Five-Star Matchups

As we close out the month of September, there are a number of big games on tap around the Conference. Here's a quick look.

Dickinson at Muhlenberg (Men's Soccer)
Two of the three Conference unbeatens square off in a critical match under the lights at Memorial Field in Allentown. The Red Devils (2-0, 7-1) are fresh off a 1-0 overtime win at #3 Swarthmore, while the Mules (2-0, 5-2) have won four straight, all on the road and by shutout. Dickinson is ranked second in the region and 10th nationally, while Muhlenberg holds down the No. 6 slot in the regional poll. Two players with a propensity for putting the ball in the net will be on display tonight in the Mules' Cody Antonini (8 goals) and the Devils' Thomas Parkinson (8 goals). Antonini has scored a goal in each of 'Berg's seven contests thus far in 2009. It is the 46th all-time meeting between the schools with Muhlenberg holding a 30-12-3 series advantage, despite four wins in the last five meetings by Dickinson.

Muhlenberg at Haverford (Field Hockey)
The race for the five playoff spots in the Conference looks to be wide-open, as the Mules (1-0 CC, 5-2) and the Fords (0-1, 3-3) look to take a step toward that goal today at Swan Field. Two of the Centennial's top goal scorers meet today in 'Berg's Tara Cohn (6) and Haverford's Alex Waleko (6). Muhlenberg leads the series, 11-5, since 1993 but the teams have split the last four contests.

Franklin & Marshall at Gettysburg (Volleyball)
It's one of the oldest volleyball series in the Conference ... and one of the best. The Diplomats (3-0, 14-2) and the Bullets (1-1, 11-6) meet for the 47th time since 1976 with the Orange and Blue holding a 35-11 advantage. F&M is just 2-6 at Bream Gym this decade. Keep an eye on the big hitters - Nicole Morano (2.66 kills per set) of the Diplomats and Kristina Mercier (2.70 kills per set) of the Bullets. You can watch this match live courtesy of streaming video from Gettysburg athletics.

Five-Star Matchups

It's Ladies Day in the Conference as the field hockey and women's soccer teams take center stage with key games.

Washington at Swarthmore (Field Hockey)
This is a game that could have a major impact on which team will be in the hunt for one of the five playoff spots in the Conference tournament. The Shorewomen (2-1 CC, 4-4) are riding a two-game win streak, defeating F&M in strokes and knocking off Mary Washington, as Kelsey Kemp (5-3-13) notched the game-clinching goals in both games. The Garnet (1-1, 4-4) gave eighth-ranked Johns Hopkins all it wanted last Saturday before falling 2-1 in overtime. Gina Grubb is near the top of the CC goalkeepers in save percentage (81.2). Washington leads the series, 9-8, since 1993.

Franklin & Marshall at Gettysburg (Field Hockey)
It's another match that could determine playoff fates as the Diplomats (1-1, 5-2) and the Bullets (1-1, 6-2) meet in the 43rd renewal of their rivalry. F&M has a 20-19-3 all-time lead and has won three of the last five games at the Battlefield. Allison McLaren (4-1-9) and Eileen O'Reilly (3-3-9) lead the Diplomat offense, while GK Christina Anderson (82.5 save pct.) backstops a stubborn Bullet defense.

Dickinson at Johns Hopkins (Women's Soccer)
It's a matchup between two nationally-ranked foes as the #21 Red Devils (1-1, 7-1) travel to Baltimore to battle the #9 Blue Jays (2-0, 7-2) in a rematch of the 2008 Centennial final. That match was scoreless through 110 minutes and was decided by penalty kicks (JHU 4-2). Dickinson has a prolific offense, led by Hannah Richardson (9-2-20) and Kim Callaghan (5-1-11), while GK Kailyn Hartmann has impressive save (91.3) and GAA (0.26) numbers. Johns Hopkins, the four-time defending CC champs, have depended on its defense through a challenging pre-season schedule. Karen Guszkowski is one of the top keepers in the Conference with a 90.6 save percentage and a 0.59 goals-against average.

Muhlenberg at Haverford (Women's Soccer)
There are some good storylines today on the Main Line as the Mules (1-0, 4-3) visit the Fords (1-0, 6-0-2). First, this is a match between two of the three unbeaten teams in the Conference. Second, it is a rematch of the 200 Centennial first-round match won by the Mules, 2-1. Third, Haverford head coach Jamie Gluck is a graduate of Muhlenberg '03 and played on a pair of CC championship squads (2001-02). 'Berg has a balanced scoring attack, led by Lauren Petri (3-3-9). Ford GK Kayleigh Herrick-Reynolds has an 0.71 goals-against mark.

Football Press Conference

Welcome to Centennial Conference football press conference for Tuesday, September 29, 2009. There are three unbeaten teams remaining in Conference play and two are on the road - Dickinson (at Moravian) and Johns Hopkins (at Muhlenberg).

Have a question for our coaches? Join in the conversation or leave one in the comment box below (before 9:45 a.m. Tuesday).

Sunday Morning QB

Josh Land of the Carroll County Times writes that Dickinson's Ian Mitchell seemed unfazed by the rain in the Devils' win over McDaniel.

His post-game notebook also talks about how Green Terror WR Matt Cahill played through the pain of a separated shoulder.

Jeff Gill of the Altoona Mirror looks for some highlights from Juniata's 34-7 loss to Franklin & Marshall.

The following newspapers provide roundups from yesterday: Baltimore Sun and Easton Express-Times, while these papers provide staff reports: Carlisle Sentinel, Lancaster Sunday News and Gettysburg Times.

