Football | 9/22/2022 4:30:00 PM

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -  The Bloomsburg University football team returns home to face Shippensburg University in both team's first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East game of the season. Kick-off from Redman Stadium is slated for 2:00 pm.
 
LIVE INTERNET COVERAGE
• Live Stats  |  Provided by Bloomsburg
• Live Streaming Video  |  Provided by BUSN
• Live Audio (Online and Radio)  |  Provided by Bigfoot Country 106.5
 
WATCH ON YOUR TV
• Fans can watch the game live and on-demand for free on the Bloomsburg Athletics Digital Network.
 • Search for "Bloomsburg Athletics Digital Network" in the app stores on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku and Android TV devices to download the app. All 11 regular season Bloomsburg football games will be available on the app.
 
MOBILE APP
• Fans can also watch all PSAC football games on the PSAC Sports Digital Network mobile app that is available for free in the app stores on Apple and Android devices.
• The Live Streaming Video link above will also work on all mobile devices.

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Game Four Notes - PDF (31 pgs)

THE GAME
The Huskies come into today's game off a tough 23-20 overtime loss to Edinboro last week while the Raiders enter the game after a 44-21 loss to IUP at home. Today is both team's PSAC East opener.

THE SERIES
The Huskies and Shippensburg are meeting for the 86th time. The Raiders hold a 48-37 advantage in the series, though the home team has had a significant advantage throughout the years. The Huskies are 24-18 all-time against Shippensburg at home, including three-straight wins dating back to 2014. The last time the two teams met, Shippensburg ran away with a 51-7 win at home.

SCOUTING SHIP
The Raiders come into Saturday's game 1-2 after dropping a 44-21 decision to IUP in the final PSAC East/West Crossover game. Shippensburg opened the season with a 29-6 loss to West Virginia State before beating Seton Hill 36-17 at home in week two. As a team, the Raiders are averaging 21.0 points per game while allowing opponents to score 30.00. Shippensburg is averaging 196.3 yards of total offense a game, with most of that coming through the air. The Raiders are averaging 145 yards of passing per game while rushing for just 51.3.

Sam Johnson leads the Raiders with 302 yards passing and is 35-59-4 with three touchdown passes this season. Joey McCracken has 114 yards passing and is 7-for-16 with one interception. Leading the rush for SU is Nasai Moon with 105 yards on 27 carries. Bill Williams has 36 yards on 10 carries. Richie Sykes has the lone rushing touchdown for Shippensburg and has 23 yards on 15 carries.

Ian Sheehan leads the team on the receiving end with 183 yards on 15 catches and a touchdown. Sheehan is averaging 12.2 yards per catch and 61.0 yards per game. Redd Douglas has 140 yards on nine catches and two touchdowns. Douglas has been a force on the kick returns for the Raiders, averaging 43.5 yards per return with a pair of touchdowns. He has 522 return yards in just three games.

Defensively, the Raiders are led by Matt Feeney with 30 tackles and 2.5 sacks, while Khl'on Smith, Brandon Holt, and Isaiah Gilmore all have interceptions for the Raiders. Riley Good had 5.0 TFL for 27 yards this year.

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
The Huskies come into the game with a 1-2 record. Bloomsburg fell to Division I FCS Stonehill 33-30 in double overtime to open the season before powering its way to a 42-3 win over Clarion two weeks ago. The Huskies are coming off a 23-20 overtime loss to Edinboro last week.

KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) is leading the passing game for the Huskies as he is 24-for-47 with 431 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. Riley has a QBR of 153.55 through the season's first three games. He also has run for 116 yards on 30 carries and has a touchdown.

Kaleb Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) leads the rush with 181 yards on 53 carries this season. He has also caught three passes for 74 yards and a TD so far.

Matthew Bowes (Somerton, Pa./La Salle College HS) leads the receiving core so far this year with 95 yards on seven catches and two touchdowns, while Monaco has 74 yards. Tyshaun Pollard (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East) has five catches for 69 yards and a touchdown, while Jerry Griffen-Batchler (Norristown, Pa./Germantown Academy) has 60 yards on six catches. Nas Jones (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport Area) has the other touchdown reception this season and 34 yards on one catch.

Defensively, Quentin Gaskill (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) leads the Huskies with 25 total tackles and has 2.0 TFL and 2.0 sacks for a loss of 23 yards. He has been a menace for opposing quarterbacks with seven broken-up passes and an interception in the first three games. Ryan D'Ambra (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood) has 18 total tackles and two forced fumbles. Chris Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) has the Huskies' other interception and has broken up four passes. Kenny Yurkonis (Minersville, Pa./Minersville Area) and Joseph Kahn (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove) each have a pair of sacks this year.

