since 1946 with Hopkins holding a slender 11-10-1 advantage. Muhlenberg has won the last three contests at Memorial Field and is 6-2 against the Jays at home since 1993.

Johns Hopkins at Haverford (Volleyball)
The two top teams in the Conference meet with first place on the line Saturday on the Main Line as the Blue Jays (2-0, 16-3) come a-callin' on the #11 Fords (3-0, 17-0). Hopkins holds a 12-2 series lead but Haverford captured last year's match in Baltimore in five games. In fact, each of the last three meetings between the two teams have gone five games.

The Friday Tailgate

pictured: Chris Musselman, Muhlenberg

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It's week four of the Centennial football season and Conference play begins in earnest with four games on tap. Three of the four unbeatens are in action, including an intriguing matchup between Muhlenberg and Gettysburg. Get links to live stats and live audio on our Gameday site.

Muhlenberg at Gettysburg
The Bullets have the top-ranked offense in the Conference and are undefeated in their last nine appearances at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. The Mules have the top-ranked defense in the Conference and are riding a nine-quarter shutout streak. This is the 100th anniversary of the first meeting between the schools with Gettysburg holding a 41-29-1 series advantage. The Bullets have only played Franklin & Marshall (92) and Dickinson (72) more than Muhlenberg. Gettysburg RB Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, CT / Ridgefield) is averaging 147.3 yards per game, while QB Matt Flynn (Northfield, NJ / Mainland) is averaging 244.7 yards of total offense per outing. Muhlenberg DE Chris Musselman (Lambertville, NJ / South Hunterdon) has four sacks, while LB Dustin Good (Pottstown, PA / Pottsgrove) has a pair.

McDaniel at Dickinson
It is the 63rd meeting between the Green Terror and the Red Devils since their first meeting in 1904. Dickinson has won the last two games to close the series deficit to 35-26-1. McDaniel has won 19 of the 37 previous games in Carlisle. This is the earliest in the season that the two schools have met since 1956. McDaniel QB Brad Baer (Westminster, MD / Westminster) may be lost for the season after suffering a broken fibula in practice Thursday. Tom Wenrich (Wernersville, PA / Conrad Weiser) will take over under center. The Green Terror is winless in its last five road games. Dickinson QB Ian Mitchell (Newtown Square, PA / Malvern Prep) has run for over 100 yards in each of the last two victories. LB Eric Dube (Voorhees, NJ / Eastern) is third in Division III in tackles (51), while DB Michael Maxwell (Coatesville, PA / Coatesville) shares the CC lead in interceptions with three.

Moravian at Johns Hopkins
This is the ninth time that the Greyhounds and the Blue Jays have met on the gridiron since 1975 and first time since 1982. Moravian holds a 5-3 series lead. The three Hopkins victories were engineered by QB Jim Margraff, now head coach at Homewood. JHU is 78-10-2 when holding the opposition to 14 points or less under Margraff. A Hopkins win will give Margraff his 70th Centennial win, enabling him to join an elite club that consists of F&M's Tom Gilburg (77) and Gettysburg's Barry Streeter (76). Moravian QB Marc Braxmeier (Center Valley, PA / Allentown Central Catholic) is ninth in DIII in passing efficiency (190.4). His first cousin, LB Kevin McGorry (Whitehall, PA / ACC) leads the Conference in forced fumbles (3). PK Brian Reckenbeil (Branchburg, NJ / Somerville) became the 'Hounds all-time leader in field goals with 21.

Franklin & Marshall at Juniata
The Diplomats make their second-ever trip to Huntingdon to take on the Eagles in a game that could make air traffic controllers nervous. Juniata has the top-ranked aerial attack in the Conference at 293.0 yards per game. QB Jay Leonard (Newville, PA / Big Spring) is 11th in DIII in passing yardage, while WR Lance Tippett (Altoona, PA / Altoona) is 10th in receiving yards. Franklin & Marshall QB Kyle Turner (Haddonfield, NJ / Haddonfield) threw for 328 yards against Dickinson last weekend - his third 300-yard effort of his career. WR George Eager (Lititz, PA / Manheim Township) caught 15 aerials for 125 yards, while WR Paul Sousa (Chester, NJ / West Morris Mendham) gained 110 yards on seven receptions.

