SELINSGROVE –
King’s College built an early 14-0 lead and the Monarch defense
came through with three critical red zone stops in the second half
as the visiting Monarchs posted a 14-3 victory over Susquehanna
University on the Crusaders’ Homecoming Day Saturday at Nicholas A.
Lopardo Stadium, Selinsgrove.
With the win,
King’s improved to 4-1 overall and remain in first-place in the
Middle Atlantic Conference with a 4-0 mark. Susquehanna meanwhile
slipped to 1-3 and 1-2 in the MAC. The game also marked the last
regular-season meeting between the teams as Susquehanna will leave
the MAC for the Liberty League in 2007. The teams end their rivalry
deadlocked at six wins each with King’s winning each of the last six
contests.
King’s would push
across the game’s first points following a punt after assuming
possession at it own 20. On second down, John Ortiz raced off right
tackle for 26 yards to the midfield. After an incomplete pass and a
fumble resulting in an eight-yard loss, the Monarchs would face a
third-and-18. From there, fullback Joe Tassoni would break free for
31 yards to the Susquehanna 27. Ortiz would carry for eight yards,
then added two yards on the next play for a first down at the
Susquehanna 17. Jeff Field would then pick up four yards to the
13-yard line, and then powered his way over two would-be tacklers
for 11 more yards and a first down at the Crusader two. After Field
picked up one yard, quarterback Jeff Searfass would score on a
quarterback sneak to cap an 11-play, 80-yard drive. Tim Lust added
the conversion as King’s took a 7-0 lead with 5:13 left in the first
quarter.
On the ensuing
possession, Susquehanna quarterback Derek Pope hit Brian Wimmer for
51 yards to the King’s 27. Pope then found fullback Charlie Henry on
a screen pass for 12 yards to the Monarch 16. Two running plays
would net eight yards, moving the ball to the Monarch eight-yard
line. On third-and-two, however, Susquehanna was flagged for holding
to give the Crusaders a third-and-12 from the King’s 18. . After an
incomplete pass Susquehanna would attempt a 35-yard field goal but
an errant snap would give the Monarchs possession at its own 28.
King’s would look
to capitalize when Searfass hit Mike Sheil for 18 yards to the
Monarch 47. On the next play Searfass found Mike Verbitski for 25
yards to the Crusader 28. Tassoni would carry for four yards before
Field followed with another run of four yards to set up a
third-and-two at the Susquehanna 20. Field then broke three tackles
on a run up the middle to gain 10 yards and a first down at the 10.
On the next play, Field appeared to be stopped for a loss, but broke
two more tackles to find the end zone for King’s second touchdown of
the game. Lust’s conversion upped the King’s advantage to 14-0 with
14:29 remaining in the second quarter.
Susquehanna’s Jim
Owen would return the ensuing kickoff 37 yards to give the Crusaders
possession at the Monarch 45. After three-short runs set up a
fourth-and-one play from the King’s 36, Dave Paveletz burst off
right tackle for 15 yards to the Monarch 21. After Paveletz carried
for seven yards to the 14, an incomplete pass set up a
third-and-three play. Paveletz then gained two yards to force
fourth-and one. From there Pope would pick up one yard on a
quarterback sneak to give the Crusaders a first down at the King’s
11. An illegal procedure call, however, would push the ball back to
the 16. Paveletz got back eight yards on the next two plays to set
up a third-and seven play. A screen pass to Paveletz would then
advance the ball to the King’s five-yard line to force a
fourth-and-four. Wimmer would then convert a 23-yard field goal to
bring Susquehanna to within 14-3 with 8:29 remaining in the opening
half.
After the teams
traded punts, the Monarchs would assume possession at the
Susquehanna 36-yard line with 4:06 left in the half. The Monarchs
would drive down to the Crusader four-yard line, but on
third-and-goal, Shawn Rafferty would intercept a Searfass pass in
the end zone to thwart the King’s scoring chance with 0:32 left in
the half.
Midway through the
third-quarter, Susquehanna would get a break on a Monarch punt when
Lust avoided a block attempt and scrambled to his right, managing a
one-yard punt to give Susquehanna possession at the King’s 24. The
Monarchs defense would stiffen and, on a fourth-and-two play from
the Monarch 16, sophomore cornerback Shane McNamara picked off a
Dennis Robertson pass at the four-yard line to end the threat.
After forcing a King’s punt, Susquehanna would take over at the
Monarch 45. Paveletz would carry for11 yards, then added eight yards
on the next play. King’s defense would again rise to the occasion
when, on a fourth-and-four, from the Monarch 24, Craig Haywood
intercepted Robertson at the King’s 16-yard to end another threat.
The Monarchs would again punt and Susquehanna took over at it own 35
with 8:15 remaining in the contest. Robertson would hit Ravi Kantha
for nine yards before Paveletz broke off a 36-yard carry to the
Monarch 20. On third-and-three from the King’s 13, Matt Little
stopped Paveletz two yards shy of the first down to force a
fourth-and-two play. Susquehanna elected to forgo the field goal
attempt and Robertson would look to hit Henry on a shovel pass but
Tom Tulaney broke up the play to end the third Crusader scoring
opportunity of the second half with 4:59 remaining in the contest.
King’s would run
the clock down to 1:32 before punting and Susquehanna would take
over at its own 23-yard line. The Monarchs defense would fittingly
put the game away when Haywood intercepted a third-down Robertson
pass at the Crusader 33 and returned the ball to the Susquehanna
one-yard line with 0:25 left. The interception was a school-record
third of the game for the Monarch senior safety. King’s would then
run out the clock as the Monarchs secured their fourth straight win
of the season.
King’s out gained
Susquehanna 240—to-225 in total yards. Ortiz led the way with 87
yards on 23 carries while Field added 69 yards on 13 attempts.
Tassoni chipped in with 41 yards on four carries. Searfass
completed 5-of-13 passes for 57 yards. George Montras posted a
team-high nine tackles with 3.5 for 16 yards in losses for the
Monarchs while McNamara added eight stops.
Pavaletz rushed for a game-high 134 yards on 26 carries to pace
Susquehanna.
