Complete Game Notes

OPENING STATEMENTS
The Bullets look to extend their winning streak to four as they renew a rivalry from a bygone age, hosting the Susquehanna University Crusaders in a Centennial Conference outing. The two schools have not met on the gridiron since 1922, when Warren Harding was the president and the Canton Bulldogs were on their way to the NFL title. Susquehanna is competing in its first year as an associate member of the Centennial Conference for football.

GAME COVERAGE
Fans unable to attend Saturday's game can follow along through live stats at http://www.sidearmstats.com/gettysburg/football/index.htm or live video (pay-per-view) at http://www.gettysburgsports.com/showcase/#liveevents.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Saturday's game will mark the eighth all-time meeting between Gettysburg and Susquehanna, with the Bullets holding a 4-2-1 advantage. Gettysburg claimed a 47-6 decision in the 1922 match-up, and the Crusaders last win was a 15-0 victory in 1899.

LAST TIME OUT
Gettysburg erased a 17-0 first-quarter deficit and dominated Dickinson defensively in the second half as the Bullets won back the Little Brown Bucket, defeating the Red Devils 28-24 on the road Friday night. Senior tailback Anthony DeSalva scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 4-yard run with 3:40 left in the third quarter and rushed for a season-high 110 yards for Gettysburg, which won its third game in a row and picked up its first victory at Dickinson since 1986, snapping an 11-game skid in Carlisle. It was Gettysburg's first win over the Red Devils (2-5 CC, 2-4 CC) since 2005. The Bullets defense was stifling in the second half. After allowing 236 yards and 14 first downs in the first half, Gettysburg yielded just 48 yards and two first downs over the final 30 minutes. The Bullets protected their lead by holding possession for an amazing 13:24 in the fourth quarter and came up with a crucial stop on a fake punt late in the game. Junior defensive tackle Chad Bucur made a career-high 10 tackles to lead a Gettysburg defense that stopped Dickinson on each of its five second-half drives.

Junior quarterback Matt Lottes threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns in his first collegiate start, but Johns Hopkins topped Susquehanna 49-24 last Saturday in Selinsgrove. Junior receiver Mike Ritter was Lottes' favorite target, grabbing nine receptions for 133 yards while two other Crusaders neared 100 yards. Junior tight end Matt Knouse caught seven passes for 99 yards while junior receiver Spencer Cox had eight catches for 93 yards. Susquehanna fell behind 28-7 early in the second quarter, but a 17-0 run pulled the Crusaders to within 28-24 with 1:53 left in the third period. However, the Blue Jays ended the game on a 21-0 run. Sophomore safety Jack McCarty led Susquehanna defensively, making 13 tackles.

THE GETTYSBURG OFFENSE
Led by a potent ground attack, the Gettysburg offense has continued to flourish this season. The Bullets enter today's game leading the Centennial Conference in rushing offense (249.3 ypg), total offense (432.7 ypg), and scoring offense (35.1 ppg) while ranking 14th, 34th, and 37th, respectively, in Division III. Gettysburg has scored 24 of its 32 offensive touchdowns on the ground, and three players have combined to account for all but three of those rushing TDs. Senior tailback Jamel Mutunga leads the Bullets with 78.4 yards per game and seven touchdowns on a team-high 127 carries while junior quarterback Kyle Whitmoyer has added 59.7 yards per game and a team-leading eight touchdowns on 99 rushes. Senior tailback Anthony DeSalva has run the ball 102 times for 58.1 yards per game and six TDs. In addition, senior wing Charles Curcio has contributed 36.0 yards per game and two touchdowns on 36 rushes, averaging 7.0 yards per carry. Through the air, Whitmoyer has averaged 179.6 yards per game while throwing six touchdowns and four interceptions. The team's leading receiver is Curcio, he has caught 27 passes for 42.4 yards per game and one touchdown. Senior receiver Brian Betley has caught 18 balls for 40.0 yards per outing and one TD while senior wing Greg Namrow has pitched in with 14 receptions, 25.3 yards per game, and a touchdown. Sophomore tight end Matt Brophy has added 11 catches for 25.7 ypg and one touchdown.

THE GETTYSBURG DEFENSE
The Bullets are coming off their top defensive performance of the year against Dickinson last Friday, when they held the Red Devils to 284 yards, the least allowed by Gettysburg this season and the fewest since limiting Moravian to 240 yards on Oct. 10 of last year. Junior safety Joe Delaney leads the team with 10.3 tackles per game while junior linebacker Peter Hak, who has missed the last two games with an injury, has added 9.0 tackles per game. Sophomore linebacker Larry DelViscio has enjoyed a solid all-around season, averaging 8.3 tackles per game, including a team-leading 8.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack, along with two forced fumbles. Junior linebacker Marc Graziano has made 7.0 tackles per game while sophomore linebacker Mark Covington has made 6.6 hits per outing and two interceptions. Junior cornerback Rob Pennella leads the team with eight pass breakups.