Ursinus idle - next game: September 29 vs. Gettysburg

NCAA Statistical Leaders (Top 20)
Rushing: 13. Tom Sturges, Gettysburg (147.3 ypg)
Passing Efficiency: 9. Marc Braxmeier, Moravian (190.4 rating)
Passing Yards: 11. Jay Leonard, Juniata (288.0 ypg)
Total Offense: 19. Jay Leonard, Juniata (289.5 ypg)
Receptions per Game: 16. George Eager, Franklin & Marshall (8.5 rpg)
Receiving Yards per Game: 10. Lance Tippett, Juniata (138.0)
Kickoff Returns: 4. Ryan Van Wright, Ursinus (36.8 ypr)
Field Goals per Game: 14. Brian Reckenbeil, Moravian (1.3); 20. Jordon Grube, Muhlenberg (1.0)
Punting: 17. Aren Johnson, Dickinson (40.8 avg)
Interceptions: 7. Jeff Kellar, Franklin & Marshall; Michael Maxwell, Dickinson; David Mazzola, Muhlenberg (1.0 pg)
Total Tackles: 3. Eric Dube, Dickinson (17.0 tpg)
Sacks: 2. Chris Musselman, Muhlenberg (2.0 spg)
Forced Fumbles: 1. Kevin McGorry, Moravian (1.0 avg)
Passes Defended: 16. Ryan Heinig, Dickinson (2.0 avg)

Soccer Notebook 9.19

pictured: Brandon Corday, Franklin & Marshall

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At the Polls
NSCAA National Men: Johns Hopkins (9), Franklin & Marshall (18)
NSCAA Regional Men: Johns Hopkins (2), Franklin & Marshall (3), Dickinson (5), Swarthmore (7), Muhlenberg (8)
D3kicks.com National Men: Johns Hopkins (3), Franklin & Marshall (16)
D3kicks.com Regional Men (uses NCAA Index): Franklin & Marshall (2), Johns Hopkins (3), Dickinson (4), Muhlenberg (6)
NSCAA National Women: Johns Hopkins (18), Swarthmore (T23)
NSCAA Regional Women: Johns Hopkins (3), Swarthmore (4), Dickinson (T10)
D3kicks.com National Women: Johns Hopkins (16)
D3kicks.com Regional Women (uses NCAA index): Swarthmore (7)

Statistically Speaking
Franklin & Marshall's Ryan McGonigle (Chadds Ford, PA / Unionville) leads the Conference in goals (8) and points (18), while Hopkins' freshmen duo of Scott Bukoski (Sagamore, MA / Bourne) and David Drake (Medford, NJ / Shawnee) each have six goals ... the Jays' Nick Gauna (Evanston, IL / Evanston) tops the assist chart (5) ... Diplomat GK Zack Zamek (Hillsborough, NJ / Hillsborough) has a 0.00 goals against average through 459:47 ... on the women's side, Dickinson's Lisa Nichols (North Granby, CT / Granby Memorial) has 5-7-17 to lead all scorers, while Muhlenberg's Valerie Patriarca (Hedding, NJ / Hun School) also has five goals ... Swarthmore GK Lauren Walker (Fallston, MD / Hotchkiss School) did not allowed a goal in 344:04, but surrendered a goal vs. Albright on Tuesday night, ending a 402:07 streak dating to last season.

