KUTZTOWN, PA (October 19, 2010) – The chase for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division championship heats up when 18th-ranked Kutztown University and C.W. Post battle at University Field Saturday evening beginning at 6:05 p.m. (GAME NOTES)
The Golden Bears (7-0 overall, 4-0 PSAC East) and the Pioneers (5-2, 4-0) are two of the three co-leaders in the East Division along with Bloomsburg (6-1, 4-0). The Huskies host West Chester (3-4, 3-1) Saturday afternoon. The winner of the KU-CWP game will remain in first place for at least another week. This is Kutztown's penultimate home contest of 2010.
Kutztown, ranked 21st in the latest d2football.com poll, is one of eight Division II teams without a loss. The other unbeaten schools are Albany State, Abilene Christian, Augustana, California (Pa), Grand Valley State, Minnesota-Duluth and Shepherd. The Golden Bears are also on the cusp of history. With one more victory in their final four games, the Golden Bears will establish a school record for victories in a single season.
Kutztown leads the all-time series, 3-1. The Golden Bears beat C.W. Post, 21-14, in 2008 at University Field. However, the Pioneers earned a measure of revenge by defeating the Golden Bears, 42-17, at Hickox Field in 2009. Both teams played Mercyhurst this season in a PSAC crossover game. Kutztown beat Mercyhurst, 35-14. C.W. Post dropped a 28-20 decision to Mercyhurst.
Something has to give this week. Kutztown is undefeated at home and C.W. Post is perfect on the road. The Pioneers have won six straight PSAC East games since last season.
Last week, Kutztown continued its best start in history by defeating Millersville, 38-28 as it rolled up a season-high 496 yards of total offense. KU sophomore quarterback Kevin Morton (Abington, PA/Abington) tied a career-high with four touchdown passes and finished with 350 yards on 29-of-42 passing. He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 12 straight games. In firing four touchdown passes for the third time this season, Morton raised his career touchdown total to 37 and moved into third place on the KU all-time list.
Meanwhile, C.W. Post scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to beat East Stroudsburg, 28-17, and run its winning streak to four games. Senior quarterback Erik Anderwkavich led the Pioneer offense with 15 of 29 completed attempts for 205 yards and three touchdown completions. He also led the rushing unit with 59 yards on 12 carries. Junior inside linebacker Ronnie Modik registered a career-high 17 tackles and also recorded a forced fumble, a pass breakup along with a quarterback hurry in the game.
The Golden Bears enter the game leading the PSAC in scoring offense (39.3 points per game) and passing offense (269.4 yards per game. Kutztown is also second in the conference in total offense (414.0 yards per game). The Golden Bears have scored 30 or more points in eight straight games and have outscored their opponents, 111-17 in the third quarter.
Morton leads the PSAC in total offense (305.9) and passing average (269.4). He is also second in passing efficiency (156.8). Wide receiver Erik Frazier (Philadelphia, PA/Germantown) has been Morton's top target this season. Frazier leads KU with 35 catches and he is fourth in the conference in receptions per game (5.0) and receiving yards per game (77.7). Kutztown has five wide receivers with at least 18 catches. Colby Tuell (Columbia, PA/Columbia) has caught 26 passes and Josh Smith (West Lawn, PA/Wilson) has made 25 catches.
Defensively, the Golden Bears have been fueled by Kevin Bolinsky (Ashland, PA/North Schuykill), who leads the PSAC in sacks with 9.5. Bolinsky has recorded a sack in every game this season. With 20 career sacks, Bolinsky moved past John Mobley and into a third place tie on the all-time KU sack list with Aldain Lobban and Harry Williams. Joel Irwin (Coatesville, PA/Bishop Shanahan), who has 208 career tackles, leads KU with 44.5 stops. Khalief Evans (Philadelphia, PA/Imhotep Charter), who had two highlight-type hits against Millersville, is second on the team with 39 stops. He has 199.5 for his career. Overall, KU has forced 16 turnovers, registered 21 sacks, generated 15 quarterback hurries, and scored two defensive touchdowns.
The Golden Bear defense will have their hands full defending the Pioneer offense. C.W. Post is third in the conference in rushing offense (191.9), fourth in total offense (392.3), fifth in scoring offense (28.6), and sixth in passing offense (200.4). Like Morton, Anderwkavich is the engine that drives the Pioneers.
Anderwkavich is third in total offense (268.9), sixth in passing offense (198.9) and eighth in rushing (70.0). He's a duel threat that has thrown for 14 touchdowns and run for four scores. Thomas Beverly has been a perfect complement to Anderwkavich, averaging 67.4 rushing yards per game. The Pioneers also feature one of the top wide receivers in the PSAC in Darnel Williams, who is second in the conference in receiving yards per game (93.9), and third in receptions per game (6.1). He has caught six touchdown passes this season.
The Pioneers enter the game with the ninth-ranked defense in the PSAC (344.3). C.W. Post has not allowed more than 21 points in its last two games against Millersville and East Stroudsburg. Ronnie Modik leads the Pioneers with three interceptions and Xavier Brown has seven sacks, which is third in the PSAC. Billy O'Connor is C.W. Post's top tackler with 81 stops.
The championship rumble continues next weekend for both teams. Kutztown plays its regular season home finale against West Chester starting at 6:05 p.m. C.W. Post returns home to host Bloomsburg in a game that kickoffs at 1 p.m.
--KU--