The Friday Tailgate

The first weekend of fall means the first full weekend of Centennial football action with games at four venues. The biggest game of the day pits a pair of CC unbeatens as Moravian visits Johns Hopkins. Can't make the trip to see your favorite team play? You can watch two games - Moravian-Hopkins and Muhlenberg-Gettysburg - on your computer with streaming video courtesy of JHU and Gettysburg. You can also listen to the game in Baltimore, as well as the Dickinson-McDaniel contest. Follow the links below.

Coach to Cure MD
Coach To Cure MD is a partnership between the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), a professional organization for over 10,000 college football coaches and staff, and Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), the largest national charity devoted exclusively to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In 2008 the AFCA adopted PPMD’s Coach To Cure MD program as one of their charity efforts. One reason the AFCA was drawn to Coach To Cure MD was because of the unique parallels between Duchenne, a disorder which robs young men of precious muscle strength and college football, a game where young men are at the peak of their muscle strength.

The goals of Coach To Cure MD are simple: raise national awareness of the disorder and raise money to fund research for a cure. Our approach to reaching these goals is also simple. One football Saturday of each season (this year it will be on September 26, 2009) AFCA coaches nationwide agree to promote Coach To Cure MD. By wearing armbands, mentioning Coach To Cure MD during on and off-field interviews, and in some instances doing even more extensive media relations around the date, coaches are rolling up their sleeves and proudly getting involved.

Moravian at Johns Hopkins
Audio: WSAN-AM. Video: hopkinssports.com Live Stats: Yes.
The Greyhounds (1-2, 1-0 CC) head south to Baltimore to take on the Blue Jays (2-1, 1-0) in a game between two Conference unbeatens. Moravian knocked off McDaniel, 21-16, two weeks ago, while Hopkins downed Gettysburg, 41-23, last Friday night. The 'Hounds have struggled offensively, mustering just under 200 yards per game, and have not scored in the second half this season. The Jays, on the other hand, are producing 363 yards and nearly 28 points per contest. Moravian hopes to have RB Ryan Rempe back in the fold after missing two games with an injury. Hopkins RB Andrew Kase holds the JHU career record with 27 rushing TDs, while his 3,311 yards are ninth on the all-time Centennial list.

Muhlenberg at Gettysburg
Audio: No. Video: gettysburgsports.com Live Stats: Yes.
The Mules (1-1, 1-0) open Conference play with a trip to the Battlefield to take on the struggling Bullets (0-3, 0-1). It is the 74th meeting between the team with Gettysburg holding a 41-31-1 overall edge. 'Berg has won three straight and eight of the last 10 games. It is a classic battle between irresistible force meets immovable object - Gettysburg is 14th in DIII in total offense at nearly 500 yards per game, while Muhlenberg is 22nd in the country allowing just under 240 yards per contest. Keep an eye on the running backs, as Muhlenberg freshman Terrence Dandridge has averaged 116 yards in his first two collegiate games, while Gettysburg junior Jamel Mutunga is averaging 113 per outing. Bullet QB Matt Flynn needs just 12 yards to become the third Centennial player to reach 7,000 total offense yards in a career.

McDaniel at Dickinson
Audio: WTTR-AM, WDCV-FM. Video: No. Live Stats: No.
The undefeated Red Devils (3-0, 1-0) welcome the Green Terror (2-1, 0-1) to Carlisle for the 65th renewal of their rivalry. McDaniel holds a 36-27-1 series lead and captured a 20-13 victory in the final minute last season in Westminster. Dickinson is 16th in the country, averaging 41 points per game. Since 1885, the Red and White has never scored more points (121) in its opening three games. Ian Mitchell set a Centennial career record for rushing yards by a QB (2,046) and a school record for career passing yards (3,895) last week vs. F&M. WR Pat O'Connor is six catches shy of tying the school career reception mark (141). Dickinson is 14-for-14 inside the red zone. McDaniel is 2-1 for the first time since 2005, following a thrilling 21-17 win vs. Catholic. It was the 100th victory for head coach Tim Keating on The Hill. Both teams are tied for the Conference lead in scrimmage plays of 20 yards or more (13). Terror QB Tom Massucci has thrown for 635 yards and five TDs this season.

Franklin & Marshall at Juniata
Audio: B2 Network. Video: No. Live Stats: Yes.
The Diplomats (2-1, 0-1) head west of 22/322 to Huntingdon to take on the Eagles (0-3, 0-1). It is the sixth meeting between the schools with F&M holding a 4-1 edge, including two straight victories. Juniata's lone win in the series came in 1986 at home (21-11). The Blue and White offense is ranked 29th in DIII in scoring (38.0), 9th in passing (338.7) and 59th in total offense (402.0). QB John Harrison has already surpassed the 1,000-yard mark (1,011) and has 12 touchdown tosses - the first time that's been done in three consecutive games since 1999. WR George Eager is fourth on the all-time F&M reception list (147). The Eagles are 0-3 for the fifth straight season. Juniata's offense has struggled, converting just 5-of-41 third-downs and averaging just 4.3 points per game. In fact, JC is scoreless in the 1st and 3rd quarters in 2009. QB Alex Snyder has protected the football, throwing 67 consecutive passes without an interception.

Five-Star Matchups

Here is a look at the weekend's top games in the Centennial Conference.

Johns Hopkins at Swarthmore (Women's Soccer)
Two of the top teams in the nation square off under the lights at Clothier Field in a match that could decide homefield for November's Conference tournament. The Blue Jays (6-2, 1-0), ranked #12 by the NSCAA and #14 by D3soccer.com, are four-time defending champions in the Conference. The Garnet (7-1, 1-0) are ranked #20 and #18, respectively, are 0-6 against Hopkins since a 2-1 overtime victory at home in 2003. The key matchup could be between Hopkins' All-America defender Jenn Paulucci and Swarthmore striker Julia Luongo (4-2-10).