Heard on the Pitch
The Swarthmore women have received goals from five first-year players this season - Hannah Purkey (Palo Alto, CA / Palo Alto), Elizabeth Mills (San Diego, CA / The Bishop's School), Kirsten Peterson (Fenton, MI / Powers Catholic), Kelsey Cline (Stanwood, WA / Stanwood) and Megan Colombo (Arcadia, CA / Arcadia) ... Johns Hopkins' Kim Lane (Hazlet, NJ / Raritan) broke the program record for points in a game with 3-4-10 vs. Washington ... Muhlenberg's Kasey Hacker (Greenville, DE / Archmere Academy) scored both goals in the overtime win vs. McDaniel ... Washington College GK Marc Petrucci (Avondale, PA / Avon Grove) made a career-high 16 saves in the 1-0 loss to Dickinson ... Haverford rookie Max Stossel (New York, NY / Dalton School) scored in the 77th minute to give the Fords a 1-1 draw with McDaniel, snapping Haverford's four-year losing streak to McDaniel ... Gettysburg made it 15 straight victories in Conference openers with a 5-0 triumph at home vs. Ursinus ... Chris Bayon (Langhorne, PA / Lawrenceville School, NJ) and Matt Varner (Medford, NJ / Shawnee) each scored twice for the Bullets ... Franklin & Marshall has not allowed a goal in its six victories ... Dickinson, who has five straight shutouts, got the third game-winning goal of the season from first-year Thomas Parkinson (Westfield, NJ / Westfield) in the 1-0 win at Washington ... Unbeaten streak abound at Hopkins, as the Blue Jays are unbeaten in their last 21 regular season matches and their last 18 Centennial Conference matches ... in addition, Johns Hopkins has not lost a CC match at Homewood Field since Oct. 11, 1995 - a streak of 52 consecutive contests.

Monday Morning Quarterback

pictured: Harold Barton, Gettysburg

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Offensive Player of the Week
Nicholas Dye, Ursinus, (Jr, QB, Glenside, PA / Cheltenham Township) – Dye completed 18-of-29 passes for 299 yards and a school-record tying five touchdown passes in the 44-26 win at Juniata. He also ran for 95 yards, giving him 394 total yards on the day – the seventh-highest single-game total in Conference history.

Defensive Player of the Week
Harold Barton, Gettysburg, (Sr, LB, Somerdale, NJ / Sterling) – Barton led the way with 11 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, as the Bullets held Johns Hopkins to just 74 rushing and 224 total yards in a 41-10 victory. It was Gettysburg's first road win since 2003.

Special Teams Player of the Week
Ryan Van Wright, Ursinus, (Sr, KR, Moorestown, NJ / Moorestown) – Van Wright returned a kickoff 76 yards for a touchdown in the Bears' 44-26 win at Juniata. He totaled 173 yards on two kickoff (98) and four punt returns (75).

Notable
Dickinson QB Ian Mitchell (Newtown Square, PA / Malvern Prep) registered his second consecutive 100-yard rushing effort with 130 vs. Franklin & Marshall ... LB Eric Dube (Voorhees, NJ / Eastern) is just two tackles shy of 300 for his career ... Franklin & Marshall QB Kyle Turner (Haddonfield, NJ / Haddonfield) set a school record for completions (34) and tied the mark for attempts (55) in the loss to Dickinson ... WR George Eager (Lititz, PA / Manheim Township) caught 15 passes - one shy of the school and CC single-game record ... Juniata QB Jay Leonard (Newville, PA / Big Spring) has thrown for 869 yards and eight TDs in his last three games ... WR Lance Tippett (Altoona, PA / Altoona) caught nine passes for a career-high 192 yards vs. Ursinus ... "Irresistible Force" meets "Immovable Object" Saturday in Gettysburg, as Muhlenberg - the Conference's top defense - squares off against the Bullets - the Centennial's top offense ... Mule QB Eric Santagato (Ringwood, NJ / Lakeland) became the 15th 'Berg passer to reach 2,000 yards in a career (2,061) ... Gettysburg's win at Johns Hopkins snapped a 17-game road losing streak that dates to 2003 ... QB Matt Flynn (Northfield, NJ / Mainland) has 2,137 passing yards and 20 TDs in just 13 collegiate games ... RB Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, CT / Ridgefield) registered his 15th career 100-yard game with 148 vs. Hopkins ... Moravian and Johns Hopkins meet for the first time in 25 years on Saturday in Baltimore ... the Jays' only three wins in the eight games vs. the 'Hounds were engineered by QB Jim Margraff< now JHU head coach ... Moravian RB Tyler McCambridge (Northampton, PA / Allentown Central Catholic) had his second 100-yard game of the season with 126 vs. Lebanon Valley ... PK Brian Reckenbeil (Branchburg, NJ / Somerville) booted a pair of field goals to set a school career record with 21 three-pointers ... Hopkins has lost consecutive home games and has not lost three in a row at Homewood since 1993-94 ... Ursinus amassed 635 total yards in its win at Juniata - the fourth-highest single-game total in Conference history ... QB Nick Dye (Glenside, PA / Cheltenham) threw for 299 yards and five touchdowns, while also running for 95 yards ... his 394 yards of total offense is the second-best single-game total in school history ... DB Ryan Van Wright (Moorestown, NJ / Moorestown) returned a kickoff 76 yards for a touchdown.