ON THIS DAY - SEPTEMBER 24
Bloomsburg Football History
The Huskies shut out IUP 27-0 to improve to 5-0 on the year on September 24, 2005. Bloomsburg racked up 372 total yards on offense behind 246 yards on the ground from Jamar Brittingham. It was his second-highest career rushing game and one of seven 200+ yard rushing games during the 2005 season. Brittingham is the single-season leader in rushing yards in the Huskies' history with 2,260 in 2005 and is second on the all-time list with 5,689 career rushing yards.

US History
American alternative rock group Nirvana released its breakthrough album Nevermind, which helped make grunge an international phenomenon and gave voice to Generation X on September 24, 1991.

QUITE THE STREAK
Bloomsburg has scored at least one point in 209 consecutive games dating back to a 21-0 home loss against Shippensburg on September 13, 2003. Bloomsburg is 115-3 all-time when scoring at least 40 points in a game. However, the Huskies have only reached the 40-point plateau seven times in the last 49 contests. The Huskies defeated Clarion 42-3 two weeks ago at home.

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN(S)
The Huskies named a group of 10 leaders as captains for the 2022 season - Aaron Trumino (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley), Tyshaun Pollard (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East), Chris Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West), Adam Burkhart (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), Jack Riley (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East), Quentin Gaskill (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro), Billy Martin, Ky Seesholtz (Mifflinville, Pa./Central Columbia), John Ayres (Mt. Carmel, Pa./Mt. Carmel), and Tom Goetz (Wenonah, N.J./Gateway Regional).

RED(ZONE) HOT OFFENSE
The Bloomsburg offense was firing on all cylinders two weeks ago against Clarion and has been red hot in the red zone all season. Against Clarion, the Huskies made two trips into the red zone, and both times came away with seven points (thanks to a couple of PATs from Brendan McGonigle (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City)). Two weeks again against Stonehill, the Huskies were 5-for-5 in the red zone with touchdowns and a pair of field goals. Last week against Edinboro, the Huskies made one trip to the redzone and walked away wiht seven points.

For the season, the Huskies are a perfect 8-8 in the red zone and are one of 22 teams tied for the top of DII in red zone chances and scores.

THE RILEY FILE
Freshman QB KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) is off to an impressive start for the Huskies. Riley has thrown for 431 yards and five touchdowns in his first three games. He is 27-48-3 in the first three games. He has rushed for 116 yards on 30 attempts and one touchdown. Riley is averaging 3.9 yards per carrying this year. After throwing a limited number of times during the opening week, Riley was the poster child for efficiency two weeks ago at Clarion, completing 11 of his 13 passes for 258 yards and four scores. He ran the ball six times for 64 yards and a touchdown.

ONE LAST RIDE
The Huskies may be young this season but boast a wealth of leadership from crucial upperclassmen. Samuel Darrell III (Plainfield, N.J./Pope John XXIII Regional), a transfer, Chris Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West), Tyshaun Pollard (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East), and Aaron Trumino (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) are playing in their final season as graduate students, while Jamir Redd (Chester, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) is suiting up for the Maroon & Gold as a senior this season

THE TOWN OF BROTHERLY LOVE
The Huskies boast a pair of brothers on their roster again this season. Senior Chris Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) came back to make up for the lost season to due to COVID to join his brother, Kaleb, in Bloomsburg Maroon & Gold for the second-straight season. Sophomore quarter David LePoidevin (Middlesex, N.J./Bound Brook) welcomes his little brother, Patrick, to a strong group of signal callers for the Huskies this season.

This season, the Monaco brothers are making an impact on both sides of the ball. Younger brother, Kaleb, is the team's leading rusher with 181 yards on the ground on 53 carries. He is second on the team with 74 receiving yards on three catches and has one touchdown. 62 of his yards in the air came off a touchdown pass from KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) against Clarion two weeks ago.

Older brother, Chris, has made his presence known to opposing quarterbacks this season. He has 11 tackles, seven solo, and four broken up passes. Chris picked off Edinboro's Isaac Bernard and returned it for 23 yards to set up a short field for the Huskies. KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) threw a 25-yard TD pass to Matthew Bowes (Somerton, Pa./La Salle College HS) on the next play.

FRESH OUTLOOK
The Huskies boast one of the youngest starting lineups in all of Division II college football. On opening day, Bloomsburg looks to started 18 freshmen or sophomores  and had 38 underclassmen total listed on the depth chart.