Haverford at Gettysburg (Field Hockey)
The Fords (3-2, 1-0) travel west to the Battlefield to take on the 13th ranked Bullets (5-2, 0-1) in an early-season key matchup in the Conference. Gettysburg has won all 16 games in the series, including 13 by more than one goal. One of those one-goal games was last season on the Main Line (4-3). Alex Waleko and Roxanne Jaffe have combined for nine goals to lead the Fords, while Lexie Hearn, Nina Emala and Katie Savage each have three tallies for Gettysburg.

Swarthmore at Dickinson (Men's Soccer)
It's another big test for the undefeated Garnet as it travels to Carlisle to take on the nationally-ranked Red Devils in a rematch of the 2008 Centennial semifinal. Swarthmore (7-0, 1-0), ranked #3 by D3soccer.com and #9 by the NSCAA, is 5-0-3 against Dickinson since 2004. The Devils, ranked #18 and #12 respectively, have not won at Dickinson Park since 2002 (3-1). Swarthmore, led by GK David D'Annunzio, has allowed just one goal through seven games and has a scoreless streak of over 402 minutes. Dickinson looks to scorers Thomas Parkinson and Nicolas Tierno, the reigning Centennial offensive player of the week.

Haverford at Gettysburg (Volleyball)
It's become "THE" game of the season. A rematch of the 2008 Centennial final, the #21 Fords (13-2, 1-0) come a-callin' to Bream Gym to take on the Bullets (10-5, 1-0). Gettysburg holds a 20-6 all-time series lead, but Haverford has won five of the last six meetings, including a four-set victory for the Conference title last fall. The match may come down to the hitting of the Salvo sisters - Rebecca and Rachel - and the digging ability of the Bullets' Kristin Kotewicz.

Trolling the Polls

Here's a look at where the Centennial Conference stands in the national and regional polls.

Field Hockey
The Conference has three teams in the NFHCA top 20 this week. Ursinus comes in at No. 5, while Johns Hopkins and Gettysburg are No. 8 and No. 13, respectively.

Football
Dickinson is knocking on the door of both top 25 polls. The Red Devils are fourth among those receiving votes from D3football.com, while Muhlenberg also received votes. Dickinson and Johns Hopkins also picked up votes in the American Football Coaches Association initial ranking.

Soccer (M)
The Centennial Conference is making quite the name for itself on the national scene. According to the NSCAA, Swarthmore (9) and Dickinson (18) are among the top 25 in the country, while D3soccer.com has three teams in its list - Swarthmore (3), Dickinson (12) and Johns Hopkins (18).

Soccer (W)
Not to be outdone, the Centennial women are also making national noise. The NSCAA has Johns Hopkins (14) and Swarthmore (20) in its top 25, while D3soccer.com has Dickinson (21) joining the Blue Jays (14) and Garnet (18).

Volleyball
Haverford is one of just three East Coast teams among this week's AVCA top 25, placing 21st overall. Juniata (#2) and Eastern (#23) are the others.

Cross Country polls will be released later today.

Five-Star Matchups

Today is a day for the Centennial Conference to make noise on the national scene. CC squads take on the #1 ranked team in the country in men's and women's soccer and the #2 ranked team in volleyball and men's soccer.


Messiah at Dickinson (Men's Soccer)
The defending national champion Falcons, ranked #1 in Division III, travel to Carlisle to take on the #12 Red Devils (6-0). Dickinson is 4-9-1 against top 25 teams since 2002 with victories in each of the last three seasons. Nicolas Tierno (4 goals, 3 assists), the reigning Centennial offensive player of the week, and Thomas Parkinson (7 goals) lead the Dickinson offense, while GK James Van Meerbeke leads the defense. Read more about the matchup in today's Carlisle Sentinel.

Johns Hopkins at Salisbury (Men's Soccer)
The Blue Jays (6-2) head to the Eastern Shore to take on the #2 Sea Gulls. Hopkins is 5-9-3 against top 25 opposition since 2002, registering its high-water mark with a 1-0 win over #6 Montclair State in 2003. JHU's Scott Bukoski leads the Centennial in goals (8) and points (16).

Gettysburg at Messiah (Women's Soccer)
The Bullets (4-1) travel to Grantham to face the top-ranked Falcons in their annual matchup. Gettysburg battled the defending national champions to a scoreless draw last season at the Battlefield and is 0-3-2 against Messiah since 2004. The Bullets have allowed just one goal through five games and GK Allie Rivera has a 93.3 save percentage.

Haverford at Juniata (Volleyball)
The #21 Fords (12-1) head west to take on the second-ranked Eagles, looking to avenge 3-0 sweeps in their last three meetings. Haverford is 4-1 against top 25 competition not named Juniata since 2006. The Fords have three of the top four hitters in the Conference in kills per set in Rebecca Salvo (3.67), Rachel Salvo (3.37) and Kelsey Cantwell (2.87).

Football Press Conference

Welcome to the fourth week of the Centennial Conference football season! Have a question for one of the head coaches? Join in LIVE or leave a comment below.

Sunday Morning QB

Dave Byrne of the Lancaster Sunday News writes that in the end, Ian Mitchell just had too much time as Dickinson defeated Franklin & Marshall, 45-43.

It's a good thing that McDaniel's Joe Lapkowicz practices these things says Rich Dubroff of the Carroll County Times after his game-winning touchdown run downed Catholic, 21-17. Dubroff also adds a notebook.

Jeff Gill of the Altoona Mirror notes that Juniata's inability to run the ball successfully hurt the Eagles in their 31-0 loss to Ursinus.

The Philadelphia Inquirer, Baltimore Sun, Harrisburg Patriot-News, the Carlisle Sentinel, Allentown Morning Call, Lebanon Daily News and The Express-Times provide staff reports. Also, the Baltimore Sun wraps up Friday night's Johns Hopkins win over Gettysburg.

