Friday, November 26, 2010

Kutztown hosts Shepherd in NCAA playoffs

FROM THE MORNING CALL

Kutztown University will make history Saturday when it plays its first NCAA playoff game in the 95 seasons of its football program.

The 10-1 Golden Bears host 11-1 Shepherd at noon at University Field in the second round of the national Division II playoffs. The winner advances to next Saturday's quarterfinals against the winner of the Bloomsburg-Mercyhurst game.

Kutztown and Shepherd, which is in Shepherdstown, W. Va., are among the top 10 scoring teams in the nation. Last weekend, Shepherd — which is making its 10th NCAA playoff appearance — routed Shaw, 40-6, in the first round.

The Rams, who average 40.2 points per game, are led by running back Tommy Addison, who averages 120 yards per game, good for 12th in the nation.


He rushed for 145 yards against Shaw. Nate Hoyte added 106 yards against Shaw, as the Rams finished with 447 yards of total offense, including a pair of touchdown passes by quarterback Kevin Clancy.

The Rams were the No. 1-ranked team in the NCAA's Super Region One for most of the season until they suffered a 28-24 loss in their regular season finale against Glenville State. That loss dropped the Rams — who were ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation earlier this season — to fourth in the region.

Kutztown, which had a bye in the first round, grabbed the No. 1 seed in the region when it beat Gannon, 27-24, in its last regular season game on Nov. 13 coupled with losses by Shepherd and Bloomsburg.

Sophomore quarterback Kevin Morton, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East offensive player of the year, leads a Golden Bear offense averaging 39.3 points per game. He has 34 touchdown passes and a Kutztown single-season school record 3,281 passing yards.

Kutztown is unbeaten at home this season, winning all six games and scoring at least five touchdowns in each contest. It has been a magical year for the Golden Bears, setting season school record for wins (10), PSAC East wins (six) and points scored (432).

But they will face a tough defense in Shepherd's, which has 20 interceptions, led the nation in turnover margin and was the stingiest in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in scoring defense at 20.5 points per game.

The Rams also have a force in Deante Steele, a two-time All-American who set an NCAA Division II record for career kick-return touchdowns on Oct. 23 with his 11th — a punt he returned 52 yards.

http://www.mcall.com/sports/college/mc-kutztown-1126-20101126,0,7755036.story

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