Football | 8/30/2023 5:52:00 PM

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -  The Bloomsburg football opens the season on the road as the Huskies head to Fairmont State on Thursday, August 31 for a 7:00 p.m. game in Fairmont, W. Va.
 
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Game Notes (23 pg PDF)

THE GAME
The Huskies and Falcons meet for just the second time in program history and the first time to
open the season. Bloomsburg comes into the contest off a 4-7 year in 2022 while the Falcons
went 3-8 last season. Bloomsburg finished seventh in the PSAC East and Fairmont State was 10^th in the Mountain East Conference out of 12 teams.
 
THE SERIES
This is just the second meeting all-time between the Huskies and Fairmont State. The first meeting came back in 2005 when the third-ranked Huskies defeated the Falcons 33-0 in Fairmont, W. Va. the second week of the season. The series is set to renew for at least the next season when Fairmont visits Redman Stadium to open the season in 2024 on the first Thursday night.
 
SCOUTING FAIRMONT STATE
The Falcons return over 50 players from its 2022 roster and finished the season with a 3-8 record. Six of the eight games Fairmont State dropped were by single-digit point margins.
Michael Floria is set to get the start at quarterback for the Falcons after playing in seven games last season and throwing for 1,227 yards. He went 81-for-148 with six interceptions and nine touchdown passes. Floria will have his top receiver back in Kobe Harris who finished the year with 534 yards and 37 catches, five for a score. Harris will lead a group of young receivers with Noah Waynick getting his first career start and Eli Archer getting the nod at tight end after
catching a pass for nine yards in two games in 2022.
 
Carter Giacomo will start at full back for the Falcons after appearing in 10 games and had six catches for 30 yards in 2022. He had a pair of scores as well. Leonard Farrow is set to make his Fairmont State debut Thursday night.
 
Defensively, the Falcons are led by linebacker Brocton Blair who finished the year with 116 total tackles last season. He had a team-best 10.0 tackles for a loss of 27 yards and 2.5 sacks. Jovon Jackson was second on the team with 84 tackles and Randy Robinson racked up 55 total stops to finish fourth on the team. Kaire Umoja paced the team with 11 broken up passes and grabbed two interceptions while blocking one kick.
 
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
Sophomore KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) returns to lead the Huskies' offense under new offensive coordinator, Stephen Pribble. Riley finished 2022 with 1,320 yards in the air and 10 touchdown passes. He went 102-for-184 in 10 games and ran for 216 yards on 69 attempts. Riley has his core of receivers back with Owen Anderson (Cogan Station, Pa./Jersey Shore Area), Nas Jones (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport Area), and Jerry Griffen-Batchler (Norristown, Pa./Germantown Academy) getting the start week one. The trio combined for 512 receiving yards on 43 catches and two touchdowns.
 
Kaleb Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) is back to lead the running game. Monaco finished the season with 513 yards on the ground on 139 carries. He racked up 1,085 all-purpose yards after catching 12 passes for 175 yards and had 397 yards on kick returns. Monaco will spearhead a young running core as Jack Ferguson (Sellersville, Pa./Pennridge) and Ty Pringle (Cheyney, Pa./Bayard Rustin) will get carries as a pair of returners and freshman Sean Hunt (Syracuse, N.Y./Henninger) is set to make his debut for the Huskies.
 
Defensively, Quentin Gaskill (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) led the Huskies with 92 tackles last season in 10 games. He finished the regular season 11th in the NCAA and first in the PSAC with 1.4 passes defended per game, as he collected 14 total. Junior Ryan D'Ambra (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood) was second on the team last season with 67 total tackles, including 45 solo stops. He broke up a pair of passes and forced a pair of fumbles. Kenny Yurkonis (Minersville, Pa./Minersville Area) is back to lead the defensive line after finishing last year with a team-best 4.5 sacks for 36 yards. He finished the year with 47 total tackles and had one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one blocked kick.
 