Five-Star Matchups

For a first weekend of Conference play in soccer and field hockey, we sure have some great matchups that will set the tone for the 2009 Centennial season.

Gettysburg at Johns Hopkins (Field Hockey)
The 11th ranked Bullets (5-0) travel to Baltimore to take on the eighth-ranked Blue Jays (4-1) in the Centennial opener for both teams. Hopkins has won four straight in the series, including a 2-0 win in last fall's CC semifinals, to take an 11-9 overall lead. Gettysburg is just 2-7 vs. Hop at Homewood since 1993. Two of the top goalkeepers in the Conference may determine the outcome in this one - Gettysburg's Christina Anderson leads the CC in goals-against average (0.25), while Hopkins' Sophia Tieu is second (0.27).

Dickinson at Franklin & Marshall (Football)
Where do we begin? These two teams are the only unbeatens remaining in the Conference at 2-0. The last time they both were undefeated entering their annual matchup was 1989 - F&M was 4-0 while Dickinson was 3-0-1. It's the longest-running rivalry among Centennial teams, as the Devils and the Diplomats square off for the 101st time. Oh yeah, they also play for one of the cooler trophies in college sports - the Conestoga Wagon Trophy (see above). Two of the Centennial's top QBs meet in Dickinson's Ian Mitchell and F&M's John Harrison. But keep an eye on this matchup - Red Devil WR Pat O'Connor and Diplomat CB Barry Lovett - a pair of first-team All-CC selections from 2008.

Dickinson at Swarthmore (Women's Soccer)
For the first time in Conference history. two ranked Centennial teams will square off on the pitch as #15 Swarthmore (5-1) plays host to #25 Dickinson (6-0) on Saturday in the CC opener for both teams. It is a rematch of the 2008 Centennial semifinal in which the Red Devils bested the Garnet, 2-1. The two teams have split eight contests at Swarthmore's Clothier Field since 1993. Dickinson tied a school and Conference record with its sixth consecutive shutout in a 2-0 win vs. Immaculata on Wednesday. The Devils' Hannah Richardson leads the CC with seven goals, while Swat's Julia Luongo is third with four tallies.

The Friday Tailgate

It's the first full weekend of Conference play, including our first of two Friday night games in the 2009 season.

Gettysburg at Johns Hopkins
Audio: No. Video: Yes. Live Stats: Yes.
The Bullets (0-2) and the Blue Jays (1-1) meet for the 37th time and the 10th time under the lights at Homewood Field. Hopkins holds a 6-3 lead on Friday night but Gettysburg has a 20-14-2 overall series advantage. The Bullets have had some success in Baltimore, winning 11 of 21 games with two draws, including a 41-10 win in 2007. This is the Conference opener for both schools. Hopkins is 16-10 (.615) in Centennial lidlifters, while Gettysburg is 14-12 (.538). While the game this week is about a lot more than two players, the spotlight will focus heavily on Johns Hopkins running back Andrew Kase and Gettysburg quarterback Matt Flynn. Kase is the Centennial's active career rushing leader (3,128 yards) and Flynn is the CC's active career passing leader (5,969). How rare is a meeting like this? It will have been exactly 10 years to the day since a Centennial Conference running back with more than 3,000 career yards faced a Centennial Conference quarterback with more than 5,000 career years. On September 18, 1999, Gettysburg RB Paul Smith and then Western Maryland QB Ron Sermarini entered their early-season matchup with more than 3,000 rushing yards and 5,000 passing yards, respectively.

Dickinson at Franklin & Marshall
Audio: WDCV-FM 88.3. Video: Yes. Live Stats: Yes.
It's "Wagon Week" in Carlisle and Lancaster, as the Red Devils (2-0) and the Diplomats (2-0) meet for the 101st time in the Conference's longest-running series. F&M holds a 59-38-3 overall lead, but Dickinson has captured five straight, including a 34-20 decision last year in Carlisle. To the winner goes the "Conestoga Wagon Trophy," a miniature replica of the mode of transportation used during the teams' first meeting in 1889. Two of the Centennial's top QBs meet in Dickinson's Ian Mitchell and F&M's John Harrison. Mitchell needs 26 rushing yards to set the Conference all-time record for quarterbacks and 202 passing yards to become the 24th CC passer to reach 4,000 yards for his career. Harrison has eight touchdown passes in two games with a 74.7 completion percentage. The last time both teams were undefeated entering the game was 1989 - F&M (4-0) and Dickinson (3-0-1).

Ursinus at Juniata
Audio: Ursinus Sports Network. Video: No. Live Stats: No.
Two teams looking for their first win of the season meet in Huntingdon. The Bears (0-2) have won two straight in the series to close the Eagles (0-2) lead to 10-4. Ursinus has not opened a season 0-3 since 2002, while Juniata has started 0-3 in each of the last five seasons. The Bears are 53rd in the country in passing offense, led by QB Justin Decristofaro who has 518 yards and three TDs in two games. WR Al Desiderio is averaging 23.7 yards on nine receptions. Juniata QB Alex Snyder has protected the football, not throwing an interception in 40 attempts. WR Matt Dunker averages 15.1 yards on seven catches.

Catholic at McDaniel
Audio: WTTR-AM 1470. Video: No. Live Stats: Yes.
The Green Terror (1-1) closes out its non-conference schedule with a home tilt with the Cardinals (0-2). McDaniel leads the all-time series, 10-4, but Catholic has won the last two meetings. A Terror win would give coach Tim Keating his 100th victory on The Hill. RB T.J. Develin leads the Centennial in rushing (246 yds), while QB Tom Massucci has thrown for 437 yards and four TDs in two games. The defense is 22nd in Division III against the run, surrendering just 54 yards per game.

