September 27th, 2024 11:00am
PSAC Power Ranking heading into Week Four:
PSAC Week Four - Saturday, September 28, 2024 – Divisional Games
PSAC EAST
Millersville (0-3, 0-0 PSAC East) at Lock Haven (1-2, 0-0 PSAC East) – 1 PM
Millersville lost to IUP last week 42-14. Quarterback Ryan Zeltt had 128 yards passing with a touchdown to Isaac Sines. Running back Jaiden Abrams had 60 yards on 12 carries. On defense, Imir Lilliston led the team with seven tackles. Conner Snyder had five tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a sack in the game.
Lock Haven lost to California (PA) last week 27-20. Quarterback Jackson Ostrowsky was 24 of 45 for 346 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He leads the PSAC averaging throwing for 277 yards per game. Tiar Young was the leading receiver with 153 yards on eight catches with a touchdown. He leads the PSAC averaging 124.3 yards per game receiving. Izzy Ramos led the defense with eight tackles, a tackle for a loss, and .5 sacks. Justin Anderson had five tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, and 2.5 sacks in the game.
My Prediction: Lock Haven – The Bald Eagles are a deceiving 1-2 with one score losses to traditional PSAC West powers IUP, 20-17 in Week Two, and California (PA) 27-20 last week in Week Three. Millersville has been outscored 101-27 in their three losses.
Shepherd (2-1, 0-0 PSAC East) at Shippensburg (1-2, 0-0 PSAC East) – 1 PM
Shepherd won last week beating Clarion 27-9. The Rams were up 7-3 at the half and scored seven more in the third quarter and 13 more in the fourth to beat Clarion at home. Quarterback Lek Powell was 21 of 29 for 248 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Gran Swinehart led the rushers with 62 yards on 15 carries. Wide receiver Cameron Dorner had 100 yards receiving on four catches. His longest reception was for 85 yards which went for a touchdown. Dorner is fifth in the PSAC averaging 74.3 yards receiving per game. On defense, Brodie Carroll led the team with seven tackles. He also had a tackle for a loss and a sack. Harold O’Neal had six stops, a tackle for a loss, and a sack. On special teams, punter Ryan Barrick punted seven times while averaging 48 yards per punt. He landed two inside the twenty-yard line and boomed three for over 50 yards. His performance in the game earned him PSAC East Special teams Athlete of the Week honors.
Shippensburg lost to #10 Slippery Rock last week 33-7. Quarterback Sam Stoner was 5 of 9 for 68 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Stoner was statistical leader of the three quarterbacks who played. Tobee Stokes had the lone touchdown catch for the Raiders. On defense, Connor Black and Terrance Peterson both had seven tackles. Both also had one tackle for a loss.
My Prediction: Shepherd – The Rams, as usual, have a solid team and the expectations, as usual, are high in Shepherdstown. Shepherd should make a statement in the first week of divisional play for the 2024 season. The Shippensburg offense is ranked 14 out of the 15 teams in the PSAC and their defense is ranked 11 of the 15 teams.
West Chester (0-3, 0-0 PSAC East) at Bloomsburg (2-1, 0-0 PSAC East) – 2 PM
West Chester lost to Seton Hill 27-24 last week. This is the second game of this young season that West Chester let slip away late in the fourth quarter. West Chester lost on a field goal to Bentley (NE10) at the end of the game in their opener and the Golden Rams let this one against Seton Hill slip away in the fourth quarter as well. The Griffins scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to secure the win over West Chester. Quarterback Jordan Cooper was 16 of 29 passing for 267 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions. On the ground, Cooper rushed for 97 yards on 21 carries with one touchdown. Wide receiver D’Shaun Seals had 9 catches for 171 yards, including a long of 84, and a touchdown. On defense, Matt Marshall led the team with 11 tackles, one tackle for a loss, and an interception.