ON THIS DAY - AUGUST 31
Bloomsburg Football History, August 31, 2012
The 25th-ranked Bloomsburg University football team used multiple offensive threats and forced seven turnovers to help it post a 44-28 victory over Stonehill College Friday night at a sold-out W.B. Mason Stadium in the season opener.
 
Junior running back Franklyn Quiteh (Tobyhanna/Pocono Mountain West) rushed for a game-high 218 yards on 27 carries to lead the Huskies (1-0). In doing so, he moved into fourth-place on the BU all-time rushing list with 3,425. His 60-yard touchdown run in the third quarter put him over the mark.
 
History, August 31, 1922
The Walker Cup was held for the first time at Southampton, NY. It is the oldest international team golf match in America.
 
QUICK RECAP – 2022 HUSKIES
The Huskies finished the 2022 campaign 4-7 with a 2-5 record in PSAC East action under head coach Frank Sheptock. Bloomsburg picked up a 42-3 win over Clarion for the Huskies' first win of the season before out-lasting West Chester 21-16 under the lights. The Huskies defeated Lock Haven 17-9 on the road last year before rounding out the year with a 16-13 win over Mercyhurst.
 
QUICK RECAP – 2022 FALCONS
The Falcons went 3-8 in 2022 after losing the first three games of the season, including a four overtime loss, 40-38, to the University of Charleston. Fairmont State picked up their first win with a 25-23 victory over UNC Pembroke. The Falcons strung together three-straight wins with a 10-9 victory over Concord and a 51-7 blow out of Alderson Broaddus. Fairmont ended the season on a five-game losing streak, including a season-ending 31-28 loss to Wheeling.
 
COACHING STAFF UPDATES
Stephen Pribble is no stranger to the Huskies' sideline but will take on a new role in 2023 after being promoted to offensive coordinator in the offseason. Chris Sprague joined the coaching staff to lead the offensive line while Deon Henry, Sr. came to Bloomsburg to coach the secondary. Matt Meloy joined the Huskies as the tight ends coach and Josh Bernocco moved from the cornerbacks to helping with the tight ends this season.
 
KEY LOSSES
The Huskies will hit the gridiron for the first time since 2017 without all-PSAC defensive back, Chris Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West). Monaco compiled 145 career tackles and nine career interceptions. He returned those nine picks for 176 total yards. Monaco was a mainstay on the special teams as
well with 1,194 kick return yards while returning one for a touchdown. John Ayres (Mt. Carmel, Pa./Mt. Carmel) departed the Huskies after two seasons for Bloomsburg. He finished with 16 total tackles, 233 yards rushing, 89 yards receiving and five total tackles.
 
RETURNING ALL-PSAC ATHLETES
The Huskies return three All-PSAC East performers from last year in senior Quentin Gaskill (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) and junior Kaleb Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) and Matthew Bowes (Somerton, Pa./La Salle College HS). Gaskill led the Huskies with 92 total tackles as he started and played in 10 games this season, missing just one due to injury. He finished the regular season 11th in the NCAA and first in the PSAC with 1.4 passes defended per game, as he collected 14 total. Monaco played in 10 games for Bloomsburg and collected 513 yards on the ground on 139 carries, caught 12 passes for 175 yards and two scores, and handled the lion's share of the kick return duties and had 397 yards on 18 returns. Bowes had 249 receiving yards on 18 catches and three touchdowns. He averaged 13.8 yards per catch and was the team-leader in in catches, yards, and touchdowns from the tight end spot in a run-heavy offense.
 
WELCOME TO BLOOM
Bloomsburg added 20 newcomers to the program on National Signing Day including seven o-linemen, four running backs, four wide receivers, two tight ends, two defensive ends, two defensive tackles and a safety. The Huskies brought in players from four different states, including Pennsylvania (13), New Jersey (3), Maryland (2), and New York (2). The Huskies welcome five transfers to the roster this season. Hunter Lino (Howell, N.J./Howell) came from Wagner, Harry Jennings (Largo, Md./Fairmont Heights) from Shepherd, Jaden Helton (Ardmore, Pa./Lower Merion) and Jordan Fernandez (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) from Kutztown, and Neurys Ortiz (Union City, N.J./Union City) from American International.
 
