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Football - Game # 5 Preview: Bears Host Fitchburg on Homecoming Weekend |
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 Sophomore Keenan Prather, who had a key interception last week, and the Bears host Fitchburg this week on Homecoming Weekend.
Oct. 6, 2007, Cadet Memorial Field, 1:30, HOMECOMING WEEKEND
ON THE AIR: video webcast available CLICK HERE. There is also an audio broadcast at www.sportsjuice.com where you can email the broadcaster at cgbears2007@aol.com.
THE SERIES: Coast Guard leads 1-0.
LAST MEETING: Christian George scored from four yards out with 1:33 left to lead Coast Guard to its fourth straight and remain undefeated in NEFC Bogan Division play with a 31-30 win at Fitchburg State last season.
The Falcons (2-3, 1-2 NEFC Bogan) took a 27-24 lead into the fourth quarter and tacked on a Matt Jones 31-yard field goal with 6:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. But the visitors would not be denied. Coast Guard (4-1, 3-0 NEFC Bogan) took the ensuing kickoff and marched 59 yards on 11 plays, chewing 5:18 off the clock in taking a 31-30 advantage with 1:33 to play. Fitchburg got the ball back at its own 35 but the drive stalled on downs at the Coast Guard 45 and George took a knee to end the game.
Falcons’ running backs William Early and Tyler Kennedy each ran for 119 yards on the day, while quarterback Jim Miller was 11-of-21 for 127 yards and a score. Neither team turned the ball over in this back-and-forth affair that saw George score three touchdowns (2 rushing, 1 passing). George finished with 41 yards on the ground and two touchdowns and 128 passing yards completing 5-of-11.
The game looked more like a track meet in the early stages which resulted in seven consecutive scoring drives. However, the pace would not last as the Falcons went to their one-two running punch of Early and Kennedy to hold the ball for 35:51 compared to 24:09 for the Bears.
George hooked up with David Sauls at the 14:37 mark of the second quarter on a 37-yard touchdown pass to put the visitors back in front 17-13, but Kelton Francis took the kickoff 95 yards for a 20-17 Fitchburg advantage. The Bears closed out the first-half scoring with a 13-play, 65-yard drive and a score by Josh Williams for a 24-20 halftime lead.
Coast Guard’s Keenan Prather led all defensive players with 13 tackles and one sack. Teammate Jack Gill had 12 stops while Tim Leber added six tackles for the Bears.
Coast Guard scored over 30 points for the fourth straight week for the first time in school history.
LAST WEEK: The Coast Guard defense had two key interceptions in the final 6:12 of the game and senior kicker David Lieberman kicked a 20-yard field goal with 4:21 left in the fourth quarter for the only points of the game as Coast Guard won its ninth consecutive New England Football Conference (NEFC) Bogan Division game beating Mass. Maritime 3-0. The Bears were held to a season-low 166 yards of total offense, but picked up the win.
Fitchburg State lost its fourth straight to open the season as Bridgewater State had 470 yards rushing in a 45-31 shootout win over the Falcons.
BEARS DROP TO 9TH IN NEW ENGLAND POLL: Coast Guard, which made its 2007 debut in the New England Division III Poll at 8th last week, dropped to 9th this week. Curry is the new # 1 team as the Colonels received 10 of the 12 first place votes and 113 points overall. Other NEFC teams in the poll are Plymouth State (3rd/76 points) and Bridgewater State (tied for 10th/19 points). Coast Guard received 34 total points.
NINE STRAIGHT: Defending NEFC Bogan Division champion Coast Guard won its ninth straight Bogan Division game on Saturday, the Bears were a perfect 7-0 vs. division opponents last season, their first season in the league, and are now 2-0 in 2007.
SUCCESS IN LEAGUE PLAY: Coast Guard won all seven league games last season for the first time since the 1997 season when the Bears went a perfect 6-0 in the Freedom Football Conference and won their second straight league title. In 1997, Coast Guard also advanced to the NCAA Playoffs for the second straight season. Coast Guard was a combined 0-14 in league play as a member of the Liberty League in 2004 and 2005.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME ... FOR THE CGA OFFENSE : The Coast Guard offense has scored 39 points per game at home this season and 34 points per game in the last five home games dating back to last season. The Bears however have struggled to score points on the road as they have scored just 25 total points or 8.3 points per game in the last three road games dating back to last season.
BEAR PAIR APPROACHING MILESTONES: Senior running back Lance Lynch is closing in on 2,000 career rushing yards while senior quarterback Christian George is approaching 1,000 career rushing yards. Lynch has 1,785 rushing yards, just 215 shy of 2,000 while George needs 118 to reach the 1,000 mark for his career. George had nine yards rushing total entering his junior year when he made the move from wide receiver to quarterback.
