Game Notes

GETTYSBURG, Pa.  – Fresh off the bye week, Gettysburg College and Muhlenberg College will square off in a key Centennial Conference match up this Saturday at Scotty Wood Stadium.
 
Gettysburg (3-2, 3-1 CC) and Muhlenberg (4-1, 3-1 CC) each sit one game behind conference front-runners Johns Hopkins University (5-0, 4-0 CC) and Ursinus College (5-0, 4-0 CC). The conference-wide bye week gave both the Bullets and Mules an opportunity to get healthy and refocus on the second half of the season.
 
"It was good because we had a number of injuries in the first half of the season," said Head Coach Barry Streeter. "Giving those kids an extra week to recover helps.
 
"I think the bye week benefits everybody," Streeter added. "Nobody gets a head start on anybody. If it's a momentum stopper, it's a momentum stopper for everybody. Usually you're glad to have a bye week to really rejuvenate the team."
 
Gettysburg picked up three consecutive victories prior to the bye. After beating Juniata College 31-17 on Homecoming, the Bullets took out Susquehanna University (31-21) and McDaniel College (47-7) to move up the conference standings.
 
Muhlenberg suffered its first loss at the hands of Johns Hopkins University on Sept. 27, but the Mules bounced back with a 24-20 win over Susquehanna before the bye.
 
Saturday's contest is a matchup of strikingly similar teams statistically. Gettysburg and Muhlenberg rank 1-2 in the conference in rushing defense. The teams also rank second and third, respectively, on total offense. The Bullets have done most of their heavy lifting in the ground game, leading the league with 260.8 yards per game, while the Mules rank third in the conference in passing yards at 234.6.
 
Gettysburg holds a 43-34-1 advantage in the series, which began in 1907. Muhlenberg has held the advantage since the start of the new millennium, winning 11 of 14 meetings. The last time the two teams met at Scotty Wood Stadium, the Mules scored the go-ahead touchdown on a fake field goal late in the fourth quarter to win 35-31.
 
The winner of Saturday's match up will be in prime position to make a run at the top teams, while the loser could see its opportunity slip away with a second conference loss.
 
"We've got to play defense the way we've been playing," said Streeter. "We have to be able to do the things we've been doing this fall – running the football and playing good defense. I'm sure they're saying the same thing."
 
OPENING KICKOFF
Gettysburg and Muhlenberg open the second half of the 2014 season each sitting just one game behind Johns Hopkins and Ursinus atop the conference standings.  Game time is 1 p.m. at Scotty Wood Stadium.
 
GAME COVERAGE
Saturday's game will feature live stats and live video courtesy of Muhlenberg. You can tune into the live stats here: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/livestats/xlive.htm. Live video will be available here: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/muhlenberg/.
 
THE COACHES
Barry Streeter enters his 36th season at the helm of Gettysburg's football program. Streeter is the longest-tenured active coach in Division III and his 181 wins place him seventh among active coaches. Streeter has led Gettysburg to three Centennial Conference championships (1983-85) and he has twice been named CC Coach of the Year. In 1985, he led the Bullets to the only undefeated regular season in school history (9-0-1) and an appearance in the national semifinals.
 
On Muhlenberg's sideline is Mike Donnelly who is in the midst of his 18th season with the Mules. Donnelly has guided the team to a mark of 118-68 and seven Centennial Conference titles. In 2007, the Mules went 11-1 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Muhlenberg has posted winning records in four consecutive campaigns.
 
THE SERIES
Gettysburg and Muhlenberg will meet for the 79th time. It is Gettysburg's third-longest rivalry, trailing only Franklin & Marshall (99 games) and Dickinson (79). The series goes back to a 26-0 Gettysburg win in 1907. A 15-game winning streak by Gettysburg from 1951-1983 helped give the Bullets the edge in the series which stands at 43-34-1 entering Saturday's contest. Muhlenberg has won 11 of 14 meetings since 2000, including each of the last two.
 