Lebanon Valley at Moravian
Audio: WSAN-AM 1470, WMSS-FM 91.1. Video: No. Live Stats: No.
The Greyhounds (1-1) try to break the Dutchmen's (2-0) Centennial win streak when the two teams meet for the 67th time on Saturday. Moravian holds a 34-31-1 series lead with victories in eight of the last 10 games, including the previous two matchups. Lebanon Valley has not won in Bethlehem since 1999 (24-13). 'Hound QB Steve Panasuk threw for 175 yards and two scores in his MC debut. WR Shawn Sylvainus has six reception with two producing touchdowns. LVC his shooting for its first 3-0 start since 1979.

Union at Muhlenberg
Audio: WMUH-FM 91.7, WABY-AM 1160. Video: Yes. TV: Service Electric 2. Live Stats: Yes.
The Mules (0-1) return to action after an off week to take on the No. 22 Dutchmen. 'Berg holds a slim 5-4 series lead after wins in the last two meetings. Muhlenberg has won three straight home openers since a 2005 loss to Union. RB Terrence Dandridge became the first 'Berg freshman to rush for over 100 yards (120) in the first game of his career since 1977. QB Justin Kreamer threw for 212 yards in his debut but was picked three times by Wilkes.

Tuesday's aCCtion

Cross Country (W)
Dickinson won its 15th consecutive "Little Three" title with wins over Franklin & Marshall and Gettysburg. Kerrin Epstein of Gettysburg was the individual winner.

Cross Country (M)
Make it 13 straight "Little Three" titles for Dickinson as the Devils downed F&M and Gettysburg. Greg Leak, the 2008 CC Runner of the Year, was first across the finish line.

Field Hockey
#6 Lebanon Valley handed Dickinson a 9-2 defeat. Lizzie Boorse, the reigning CC Player of the Week, had a goal and an assist for the Devils. Franklin & Marshall outshot Neumann, 36-3, on its way to a 3-0 defeat of the Knights. Nina Emala scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lift #13 Gettysburg past Catholic, 2-1. Three second-half goals proved to be the difference in Elizabethtown's 3-0 win over Swarthmore.

Soccer (W)
Dickinson set a school and Conference record with its sixth straight shutout in a 2-0 triumph over Immaculata.

Soccer (M)
Elizabethtown scored a goal in the second overtime period to down McDaniel, 2-1.

Tennis (W)
Bryn Mawr dropped a 7-2 decision to West Chester, winning at No. 1 doubles and No. 4 singles.

Volleyball
Nicole Burns and Virginia Hogan each had 10 kills as Gettysburg swept Bryn Mawr in its Centennial opener. Alex Zenoff had 13 kills as Johns Hopkins handled Hood in four sets. Catholic needed four sets to dispatch Washington despite 11 kills from Alyssa Forget.

Football Press Conference

Welcome to the weekly Centennial Conference football press conference. Log on to ask your question between 9:50 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.

Sunday Morning QB

Josh Land of the Carroll County Times writes about the empty feeling left in the McDaniel team following its 21-16 loss at Moravian. He also contributes a post-game notebook.

Tom Hinkel of The Express Times writes about Moravian's bend-but-don't-break defense and how it picked up a struggling offense in the 'Hounds victory.

Jeff Schuler of The Morning Call notes that a loose ball that seemed to rest on the field for an eternity decided the Moravian-McDaniel game.

Dave Byrne of the Lancaster Sunday News writes about John Harrison's five-touchdown performance through the air in Franklin & Marshall's 42-21 win over Catholic.

Jeff Gill of the Altoona Mirror writes about Juniata's struggles on both sides of the ball in the Eagles' 43-13 loss to Susquehanna.

Dan Sernoffsky of the Lebanon Daily News writes about how Ursinus' second-half rally just fell short at Lebanon Valley.

The Harrisburg Patriot-News provides a capsule summary of Dickinson's 26-3 win over Hobart and Gettysburg's 46-43 overtime loss at Hampden-Sydney.

Here is the Philadelphia Inquirer's wrap on Saturday's local action, while the Baltimore Sun offers a Maryland perspective.

The Friday Tailgate

It's the opening weekend of Conference play - albeit with just one game on the slate - as McDaniel travels to Bethlehem to take on Moravian. Five other games are on the docket with Dickinson and Franklin & Marshall taking 1-0 marks into their home openers.

McDaniel at Moravian
Audio: WTTR-AM 1470, WSAN-AM 1470.
Video: No. Live Stats: No.
The Terror and the Greyhounds meet for the 14th time with Moravian holding a 9-4 series advantage. The 'Hounds have won both meetings as a Centennial member by 43-14 and 42-3 counts. RB Ryan Rempe rushed for 97 yards in Moravian's loss at Susquehanna. McDaniel opened with a win over Saint Vincent. QB Tom Massucci (pictured) completed 22-of-28 passes for 238 yards and four TDs, while RB TJ Develin gained another 98 on the ground. Terror coach Tim Keating goes for his 100th win on The Hill.

Hobart at Dickinson
Audio: WDCV-FM 88.3, WEOS-FM 89.7. Video: No. Live Stats: No.
The Red Devils (1-0) open their home schedule against the Statesmen who were idle last week. Hobart, ranked 17th by D3football.com, has a 76.6 winning percentage since 2000 - the highest in New York State and in the top 20 in the nation. Keep an eye on WR Tyler Vincent and LB Ryan Robinson for the Statesmen. Dickinson QB Ian Mitchell was named the Conference's Offensive Player of the Week, after amassing 437 total yards and four TDs last week vs. Grove City.

