2014 SIENA HEIGHTS UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL
Siena Heights Saints (0-1, 0-0 MSFA Mideast) vs
Saint Joseph's Pumas (1-0, 0-0 GLVC)
Saturday, Sept. 13 - 1 p.m. - Adrian, Mich.
Live Coverage: Eric Iden (play-by-play), Doug Goodnough (color commentary), Siena Heights Sports Network (SHUSAINTS.COM), WLEN 103.9 FM
For a complete version of game notes, click HERE.
THE GAME
The Siena Heights football team will play its first home game of the 2014 regular season when it hosts Saint Joseph's (Ind.) on Sept. 14. The visiting Pumas are an NCAA Division II program and member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at O'Laughlin Stadium.
THE SERIES
This is the second meeting between SHU and SJC. The Saints won the only other matchup -- a 35-31 final at Saint Joe's last season.
Unofficially, the Saints are 2-2 against NCAA Division II opponents. During their
2011 club season, SHU defeated Kentucky Wesleyan, 28-26, but fell to Notre Dame
(Ohio), 30-6. In the Saints' varsity era, they are 1-1 after last week's 12-0 decision at Virginia Union entering the loss column.
THE COACHES
Jim Lyall (Michigan '74) is in his fourth season as head coach for Siena Heights, where he now has a 9-12 varsity record. He is 113-104-1 all-time as a collegiate varsity football coach. During SHU's 2011 club season, Lyall went 8-1. He was previously the head coach at Adrian, where he compiled a 103-92-1 varsity slate.
Cory Sanders (Saint Joseph's) is in his fourth year as head coach for his alma mater. He is 17-16 all-time as a collegiate varsity football coach -- all games coming with the Pumas. A Grand Rapids, Mich., native, he was previously an assistant for Saint Joseph's, Elmhurst (Ill.) and North Central (Ill.).
FOLLOW THE MARCH
All Siena Heights football games will be webcast on the Siena Heights Sports Network, which can be accessed via the Stretch Internet link on WWW.SHUSAINTS.COM. Live stats can be followed online at WWW.SHUSAINTS.COM.
SHSN will provide live video for each Saint home game. Play-by-play will be called by Eric Iden while Doug Goodnough will provide color commentary. Games will be archived in Stretch's on-demand feature.
SHSN and WLEN 103.9 FM have also enjoyed a four-year partnership. All games will be audio-streamed online at WLEN.COM while select games will be broadcast live on the radio.
NEXT UP
The Saints will host Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) during Homecoming Weekend. The contest will kick off on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 1 p.m.
Olivet Nazarene is currently 0-1 after opening its season with a 41-10 loss to 20th-ranked Saint Francis (Ill.). The Tigers have a pair of home games, taking on Robert Morris (Ill.) on Sept. 13 and then Concordia on Sept. 20, before they will visit SHU.
LAST TIME WE MET - SIENA HEIGHTS AT SAINT JOSEPH'S - 09/14/13
Tight end Donovan Campbell caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt King with 41 seconds remaining before the Siena Heights defense held for a 35-31 victory over Saint Joseph's (Ind.) on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013.
Following Campbell's go-ahead score, the host Pumas began a drive at their own 27-yard-line. They eventually moved the ball to the SHU 5, setting up a first-and-goal with two seconds on the clock. An incomplete pass ended the game.
Campbell had four catches for 68 yards and two scores while King completed 11 of 22 throws for 201 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. King's three TD passes matched a school record set last week by Travis Zajkowski.
King also ran for a touchdown and threw to wide receiver Reggie Blackmon for another while linebacker Nic Acton recorded the varsity program's first defensive touchdown -- a 69-yard interception return.
Blackmon had three receptions for 86 yards, Travis Damron rushed 19 times for 63 yards, and King had 11 carries for 59 yards.
On defense, defensive back Sederick A. Dunbar II and linebacker Tyler Karcher had 8 1/2 tackles apiece. Defensive linemen Kyle Connors and Jordan Martin added sacks. Dunbar also forced a fumble.
VandeMerkt was 22 of 41 for 316 yards for the Pumas, who outgained SHU, 525-350. VandeMerkt also had 17 carries for 69 yards while Shelton ran 17 times for 108 yards.
Wide receiver Alphonso Hines added five catches for 102 yards.