LAST MEETING
Muhlenberg held Gettysburg to just 69 yards rushing – its lowest total in over eight years – in a 35-10 decision last fall. Leading 14-10 coming out of the half, the Mules turned in three rushing scores to end the game while forcing the Bullets to punt the ball four times. Muhlenberg finished with a 366-295 advantage in total offense and picked up 21 first downs compared to the Bullets' 11. Kyle Wigley (Medford, N.J./Manasquan) carried the ball 13 times for 63 yards and Aden Twer '14 added 85 yards receiving and a touchdown. Zach Miller (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand) posted 197 yards passing and one touchdown. Kodie McNamara (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) led the defense with 15 tackles. Kevin Van Laar picked up 124 yards and three touchdowns for Muhlenberg.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Gettysburg dominated McDaniel on the way to a 47-7 victory at Shirk Field on Oct. 4. The Bullets totaled 320 yards on the ground and held the Green Terror to just 46 yards rushing. Zach Miller found senior Fred Caruso (Sinking Spring, Pa./Holy Name) for a 19-yard scoring reception on the opening drive and the Bullets quickly built an insurmountable 37-0 lead at the break. A 47-yard touchdown pass from Miller to Danny Christian (Reading, Pa./Holy Name) made it 47-0 with six minutes left in the third quarter. Four Bullets finished with 50-plus yards rushing with Miller leading the way with 75 and two rushing scores. Senior Nick Ulassin (Branchburg, N.J./Somerville) totaled 56 yards, junior Kyle Wigley posted 53, and junior Paul Lowry (Midland Park, N.J./Midland Park) picked up 50. Miller added three more touchdowns through the air and totaled 206 yards passing. Senior Mike Maguire (Colts Neck, N.J./Colts Neck) led the defense with 11 tackles and sophomore Danny Speca (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) posted a pair of sacks. The Bullets picked off three passes in the game, including one by sophomore Chris Miller (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) which he returned 27 yards.
 
Muhlenberg suffered its first loss of the season to Johns Hopkins before duking it out with Susquehanna two weeks ago. The Mules jumped out to a 24-7 lead in the third quarter before the Crusaders rallied with three consecutive scores. Susquehanna drove down the Muhlenberg 35 late in the fourth quarter before turning the ball over on downs. Running back Max Cepeda carried the ball 35 times for 150 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Nick Palladino completed 20-of-31 passes for 183 yards and one touchdown. Kyle Ruiz led the defense with 13 tackles, including six tackles for a loss of 37 yards.
 
SCOUTING MUHLENBERG
Muhlenberg is one of the top defensive teams in the Centennial Conference. The team ranks No. 1 in the conference and 19th in Division III in total defense, allowing just 259.4 yards per game. The Mules rank second in both pass defense (148.2 ypg) and rush defense (96.6). Offensively, the team rates second in scoring (37 ppg) and third in both passing (234.6 ypg) and total offense (420.8). Muhlenberg has only turned the ball over three times this season. Sophomore Nick Palladino has emerged as one of the top passers in the conference, ranking first in completions (100) and attempts (161) and second in completion percentage (62.1 percent), yards (1,073), and yards per game (214.6). His top target is senior tight end Michael Long, who has reeled in 21 catches for 284 yards and four scores. Freshman Max Cepeda has taken the lead role in the running game with 82 carries for 469 yards and six touchdowns. Cepeda put up a season-high 150 yards rushing against Susquehanna last time out. Junior linebacker Lenny Smith paces the team with 34 tackles, including five for a loss. Junior defensive end Kyle Ruiz has posted 7.5 tackles for a loss, including 3.5 sacks, while senior linebacker Ian Gimbar has racked up 5.5 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks. The Mules have also blocked four kicks this fall, including two by junior Stephen Szelong. Senior Connor Winter is the top kicker in the conference. He's perfect on 23 extra point attempts and he's connected on a league-high eight field goals.
 
GETTYSBURG OFFENSE
Gettysburg features the top rushing attack in the conference at 260.8 yards per game. The Bullets have gone over 300 yards rushing in their last three outings, including a season-high 323 at Susquehanna. The team also ranks second in the conference in total offense with 452.4 yards per game. Gettysburg has totaled a conference-best 131 first downs with 75 of those coming via the run game. Senior quarterback Zach Miller has completed 56.9 percent of his passes for 957 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He has also added 206 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Junior Kyle Wigley leads the running attack averaging 75.6 yards per game with two touchdowns. Senior Nick Ulassin has logged five rushing touchdowns in the last three contests. Junior wide receiver Brandon Sparks (New Hope, Pa./Central Bucks East) has posted four receiving touchdowns and is averaging 19.1 yards per catch this fall.
 