The Friday Tailgate 9.14

It's a first in the 25-year football history of the Centennial Conference as two games will be played under the lights Friday with four more games on tap for Saturday. Of course, Johns Hopkins has its traditional Friday night game at home against Gettysburg but Franklin & Marshall rolls out the portable lights for the 99th renewal of its rivalry with Dickinson. It's truly "The Friday Tailgate." For more info, check out our Gameday site.

Dickinson at Franklin & Marshall
It's the "Conestoga Wagon Trophy" between the Red Devils (2-0) and the Diplomats (0-1) ... Dickinson has won 16 of the last 19 meetings to close the all-time deficit to 59-36-3 ... F&M is 88-30-1 in home openers and 7-3 over its last 10 ... the Diplomats are 17-7 in their CC opener, while Dickinson is 13-11 ... the Devils are led by LB Eric Dube, the 2006 Centennial Defensive Player of the Year, who already has 36 tackles through two games ... offensively, watch QB Ian Mitchell and WR Chris McInerney ... F&M counters with QB Kyle Turner, who led the CC in passing yardage last season, and DL George Farrell ... Diplomat OL Brian Rice , who may be better known as a three-time All-CC lineman, may be the heaviest caddy in the country at 335 pounds ... he spent the summer toting bags at the Lancaster CC.

Gettysburg at Johns Hopkins
A staple of the JHU schedule is at least one Friday night game and this year only the Bullets agreed to come to Homewood to play under the lights ... this is the seventh straight meeting between Hopkins and Gettysburg in Baltimore on a Friday night with the Blue Jays winning all six previous games ... JHU is 25-12-1 on Friday nights ... a series of streaks -- Gettysburg was 17-1-1 against Hopkins from 1916-1994 ... Hopkins then reeled off 11 consecutive wins before the Orange and Blue snapped the streak last season with a 23-18 triumph ... Hop is 15-9 in CC openers, while Gettysburg is 13-11 ... the Blue Jays have blocked five kicks in their last three games ... Gettysburg has dropped 17 consecutive road games.

Ursinus at Juniata
The Eagles begin Centennial Conference play by welcoming preseason CC favorite Ursinus to Knox Stadium ... it should be an interesting battle between strong-armed Juniata QB Jay Leonard and the Bear secondary, led by DBs Ryan Van Wright, Chris Frank and DeVohn Butler ... Leonard has thrown for 553 yards in his last two games, while the Bears have allowed only 157 ... the Eagle defense will have its hands full with UC's Aaron Harper, who is averaging 98 yards per game.