Catholic at Franklin & Marshall
Audio: No. Video: godiplomats.com. Live Stats: Yes.
The Diplomats and the Cardinals meet for the 10th time with CUA holding a 7-2 seried edge. It is F&M's home opener and the Blue has an 86-34-1 record in its first contest at Sponaugle-Williamson Field. Catholic opened its season with a 21-3 loss to Shenandoah. F&M LB Sam Massaro was named the Conference's Defensive Player of the Week, after recording eight tackles, picking off a pass and leading a defense that limited W&L to just 229 total yards. QB John Harrison set a school single-game record with 35 completions on 47 throws for 295 yards and three scores vs. the Generals.

Gettysburg at Hampden-Sydney
Audio: WFLO-FM 95.7. Video: Yes. Live Stats: No.
The Bullets and the Tigers meet for the 22nd time with H-SC holding a 14-7 series lead. If you like offense, you've come to the right place, as over the last five years, the teams have combined to average 73.0 points per game. Gettysburg put up 581 yards and 42 points in its season-opening loss to Lebanon Valley. Hampden-Sydney racked up 628 yards in a 55-23 win vs. North Carolina Wesleyan. It will be a showdown between two of the top QBs in the region - Gettysburg's Matt Flynn and H-SC's Corey Sedlar. Flynn threw for 375 yards and three scores last week, while Sedlar tossed four TD passes and 404 yards.

Randolph-Macon at Johns Hopkins
Audio: WHAN-AM 1430. Video: hopkinssports.com. Live Stats: Yes.
It's the home opener for the Blue Jays who look to bounce back from a loss at Delaware Valley last week. Hopkins is 13-5-1 in Homewood openers under coach Jim Margraff. Since 1996, JHU is 16-8 against the members of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. QB Hewitt Tomlin threw for 208 yards and a score vs. the Aggies, putting him over the 2,000-yard passing mark in just 12 career games. R-MC is 0-1 after a 16-10 loss to King's last weekend. RB Steve Mathews led the Yellow Jacket ground game with 84 yards last week.

Susquehanna at Juniata
Audio: WQSU-FM 88.9. Video: No. Live Stats: Yes.
This is the 70th time that the Crusaders and Eagles have met on the gridiron and 50th time they've played for the "Goal Post Trophy." Susquehanna leads the all-time series, 35-31-3, and in Goal Post games, 25-23-1. Juniata opened the year with a 13-0 loss at Allegheny. WR Matt Dunker grabbed five passes for 72 yards to lead the offense, while LB Chris Stephens had a team-high nine tackles. Susquehanna RB Dave Paveletz rushed for 185 yards and two scores in the win vs. Moravian.

Ursinus at Lebanon Valley
Audio: WMSS-FM 91.1. Video: No. Live Stats: Yes.
This is the 39th time that the Bears and the Dutchmen have met with LVC holding a 21-17-1 lead. Ursinus has not visited Annville since 1999 and have not lost to the Dutchmen on the road since 1978. QB Justin Decristofaro threw for 214 yards in UC's season-opening loss to Albright. Lebanon Valley defeated Gettysburg in its opener as RB Charlie Parker rushed for 129 yards and two scores. LVC looks for its second consecutive 2-0 start - something that hasn't happened in Annville since 1968 and 1969.

Thursday's aCCtion

Field Hockey
It was a strong defensive effort that powered #18 Gettysburg past York, 3-1. Sara McCabe and Kate Teleky each scored twice as Swarthmore opened Centennial play with a 7-1 win ove Bryn Mawr.

Soccer (W)
It was a sister act under the rainbow for Muhlenberg in a 6-0 rout of DeSales.

Soccer (M)
Muhlenberg flourished in its first road match of the season, whipping Wilkes, 4-0. Brandon George scored the winning goal in the 65th minute as Washington snapped a nine-game home losing streak with a 1-0 triumph vs. Stevenson.

Volleyball
Mary Kate Wilmoth had a match-high 16 kills to lead Ursinus to a three-match sweep of Immaculata.

Wednesday's aCCtion

Volleyball
Franklin & Marshall opened Conference play with a convincing sweep of Washington College behind the play of Nicole Morano, Jessica Poucel and Pam Horner. Kristina Mercier had a career night as Gettysburg rebounded from a set-one defeat to down York, 3-1. Dickinson dropped its fifth straight match with a 3-0 loss to Lebanon Valley.

Soccer (W)
Julia Luongo scored a pair of second-half goals as #23 Swarthmore handed Eastern its first home loss since 2007 with a 2-1 victory. Defending national champion Messiah notched a pair of second-half goals to upend #4 Johns Hopkins, 2-0. The Dickinson defense posted its fourth straight shutout and Sarah Montminy scored twice as the Devils blanked York, 5-0. Shelby Cummins tallied both goals as Franklin & Marshall toppled Alvernia, 2-0. Washington evened its record at 1-1 with a 2-0 shutout of Goucher. Bryn Mawr jumped out to a 1-0 lead but could not hang on as Lebanon Valley handed the Owls a 2-1 defeat. Leanne Hollinger made 13 saves in McDaniel's 1-0 loss to Stevenson.

Soccer (M)
Scott Bukoski notched his third consecutive multi-goal game with a pair of tallies in Johns Hopkins' 4-1 win over Neumann. Eric Hynes scored twice in the first half in Gettysburg's 2-2 draw with Misericordia.

Field Hockey
Jennifer Bayzick scored the game-winning goal with 4:03 left as #3 Ursinus edged #10 Rowan, 4-3.

Five-Star Matchups

For the uninitiated, "Five-Star Matchups" is our look at the day's key games around the Conference. They can be games that impact the Centennial standings or games that impact the national scene.

Johns Hopkins at Messiah
(Women's Soccer)
We start the year's "Five-Star Matchups" with a titanic matchup - #4 Johns Hopkins at #1 Messiah. The Blue Jays have not lost a regular-season match since Oct. 1, 2007, when TCNJ defeated JHU, 1-0 - a streak of 31 straight. The defending national champion Falcons have won 44 straight regular-season matches since a 1-0 loss to Elizabethtown on Nov.4, 2006. The two teams battled to a scoreless draw last season in Baltimore. Can't make the trip to Grantham? Listen live on WVMM.

