KUTZTOWN, Pa. (November 16, 2011) — After receiving its second consecutive bid to the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs, the Kutztown University football team will host Concord University Saturday, November 19 at noon at University Field in the first round of the Super Region I playoffs.
(GAME NOTES) (NCAA GAMEDAY CENTRAL)
The winner will advance to take on the No. 2 seed, New Haven which received a first round bye, on November 26. Kutztown finished the regular season 10-1, winning its first-ever Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title in the process. Kutztown will enter the NCAA playoffs ranked sixth in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 poll, the highest ranking in school history. KU has defeated three nationally-ranked teams this season.
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Head coach Raymond Monica was named the PSAC East Coach of the Year for the second straight season after guiding the Golden Bears to the NCAA playoffs for a second consecutive season.
Last year, Kutztown advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs, where it was the top seed and received a first round bye. KU fell to Shepherd 41-34. Kutztown is 0-1 all-time in the NCAA Division II playoffs and is looking for its first-ever NCAA playoff win.
2011 marks the eighth post-season appearance in Concord history, and the first in the NCAA. CU reached the NAIA playoffs seven times between 1977 and 1992.
For the second straight season, Kutztown quarterback
Kevin Morton (Abington, PA/Abington) was named the PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year.
Josh Mastromatto (Fort Washington, PA/Upper Dublin) earned first team honors at both running back and return specialist. Offensive tackle
Aaron McGlynn (Harleysville/Souderton) and offensive guard
Nick Maloney (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown) are both on the first team, along with receiver
Erik Frazier (Philadelphia, PA/Germantown). The Golden Bears were represented on the defensive first team by linebacker
Andrew Hodges (Ridley, PA/Ridley) and defensive back Alex Dinolfi.
Running back
Robbie Frey (Lehighton, PA/Lehighton) and defensive linemen
Brett Moss (Bensalem, PA/Bensalem) and
Jason Henshaw (West Chester, PA/Henderson) were selected to the All-PSAC East Second Team.
The game will be broadcast live on WEEU-830 AM based out of Reading beginning at 11:45 p.m. with the pregame show. Mitch Gerhart and Kyle Spotts will call the action. Fans throughout the world can listen to the game at www.kubears.com. In addition, the game will air live on KUTV, which is Service Electric Channel 24 and Hometown Utilicom Channel 28 in Kutztown and eastern Berks County. The game will also be aired live on Service Electric 50 in the Lehigh Valley. Service Electric Channel 2 in the Lehigh Valley will air the game via tape delay on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 10 a.m.
Kutztown defeated Slippery Rock in an electrifying PSAC Championship game last Saturday that had fans on their feet as they witnessed history in the making. The Golden Bears defeated The Rock 21-14.
Concord is the champion of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC). The Mountain Lions are 7-3 overall.
The Mountain Lions capped an historic rise to the top of the WVIAC on Saturday afternoon, defeating No.19 West Virginia Wesleyan 48-40 at Callaghan Stadium to claim its first conference championship since 1990.
This will be the first time that both programs meet when they enter Saturday's game.
Kutztown's offense saw a surprise last week in senior quarterback
Marshall Vogel (Hatboro, PA/Hatboro-Horsham), as he stepped in for an injured Morton to finish with a career-high 300 passing yards on 25-for-39 passing with two touchdowns. Vogel was named the PSAC Championship MVP and the PSAC Offensive Athlete of the Week.
Late in the first quarter, Morton threw his 85th career touchdown pass to Frazier. He needs one more TD strike to tie Andy Breault's school-record for TD passes.
Frazier, who leads the Golden Bears in receiving yards (70.4/game), hauled in a game-high 97 yards and two TDs on Saturday. Frazier has picked up 780 yards through the air this year and adds seven TDs to go along with his feat.
Frey, who has been nothing but dependable for Kutztown's offense, leads KU in rushing (98.2). Frey finished with 54 yards on 13 carries in the PSAC Championship. He has 10 TDs on the season.
Mastromatto, a threat on the ground and in the air, caught a 16-yard TD from Vogel last week. Mastromatto has nine TDs this year (four rushing, three receiving, and two kickoff returns).
The Golden Bears are outscoring their opponents 433-210.
The success of KU's explosive offense wouldn't be possible without the offensive line that has been robust this season. Saturday's game marked the fifth time this season they haven't allowed a sack.
Kutztown's defense is stacked with some heavy hitters that held Slippery Rock to only 4-of-17 on third-down conversions.
Jason Ulmer (Feasterville, PA/Neshaminy) and DiNolfi each had interceptions in the victory. DiNolfi leads the PSAC in interceptions (nine). The junior leads Division II in interceptions and is one away from tying a 35-year old single-season record of 10 (Kevin Keeler, 1976). With the pair of interceptions, Kutztown set a single-season record for interceptions in a season with 23. It has forced at least one turnover in 21 of its last 23 games.
Hodges and
John Kreuer (York, PA/York Suburban) each tallied a game-high nine tackles in the victory. Hodges leads the team in tackles (95), and Kreuer follows with 71.
Moss is fourth in Division II in sacks per game (1.18/game). Kutztown has not allowed more than 14 points in four of its last five games.
Fourteen Mountain Lions earned All-WVIAC recognition, including seven on the first team. Five of those first team selections are on defense.
Saturday was Concord's second victory over a nationally-ranked opponent this season. The Mountain Lions defeated then No.3 Shepherd, 28-14, on October 1.
Quarterback Zach Grossi threw five TD passes without an interception on Saturday. Grossi is 177-of-317 in passing and has thrown 10 interceptions this season. He has thrown 17 TD passes on the year.
Ryan Stewart caught six Grossi passes for 62 yards and three TDs in CU's victory. Stewart leads CU in receiving yards (720) and has 10 TDs this season.
Running back Brian Kennedy rushed for a career-high 303 yards on 35 carries against West Virginia Wesleyan. Kennedy, who leads the rushing attack has seven TDs on the year and averages 88.2/game. Kennedy, also leads Concord in all-purpose yards (104.6). Chris Rodriguez complemented Kennedy with 70 rushing yards on only six carries on Saturday.
The Mountain Lions average 24 points per game. They've scored 241 points this season, with 84 coming in the second quarter. Additionally, Concord leads Division II in turnover margin (1.80/game).
Defensively, linebacker Joe Greenway tied for the team lead with nine tackles, including two for a loss, and added his sixth interception of the season last week. Zach Gibbins posted seven tackles, a sack, and an interception. Safety Aaron Martinez registered six tackles, one for a loss, and also grabbed an interception. Linebacker Jake Lilly posted nine tackles, with one for a loss. Lilly has 105 tackles on the season, which ranked first in the WVIAC.
Concord has 21 interceptions this year with five coming from Greenway and Martinez. Josh Mill leads CU in sacks (six).