GETTYSBURG DEFENSE
Gettysburg's defense has climbed to the top of the Centennial Conference in several categories, particularly against the run. The Bullets lead the conference and rank 18th in Division III with only 91.8 rushing yards allowed per game. The team has yet to allow an individual 100-yard rusher and it has held its last three opponents below 89 yards rushing. Gettysburg ranks third in the conference in total defense (331.6 ypg) and second overall with 13 sacks. Junior linebacker Kodie McNamara has climbed to the top of the team's tackle list with 35 stops this season. Sophomore linebacker Joseph Vegso (Newtown Square, Pa./Marple-Newtown) is right behind with 34 stops, including five for a loss, while sophomore Michael Pennella (Martinsville, N.J./Bridgewater Raritan) ranks third on the team with 32 tackles. Pennella also leads the team with 7.5 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks. Sophomore Chis Miller has been everywhere for the Bullets, totaling 28 tackles, five tackles for a loss, two sacks, two interceptions, and two pass break-ups.
 
GETTYSBURG SPECIAL TEAMS
Sophomore Garrett Long (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) has become a consistent producer in the kicking game for Gettysburg. He has made 3-of-5 field goals and he is perfect on 16 extra point attempts. Long is also averaging 57.4 yards on kickoffs. Senior Fred Caruso (Sinking Spring, Pa./Holy Name) ranks second in the conference with 152.6 all-purpose yards per game. He's totaled 357 yards on punt and kick returns this season and he is the only player in the conference with more than 100 yards in all four categories (rushing, receiving, kick returns, punt returns).  
 
LONG-TIME SERIES
Gettysburg and Muhlenberg will square off for the 79th time, but it still ranks as only the third-longest series for the Bullets. The Bullets will meet Dickinson for the 80th time on Nov. 8 and the team's match up with Franklin & Marshall on Nov. 15 will mark meeting No. 100 between the schools. The series with the Diplomats is even at 46-46-7.
 
MILESTONE WATCH
Junior tailback Kyle Wigley has climbed to 20th in career rushing yards with 1,233. He trails No. 19 Dave Wolfe '89 by 78 yards. Wigley ranks second in program history with 5.82 yards per carry. Senior Fred Caruso has climbed into ninth with 1,187 career receiving yards and he trails No. 8 Bill McGowan '70 by just eight yards. Caruso's 81 receptions place him ninth in school history. The senior wing recently crossed 2,000 all-purpose yards and sits 14th with 2,316. Senior Nick Ulassin is 13 yards away from reaching 1,000 on kickoff returns. Only six Bullets have turned in 1,000 yards on kickoff returns. Quarterback Zach Miller continues to climb the passing ranks. He became the sixth Bullet with 3,000 career passing yards and heads into the weekend fourth with 3,446. He ranks first in program history in yards per pass (8.5) and second in completion percentage (61.3), pass efficiency (146.4), and yards per game (172.3).
 
PASSING TD STREAK
Senior quarterback Zach Miller saw his consecutive touchdown game streak end at 13 after failing to throw a score against Susquehanna. However, Miller scored a rushing touchdown against the Crusaders and he has accounted for a TD in each of his last 15 career appearances. Over the last two seasons, Miller has posted 31 total touchdowns.
 
ALL-PURPOSE PLAYER
Senior wing Fred Caruso is second in the Centennial Conference in all-purpose yardage at 152.6 yards per game. He trails Dickinson's Cedric Madden by less than a yard. Caruso has posted at least 100 all-purpose yards in four of five contests this fall, including racking up 245 against Ursinus.  
 
GROUND TO A HALT
Gettysburg has climbed to the top of the conference in rushing defense. The team is allowing opponents to rush for only 91.8 yards per game this season which ranks 18th in Division III. The Bullets have not allowed an individual 100-yard rusher and the team has held its last three foes below 100 total rushing yards, marking its longest streak since the start of the 2012 season. Gettysburg has not led the conference in rushing defense since 1985.
 
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sophomore Michael Pennella was named the Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 21. Pennella spearheaded Gettysburg's 31-17 win over Juniata, posting 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Nine of his 10 hits came against Juniata QB Ward Udinski, who came into the game as the conference's second-leading passer and rusher. On Oct. 5, senior quarterback Zach Miller was tabbed the CC Co-Offensive Player of the Week. Miller totaled 281 yards of offense and five touchdowns in Gettysburg's 47-7 win over McDaniel on Oct. 4. Miller threw for 206 yards and three touchdowns, while adding a team-high 75 yards rushing and two more scores.