Complete Game Notes In PDF Format
ATHENS, W. Va. - The Concord University football team has the chance to clinch its fourth-consecutive winning season with a victory over West Liberty Saturday in the 2012 home finale at Callaghan Stadium. The streak would be third-longest by the program dating back to 1960.
The Mountain Lions earned their fifth win of the season last week thanks to a dominating 41-10 victory over Fairmont State last week. Concord is 3-1 in its last four games with the only loss coming at Liberty.
West Liberty has also won three of its last four games. A road win would give WLU its seventh winning season in the last eight years.
MOUNTAIN LION FACTS
Since 2004, Concord is 4-4 vs. West Liberty. CU defeated West Liberty. The Mountain Lions scored three defensive touchdowns to help beat the Hilltoppers 32-29 last season.
10's a lucky number for CU. Since 2009, Concord is 3-0 in its 10th game of each season.
The Concord defense continues to climb the rankings of Division II. The Mountain Lions enter the week ranked 13th in pass defense, 18th in total defense, 21st in scoring defense and 25th in tackles for loss per game.
West Liberty defeated Concord, 56-33, the last time the two played at Callaghan Stadium.
SCOUTING CONCORD
Concord's 41-point output last week was the Mountain Lions' highest point total of the season.
After giving up 104 points in its first five games of the season, Concord's defense has allowed just 66 points in its last five contests.
CU is a perfect 4-0 this season when holding the edge over its opponents in rushing yards.
Concord's nationally-ranked defense gives up just 307.2 yards of total offense per game (168.0 passing yards / 139.2 rushing yards) and an average of 18.9 points per contest.
The Mountain Lions' offensive attack averages 20.7 points and 305.0 yards of total offense per game (198.9 passing yards / 106.1 rushing yards).
One of the 19 seniors playing in their final home games this year will be QB
Evin Dusold, who has came on to play well over CU's last three games. Dusold has completed 63.8% of his passes for 567 yards, six touchdowns and just one INT. Concord is 2-1 in games that Dusold has played quarterback in.
Dusold's top two targets are fellow seniors
Ansel Ponder and
Randall Hawkins. Both players have caught 48 passes this season. Ponder has 634 yards (13.2 per catch) and six touchdowns while Hawkins has tallied 441 yards and two scores. Ponder ranks fourth in the WVIAC in yards per game.
Freshman RB
Calvinaugh Jones has rushed for 564 yards and two touchdowns on 134 attempts (4.2 ypc).
Junior LB
Jake Lilly leads the WVIAC and ranks fourth in the nation with 105 tackles. He has also added 11.5 TFL's, two interceptions and one forced fumble.
Fellow LB's
Howard Jordan and
Ervin Moore are also having big seasons. Jordan, a senior, is third on the team with 69 tackles while adding 5.5 TFL's, two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Moore, a freshman, leads the team with three sacks and six TFL's.
Senior DB
Kevin Elliott (4) and Junior DB
Riyahd Richardson (3) have combined for seven interceptions while sophomore DB
Davon Marion has 72 tackles and two interceptions.
Concord has blocked five kicks this year.
FIVE TO WATCH ON DEFENSE
Another week, another 10+ tackles effort for
Jake Lilly, who made 13 stops and had one forced fumble against Fairmont State.
Ervin Moore has became one of Concord's top pass rushers this season. Moore has three sacks in Concord's last three contests.
Riyahd Richardson is making a strong case for All-WVIAC and All-Region postseason recognition. The junior corner has intercepted three passes in four games and has eight pass break-ups with a forced fumble and a recovered fumble in the same time span.
Keith Ferguson recorded two tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery against Fairmont State.
His name will not appear much in the box score, but defensive tackle
Josh Miller is a key to CU's run and pass defense.
FIVE TO WATCH ON OFFENSE
Ansel Ponder had one of the best days of any wide receiver in the WVIAC last week against Fairmont State, catching nine passes for 141 yards and three touchdowns. Ponder continues to be a big-play threat for Concord. The senior has seven catches for more than 20 yards this season.
Evin Dusold has thrown for over 200 yards and at least two touchdowns in two of his three games played this year, including a 212-yard, four-touchdown effort last week.
Randall Hawkins has 100 career receptions. He scored his second touchdown of the year last week against Fairmont State during a four-catch game. Hawkins has caught at least five passes in a game five times this season.
Jocorey Robins was Concord's leading rusher last week, totaling 58 yards on 17 attempts while also scoring his first touchdown as a Mountain Lion.
Calvinaugh Jones has had two quiet games at running back and should be poised for another breakout game against a tough West Liberty run defense. Jones has three 100-yard rushing days this year.
SCOUTING WEST LIBERTY
(Courtesy of West Liberty Sports Information)
West Liberty could clinch its seventh winning seasons in eight years under Roger Waialae with a victory this afternoon.
Isiah Moody's 119 rushing yards at Seton Hill are the most by a Hilltopper since Kevon Calhoun ran for 258 yards in West Liberty's last visit to Callaghan Stadium (Nov. 13, 2010).
West Liberty is 19-6 under head coach Roger Waialae when kicking off to start the game but just 32-29 when they receive the opening kickoff.
The Hilltoppers are 44-13 during the Waialae Era – but just 5-4 this year - when holding their opponents to 30 points or less.
Junior WS Marco Ricchetti has posted double-figure tackles in each of his last three games.
West Liberty leads the nation with 5 interception returns for touchdowns this year. Albany State (Ga.), Tuskegee and Chowan (N.C.) are tied for second with 4 each.
Coming into this year, the Hilltopper defense had run back only 6 interceptions for touchdowns in the last 7 years.
As a team, West Liberty averages 23.1 points a game and 290.9 yards of total offense (70.3 rushing/220.6 passing).
The West Liberty defense has given up 20.7 points and 347.9 yards of total offense a game (109.2 rushing/238.7 passing.).
FIVE TO WATCH ON DEFENSE
The West Liberty defensive attack is led by DB Marco Ricchetti, who has recorded team-highs of 83 tackles and four interceptions to go with four TFL's.
LB Marquis Bradley has made 58 tackles this season, including a team-high nine for a loss. Bradley also has two interceptions.
DB Rod White has three INT's and is second in the WVIAC in passes defended with 11.
DB's Jovontae Johnson and Pierre Blake are also threats to give opposing QB's headaches. Johnson has four INT's and Blake has two.
FIVE TO WATCH ON OFFENSE
QB's Dylan Lagarde and LD Crow have split time behind center this season. Lagarde has thrown for 1,119 yards and six touchdowns while Crow has five touchdown passes and 764 yards through the air.
RB Isiah Moody has rushed for 416 yards and five touchdowns on the season. Moody ran for 119 yards and one touchdown last week against Seton Hill.
West Liberty features a two-headed running attack with Kenjay Trueblood having also rushed for 352 yards and three touchdowns for the Hilltoppers this year.
Brandon Schroeder has caught a team-high 32 passes for a team-best 439 yards and four touchdowns.
