Lebanon Valley (1-3, 0-1 MAC)
vs. Wilkes (2-2, 1-0 MAC)
Saturday, Oct. 9 - 1 p.m. - Arnold Field - The 39th Meeting
Live Stats: GoDutchmen.com
Radio: Flying Dutchmen Radio Network (WMSS 91.1FM and WWSM 1510AM)
Webcast: WMSSFM.com

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LVC Media Notes
Wilkes Media Notes

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After suffering a tough loss at #13 Delaware Valley last week, Lebanon Valley (1-3) returns home looking for its first MAC win against Wilkes. The Colonels (2-2) are coming off a dramatic last-minute 38-35 win over Albright last week.

On the Radio
Saturday's game will be simulcast on the Flying Dutchmen Radio Network on Middletown's WMSS 91.1 FM and WWSM 1510 AM in Annville. John Wilsbach and Brian Keyser will call the action. The game will be streamed live and free at WMSSFM.com and GoDutchmen.com.

Live Stats On the Web
Live stats for every home LVC game will be available on GoDutchmen.com. New for 2010: mobile live stats, available on any smart phone, will allow fans and media to track the game from anywhere, live on their phone.

If You Only Know 5 Things...
1. Each of the last four games between LVC and Wilkes has been decided by a single score.
2. LVC running backs have torched Wilkes the past two years; Charlie Parker '10 ran for a school-record 267 yards two years ago, and Ben Guiles went for 187 last year.
3. Wilkes ranks last in the MAC in rushing defense, allowing 276 yards per game. Wilkes is also last in total defense, giving up 455.8 yards per game.
4. Caleb Fick is expected to start at QB for LVC after missing the Delaware Valley game.
5. LVC has blocked four kicks/punts and disrupted another over four games this season.

Noting The LVC Offense
Colt Zarilla had his first career start at quarterback vs. Delaware Valley, breaking a streak of 24 straight starts by Caleb Fick, who has been hampered by injury ... Fick is expected to start vs. Wilkes ... In three games, Fick is 27-for-63 for 393 yards with a TD and two INTs ... Zarilla is 8-for-20 for 98 yards, with four picks and a TD ... Fick is 173 yards away from becoming LVC's second 5,000-yard passer ... LVC's offense has been on the ground, led by Ben Guiles, who is averaging 97.5 ypg (390 total) with five TDs and a 5.3 ypc average ... Blair Ransom (161 yds, 1 TD) and Pete Panichi (49 yds, 1 TD) have also seen significant touches ... Tim Picerno has been the go-to receiver with nine catches for 138, but Kevin Greene has emerged over the past two games with seven catches for 99 yards and a touchdown ... The offensive line has a combined 84 career starts ... LVC averages 162 yards rushing per game.

Noting the LVC Defense
The front three of Zach Bleiler, Nick Bowne, and Cory Homer have been outstanding, accounting for 75 tackles, 13.0 TFL, and 6.0 sacks this season ... The linebacking corps has been unsettled on the inside, with Jason Gigous making four starts (30 T), but three different players - most recently DJ Poligone - getting starts at the other spot ... AJ Kuhns is #1 on the depth chart for the Wilkes game at inside LB ... Alex Gilchrist (25 T, 8.0 TFL, 3.0 S) and Bryn Duffield (15 T, 2.0 TFL) have been starting on the outside ... The secondary has produced just three interceptions so far this season after leading the MAC last year ... SS Dane Eichelberger has 22 tackles and two picks to lead the unit ... The LVC defense is second in the MAC in sacks with 11.

Noting the LVC Special Teams
Kevin Greene took over punting duties from Colt Zarilla in week 2 and has been excellent, averaging 36.7 yards per punt and sticking six inside the 20; of his 19 punts, only eight have been returned, for an average of 7.2 yards ... LVC's return game has also been solid as Nic Shirey is averaging 11.1 yards per punt return and 22.5 yards per kick return ... Brittany Ryan is 7-for-9 on PATs ... LVC has not made a field goal this year, attempting just one long try by Sean Fakete ... Fakete is not expected to dress for the Wilkes game, and kick-offs and field goals will be taken by Matt Nawracaj.

Gilchrist Among National Leaders
Senior LB Alex Gilchrist appeared once again in this week's NCAA statistical rankings, tied for 13th in the nation in tackles for a loss (2.00 per game). Gilchrist has 25 tackles total, 8.0 for a loss, with 3.0 sacks and two pass break-ups this season.

Bleiler Moves Up Sacks List
Senior DE Zach Bleiler is climbing up the LVC career sacks list, and is now in third place all-time with 20 career sacks. He needs 29 to tie the all-time record held by Karl Conrad '89.

Big Blocks
With a tall and speedy special teams unit, LVC has been blocking kicks and punts at a prodigious rate this season, with two of each through four games. It started in week one when 6'5” freshman tight end Doug Lester blocked a Gettysburg punt to set up a touchdown; Zach Bleiler (also 6'5”) then blocked a Grove City field goal attempt. Against Moravian, Chadd Comp got his hands on a punt block, and Bleiler struck again as he blocked a PAT try on Moravian's only touchdown. At Del Val, LVC didn't manage a block but Justin Lee broke up a field goal try with pressure on the holder.

