Campus Corner: Kelly Earns Third MAC Offensive POW Award; Sipes Stars With 19-Tackle Game; Kalgren Keys First Oberlin Win; Lytle Quadruple Winner

 

READING, Pa. – Redshirt senior quarterback Tanner Kelly of Olanta (Clearfield Area High School) earned Middle Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors for the third time this season with 256 total yards and two touchdowns as undefeated Albright\’s attack unit shook off a slow start to support a superb defensive effort for a 31-17 win over Widener in Shirk Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Tanner Kelly. (Photo courtesy of Albright Athletic Department).

 

The partisan crowd of 2,122 had to sit through a second half downpour to watch the Lions, who were ranked No. 24 in NCAA Division III by the American Football Coaches Association, remain in a tie for first place with Delaware Valley in the MAC at 4-0.

 

Albright is off to its first 7-0 start since 1997.

 

Kelly completed 18 of 30 passes for 217 yards and one touchdown, a two-yarder to Tyrell Drumgo that put the Lions ahead to stay 14-9 with just 55 seconds left in the first half. He also passed for a two-point conversion following Albright\’s first score.

 

Though sacked five times for losses of 33 yards, he finished with a team-high 39 rushing yards and one TD. His one-yard sneak made it 24-9 with 11:33 remaining in the game.

 

Kelly also punted five times for a 33.2 average, one forcing Widener to start from inside its own 20 and another going for a touchback.

 

Albright\’s nationally-ranked defense registered seven sacks and 11 tackles for losses, intercepted four passes, recovered one fumble and blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown.

 

For the season, Kelly has rushed 87 times for 323 yards and five TDS and completed 127 of 193 passes for 1,867 yards and 13 TDs, with no interceptions. He has a completion percentage of 70.98 and a passing efficiency rating of 174.47.

 

He has 2,190 total yards, a 312.9 average, for 280 plays.

 

In the MAC, Kelly is No. 1 in completions, completion percentage, passing yards, passing efficiency and total offense.

 

In NCAA Division III, he is third in completion percentage, fifth in yards per pass attempt (9.67) as well as passing efficiency, 15th in total offense average, 24th in passing yards, 26th in passing yards per game (266.7), 36th in points responsible for per game (16.57) and 39th in completions per game (19.57).

 

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CLARION, Pa. – Junior strong safety Nick Sipes of Curwensville and linebacker Joseph Fox of Murrysville (Franklin Regional) turned in career games on defense to complement another outstanding all-around offensive performance by diminutive running back Alfonso Hoggard of Philadelphia (Cravel Academy) as Clarion continued its turnaround season with a 30-28 win over Indiana Saturday afternoon.

 

Sipes made four solo tackles and assisted on 15 others to match the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference\’s single-game high for the season set by Bloomsburg senior linebacker Anthony Smith, who had 19 stops against C.W. Post on Sept. 26, while Fox was involved in 15 tackles.

 

Meanwhile, the 5-4, 150-pound Hoggard rushed for 162 yards and two touchdowns and ended up with 292 all-purpose yards in the Golden Eagles\’ fourth victory in a row, a streak that is the program\’s longest since 1996.

 

Clarion overcame a 21-10 second-quarter deficit with three scores in a row to lead 30-21 after three periods and then hung on to raise its record to 6-3, including a 5-1 mark that is good for a second-place tie with Edinboro behind California (6-0) in the PSAC Western Division.

 

Junior free safety Shawn Sopic of Curwensville aided the Clarion cause by assisting on four tackles and breaking up one Indiana pass.

 

His season totals show 21 solo stops and 23 assists for 44 tackles, fifth on the team, with two tackles for losses. He has broken up six passes and blocked one punt.

 

With his big game, Sipes regained the PSAC lead and climbed into a tie for 14th place in NCAA Division II in tackles with 96. His 44 solo stops are tied for 43rd in D-II.

 

Sipes six sacks, 11 tackles for losses of 23 yards and one forced fumble.

 

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RICHMOND, Ind. – Freshman quarterback David Kalgren of Curwensville ran for one touchdown and passed for the other Saturday afternoon to lead Oberlin past host Earlham 19-13 in Darrell Beane Stadium for its first victory of the season.

 

Trailing 7-0 in the North Coast Conference game, the Yeomen (1-6) started the second half by parading 80 yards in 14 plays for the equalizer. Kalgren completed four passes for 30 yards and ran four times for 14 yards, capping the drive with a seven-yard run.

 

On Oberlin\’s next possession, Kalgren moved the chains three times, once on an 11-yard carry, and accounted for 29 yards with four completions, the payoff on the nine-play, 40-yard march, a three-yarder to Ryan Harvey for the winning TD.

 

Kalgren accounted for 66 yards on the ground and a career-high 142 through the air. His 19 completions and 33 passes also were season highs. He was intercepted once and sacked twice for losses of seven yards.