Catholic at McDaniel
The Cardinals come calling on the Green Terror in Westminster, looking to break a 7-game losing streak to the Green and Gold ... the last two meetings have been decided by a single point - 37-36 (2005) and 14-13 (2006) ... McDaniel will look to turn its offensive production around after mustering just three points in the first three quarters of two games this season ... the Terror have not finished with a losing record at home since 1989 ... Catholic is 2-0 after wins over Shenandoah and Ohio Wesleyan.

Lebanon Valley at Moravian
The Greyhounds look to make it three in a row when they welcome the Flying Dutchmen to Rocco Calvo Field ... this is the 65th time that the two teams have met on the gridiron with Moravian leads 32-31-1 ... except for a five-year period from 1980-1985, LVC and Moravian have met every year since 1946 ... RB Tyler McCambridge became the 19th 'Hound runner to reach 1,000 career yards ... PK Brian Reckenbeil became just the third kicker in school history to reach 100 points (107) ... the Valley is 1-1 rebounding from an opening-week loss to Gettysburg with a win over Susquehanna.

Union at Muhlenberg
The Dutchmen and the Mules meet for the eighth time in a series that began in 1994 ... Union has won the last two games to take a 4-3 series lead ... Muhlenberg was idle last week after opening the year with a 15-0 shutout of TCNJ ... Union lost its opener at home to Springfield ... the Dutchmen shared the Liberty League title with Hobart, but lost their all-time leaders in rushing, passing and receiving yards.

Five-Star Matchups 9.14.07

pictured: Pat Christmas, Swarthmore

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Dickinson at Franklin & Marshall (Football)
It's the 99th time that the Red Devils (2-0) and the Diplomats (0-1) have met on the gridiron, but the first time they've met under the lights. Franklin & Marshall holds a 59-36-3 series lead, but Dickinson has won three straight and seven of the last eight from the Blue and White. F&M's last time to hold the Conestoga Wagon Trophy was in 2003 after a 20-14 overtime win at home.

Gettysburg at Johns Hopkins (Field Hockey)
It is always a good game when the Bullets (3-1) and the Blue Jays (3-1) meet and this year should be no exception in the CC opener for both teams. Gettysburg leads the all-time series, 14-12-1, but Hopkins won last year's matchup by a 5-1 count.

Johns Hopkins at Swarthmore (Men's Soccer)
The 10th ranked Blue Jays (6-0) take to the road to take on the Garnet (4-0-2) in the CC opener for a pair of unbeaten teams. Hopkins leads the all-time series, 25-23-5, and is 3-0-1 in the last four matches. Swarthmore's last win was a 1-0 triumph at Clothier Field in 2003, while the Garnet also had a scoreless draw with JHU at home in 2005.

Muhlenberg at Franklin & Marshall (Men's Soccer)
It is the 56th time that the Mules and the Diplomats have met on the pitch since 1948 with Franklin & Marshall holding a 28-23-4 advantage. Muhlenberg has not won a regular-season game in Lancaster since 1997 (5-0), but knocked off the Diplomats, 1-0, in a 2004 first-round playoff game at Baker Campus.

Around the Conference

pictured: Emily Hinchcliff, Haverford

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We're a day away from the weekend, so let's take a quick look at what's going on around the Conference.

Cross Country
Dickinson swept by Franklin & Marshall and Gettysburg to win another Little Three championship. Nick Karwoski (Hollis, NH / Groton) was the men's winner - the eighth straight Dickinson runner to capture the individual championship, as the Red Devils made it 10 titles in a row. The Dickinson women made it 14 Little Three crowns in a row as Cait Bradley (Fairfield, CT / Fairfield) defended her individual title. Muhlenberg's David Chorney made school history by becoming the first Mule to win the annual Lehigh Valley Championships, which since 2001 has brought together runners from Division I, II and III schools.