Bloomsburg won last week beating Edinboro 32-27. The Huskies had a 19-point fourth quarter including a touchdown with 34 seconds left in the game to come out on top. Quarterback KJ Riley was 16 of 21 for 278 yards with two touchdown passes. He also engineered the game winning drive in the fourth quarter. For his performance in the game, Riley was named the PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week. Gabe Brower had a big day receiving. He had eight catches for 163 yards and a touchdown. On the other side of the ball, defensive back Cole Turner had eight tackles in the game, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, a pass break up, and sealed the victory for the Huskies with a game ending interception at Bloomsburg’s own one yard line. Turner’s play earned him PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week honors. Ryan D’Ambra had eight tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, and a sack in the Huskies win.
My Prediction: Bloomsburg – The Huskies win this one at home leaving West Chester still looking for their first win of the season. Fourth quarter woes have haunted the Golden Rams thus far and this one could be decided late in the game in what is a traditional rivalry match-up. The legendary Danny Hale, a College Football Hall of Fame member, will be honored at halftime of this game. Hale is a former Head Coach at both West Chester and Bloomsburg in the PSAC East.
GAME OF THE WEEK
#8 Kutztown (3-0, 0-0 PSAC East) at East Stroudsburg (3-0, 0-0 PSAC East) – 6:05 PM
#8 Kutztown won last week beating Gannon 37-14. The Golden Bears dominated again in Week Three. Kutztown was up 37-0 at the end of the third quarter before Gannon scored 14 points in the fourth. Quarterback Judd Novak was 17 of 22 for 190 yards with two touchdown passes. Jaedyn Stewart led the rushing attack with 66 yards on nine carries, averaging 7.3 yards per rush, and a touchdown. Piotr Partyla and Luke Maxwell also had rushing touchdowns. Wide receiver Mekhi Gibson had three catches for 58 yards and two receiving touchdowns. On defense, Jake Davis had six tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, and a sack. Freddie Retter had five tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and 1.5 sacks. Brandon Strausser had five stops, a tackle for a loss, and a sack. The Golden Bears have four players in the top 11 sack leaders in the PSAC.
East Stroudsburg was idle last week. Running backs Tyriq Lewis, averaging 96 yards per game, and Tahir Mills, averaging 88.7 yards per game, are ranked the number three and number four top backs in the PSAC.
My Prediction: #8 Kutztown – The Golden Bears are still the team to beat in the PSAC. This should be a great game with East Stroudsburg’s highest scoring offense in the PSAC and Kutztown’s number one ranked defense in the PSAC. Both teams have top 20 defenses and top 10 run defenses in all of Divison II. Night games at East Stroudsburg’s Eiler-Martin Stadium are exciting with the light show effects added before last season.
PSAC WEST
Gannon (0-3, 0-0 PSAC West) at California (PA) (2-1, 0-0 PSAC West) – 12 Noon
Gannon lost to #8 Kutztown 37-14 last week. Quarterback Jayden Whitaker was 10 of 20 passing for 131 yards and a touchdown. He was also sacked five times. Whitaker also had one rushing touchdown. Braden Soboleski had the lone receiving touchdown. Serrell Curtis led the defense with nine tackles.
California (PA) won last week beating Lock Haven 27-20. The Vulcans edged the Bald Eagles in what ended up being a one score game. The score in this one was 17-17 at the half and heading into the fourth quarter after neither team put points on the board in the third. Quarterback Davis Black was 14 of 24 for 202 yards with three touchdown passes. Bobby Boyd Jr had 84 yards rushing on 18 carries, he is second in the PSAC averaging 107 yards rushing per game. D’Avay Johnson had 98 yards receiving on two catches and a touchdown. Omari Hopkins had four catches for 31 yards with two touchdowns. On defense, John Hutchinson led the way with 11 tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss.
My Prediction: California (PA) – The Vulcans are now clicking after a Week One loss to #22 Charleston (WV), picked to win the MEC in the conference’s preseason poll, who is now 3-0 on the season. Gannon’s losses have come against three opponents who currently have an 8-1 record on the season. It doesn’t get any easier for the Golden knights this week facing 2-1 California (PA).
Clarion (2-2, 0-0 PSAC West) at IUP (3-0, 0-0 PSAC West) – 4 PM
Clarion lost to Shepherd 27-9 last week. Quarterback Anthony Guercio was 20 of 42 for 222 yards but had two interceptions with no touchdown passes. He led the team in rushing with 39 yards on 16 runs and had a rushing touchdown. Luke Shaffer led the defense with 11 tackles, nine of which were solo, and a tackle for a loss. Jake Tarburton leads the PSAC with 5.5 sacks.