 

After seven games and four starts, Kalgren has rushed for 281 yards and two TDs on 78 attempts and thrown for 455 yards and three TDs with 55 completions in 108 passes. He has suffered four interceptions.

 

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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Senior free safety Beau Ryan of Clearfield was involved in four tackles and hauled in his first collegiate pass reception as Juniata broke into the win column by downing host Moravian 10-3 in front of 1,432 fans at Rocco Calvo Field Saturday afternoon.

 

Freshman safety Isiah Morgan of Clearfield played on special teams for the Eagles, who ended a string of 23 consecutive road losses to leave the teams with matching 1-5 Centennial Conference and 1-7 season records.

 

On a fourth-and-27 play late in the first half, Ryan turned punter Owen Phillips\’ pass into a 13-yard gain.

 

Ryan registered one solo stop and three assists in helping the Juniata defense limit the Greyhounds to 267 yards.

 

For the season, Ryan sports 36 tackles, including 24 solo stops, and has three of the Eagles\’ seven interceptions. 

 

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PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Redshirt sophomore Andrew Janocko of Clearfield had a hand in 11 of Pitt\’s points as the holder for place-kicker Dan Hutchins in Saturday afternoon\’s 41-14 victory over South Florida that kept the nationally-ranked Panthers atop the Big East Conference at 4-0.

 

A crowd of 50,019 at Heinz Field saw Hutchins send five extra points and field goals of 36 and 32 yards through the Heinz Field goal posts.

 

No. 20 Pitt improve to  7-1 for the first time since 1982 and was rewarding by moving up in the major rankings this week. The Panthers are No. 15 in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) standings, No. 16 in The Associated Press Poll and No. 17 in the USA Today/Coaches Poll.

 

The Panthers have an open date this week before preparing for a Nov. 7 noon home game against Syracuse that will be an ESPNU national telecast.

 

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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Redshirt junior lineman J.D. Skebo of Curwensville saw action at center late in Slippery Rock\’s 44-7 loss to No. 23-ranked California in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action in front of a Thompson Stadium of 1,200 Saturday afternoon.

 

Skebo also was a blocker on The Rock\’s PAT unit.

 

Slippery Rock was limited to 217 yards, 63 of which came on the hosts\’ lone touchdown drive that knotted the score at 7-7 early in the second quarter.

 

After that, The Rock offense self-destructed with three of its four turnovers in addition to five three-and-outs, resulting in a third consecutive defeat and a 5-4 record, 2-4 in the PSAC Western Division.

 

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NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Senior tri-captain John Lytle of Clearfield was one of the sparkplugs as Notre Dame opened its dual meet schedule by atoning for one of last season\’s losses with a 179-119 victory over Oakland in the Rolf\’s Aquatic Center Friday night.

John Lytle. (Photo courtesy of Notre Dame Athletic Department).

 

Lytle got the Fighting Irish pointed in the right direction with a 20.04-second freestyle anchor leg for a come-from-behind win in the 200-medley relay. The Golden Grizzlies led by .55 when Lytle dove into the pool.

 

The freestyle sprinter then dominated his individual specialties, pacing Notre Dames sweeps with a 20.81 in the 50 and 45.97 in the 100.

 

With the outcome settled, the Fighting Irish \’A\’ 400 free relay quartet swam exhibition but still posted the best time, 3:07.40, after Lytle set the tone with the final event\’s fastest leadoff leg, 46.44.

 

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CLARION, Pa. – Junior Brandon Boyer of Clearfield had a busy weekend for the hosts in the season-opening Clarion Fall Classic, placing in five individual events and two relays as the Golden Eagles, with 666 points, earned second place behind Grove City (1,117 points) in the four-team field.

 

Boyer\’s top effort was a second in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 56.60 seconds. Grove City\’s Cam Coppelli won in 55.85.

 

Boyer finished sixth in the 200 back in 2:04.91 and 100 freestyle in 50.50, seventh in the 50 free in 22.96 and 15th in the 200 individual medley in 2:15.16.

 

He also swam the leadoff legs for the 400 free quartet that placed third in 3:21.44 and the 200 medley foursome that took fifth in 1:45.71. Boyer\’s times were 50.92 and 26.99, respectively. 

 

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BUFFALO, N.Y. – Freshman Mark Krchnak of Clearfield debuted for Duquesne Friday night by placing in two individual events, helping the Dukes to forge a 110-110 tie going into the final event before Buffalo prevailed in the 400-yard freestyle relay to pull out a 123-114 win in Alumni Arena.

 

He rallied from fifth at the halfway mark to claim third place in the 200 breaststroke in 2:12.66, combing with race winner Ian Walsh to take the season-opening meet down to the wire.