Field Hockey
Did you know that the Centennial is 25-11 against non-Conference opposition through Wednesday's games? Franklin & Marshall is the lone unbeaten team (4-0) which is quite a turnaround from 2006 when the Diplomats dropped their first six games. Three teams are ranked in the national top 20 - Ursinus (2), Johns Hopkins (12) and F&M (16). Dickinson wrapped up its ODAC portion of the non-CC schedule at 3-0, downing E. Mennonite, Roanoke and Bridgewater.

Volleyball
Props to Haverford's Emily Hinchcliff (Ithaca, NY / Ithaca) on becoming the school's career leader in assists (3,917). She needs 83 more to become the fifth player in Centennial history to reach 4,000 set assists. The Fords are now 10-0 and ranked 16th nationally. Guess who else is unbeaten -- Bryn Mawr. The Owls are 6-0 overall and 4-0 against NCAA opposition. Franklin & Marshall made it 15 straight vs. Washington with a three-game sweep of the Shorewomen.

Five-Star Matchups

It's another year of "Five-Star Matchups" - our look at the day's best games. Usually, we focus on the most important Centennial games and their impact on the Conference race. And on occasion, we preview a game of national importance ... and that's where we begin edition #1.

#22 Stevens at #16 Haverford (Volleyball)
It is a battle of undefeated top 25 teams tonight on the Main Line as the 16th ranked Fords (8-0) welcome the 22nd ranked Ducks (6-0) to the Gardner Center. The No. 16 ranking in the latest AVCA Division III poll is the highest ever for Haverford, who has won a program-record 20 straight games to open the season. The match begins at 5 p.m. and you can follow the action with live stats and play-by-play, courtesy of Haverford Sports Information. And if that's not enough, Haverford meets undefeated Elizabethtown (7-0) at 7 p.m.

Franklin & Marshall at McDaniel (Field Hockey)
It's the Conference opener for both schools as the 16th ranked Diplomats (3-0) look to announce their return to the upper echelon of the Centennial against the 2006 CC semifinalist Green Terror (2-0). It is the 34th meeting between the two teams with McDaniel holding a 19-13-1 advantage, including seven straight victories in the series. F&M has not won in Westminster since 1997 (4-1).

Soccer Notebook 9.11

pictured: Lisa Nichols, Dickinson

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This is the first of our weekly Soccer Notebooks ... hope you enjoy.

Going Polling
The Centennial women have one team that is nationally ranked and three that are regionally ranked this week ... Johns Hopkins comes in at No. 19 in the NSCAA Division III poll, while the Blue Jays are third in the Mid-Atlantic region ... Swarthmore is ranked #5 and Muhlenberg holds down the No. 9 position.

On the men's side ... Johns Hopkins is ranked 10th nationally, while Franklin & Marshall moves into the national poll at No. 18 ... CC teams hold down five of the top eight spots in the regional poll ... Hopkins and F&M are 2-3, followed by Swarthmore (T-4), Dickinson (7) and Muhlenberg (8).

By the Numbers
Dickinson F Lisa Nichols (North Granby, CT / Granby Memorial) leads the CC in scoring with 5-5-15, while Muhlenberg's Christina O'Grady (Mechanicsburg, PA / Cumberland Valley) is next with 3-3-9 ... Swarthmore GK Lauren Walker (Fallston, MD / Hotchkiss School)and Ursinus GK Ashley Potter (East Stroudsburg, PA / East Stroudsburg) have yet to allow a goal this season ... Franklin & Marshall F Ryan McGonigle (Chadds Fords, PA / Unionville) has 7-2-16 to lead the men in scoring, while Hopkins' Scott Bukoski (Sagamore, MA / Bourne) has 5-1-11 ... three keepers have yet to allow a goal in men's play.

Odds and Ends
Swarthmore's Lauren Walker (Fallston, MD / Hotchkiss School) has a scoreless streak of 266:37 dating to last season ... the Muhlenberg women are undefeated through four games for the first time since 1991, including a 1-0-1 record against two teams that made the NCAA tournament a year ago ... Hopkins has 92 all-time Centennial victories and is eight shy of becoming the second CC team to reach 100 (Gettysburg) ... Haverford junior GK Lindsay Festa (Old Field, NY / Stony Brook School) set a program record with her 15th career shutout in the 1-0 win at Pomona-Pitzer ... Dickinson F Lisa Nichols (North Granby, CT / Granby Memorial) scored four goals and added five assists in a 2-0 weekend.