Linebacker Joel Wimbley led the SJC defense with 10 tackles and fellow linebacker Gary Yeoman added an interception.
LAST WEEK'S ACTION - SIENA HEIGHTS AT VIRGINIA UNION
The Saints are coming off a 12-0 season-opening loss to NCAA Division II squad Virginia Union on Saturday, Sept. 6.
Defensive back Da'vonte Price had an interception, linebacker Allen Jefferson forced a fumble and defensive lineman Tanner Brewer made a fumble recovery for the Saints. Wide receiver Raphael Dunson added 121 all-purpose yards.
The Saints' offense went 0 for 4 in the red zone, turning the ball over on downs twice, missing a field goal, and throwing an interception.
Dunson had nine catches for 89 yards, two rushes for 11 yards and one kickoff return for 21 yards.
Quarterback Travis Zajkowski completed 20 of 38 passes for 216 yards and three interceptions. He was sacked twice.
Running back Dont'e Fox was the Saints' leading rusher, finishing with six carries for 42 yards. Tight end Donovan Campbell had three catches for 55 yards and wide receiver Reggie Blackmon made three grabs for 29 yards.
LAST WEEK'S ACTION - SAINT JOSEPH'S AT VALPARAISO
Saint Joseph's also opened its season last week, taking a 31-10 decision over Valparaiso (Ind.) -- a member of the FCS (formerly Division I-AA) -- on Saturday, Sept. 6.
Running back Mike Anderson scored three touchdowns for the Pumas, finishing with 10 carries for 97 yards and five catches for 71 yards. One TD was on the ground while two came through the air from quarterback Tate Borlik.
Borlik was 16 of 30 for 170 yards and the two scores. Braxton Shelton added 25 runs for 159 yards and a touchdown.
Saint Joseph's fell behind 3-0 against Valpo before scoring 24 consecutive points.
On defense, defense backs Drew Byrd, Chris Edgerton and Sheldon Martin made 8 1/2 tackles each. Gary Yeoman had 7 1/2 tackles, including a sack and forced fumble.
SCOUTING THE PUMAS
Saint Joseph's is off to a 1-0 start after going 8-3 last season. The eight wins represented the Pumas' highest win total since 2006 when they went 8-3. SJC has had two eight-win seasons in 17 years, but are currently in one of its best stretches in a while with a 10-3 slate dating back to Nov. 10, 2012.
Saint Joe's has returned several All-Great Lakes Valley Conference honorees from a year ago, including five players mentioned to the First Team, six to the Second Team, and three honorable mentions. Following the Pumas' loss to SHU last season, Saint Joe's won 7 of its final 9 games. Of its three losses, SJC lost by 4, 1 and 3 points.
After finishing second in the 2013 GLVC standings, Saint Joe's was rated third in the 2014 conference preseason poll behind defending conference champ Indianapolis (Ind.) and Truman State (Mo.). Indy was a near unanimous vote to win the conference; its first-place vote went to Saint Joseph's.
SJC returners who were named All-GLVC First Team last year include left tackle Jake Styla, running back Braxton Shelton, tight end Tyler Callaghan, and linebackers Joel Wimbley and Gary Yeoman.
Styla, a redshirt-senior from Riverview Gabriel Richard, was one of three GLVC players to be unanimously voted to the conference's first team. Shelton had 183 carries for 1,057 yards and 13 touchdowns while Callaghan made 12 catches for 116 yards while contributing is a blocking H-back on offense. On defense, Wimbley had 70 1/2 tackles, including seven sacks, three interceptions and one forced fumble while Yeoman compiled 56 tackles with 8 1/2 sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles.
Six Second Team performers return for the Pumas, including running back Kodi Cook, whose 827 yards and six TDs on 166 carries added to SJC's one-two backfield punch. Wide receiver Alphonso Hines (45-558, 5 TDs rec.), right guard trent hall, defensive end Eric Heinzman (5 1/2 sacks), strong safety Jessie Pourch (30 tackles), and free safety Drew Byrd (50 1/2 tackles) are also back.
Other key names to look for on Saturday include quarterback Tate Borlik, wide receivers E.J. Woody and Joey Bishoff, linebacker/kickoff returner/punt returner Sheldon Martin and a trio of 2013 honorable mentions (left guard Brandon Good, nose tackle Cody French, kicker Gavin Voss).