 

Krchnak, whose 33.47-second closing leg was the fastest for the final 50 yards, placed fifth in the 200 individual medley in 2:03.42.

 

He also swam the breaststroke leg for the Duquesne \’B\’ 400 medley relay team that placed fourth in 3:33.5.

 

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CLARION, Pa. – Twins Chris and John Bodle of Clearfield and their Westminster teammates got the 2009-10 season under way at the Clarion Fall Classic Saturday.

 

The Titans, who did not compete in the Friday events, mustered only 89 points Saturday and wound up third behind Grove City (1,117) and Clarion (666). Frostburg (W.Va.) State trailed with 81.

 

Chris Bodle placed 11th in the 400-yard invididual medley in 5:02.18 and 25th in the 100 butterfly in 1:03.66, while John Bodle placed 23rd in the 100 fly in 1:02.67 and 28th in the 100 backstroke in 1:06.87.

 

Both handled the fly for Titan 200 medley foursomes, John with a 27.38-second leg for the \’C\’ team that place 14th in 1:52.29 and Chris with a 27.11 leg for the \’B\’ team that finished 15th in 1:52.58. 

 

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LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Making his sixth start of the season, Mark Auman of Clearfield nearly doubled his shots total with four attempts, two of them on goal, against Wilmington (Del.) on Oct. 20, but like the rest of the Lock Haven attackers, he could not beat the No. 14-ranked team\’s goalkeeper in the 2-0 loss.

 

Auman also handled four corner kicks in the non-conference game.

 

That was the junior midfielder\’s lone appearance in the last four games for the Bald Eagles, who were beaten 2-1 by visiting California Saturday to fall to 1-7 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division and 5-10-2 overall.

 

In 12 games, Auman has two assists and nine shots, four on goal.

 

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NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – Alan Baldwin of Olanta (Clearfield Area H.S.) saw action in a pair of Westminster road victories, both 3-0 shutouts, last week.

 

The junior midfielder got off one shot against Thiel at Greenville Tuesday.

 

The Titans (8-9) followed up by blanking Washington & Jefferson at Washington Saturday to claim second place in the Presidents\’ Athletic Conference at 3-1.

 

Baldwin, who has one assist, has played in 11 games. He has been credited with four shots, one on goal.

 

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WASHINGTON, Pa. – Junior midfielder John Lhota of Clearfield logged one shot on goal for Washington & Jefferson in last Wednesday\’s 5-1 loss to Thomas More (Ken.) with first place in the Presidents\’ Athletic Conference at stake.

 

He did not play Saturday when the Presidents were shut out 3-0 by Westminster and slipped to 2-2 in the PAC and 9-6-1 for the season.

 

In 15 games as a starter, Lhota shows one goal and three assists for five points, sixth highest on the team. He has four of his 11 shots have been on goal. 

 

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NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – Dani Struble of Lumber City (Curwensville Area H.S.) launched five shots, including three on goal, but was unable to add to her season point total as Westminster split a pair of Presidents\’ Athletic Conference last week, tripping Thiel 1-0 at Greenville Tuesday and falling 3-1 to Washington & Jefferson at Washington Saturday.

 

The latest outing cost the Lady Titans (8-6-2, 3-2 PAC) a shot at the conference title.

 

Struble\’s 14 points on five goals, three of them game-winners, and four assists are third-best for the Lady Titans. She leads in shots on goal with 23 in 61 attempts, which are the eighth most in the PAC.

 

Struble, who has started every game at forward, is tied for third in the conference in game-winning goals.

 

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SLIPERY ROCK, Pa. – Despite having three of her five shots right on target, Juliana Howell of Clearfield was unable to boot one into the net for Slippery Rock in a big 2-0 road win over Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division front-runner Indiana Saturday.

 

The junior midfielder, who was making her fourth consecutive start, leads The Rock in shots on goal percentage (70.6) with 12 of her 17 attempts having been right on target.

 

She is fifth on the team with five points on two goals, both game-winners, and one assist in 16 games.

 

Slippery Rock, which was ranked ninth in the Atlantic Region by the NCAA Division II Selection Committee prior to last week\’s action, was edged 2-1 by visiting Edinboro in a PSAC game Tuesday, so tumbling the No. 4 Crimson Hawks should keep The Rock in the region playoff hunt.

 

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LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Junior midfielder Jen Williams of Clearfield still ranks sixth in scoring for Lock Haven with the three goals, including the game-winner, she registered in the Lock Haven opener.

 

Williams reached double figures in starts (11) last week in two Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division home games for the Lady Eagles, whose losing streak was extended to six by Indiana 2-1 and NCAA Division II No. 21-ranked California 5-0.

 

Williams attempted two shots, one on goal, against Indiana.

 

She has played in every game for the Lady Eagles (3-12-1, 2-9-1 PSAC-West) with six shots, five on goal.