Washington at Franklin & Marshall (Volleyball)
It's the Centennial opener for both teams with the surprising Shorewomen (5-0) traveling to Lancaster to take on the Diplomats (4-1). Washington is undefeated through five matches for the first time since 2004, while F&M is fresh off a victory at the Moravian Invitational. The Diplomats have won the last 20 matches in the series since a 1989 Washington win.

Tuesday's aCCtion

Field Hockey
Eileen O'Reilly converted a pass from Kimmy Fisher in overtime to lift Franklin & Marshall to a 2-1 victory at Eastern Mennonite.

Soccer (M)
Arcadia pulled out a wild 3-2 win over Washington in a match that saw three red cards in the second half. Goucher scored twice in the final 3:35 to pull away from McDaniel, 4-1.

Volleyball
Not a good night for the Centennial as the Conference dropped all three non-CC matches. Taylor Herrgott went over the 1,000-kill mark for her career as McDaniel dropped a four-set match to Goucher. Elizabethtown remained unbeaten with a three-set sweep of Muhlenberg, while Cabrini also took out Ursinus in three sets.

Football Press Conference

The Centennial Conference weekly football press conference begins at 10 a.m. The Conference went 3-6 last weekend in non-conference play. Dickinson QB Ian Mitchell (offense), Franklin & Marshall LB Sam Massaro (defense) and McDaniel return man CJ Billera (special teams) were named Players of the Week.

Monday's aCCtion

Field Hockey
Four different players tallied goals, including a pair 37 seconds apart in the second half, as McDaniel defeated Virginia Wesleyan, 4-2.

Soccer (W)
Brittany Baer scored two goals as McDaniel outshot Notre Dame, 26-0, on its way to an easy 5-0 blanking of the Gators.

Soccer (M)
Max Stossel's two goals lifted Haverford past Penn State-Harrisburg, 2-0, giving new head coach Bill Brady his first victory as head man of the Fords.

Sunday's aCCtion

Women's Soccer
Two teams captured tournament titles yesterday, as Johns Hopkins and Swarthmore walked away with hardware. The Blue Jays knocked off their second Top 10 opponent in as many days with a 1-0 victory vs. #10 Lynchburg. Emily Coleman had a goal and an assist as Swarthmore whitewashed Albright, 2-0. Elsewhere, Bryn Mawr and Neumann battled to a scoreless draw, while Franklin & Marshall picked up its first win of the season with a 1-0 triumph over Allegheny. Haverford and Muhlenberg were victorious with wins against Wisconsin-Oshkosh and St. Joseph's (N.Y.), respectively.

Men's Soccer
Trophies also went home with Dickinson and Swarthmore after yesterday's action. The Red Devils battled back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat homestanding Lycoming, 3-2. Swarthmore got big performances from the Langley brothers in a 4-1 triumph over Catholic. Mary Washington notched the game-winner in overtime to subdue McDaniel, 3-2.

Field Hockey
#14 Christopher Newport handed Washington a 5-2 defeat, while Notre Dame blanked Bryn Mawr, 3-0.

Sunday Morning Quarterback

Sunday Morning Quarterback is our look at how media outlets recap Saturday's games.

Josh Land of the Carroll County Times reports that despite putting 52 points on the board in a win against Saint Vincent, the McDaniel football team still seemed unsatisfied with its performance..

Dominic DiRienzo of the Meadville Tribune writes that it was Allegheny's defense that was the difference in the Gators' 13-0 season-opening win against Juniata.

Todd Hummel of the Daily Item notes that Susquehanna's goal of getting off to a good start was met in its 24-0 whitewashing of Moravian.

Dave Rosengrant of the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader says that Wilkes finally got some breaks to go its way in the Colonels' 14-12 win against Muhlenberg.

Martin Cooper of the Norristown Times Herald writes that Ursinus still has to work to do after its 28-3 home loss to Albright.

Jeff Cook of the Gettysburg Times notes that high September skies have not been kind to the Gettysburg College football team recently.

The Friday Tailgate

Welcome back to another season of Centennial Conference football! It's year #27 (1983-2009) and it promises to be a great one. The Friday Tailgate is a weekly feature here on Centennial Conference Today and looks to be your one-stop shop for all the information you'll need to enjoy Saturday's game.

* Centennial Conference football home page
* Centennial Gameday
* Weekly Press Conference
* Sign up for Twitter and get score updates

Dickinson at Grove City
Video: No. Audio: WDCV, WSAJ. Live Stats: Yes.

The Red Devils open their season on the road at Grove City. The Wolverines were 6-4 last season and are picked second in the preseason Presidents Athletic Conference poll. Dickinson leads the series, 6-1-1, with Grove City's lone win coming in 1949 (25-6). Devil QB Ian Mitchell led the team in rushing and passing for the second consecutive season and has totaled over 5,000 yards of total offense and 40 TDs. WR Pat O'Connor was selected as a preseason first-team All-American by The Sporting News after grabbing 81 passes for 1,324 yards a year ago. Wolverine QB Andrew DiDonato is the school's career leader in pass completions (510) and yardage (5,043).

Franklin & Marshall at Washington & Lee
Video: Yes. Audio: WLUR. Live Stats: Yes.

The unofficial "Battle of the Ampersand" is renewed in Lexington as the Diplomats and Generals meet for the 10th time. F&M's lone win at W&L came in 1958 (14-13). The Dips are 66-52-3 in season openers. The F&M skill positions are set with the return of QB John Harrison, RB John Kaschak and Ryan Murray, and WRs George Eager, John Ridinger, and Jarrell Diggs. QB Charlie Westfal and DE Matt Cassilly lead the Generals, who hold a 5-4 series lead.

