Case Western Reserve Spartans (2-2, 2-2 PAC) at
Waynesburg Yellow Jackets (4-1, 2-1 PAC)
Saturday, October 11, 2014 - 1:30 p.m.
John F. Wiley Stadium - Waynesburg, Pa.
LIVE VIDEO: http://vp.telvue.com/preview?id=T01595&video=148037
LIVE AUDIO: http://vp.telvue.com/player?id=T01595&video=23812
LIVE STATS: http://www.sidearmstats.com/waynesburg/football/
Download the complete CWRU game notes in .pdf format by clicking HERE.
THE MATCHUP
The Case Western Reserve University football team looks to get back above the .500 mark when it takes on Waynesburg University on Saturday, October 11 at 1:30 p.m. at John F. Wiley Stadium in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. The Spartans are 2-2 both overall and in the Presidents' Athletic Conference following a 25-14 home defeat at the hands of Bethany College (W. Va.). The host Yellow Jackets are 4-1 (2-1 PAC) after a 35-0 shutout of Grove City College (Pa.).
SERIES NOTES
Saturday's meeting will mark the first on the gridiron between Case Western Reserve and Waynesburg.
THE COACHES
Case Western Reserve is coached by Greg Debeljak, who is in his 11th season in 2014 with a 74-33 (.692) record. Debeljak has led the Spartans to four UAA Championships in the last seven years with three consecutive undefeated (10-0) regular seasons and NCAA Playoff berths from 2007-09. Since the beginning of the 2007 season, Case Western Reserve has posted an outstanding overall record of 61-16, earning Debeljak and his assistants the UAA Coaching Staff of the Year award four times (2007-09, '11). In addition, CWRU has been ranked in the AFCA Top 25 in four of the past seven seasons (2007-10).
Waynesburg is coached by Rick Shepas in his 10th season with an overall record of 60-38. Two seasons ago, Shepas guided the Yellow Jackets to just the second 10-win season (10-1 overall) in program history and a victory in the ECAC South West Bowl. Ranked second all-time in Waynesburg history in wins, Shepas began his coaching career in the Ohio high school ranks. Prior to being named head coach at Waynesburg, he led the program at Massillon High School for seven seasons and won a pair of regional championships.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
Through four games, the Spartans have averaged 21.8 points, 101.5 yards rushing, 219.0 yards passing and 320.5 total yards per game. CWRU opponents have averaged 16.0 points, 114.0 yards rushing, 221.2 yards passing and 335.2 total yards per game. The Spartans have been on the negative side of the turnover battle with a -5 ratio.
CWRU STATISTICAL LEADERS
Offensively, senior quarterback Billy Beecher (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area) has completed 78-of-134 passes (58.2%) for 866 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Beecher has also rushed for 64 yards and a TD. Sophomore running back Anthony Bianco (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) has rushed for 153 yards on 40 carries (3.8 ypc) with one TD, while junior fullback Adam Hochman (Austin, Texas/Anderson) has 77 yards rushing on 15 carries (5.1 ypc) with a team-best three total touchdowns (two rushing/one receiving). Sophomore wide receiver Brendan Lynch (Sarver, Pa./Freeport Area) has a team-high 18 receptions for 168 yards (9.3 ypc) and a pair of touchdowns. Freshman wide receiver Luke DiFrancesco (Johnstown, Pa./Bishop McCort) has 15 receptions for 168 yards (11.2 ypc) with one TD, while senior tight end George Darany (Northville, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central) has eight receptions for 134 yards (16.8 ypc) and one TD. Junior WR Ethan Albers (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty) has hauled in eight catches for 107 yards (13.4 ypc) and two scores.
Defensively, junior linebacker KJ Pederson (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) leads the team with 38 tackles, including two sacks, to go along with a forced fumble two pass break-ups. Junior linebacker Everett Dishong (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) has 29 tackles, including team bests of 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks, with five pass break-ups. Junior safety Jordan Esteban (Miami, Fla./Belen Jesuit Preparatory) has 17 tackles, one interception with a 72-yard return and five break-ups.
SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
Through five games, the Yellow Jackets have averaged 34.8 points, 161.2 yards rushing, 269.6 yards passing and 430.8 total yards per game. Waynesburg opponents have averaged 19.0 points, 133.8 yards rushing, 198.4 yards passing and 332.2 total yards per game. The Yellow Jackets have maintained a -1 turnover ratio.
WAYNESBURG STATISTICAL LEADERS
Offensively, senior QB Carter Hill has completed 96-of-181 passes (53.0%) for 1,320 yards with 14 TDs and five INTs. Senior RB Jake Forsythe has rushed for 556 yards on 119 carries (4.7 ypc) with seven TDs. Senior WR Bernie Thompson has team highs of 35 receptions, 461 receiving yards (13.2 ypc) and four TDs. Senior WR Andrew English has 27 catches for 303 yards (11.2 ypc) with three scores.
Defensively, junior linebacker Aaron Palmer has a team-high 31 tackles and a pair of sacks. Junior DB Mike Lopuchovsky has 30 tackles with team bests of three INTs and nine break-ups. Sophomore DL Zach Machuga has 27 tackles and team bests of nine TFL and four sacks. Sophomore DB Josh Mundell has 17 tackles with a forced fumble, a pair of INTs and six break-ups.
TWO AT A TIME
Senior quarterback Billy Beecher (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area) has thrown for two touchdowns in each of CWRU's first four games. Prior to 2014, Beecher had three passing TDs combined in three seasons.
IMPACT PLAYER
Junior linebacker Everett Dishong (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Chagrin Falls), who has played less than three full games because of injury, ranks fifth in Division III in sacks per game (1.67) and seventh in tackles for loss per game (2.8). In just 12 career games, Dishong has 104 tackles, 20.5 TFL, 9.5 sacks and 12 pass break-ups.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore wide receiver Brendan Lynch (Sarver, Pa./Freeport Area) was named UAA Offensive Player of the Week after posting career bests of eight receptions, 70 yards receiving and two touchdowns against Bethany. Lynch also added 101 kick return yards with a career-long 43-yarder on the game's opening kickoff.
ROAD WARRIORS
During its past 36 road games dating back to 2007, CWRU has compiled an overall record of 30-6.
5-1...
CWRU's record in games played in Pennsylvania dating back to 2007.
61...
The number of wins for Case Western Reserve since the beginning of the 2007 season. The Spartans are 61-16 overall during that span.
200...
The number of wins for CWRU in program history. After the Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University federation of 1967, the first CWRU football team was fielded during the fall of 1970. Thirty percent of the program's wins have come in the last seven-plus seasons.