THE GETTYSBURG SPECIAL TEAMS
A group of seniors continue to perform well for the Bullet special teams unit. Mike Barrett has made 6-of-8 field goals, with a season-long 44-yarder, while converting 28-of-30 extra points. Brian Betley has punted for 35.6 yards per attempt, and of his last 15 punts spanning the last four games, only two have been returned, for a total of zero yards. Anthony DeSalva has averaged 25.7 yards per kick return - good for second in the Centennial Conference - and also ranks second in the league in all-purpose yards (147.0 ypg). Charles Curcio has made all but one of the team's punt returns for 4.1 yards per return.

THE SUSQUEHANNA OFFENSE
The Crusader offense has been paced by a strong passing game, which has accounted for all but four of the team's 16 offensive touchdowns. Junior receiver Mike Ritter has led the way, making a conference-leading 52 receptions and ranking second in the Centennial with 103.1 yards per game and six touchdowns. Junior Rich Palazzi started the team's first seven games under center and has thrown for 151.5 yards per game, 10 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Junior tight end Matt Knouse is second on the team with 23 receptions for 34.9 yards per game and three touchdowns while junior receiver Spencer Cox has caught 19 passes for 27.9 yards per game and one TD. The team's ground game has been led by junior Greg Tellish, who has carried the ball 154 times and ranks third in the conference with 84.6 yards per game. He has scored a pair of touchdowns.

THE SUSQUEHANNA DEFENSE
Susquehanna's defense has been led by sophomore safety Jack McCarty and sophomore linebacker Aaron Inch, who have each made 8.5 tackles per game. Junior linebacker Mitch Phillips has contributed 7.3 tackles per outing while freshman defensive end Bill Mancini has made a team-leading 4.0 sacks. Sophomore defensive backs Jalon Scott and Will Dyson lead the Crusaders with six passes defended apiece.

THE SUSQUEHANNA SPECIAL TEAMS
The Crusaders have received strong special teams play from senior Bobby Eppleman and Ritter. Eppleman has been nearly perfect kicking the ball, making all seven of his field goal attempts and going 15-for-16 on extra points. He has booted a season-long 44-yard field goal. Eppleman also handles all of the team's punting and is third in the Centennial Conference with 37.9 yards per attempt. Ritter has taken most of the team's kick and punt returns, averaging 17.7 yards per kick return and 10.3 yards per punt return. He ranks third in the conference with 141.9 all-purpose yards per game.

THE COACHES
Gettysburg is coached by Barry Streeter, who is in his 32nd year at the helm of the Bullets. With 159 career victories, Streeter ranks 11th among active Division III coaches in wins. He is also tied for 28th on the all-time Division III coaches win list. Streeter is Gettysburg's longest tenured and all-time winningest football coach.

The Crusaders are coached by Steve Briggs, who has led Susquehanna to a 111-100 mark in his 21 years at the helm. Last season, he led the Crusaders to the Liberty League championship and his staff was named the conference's Coaching Staff of the Year.

GETTYSBURG CONNECTIONS
A pair of Susquehanna players have connections to Gettysburg athletics. Kicker/punter Bobby Eppleman is the son of Dick Eppleman '79, who served as a kicker for the Bullets from 1975-78 and still shares the school record for the longest field goal (48 yards). Also, Eppleman's grandfather, Robert Eppleman '55, was a standout fullback/defensive back for the Bullets and was inducted in Gettysburg's Hall of Athletic Honor in 1994.

In addition, receiver Mike Ritter is the brother of former Gettysburg all-conference field hockey player Anne Ritter '09 and the nephew of current Gettysburg women's basketball coach Mike Kirkpatrick.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
A number of Bullets find themselves ranked among Gettysburg's all-time top-10 lists in several categories. Senior tailback Jamel Mutunga is seventh in rushing yards (2,480) and tied for fifth in both rushing touchdowns (30) and points (204) while senior wing Charles Curcio is third in receptions (109), fifth in receiving yards (1,372), third in kick return yards (1,583), sixth in punt return yards (492), and fifth in all-purpose yards (4,254). Senior receiver Brian Betley ranks fourth in receiving yards (1,435), sixth in receptions (88), and ninth in punting yards (2,627). In addition, junior quarterback Kyle Whitmoyer is tied for third in school history for rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback (eight) and fifth in rushing yards by a QB in a season (418).