GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Gettysburg and Bridgewater continue their non-conference series for the third consecutive season this Saturday at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. Opening kick-off is set for 1:30 p.m.
GAME COVERAGE
Saturday's game will feature live stats and live video courtesy of Stretch Internet. You can follow along on your computer or mobile device at
http://portal.stretchinternet.com/gettysburg/.
HOME OPENERS
The Bullets are 76-40-7 all-time in home openers and are looking for back-to-back wins in the first home contest since 2011-12. Gettysburg won its home opener last season 22-15 over Ursinus College.
THE COACHES
Barry Streeter enters his 38th season at the helm of Gettysburg's football program. Streeter is the longest-tenured active coach in Division III and his 190 wins place him sixth 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. Streeter is a 1971 graduate of Lebanon Valley and he is a member of the Dutchmen's Hall of Fame.
Michael Clark is in his 22nd season as head football coach at Bridgewater. Clark has guided Bridgewater to a 138-85-1 record, five ODAC titles, and six NCAA appearances during his tenure. In 2003, Bridgewater put up a 12-2 record, won the conference title, and advanced all the way to the national semifinals. Clark is a 1980 graduate of the University of Cincinnati where he was a four-year letterwinner as a defensive back on the football team.
THE SERIES
Gettysburg and Bridgewater have split the first two meetings in the series. In 2014, the Eagles emerged from a pitched battle with a 33-32 victory after scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 1:20 left at Shirk Field. Last fall, the Bullets piled up a record 574 rushing yards and scored 40 points in the second half of a 49-10 decision in Bridgewater.
LAST MEETING
Playing its first-ever season opener under the lights, Gettysburg set a program and conference record with 574 rushing yards in a 49-10 victory at Bridgewater last season. Despite an early lightning delay, the Bullets took a 9-3 lead at halftime before the floodgates opened in the second half. Gettysburg racked up touchdowns on each of its first six second-half possessions, including a 44-yard pass from
Sam McDermott '16 to
Kevin McCarthy '16. The Bullets smothered the Eagles defensively, allowing the hosts to post just 101 total yards in the final half. McDermott set a conference record for a quarterback with 183 yards rushing on 21 carries, while
Kyle Wigley '16 posted 173 yards and two touchdowns. McDermott also threw touchdown passes to three different receivers.
Michael Kornegay '16 and
Kodie McNamara '16 paced the defensive effort with seven tackles a piece, while
Brian Calatozzo '16 posted an interception.
Keith Jennings led Bridgewater with 121 receiving yards.
LAST TIME OUT
The last time the Orange and Blue took the field, they were hoisting the Lincoln Trophy high after defeating Franklin & Marshall 21-7 in Lancaster. Gettysburg opened with the game's first score on a 14-yard strike from
Sam McDermott '16 to tight end
Fred Pulzello '16 in the first quarter. The Diplomats tied the game heading into halftime, but the Bullets dominated the second half of play. Pulzello hauled in another touchdown in the fourth quarter and
Ryan Thompson '18 finished the scoring with a short receiving touchdown. Both of those scores were set up by two of
Joey DeCristofaro's '18 program-record tying three interceptions. DeCristofaro totaled 14 tackles and
Mike McKnight '19 added 11 stops.
Kyle Wigley '16 gained 97 yards on the ground, while McDermott finished with 73 rushing yards and three passing touchdowns.
SCOUTING BRIDGEWATER
Bridgewater posted a 4-6 record last fall, including 2-5 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The Eagles dropped five consecutive conference games before closing the year with a 45-13 victory over Catholic. This year's squad, picked to finish fifth in the ODAC, features more freshmen than returners. Most of the team's returners come on defense led by senior captain
Davey Hardesty, who paced the team with 82 tackles last fall. Offensively, the Eagles lost their platooning quarterbacks as well as their top four rushers. The team's top offensive threat is tight end
Keith Jennings, who posted 541 receiving yards and four touchdowns in eight games last season.
GETTYSBURG OFFENSE
Gettysburg was up to its usual offensive tricks last fall, finishing first overall in the conference in rushing yardage (245.1 ypg), second in total offense (429.4 ypg) and passing touchdowns (25), and third in points per game (28.8 ppg). The majority of the key figures who led last season's attack have graduated, opening the door for a new crop of players to take over. While competitions abound at quarterback, running back, and offensive line, the wing backs and wide receivers are in excellent standing.
Ryan Thompson '18 posted six touchdowns last season, while
Matt McFadden '19 racked up over 1,000 all-purpose yards in his debut campaign.
Jordan Kelso '17 emerged as the team's top threat down the field, catching 33 passes for 519 yards and six scores.
GETTYSBURG DEFENSE
Gettysburg's 3-4 scheme is powered by an experienced group of linebackers.
Chris Miller '17 and
Joseph Vegso '17 accounted for 14 tackles for a loss and five sacks last fall on the outside.
Joey DeCristofaro '18 had a breakout year at inside linebacker last fall, totaling 62 tackles and three interceptions. The defensive line is also experienced with
Danny Speca '17 and
Michael Pennella '17 returning as starters. Bolstering the secondary are a handful of players with starting experience, including
John Gutowski '17 and
Kamau Bridges '18.
GETTYSBURG SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicking duties are up in the air following the graduation of
Robby Fay '16, but the return game will be as good as ever thanks to McFadden. As a first-year, McFadden finished ninth in the country with 806 combined kick return yards. He averaged 12.8 yards per punt return and 22.4 yard per kick return.
FIRST LOOK
Gettysburg took on Shenandoah in its only scrimmage last Saturday. After falling behind 12-7, the Bullets ran off the next 28 points to win 35-12. Gettysburg forced a pair of turnovers and held the Hornets to just 58 yards rushing on 45 carries.
Justin Davidov '18 and
Danny Thompson '17 split reps at quarterback, the former rushing for 63 yards and a touchdown and the latter throwing for 138 yards and two scores.
Jordan Kelso '17 hauled in five catches for 79 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown from Thompson in the third quarter.
Dakota Brovero '18 picked up five tackles and a pair of sacks coming off the defensive line.
HEAD OF THE CLASS
Cordell Boggs '17 was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team for the second year in a row last fall. Boggs has started each of the last 24 games on the offensive line for the Bullets, paving the way for 15 efforts of 200 years or more by the team. Away from the field, he is a biochemistry-molecular biology major and has been named to the Dean's List in each of his six semesters.
TOP STOPPER
Chris Miller '17 posted a career-high 97 tackles last season, including a team-best 65 solo stops. He led the team with 10 tackles for a loss, including three sacks for a loss of 27 yards. Heading into his final campaign, Miller sits 20th in program history with 224 career tackles. He also sits in a tie for 13th in career tackles for a loss with 23.
DEEP THREAT
Jordan Kelso '17 hauled in 33 catches for 519 yards and six touchdowns last season. Kelso finished third in the Centennial Conference at 15.7 yards per catch. His breakout game came against Juniata when he caught seven passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He enters his senior campaign with 790 receiving yards and an average of 16.8 yards per catch.
RETURN OF THE MAC
Matt McFadden '19 quickly established himself as one of the top returners in the country last season. McFadden finished ninth in the country in combined kick return yards with 806 as a first-year. He led the conference in both punt return yards (269) and kick return yards (537). A second-team all-conference pick, McFadden posted 243 all-purpose yards against Susquehanna, including 77 on a punt return touchdown.