RED ZONE WOES
The red zone was unkind territory to the Siena Heights offense during last week's SHU loss to Virginia Union. The Saints arrived in the red zone on four occasions, but did not come away with any points. During the Saints' past two varsity seasons, they went 52 of 74 in the red zone (70.3 percent).
At VUU, the Saints had two turnovers-on-downs, one missed field goal and one interception after entering the red zone. At one point, a failed quarterback/center exchange resulted in a nine-yard loss.
Upon entering the red zone, SHU's stats looks like this: nine rushes for three yards; 3 of 6 for 26 yards passing and one interception; one penalty for 10 yards.
JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE
The Siena Heights defense has forced a turnover in 21 consecutive games, which encompasses the entire SHU varsity era. The Saints have also recorded interceptions in 19 of their 21 varsity contests, including going 10 of 10 at home.
On the second quarter's opening play at Virginia Union, linebacker Allen Jefferson and defensive lineman Tanner Brewer extended the Saints' 21-game streak. Jefferson knocked the ball from VUU quarterback Shawheem Dowdy and Brewer ended up with the recovery at SHU's 15-yard-line.
Defensive back Da'vonte Price later had an INT for the Saints. With SHU down 10-0, he picked off a Dowdy pass in the end zone to keep the host Panthers from extending their lead.
88's AND HEARTBREAK
Siena Heights has rushed for at least 100 yards in 16 of its 21 games in the varsity era, going 0-5 in games it failed to eclipse the century mark.
The Saints have run for exactly 88 yards in back-to-back season openers. SHU had 88 yards on 31 carries during its 24-21 loss to Grand View (Iowa) on Sept. 7, 2013. Against Virginia Union last week, Siena Heights had 35 carries.
In another noticeable trend, SHU has also accumulated 114 penalty yards in its last two season openers. The Saints had 12 infractions at Virginia Union and 11 against GVU. SHU has had been penalized seven-or-more times on nine occasions, winning the first three games but then losing the last six.
GOOSE EGGS
Last week's 12-0 loss at Virginia Union was the first shutout suffered by the Saints in their football history. SHU's previous lowest-scoring affair occurred at the hands of then-defending champ Marian (Ind.) at home -- a 31-3 decision on Sept. 8, 2012.
The Saints have been on the opposite end of shutouts on two occasions, blanking teams in back-to-back weeks. SHU defeated Waldorf (Iowa), 30-0, on Sept. 21, 2013, and then followed with a 14-0 victory over Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) on Sept. 28.
SPREADING IT AROUND
A total of 11 players had positive gains for the SHU offense against Virginia Union, including seven in the running game. Ja'Tice Shaw had the most carries with 14, followed by fellow running backs Dont'e Fox (6), Amari Kelley (4) and Julius Taylor Jr. (3). Wide receiver Raphael Dunson had two runs and even backup quarterback Nick Gilliam got on in the action with a three-yard scramble.
Dunson was the leading yard-gainer for the Saints, finishing with 121 all-purpose yards. He had nine receptions for 89 yards, two rushes for 11 yards, and a kickoff return for 21 yards.
Elsewhere in the receiving game, tight end Donovan Campbell and Reggie Blackmon made three catches each.
MID-STATES DOMINATION
The Mid-States Football Association has dominated the NAIA football landscape over the past three seasons as three teams -- from three different states -- have won national championships. Saint Xavier (Ill.) won the 2011 crown, Marian (Ind.) claimed the 2012 title, and then the Saints' home-opening foes from a year ago, Grand View (Iowa), claimed the 2013 edition.
Siena Heights was rated fifth on the MSFA Mideast League preseason poll; Saint Francis (Ind.), with seven first-place votes, accumulated 48 points and was picked to win the division while Saint Francis (Ill.), with one first-place vote, received 35 points and was picked to place runner-up. SHU received 23 points in the poll.
The MSFA boasted five teams on the NAIA Top 25 preseason poll, led by defending national champ Grand View at No. 1. Saint Francis (Ind.) is rated sixth, Saint Xavier is 16th, Saint Ambrose (Iowa) is 17th and Saint Francis (Ill.) is 20th. SHU was listed in the receiving-votes category.