Under center, KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) has started the first three games for the Huskies and is the projected starter today. This season, Riley is 27-for-48 with five TDs and three INTs. He has 431 yards in the air. Riley is second on the team with 116 rushing yards and a touchdown. Number two behind him is sophomore David LePoidevin (Middlesex, N.J./Bound Brook), who played in 10 games last season and threw for 1,423 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Protecting the two QBs will be a mix of red shirt juniors, sophomores and freshmen. Marlon Wescott, Nelly Fain (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy), and Aaron Bensinger (New Ringgold, Pa./Blue Mountain) look to bring leadership to the young group of o-linemen.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
Coach Sheptock did not have to go far for talent to fill this year's roster. The 2022 Huskies boast 27 players from Columbia and surroundings counties. The Huskies have three players from local Danville Area High School and another from Southern Columbia and Berwick.

The local talent made an immediate impact on the field for the Huskies this season. KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area), from Danville, Pa., has started every game under center and is responsible for six of the Huskies touchdowns this year, either passing or rushing.

Kaleb Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West), a Pocono Pines native, has rushed for 181 yards and caught three passes for another 74 and a touchdown. He has 82 yards on kick returns as well.

John Ayres (Mt. Carmel, Pa./Mt. Carmel), a running back from Mt. Carmel, has a pair of rushing touchdowns this season and Nas Jones (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport Area), from Williamsport, Pa. has 34 receiving yards.

Jake Davis (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia), a Elysburg, Pa. native and product of Southern Columbia, has five tackles and a pair of broken up passes.

I'LL TAKE THAT
The Huskies dominated the turnover battle against Stonehill and picked up right where they left off in 2021. Bloomsburg forced one fumble and recovered a pair of fumbles as Stonehill muffed a punt early in the second quarter that Deeko Kofa (Philadelphia, Pa./Samuel Fels) jumped on to get the ball back to the Huskies with a short field. The Huskies needed just 25 yards to get into the end zone on a run by Zane Janiszewski (Hollisterville, Pa./Western Wayne) and a fumble recovery by John Ayres (Mt. Carmel, Pa./Mt. Carmel). Quentin Gaskill (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) had his first pick of the season late in the fourth quarter as he intercepted a pass in the end zone by Stonehill.

The Huskies did not turn the ball over against Clarion and are currently ranked 24th in the NCAA with a +1 turnover margin.

Last week against Edinboro, the Huskies had one interception which set up a touchdown drive and Tom Goetz (Wenonah, N.J./Gateway Regional) returned a fumble for a score at the end of the third quarter.

SHEPTOCK ERA
Sheptock was named the 28th head football coach in Bloomsburg University as he returns to his alma mater to take over the Huskies' program. Sheptock was at Division III Wilkes University as the defensive coordinator from 1990-95 and then took over the Colonels' program and served as head coach from 1996-2014. While at Wilkes, Sheptock went 107-81 overall and established the program record for most wins in a season (11) and career (107) while leading the Colonels to nine postseason appearances.

A member of the NCAA Division II Team of the Quarter Century (1973-97), Sheptock played linebacker for head coach George Landis and holds the school records for tackles in a career (537), single-season (159), and single-game (23), as well as career fumble recoveries (12). His program record for tackles in a single game, in fact, occurred during the national semifinal contest at North Alabama.

HUDDLE WITH THE HUSKIES
For the second-straight year, head coach Frank Sheptock will host "Huddle with the Huskies" at Quaker Steak & Lube in Buckhorn, Pa. on three select Thursdays this season. The next "Huddle with the Huskies" is set for Thursday, October 20 ahead of the Huskies Homecoming game against East Stroudsburg on Saturday, October 22. The final Huddle will take place on November 3, just before the Huskies' final home game of the season against Millersville.

The events are open to the public with dinner beginning at 6:00 p.m. and a short program to follow. A buffet dinner will be held each night with the cost of the meal being $14 per person - including a non-alcoholic beverage. Following the dinner, Coach Sheptock will speak about the season, preview the upcoming game(s), and introduce members of the coaching staff and players from this year's roster.

KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) and Ky Seesholtz (Mifflinville, Pa./Central Columbia) headlined the first Huddle with the Huskies and were joined by Joseph Kahn (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove). The three talked about their time so far at Bloomsburg, what brought them to the Huskies, and what to expect this season.

HALL OF FAME REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
The Bloomsburg Department of Athletics has announced the 40th Hall of Fame induction class is set to be enshrined on Sunday, October 23 during Homecoming and Parents & Family Weekend. Among the six inductees in this year's class are a pair of football standouts, and brothers, Michael ('01) and Ronald ('98) Lelko. Also being inducted are Christine (Basalyga) Zalewski (field hockey) '96, Rebecca Creedon (women's soccer) '98, Joel Melitski (wrestling) '64, and Michael Wenrich (men's basketball and track & field) '82. To register for the brunch induction ceremony, visit www.buhuskies.com/HOFregistration.