Football | 9/8/2022 10:33:00 AM

Live Coverage
Video • https://psacsportsdigitalnetwork.com/buhuskies/?B=396333
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Play-by-Play & Commentary • Jim Doyle & Jim Hollister (filling in for Andy Ulicny)

Game Notes (PDF)

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THE GAME
Today's match up with Clarion is the first between the two teams since the 2017 season. The Huskies come into the game 0-1 after falling to DI FCS Stonehill 33-30 in double overtime last week. The Golden Eagles are 0-1 after dropping a 21-14 decision to West Liberty last Thursday.

THE SERIES
The Huskies and Golden Eagles all-time series dates back to their first meeting in 1934 and Bloomsburg holds a 9-4-1 advantage over Clarion. The Huskies have won the last seven meetings, including two during the 2017 season. The Huskies are 5-2 against Clarion at home. The Huskies largest margin of victory came in 2007 when Bloomsburg defeated Clarion 52-10 at Clarion.

QUITE THE STREAK
Bloomsburg has scored at least one point in 208 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 six times in the last 49 contests. The Huskies defeated Lock Haven 44-0 on Homecoming last year

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 end zone on a run by Zane Janiszewski (Hollisterville, Pa./Western Wayne) and 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 Stonehill.

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).

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.

The Monaco brothers were a dynamic pair for the Huskies last season. Kaleb is the leader of young group as a returning All-PSAC East Honoree. He burst on the scene for BU with 707 yards on the ground and 133 carries as an All-PSAC East Second Team running back. Kaleb had 372 yards on the kick return on 15 returns during the season. Chris returns for the Huskies after starting all 11 games for BU last year. Monaco made 48 tackles, including 2.0 TFL. He was responsible for four of the Huskies' interceptions and broke up nine passes.

FRESH OUTLOOK
The Huskies boast one of the youngest starting lineups in all of Division II college football. On opening day, Bloomsburg looks to start 18 freshmen or sophomores  and have 38 underclassmen total listed on the depth chart. Under center, the Huskies' projected starter is freshman KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) from Danville, Pa. 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 redshirt 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 past week as KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) started under center for the Huskies against Stonehill while John Ayres (Mt. Carmel, Pa./Mt. Carmel) scored a pair of touch downs - one fumble recovery and another rushing TD.

Jake Davis (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia) broke up a pass and had four solo tackles while Joseph Kahn (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove) had a pair of tackles including a sack for a loss of nine yards.

Kaleb Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) led the team with 52 rushing yards and had 111 all purpose yards. Chris Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) finished the day with four tackles and a broken up pass.

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 first "Huddle with the Huskies" is set for Thursday, September 15, ahead of the Huskies first road game of the season as they travel out west to Edinboro. The second Huddle with the Huskies is scheduled for October 20, just ahead of Bloomsburg's Homecoming match up with East Stroudsburg.  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.

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.