Delaware Valley Recap
#13 Delaware Valley showed why it's among the nation's best teams as it blasted out to a 28-0 first-half lead on the way to a 38-6 win over Lebanon Valley last Saturday. The Middle Atlantic Conference opener didn't go as planned for the Dutchmen (1-3, 0-1 MAC) as they managed just 140 yards of offense and the Aggies (4-1, 1-0 MAC) rolled out 501 yards in all, led by Mark Hatty's 269 yards and 5 passing touchdowns. LVC handed Colt Zarilla his first career start at quarterback, but he was frustrated, going 8-for-17 for 98 yards with two picks and six sacks taken. Del Val's Dan Heiland caught seven passes for 119 yards, and Matt Cook became his team's all-time leading rusher with 94 yards. The Aggies didn't take long to get to work, getting a big opening kickoff return by Isaiah Hall and driving down the field to score on Hatty's 16-yard pass to Vinny Lochetto just 3:05 into the game. Del Val struck quickly again to go up 14-0, forcing an LVC three-and-out and then scoring two plays later when Hatty connected to Dan Heiland on a 28-yarder. The Aggies marched again on their next possession, and LVC hurt themselves with a double-personal foul to put DVC on the four, and Hatty threw his third TD to Joe Gionfriddo from the 12 after a holding call backed them up. LVC's next two possessions ended in interceptions, and Del Val capitalized the second time with Hatty's fourth TD of the day, hitting Lochetto on a five-yard out to go up 28-0. The Dutchmen got off the goose-egg at the end of the half, benefiting from three DVC personal fouls to end the drive with a diving 8-yard TD catch by Kevin Greene. Hatty tied a Del Val school record with his fifth TD pass, finding Gionfriddo to start the second half, and the Aggies tacked on a late 25-yard field goal by Jake Sobchak.

Delaware Valley Notables
Leo Kyte made his varsity debut in the second half at quarterback after Zarilla was knocked out by a big hit ... Caleb Fick was dressed and available but held out with lingering injury concerns ... Ben Guiles, who entered as the nation's 15th-leading rusher, was held to just 10 yards ... LVC allowed six sacks after giving up just one in three games to start the year ... The Dutchmen had just 45 yards rushing (after sacks) led by Blair Ransom's 25 yards and 23 by Pete Panichi ... For the first time this season, LVC didn't block a kick or a punt, but Justin Lee did get inside to get pressure on a field goal attempt, forcing the holder to scramble and giving LVC the ball.

Wilkes Scouting Report
Wilkes is 2-2 and off to a 1-0 start in the MAC after a 38-35 win over Albright last week. Sophomore Tyler Bernsten has settled in as the starter at QB and has completed 55.2 percent of his passes for 390 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Wilkes run game is led by Zach Tivald, who averages 5.1 yards per carry and has 314 total yards with 3 TDs. Jordan D'Emilio is Bernsten's favored target, catching 19 passes for 201 yards and a TD; Todd Eagles has caught seven passes, including two scores.

Defensively, Wilkes has struggled against the run, ranking last in the MAC allowing 455.8 yards per game. They have excelled in pass defense, however, picking off seven passes and allowing 179 yards per game through the air. Rookie of the year candidate Tate Moore-Jacobs has had a breakout freshman year, leading the MAC with 59 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss with half a sack. Kevin Gerhart is a do-everything defensive back, with 46 tackles, 2 picks, and a fumble recovery on his 2010 resume. Greg Nielsen also has two interceptions, this season, while Ryan Clifford and Chris Swinarski lead the team with 4.5 TFL apiece.

On special teams, Chris Horn is one of the MAC's top kickers, going 5-for-6 on field goals (with his one miss coming from 41), and he averages 34.8 yards per punt.

Last Year vs. Wilkes
Sophomore Ben Guiles ran for a career-high 187 yards and Lebanon Valley's defense held Wilkes to 168 yards of total offense as LVC won, 21-18. LVC had to use some smart clock management to halt a late Wilkes comeback after the Colonels' Chris Swinarski returned a goal-line fumble 97 yards for a touchdown to start the fourth quarter. A year after teammate Charlie Parker ran for a school-record 267 yards at Wilkes, Guiles turned in the sixth-best rushing performance in LVC history. Quarterbacks Caleb Fick and Colt Zarilla combined to go 12-for-18 for 154 yards and no interceptions. Rob Johnson completed just seven passes for 157 yards for Wilkes, but was sacked six times, including three times by linebacker Alex Gilchrist.

LVC-Wilkes Series History
Today's game is the 39th meeting all-time ... Wilkes leads the series 22-16 ... Wilkes is 10-9 playing at LVC ... This will be the 13th consecutive year they have met, dating back to 1997 ... After Wilkes won 11 straight, LVC has won the last two in the series ... Each of the last four games have been decided by one score ... Head Coach Jim Monos is 7-8 against the Colonels ... The first meeting in the series was Oct. 3, 1959, a 15-6 LVC win ... LVC is 5-8 on Oct. 9, and has never played Wilkes on the date.

Next Time Out
It's Oktoberfest Weekend at Arnold Field as LVC hosts FDU-Florham next Saturday at 1 p.m. To learn more about the festivities, visit lvc.edu/oktoberfest10.