IUP won last week beating Millersville 42-14. Millersville had the edge in a lot of statistical categories in this one, but IUP had the advantage in the averaging starting every offensive drive on the opponents 45 yard line and also causing turnovers. Quarterback Nino Marchitelli, filling in for Karst Hunter who was out with a concussion, was 15 of 23 for 181 yards with two touchdown passes with one to Maurice Massey and the other to Isaiah Hoser. Running backs JD Younger and Kaleb Monaco both had two rushing touchdowns in the game. On defense, Charles Ingram had 16 tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, and .5 sacks. Noah Johnston had 11 stops, and Darius Bruce and Garrett Cox had seven tackles each.
My Prediction: IUP – The Crimson Hawks Have always have high expectations and will be looking to make a statement in this one with the start of divisional play this week. Clarion won their first two games of the season and then dropped the last two.
Edinboro (1-3, 0-0 PSAC West) at #10 Slippery Rock (3-0, 0-0 PSAC West) – 6 PM
Edinboro lost to Bloomsburg 32-27 last week. The Fighting Scots surrendered 19 points to the Huskies in the fourth quarter. Quarteback Issac Bernard was 30 of 46 for 339 yards with three touchdown passes. He threw one interception. As a team, Edinboro only had 40 yards of total rushing. Teagn Brown had 84 yards receiving. Evan Low, Isaiah Grier, and jaret Frantz all had receiving touchdowns. On defense, Wilfredo Diaz led the team with 13 tackles and he had 1.5 tackles for a loss. Dexter Logan had nine tackles and an interception. On special teams, in the second quarter, Gage Galuska blocked a punt and recovered it in the endzone and then blocked another punt for the Fighting Scots which was recovered at the opponents 10-yard line. His performance in the game earned him PSAC West Special Teams Athlete of the Week honors.
#10 Slippery Rock won last week beating Shippensburg 33-7. The Rock scored 33 unanswered points in their dominating win over the Raiders. Quarterback Brayden Long was 24 of 41 passing for 268 yards with one touchdown. He also had a rushing touchdown. Long has had no turnovers so far this season. In the run game, Idris Lawerence had 72 yards on nine carries and a touchdown. Chris D’Or ran for 62 yards on 11 rushes. Demeatric Crenshaw also had a rushing touchdown for The Rock. Tony Grimes had 76 yards receiving and Mike Solomon had a receiving touchdown in the win. On the other side of the ball, defensive end Todd Hill had a dominating performance. He had six tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks, and also recorded a safety in the first quarter. For his performance, Hill was named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week. Muncie Johnson led the team in tackles with eight. He also three tackles for a loss and a sack. Jacob Snow had seven tackles and a tackle for a loss. Pooh Lawton and Donnell Henriquez both had interceptions and The Rock won the turnover battle 2-0.
My Prediction: #10 Slippery Rock – The Rock started the season earning two wins over teams that were both in the playoffs a year ago before rolling over Shippensburg last week. They are looking to retain the PSAC West Title again this season. Edinboro’s lone win so far this season is against DI FCS Robert Morris (NEC).
Seton Hill (2-2, 0-0 PSAC West) won last week beating West Chester 27-24. The Griffins scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to secure the win. Running back Ky’Ron Craggette ran for 182 yards, averaging 5.1 yards per carry, and scored two touchdowns in the game. His 12 yard touchdown run with 1:03 left in the game was the game winner for the Griffins. For his performance, Craggette, who leads the PSAC in rushing averaging 111.5 yards per game, was named the PSAC West offensive Athlete of the Week. Quarterback Jake Cruz was 15 of 28 for 237 yards with a passing touchdown. He also had one interception. In addition to Craggette’s two rushing touchdowns, Jason Williams also had one for the Griffins. Todd Phillips led the receivers with 80 yards on two catches and a touchdown. On defense, C’Kairi Boone led the team with 10 tackles.
Seton Hill is idle this week. They will be back in action next week, in Week Five, when they travel to Gannon.
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