Lebanon Valley at Gettysburg
Video: Yes. Audio: WMSS. Live Stats: Yes.

The Bullets and the Flying Dutchmen meet for the 37th time with Gettysburg holding a 30-5-1 series lead. The Orange and Blue has not won a season-opening road game since 2002. QB Matt Flynn leads a high-powered Bullet attack. He holds the school career marks for passing yards (5,207), touchdowns (37) and total offense (5,978). LVC is loaded offensively as well behind QB Caleb Fick and RB Charlie Parker.

Johns Hopkins at Delaware Valley
Video: No. Audio: athletics.delval.edu. Live Stats: Yes.

This is the first meeting between the Blue Jays and the Aggies, two teams that are favorites to win their respective conferences. Delaware Valley was ranked highly in two preseason magazines, placing fourth and fifth. Hopkins came in at 18th and 24th. JHU RB Andrew Kase needs 46 rushing yards to reach 3,000 for his career. DVC trigger-man Mike Isgro threw for 21 TDs last season.

Juniata at Allegheny
Video: No. Audio: WMGW. Live Stats: No.

The Eagles and the Gators meet for the seventh time with the series deadlocked at 2-2-2. It is the first game for new Juniata head coach Carmen Felus, who looks to buck the trend in openers. The last seven JC football coaches have lost their opening game, dating to 1969. WR Matt Dunker is the lone skill position player back from last season. He snared 29 balls for 400 yards. LB Tyler Hall had 96 tackles a year ago. Allegheny QB T.J. Salopek threw for over 1,600 yards last season.

Saint Vincent at McDaniel
Video: No. Audio: WTTR, WCNS. Live Stats: Yes.

This is the third meeting between the two schools with the Terror holding a 1-0-1 series advantage. McDaniel is 60-48-6 all-time in season openers. QB Tom Massucci, RB TJ Develin and WR Matt Cahill lead the offense, while LB Mike Weick is the defensive headliner. RB Jairus Marlow averaged nearly 8 yards per carry last season for the Bearcats.

Moravian at Susquehanna
Video: No. Audio: WSAN, WQSU. Live Stats: Yes.

The Greyhounds and the Crusaders meet for the 36th time with Moravian holding a 20-14-1 series lead. Susquehanna joins the Centennial as an associate member in 2010. RB Ryan Rempe rushed for 647 yards in the final four games of 2008. DB Daniel Burley leads the defense after recording 60 stops and four picks last fall. Crusader RB Dave Paveletz rushed for 1,314 yards a year ago.

Muhlenberg at Wilkes
Video: No. Audio: No. Live Stats: Yes.

The Mules hold a 2-1 series lead on the Colonels. A pair of freshmen take over at QB and RB for the Mules - Justin Kreamer and Terrence Dandridge. WR Phil Cresta grabbed 56 passes for 981 yards a year ago. Frank Emmett and Cam Ahouse are the defensive leader. Rob Johnson threw for 1,747 yards and 19 TDs last season for Wilkes.

Albright at Ursinus
Video: No. Audio: allinbroadcasting.com. Live Stats: Yes.

The Bears and the Lions meet for the 21st time with UC holding a slim 10-9-1 lead. The defense will shoulder the load for Ursinus in the early part of the season, led by LBs Joe Galie and Nate Mast. WR Al Desiderio may be the CC's top deep threat. The Lions are loaded offensively with QB Tanner Kelly, RB Josan Holmes and WR Nate Romig.

Football Insider

Joel Schreiner of the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal notes that extra caffeine might be needed by Conference defensive coordinators when preparing for Franklin & Marshall's high octane offense this fall.

Darryl Grumling of the Pottstown Mercury expects the Ursinus defense to shoulder much of the load as the Bears search for a rebound season.

Tom Hinkel of The Express-Times writes that Moravian faces a familiar foe in this weekend's opponent.

Jeff Schuler of The Morning Call notes that Muhlenberg has received an awful lot of respect for a team that lost seven offensive starters, another four on defense and its punter.

Thursday's aCCtion

Field Hockey: Krista Scheirer scored a pair of goals while Devon Novotnak had a goal and two assists as Swarthmore opened the year with a 5-2 win vs. Richard Stockton.

Men's Soccer: Marrio Davis tallied his first two collegiate goals to lead McDaniel to a 4-1 win against visiting Juniata.

Volleyball: Kristen Nuckles had 21 assists and six digs as McDaniel opened its new season with a three-game sweep of Stevenson. Bryn Mawr nearly battled all the way back from a 2-0 deficit but fell in five sets to Delaware Valley. Samantha Abbott had 13 kills.

Football Insider

Josh Land of the Carroll County Times reports that the injury bug has hit McDaniel hard in the preseason.

Mike Klingman of the Baltimore Sun provides capsule looks at both Johns Hopkins and McDaniel.

Ursinus head coach Peter Gallagher was interviewed recently on KYW Newsradio. Catch the interview here.

Have you read the transcript from Tuesday's football press conference? Over 330 readers have so far? Join us every Tuesday beginning at 10 a.m.

Wednesday's aCCtion

Here is a recap of yesterday's action in the Centennial Conference.

Field Hockey
Franklin & Marshall rallied from a 2-0 deficit to knock off #17 Elizabethtown.

Volleyball
F&M dropped the final two games to drop a 3-2 match at Elizabethtown.

Gettysburg improved to 2-0 with a three-set sweep of Hood, opening the year 2-0 for the first time since 1998.

Women's Soccer
McDaniel was shut out for the second consecutive day as Catholic defeated the Terror, 1-0.

Men's Soccer
Five different players found the back of the net as Swarthmore opened its season with a 5-0 blanking of Penn State Abington.