Thiel Tomcats (1-2, 0-1 PAC) at
Case Western Reserve Spartans (1-1, 1-1 PAC)
Saturday, September 27, 2014 - 1:00 p.m.
DiSanto Field - Cleveland
LIVE VIDEO: http://tv.case.edu/athletics/
(Dave Wilson, play-by-play; Brendan Gulick, color analyst)
LIVE STATISTICS: http://athletics.case.edu/sports/fball/2014-15/boxscores/20140927_mg6e.xml
Download the complete CWRU game notes in .pdf format by clicking HERE.
THE MATCHUP
The Case Western Reserve University football team is back at home to host Thiel College (Pa.) on Saturday, September 27 at 1:00 p.m. at DiSanto Field. The Spartans are 1-1 (1-1 PAC) following a 23-20 loss on the road at Saint Vincent College (Pa.). The Tomcats are 1-2 (0-1 PAC) following a 66-27 loss at home to then No. 22 nationally ranked Thomas More College (Ky.).
SERIES NOTES/LAST MEETING
CWRU and Thiel have not met on the gridiron since 1983. During CWRU's first stint in the Presidents' Athletic Conference, the two schools met annually from 1970-83. Thiel holds an overall lead of 9-5 in the all-time series, but CWRU won the last two meetings in 1982 and 1983. In that 1983 matchup, the Spartans improved to 5-0 and set a school record with five interceptions in a 21-8 victory.
THE COACHES
Case Western Reserve is coached by Greg Debeljak, who is in his 11th season in 2014 with a 73-32 (.695) 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 60-15, 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).
Thiel is coached by Kurt Reiser, who is in his sixth season with a 10-43 record. Reiser was named the 25th head football coach in Thiel history on November 16, 2008. He guided the Tomcats to three PAC wins in 2012 and 2013, the most for the program since 2006. As a player, Reiser was an All-American tight end at Allegheny College (Pa.).
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
Through two games, the Spartans have averaged 25.0 points, 138.5 yards rushing, 247.0 yards passing and 385.5 total yards per game. CWRU opponents have averaged 11.5 points, 72.5 yards rushing, 225.5 yards passing and 298.0 total yards per game. The Spartans have a -3 turnover ratio.
CWRU STATISTICAL LEADERS
Offensively, senior quarterback Billy Beecher (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area) has completed 46-of-72 passes (63.9%) for 483 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. Beecher has also rushed for 43 yards and a TD. Sophomore running back Anthony Bianco (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) has rushed for 101 yards on 21 carries (4.8 ypc) with one TD, while senior running back Manny Sicre (Miami, Fla./Belen Jesuit Preparatory) has 52 yards rushing on 13 carries (4.0 ypc). Freshman wide receiver Luke DiFrancesco (Johnstown, Pa./Bishop McCort) has a team-high eight receptions for 66 yards (8.2 ypc), while senior tight end George Darany (Northville, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central) has seven receptions for a team-best 121 yards (17.3 ypc) and one TD. Junior WR Ethan Albers (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty) has hauled in six catches for 49 yards (8.2 ypc) and a team-high two TDs.
Defensively, junior linebacker KJ Pederson (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) leads the team with 19 tackles to go along two sacks, a forced fumble and a pass break-up. In just one game played, junior linebacker Everett Dishong (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) has 13 tackles, including four for loss and two sacks, with three pass break-ups.
SCOUTING THE TOMCATS
Through three games, the Tomcats have averaged 26.3 points, 161.0 yards rushing, 150.7 yards passing and 311.7 total yards per game. Thiel opponents have averaged 41.7 points, 211.3 yards rushing, 205.3 yards passing and 416.6 total yards per game. The Tomcats have maintained a -3 turnover ratio.
THIEL STATISTICAL LEADERS
Offensively, sophomore QB Ryan Radke has completed 48-of-85 passes (56.5%) for 448 yards with five TDs and three INTs. Radke has also rushed 39 times for a team-high 227 yards (5.8 ypc) with four scores. Junior RB Taylor Fink has carried the ball 49 times for 159 yards (3.2 ypc) and one TD. Junior WR Ron Howard has a team-high 13 catches for 107 yards (8.2 ypc) with two TDs. Fellow junior WR Tim Walker has 11 receptions for a team-high 138 yards (12.5 ypc) and two TDs.
Defensively, senior LB Jack Sindlinger has a team-high 23 tackles with two pass break-ups. Fellow senior LB Tom Thorpe has 20 tackles with a team-high three sacks. Sophomore safety Travell Sherrod and senior corner Martae Hainesworth each have an interception.
NATIONALLY RANKED DEFENSE
Through two games, the Spartans rank 15th in the nation in rush defense (72.5 yards per game) and 21st in scoring defense (11.5 points per game).
DOUBLE IMPACT
Junior fullback Adam Hochman (Austin, Texas/Anderson) matched a career best this past Saturday with two touchdowns (one rushing/one receiving). Hochman also found the endzone twice, both times receiving, in his second collegiate game on September 8, 2012 against Hiram College. In 28 career touches (15 rushing/13 receiving), Hochman has seven TDs (six receiving/one rushing).
HOME COOKIN'
CWRU has posted a winning record at home in eight of the last nine seasons. Including the Spartans' 30-0 victory versus Carnegie Mellon on September 6, the program is 34-14 all-time at DiSanto Field. Formerly Case Field, the facility opened in 2005.
60...
The number of wins for Case Western Reserve since the beginning of the 2007 season. The Spartans are 60-15 overall during that span.
COUNTDOWN TO 200
Including its week one victory, CWRU has 199 wins 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.