FEATURED EVENTS ON THE SCHEDULE
The Huskies host Kutztown on October 7 for their annual Think Pink Game before welcome Lock Haven to Redman Stadium for Homecoming/Parents' and Supporters' Weekend/Hall of Fame Celebration. The Huskies will honor the 2013 Team and the late Brian Clarke's number during the game. Bloomsburg is scheduled to host IUP on November 11 for their Senior Day game.
 
MCGONIGLE RETURNS
Brendan McGonigle (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City) returns to do the place kicking after going 12-for-15 in field goals with a long of 47 yards. He was nearly perfect in point after attempts, finishing 24-for-25 last year to lead the team with 60 points.
 
FINISHING HOT IN THE RED ZONE
The Huskies got off to a hot start in the red zone and after a bit of cooling off period, finished red hot, so to speak. In their final three games, the Huskies went 7-for-7 in the redzone with three touchdowns. Bloomsburg started the year 10-for-11 in its first four games with six touchdowns. Including going 5-for- 5 with three TDs against Stonehill to open the year.
 
START OF A NEW STREAK
After their streak of 211 straight games scoring at least one point was snapped midseason at Kutztown, the Huskies rebounded at Lock Haven to win 17-9 and begin a new streak. Bloomsburg pushed its streak to four to end the season. The last time the Huskies were shut out was in 2003, a 21-0 home loss against Shippensburg on September 13. 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 five weeks ago at home.
 
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN (S)
The Huskies named six captains for the 2023 campaign. Returning in their leadership role are Quentin Gaskill (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro), Tom Goetz (Wenonah, N.J./Gateway Regional), and Ky Seesholtz (Mifflinville, Pa./Central Columbia), while KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area), Kaleb Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West), and Marlon Wescott join the captains for the first time.
 
THE RILEY FILE
Sophomore QB KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) is back for his second season under center for the Huskies after finishing his freshman campaign with 1,320 yards and went 102-for-184 with 10 touchdown passes and five interceptions. Riley also ran for 216 yards on 69 carries and one touchdown.
 
ONE LAST RIDE
Joseph Kahn (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove), Ron Long (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan), Quentin Gaskill (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro), Brendan Gregory (Millville, Pa./Central Columbia), Colton Sidler (Danville, Pa./Danville Area), and Kenny Yurkonis (Minersville, Pa./Minersville Area) look to leave their lasting mark on the Bloomsburg Football program as they suit up in the maroon & gold for their final season.
 
Kahn is a three-year member of the Huskies with 21 games under his belt and 35 total tackles while Long has 17 games and 79 total tackles in two seasons. Gaskill is in his fourth season with the Huskies and has 203 total tackles, four interceptions, and 20 broken up passes to his name. Sidler has six games and four tackles to his credit and Yurkonis is a four-year member of the Huskies with 56 total tackles in 23 games after a breakout season last year. He had 47 tackles, including 8.0 for a loss of 42 yards and 4.5 sacks for 36 yards.
 
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 third-straight year, head coach Frank Sheptock will host "Huddle with the Huskies" at Quaker Steak & Lube in Buckhorn, Pa., on two select Thursdays this season. The first Huddle with the Huskies is set for September 7 while the final event will take place on October 12 ahead of Homecoming and Hall of Fame Weekend against Lock Haven.
 
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.
 
REMEMBERING THE GREATS
During the Homecoming game on October 14, the Huskies will honor the 2013 team which captured the PSAC Title and advanced to the second round of the NCAA playoff tournament. Bloomsburg will also honor the jersey number of the late Brian Clarke. Clarke's number, 77, will remain with the rest of the honored num bers at Bloomsburg from now on.
 
Clarke was dominant during his Bloomsburg career helping pave the way for the Huskies to rush for 3,762 yards and rank sixth among all Division II teams in rushing during the 2013 season after ranking fifth in 2012. Clarke was a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award representing the nation's top Division II lineman in 2012 and 2013, finishing third in the voting in 2013. He was named first team All-America by the Associated Press, D2Football.com, Daktronics, Don Hansen Football Gazette and Beyond Sports Network and was a preseason Sporting News All-American.
 