NO PASSING ZONE: Coast Guard was held to just 33 passing yards in the 3-0 win at Mass. Maritime on Saturday. It was the Bears lowest passing yard total since throwing for just 21 yards in a 31-6 loss to Merchant Marine in the 2002 season finale. The Bears completed just seven of 37 passes in that game back in 2002. Coast Guard was held under 100 yards passing once in 2003, once in 2004, twice in 2005 and twice last season.
DONUTS FOR THE COAST GUARD “D”: The Coast Guard defense recorded a shutout on Saturday and the Bears have not been scored on in seven of the last eight quarters. Coast Guard has not allowed a first half score in each of its last two games.
LIEBERMAN APPROACHING A RECORD: Senior kicker David Lieberman has 63 career extra points. The Coast Guard Academy career record for PAT’s is 70 held by Ed Daniels, who did it from 1949-1952.
SCOUTING COAST GUARD: It’s Homecoming Weekend and the Bears look to win their 10th straight New England Football Conference (NEFC) Bogan Division game dating back to last season and third straight this season. Coast Guard is averaging 25 points and 323.2 yards per game, 149.2 passing and 174 rushing.
Senior quarterback Christian George, who was held to just 98 yards of total offense last week, (30 passing and 68 rushing), is 35 of 75 for 425 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He is also second on the team with 258 rushing yards as he has carried a team-high 59 times with four touchdowns. Junior Niles Pierson, who also sees time under center, is 17 of 38 for 172 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Coast Guard offensive line has allowed just three sacks this season, best in the NEFC.
Senior Lance Lynch, who leads the team with 275 yards rushing has carried 56 times with one touchdown. Lynch is third on the team with 10 receptions for 144 yards.
Sophomore Sam England, who saw his streak of six straight games with a touchdown come to an end last week, leads the team with 18 receptions for 226 yards and four touchdowns. Sophomore running back Matt Keith is second on the team with 12 receptions for 126 yards.
The Coast Guard defense which allowed 69 points in the first two games of the season, have now allowed just 14 points total in the last two games and have not been scored on in seven of the last eight quarters.
The Bears defense is allowing 20.8 points and 357.8 yards per game, 154 rushing and 203.8 passing.
Sophomore strong safety Keenan Prather and sophomore Kevin Novick, who lead the team with two interceptions each, both had key interceptions in the final 6:12 of the game last week to setup the win. Prather and junior linebacker Brian Yurovich lead the team with 28 tackles each while freshman linebacker Kyle Ennis is second with 27 stops. Sophomore defensive lineman Doug Piper leads the team with 4.5 tackles for loss after recording three tackles for loss on Saturday. Yurovich, sophomore William Bulow and senior Cal Robards lead the team with two sacks each.
The Bears lead the NEFC with a 21.8 kickoff return average with sophomores Steve Arguelles (20.4 average) and Pat Bennett, who has two kick returns for 98 yards including and 84 yard touchdown, giving the team a pair of threats. Arguelles is also averaging 10 yards per punt return this season.
Senior kicker David Lieberman is one of just two kickers in the NEFC that are perfect on extra points this season. Lieberman is nine for nine on PAT’s and three for five on field goal attempts.
Senior Jesse Harms continues to lead the NEFC and is ranked among the national leaders in punting with a 41.1 yard average. Harms had another solid day on Saturday as he punted eight times for a 39.9 yard average on a windy day. He hit three inside the 20 including one at the one-yard line as the Bears won the field position battle in the second half.
SCOUTING FITCHBURG STATE: The Falcons feature the NEFC Bogan Division’s top passing offense led by junior quarterback Jim Miller. Fitchburg State is averaging 267.5 passing yards per game while rushing for 120.2 yards per contest and putting up 27 points per game.
Miller is 58 of 124 for 813 yards with eight touchdowns and six interceptions. His favorite target is senior wide receiver Dan Langlois, who has 28 receptions for 394 yards and five touchdowns.
Sophomore running back Marlon Thornton leads the Falcons on the ground with 462 yards on 89 carries with three touchdowns.
So, while the Falcons are having no trouble scoring, the defense has been the problem as Fitchburg State is last in the NEFC in points allowed (41.8), total defense (475.2 yards per game) and rush defense (330.2). Fitchburg has also recorded just two sacks this season, last in the NEFC.
Fitchburg State is also last in red zone defense as opponents have scored 23 of 27 times into the redzone, 20 of those scores have been touchdowns.
The Falcons are also last in the NEFC in the all important turnover margin as they have turned the ball over 13 times and are minus seven for the seaosn with just six take aways.
NEXT WEEK: Coast Guard hosts Bridgewater State on Parent’s Weekend. Coast Guard won the regular season meeting last year enroute to the NEFC Bogan Division Championship while Bridgewater State beat Coast Guard in the ECAC North Atlantic Bowl. |
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