Did you know that Johns Hopkins' men's team has never won a Centennial title in an odd-numbered year? ... the Blue Jays have won six Conference championships in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006 ... Hopkins is unbeaten in its last 23 games at Homewood Field ... under coach Matt Smith, the Jays are 134-10-10 at home ... Smith is now the winningest coach in Centennial history with 226 wins, one better than Muhlenberg's Jeff Tipping (1986-01) ... Dickinson's Magen Mintz (Cherry Hill, NJ / East) scored a natural hat trick in a span of 11:09 in the win over Delaware Valley ... Franklin & Marshall F Ryan McGonigle (Chadds Ford, PA / Unionville) scored five goals and dished out a pair of assists as the Diplomats won the Blue Jay Classic at Elizabethtown last weekend ... Muhlenberg won its third straight 2-0 match to open the season - the third straight year in which 'Berg began with three shutouts ... Washington senior GK Marc Petrucci (Avondale, PA / Avon Grove) has a 94.6 save percentage.

Games to Watch
Saturday opens Conference play on the men's side with two matches pitting undefeated opponents ... Swarthmore (3-0-2) welcomes Johns Hopkins (5-0) to Clothier Field, while Muhlenberg (3-0) comes to Lancaster to face Franklin & Marshall (4-0).

The Friday Tailgate 9.7

pictured: Gettysburg RB Tom Sturges

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Not a bad first week of the season for the Conference on the gridiron as Centennial teams went 6-1. Six more non-Conference games are on tap Saturday, while the Centennial season kicks off with Moravian welcoming McDaniel to Rocco Calvo Field. For more information, click on our Gameday site.

McDaniel at Moravian, 1:00
It is the 12th time that the Terror and the Greyhounds have met on the gridiron with Moravian holding a 7-4 lead ... McDaniel won the last meeting by a 21-7 count in a 2002 ECAC bowl game ... the Green and Gold needs one more win to become the 24th team in Division III to reach 500 victories ... also needing one more win is Moravian coach Scot Dapp, who will surpass Rocco Calvo as the school's winningest football coach with 123 victories ... McDaniel starts six sophomores on offense and five on defense, along with a freshman ... Terror QB Brad Baer is 103 yards away from reaching 5,000 career yards of total offense ... 'Hound QB Marc Braxmeier tied a school record by throwing four TD passes in the 34-27 win at Susquehanna, while also running for another ... he was named Centennial co-Offensive Player of the Week ... RB Tyler McCambridge needs 27 yards to become the 19th Greyhound to reach 1,000 career yards rushing ... listen to the game on 1470 - WTTR-AM in Westminster or WSAN-AM in Bethlehem.

Hobart at Dickinson, 1:00
It is the Red Devils' home opener and the 15th straight year that Hobart has opened its season against Dickinson ... the Red and White hold an 8-7-1 series lead, but the Statesmen have won the last three contests ... both Dickinson and Hobart (co) won their respective Conference titles in 2006 with the Statesmen sharing the Liberty League crown with Union ... both teams received votes in this week's D3football.com top 25 ... WR Chris McInerney had a big day for the Devils in the 17-13 victory at Grove City with nine catches for 102 yards ... QB Ian Mitchell was 17-of-25 for 172 yards in his first collegiate start ... Hobart welcomes back three players on defense that earned All-Liberty League honors last season in CB James Alexander, DT Ryan Aruck and LB Mike Kaplun ... listen to the game on WDCV-FM in Carlisle and WEOS-FM 89.7 in Geneva.