41ST ANNUAL HALL OF FAME CELEBRATION
The members of the 2023 Hall of Fame Class are Lindy (Altadonna) McKinney '99 (women's lacrosse), Amber (Hackenberg) Brosius '08 (women's cross country/track & field), Bill Paule '65 (wrestling), Franklyn Quiteh '13 (football), Tracy 'Trey' Wirth '00 (women's soccer), and Sheila (Zilinski) Hughes '04/06M (field hockey/women's lacrosse). The induction brunch and ceremony will occur on Sunday October 15, at the Kehr Union Ballroom. Festivities will begin at 12:30 p.m. The six will bring the enshrined number to 208.
 
2023 PSAC PRESEASON POLL
The Bloomsburg University football was selected to finish seventh in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division by the league's coaches in the 2023 Preseason Poll.

Last year's runner's up, Shepherd, was selected to win the East this year with five first-place votes, while Kutztown was selected second with two first places votes and West Chester was picked third with one top-place vote. East Stroudsburg came in fourth in the East and Millersville claimed the No. 5 spot. Shippensburg took sixth, just ahead of Bloomsburg, while Lock Haven rounded out the East with the eighth spot.
 
On the West, reigning PSAC champion, IUP claimed the top spot with sixth first-place votes while Slippery Rock grabbed the other two and finished second in voting. California (Pa.) grabbed the No. 3 spot and Gannon took the No. 4 spot. Edinboro, Seton Hill, and Clarion finished fifth through seventh in the voting while Mercyhurst rounded out the poll with the No. 8 spot.


 
The Huskies finished the 2022 campaign 4-7 with a 2-5 record in PSAC East action under head coach Frank Sheptock. Bloomsburg picked up a 42-3 win over Clarion for the Huskies' first win of the season before out-lasting West Chester 21-16 under the lights. The Huskies defeated Lock Haven 17-9 on the road last year before rounding out the year with a 16-13 win over Mercyhurst.
 
2023 KEY RETURNERS
The Huskies return three All-PSAC East performers from last year in senior Quentin Gaskill (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) and junior Kaleb Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) and Matthew Bowes (Somerton, Pa./La Salle College HS). Gaskill led the Huskies with 92 total tackles as he started and played in 10 games this season, missing just one due to injury. He finished the regular season 11th in the NCAA and first in the PSAC with 1.4 passes defended per game, as he collected 14 total. Monaco played in 10 games for Bloomsburg and collected 513 yards on the ground on 139 carries, caught 12 passes for 175 yards and two scores, and handled the lion's share of the kick return duties and had 397 yards on 18 returns. Bowes had 249 receiving yards on 18 catches and three touchdowns. He averaged 13.8 yards per catch and
was the team-leader in in catches, yards, and touchdowns from the tight end spot in a run-heavy offense.
 
Sophomore KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) returns to lead the Huskies' offense after finishing his freshman campaign with 1,320 yards and went 102-for-184 with 10 touchdown passes and five interceptions. Riley also ran for 216 yards on 69 carries and one touchdown. His core receivers are back which include Matthew Bowes (Somerton, Pa./La Salle College HS), Nas Jones (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport Area), and Owen Anderson (Cogan Station, Pa./Jersey Shore Area).
 
Joining Gaskill returning on defense is junior Ryan D'Ambra (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood). D'Ambra was second on the team last season with 67 total tackles, including 45 solo stops. He broke up a pair of passes and forced a pair of fumbles. D'Ambra blocked one kick. Ron Long (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) returns after finishing 2022 with 56 total tackles, including 5.0 TFL-8 yards and forced one fumble. Kenny Yurkonis (Minersville, Pa./Minersville Area) is back to lead the defensive line after finishing last year with a team-best 4.5 sacks for 36 yards. He finished the year with 47 total tackles and had one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one blocked kick.