Franklin & Marshall at Washington & Lee, 1:00
It is the season opener for both squads ... F&M begins its 120th season which started in 1887, while W&L played its first game in 1873 and has had a varsity team since 1890 ... it is the seventh meeting between the two schools with the series tied 3-3 ... the Diplomats knocked off the Generals, 21-7, in last year's opener in Lancaster ... F&M went on to a 3-7 campaign, while W&L went 8-3, capturing the ODAC crown ... keep an eye on the QBs, as F&M's Kyle Turner set a school single-season record with 2,171 passing yards and W&L's R.J. Varner, the 2006 ODAC Rookie of the Year, completed 61 percent of his passes for 1,101 yards and eight scores ... Franklin & Marshall is 15-35-4 in road/season openers ... listen to the game on WLUR-FM 91.5

Gettysburg at Hampden-Sydney, 1:00
The Bullets look to make and break a couple of marks in their road opener with the Tigers ... a victory would give Gettysburg its first 2-0 start since 1993 and also break a 16-game road losing streak that dates to Oct. 25, 2003, when the Orange and Blue won at Ursinus, 14-3 ... RB Tom Sturges was named the Centennial co-Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 220 yards and scoring four TDs - three on the ground ... he needs 38 yards to become the fifth Bullet to amass 3,000 yards for his career ... QB Matt Flynn threw for 235 yards and four touchdowns against Lebanon Valley ... this is the 20th meeting between Gettysburg and H-SC with the Tigers holding a 12-7 lead ... Hampden-Sydney dropped its opener to Johns Hopkins, 17-16 ... WR Drew Smith caught 11 passes for 137 yards and a score ... listen to the game of WFLO-FM 95.7 and AM 870

Randolph-Macon at Johns Hopkins, 1:00
The Blue Jays open their home season against the Yellow Jackets ... it is the 31st meeting for the two teams with JHU holding a slim 15-14-1 advantage ... Hopkins has won the last two home games with R-MC with identical 24-0 counts (2003, 2005) ... it is the 125th anniversary of football for the Jays and the 100th season of football at Homewood Field ... Hopkins recorded its 10th come-from-behind victory since the start of the 2004 season with the 17-16 win at Hampden-Sydney ... RB Phil Roberts rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown, while PK Alex Lachman booted a 43-yard FG and hit the game-winning extra point with 1:34 to play ... R-MC opened the year with a 42-16 win at Denison, as QB Brandon Braner was 15-of-31 for 223 yards with three TDs ... Rod Nelson caught seven of those aerials for 115 yards and all three scores ... listen to the game at WJHUradio.com and SportsJuice.com.

Juniata at FDU-Florham, 1:00
The Eagles open their first season as Centennial members with the longest trip of the season to take on the Devils ... Juniata closed the 2006 season with a 39-31 victory over FDU as QB Jay Leonard threw for 293 yards and a career-best four TDs ... LB Tyler Hall and DB Brandon Spayd lead the defense ... the Devils were picked to finish eighth in the 8-team Middle Atlantic Conference ... RB Dan Harrison led the FDU ground game in 2006 with 835 yards ... it is the 17th meeting between the schools with Juniata holding a 13-3 lead ... listen to the game on WKVR-FM 92.3.

Lycoming at Ursinus, 1:00
This is just the second all-time meeting with the elevens from Williamsport and Collegeville ... Lycoming captured a 31-24 victory in the first round of the 1996 NCAA playoffs - the last time Ursinus won a Centennial championship ... the Bears showed why they are the 2007 CC favorites with a convincing 28-0 season-opening win at La Salle ... RB Aaron Harper ran for 94 yards and two TDs, while DB Chris Frank led the defensive effort with 11 tackles, two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble ... the Warriors were shut down in their opener by Ithaca, 31-6 ... Lyco was held to just 16 rushing yards on 30 carries ... QB Colin Dwyer completed 12-of-18 passes for 74 yards and a score ... listen to the game on WRAK-AM 1400 in Williamsport.