Football | 9/2/2024 3:09:00 PM
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg football opens its season against Fairmont State on Thursday, September 5 at Redman Stadium. Kick off is slated for 6:00 p.m. and the Huskies are hosting a BLACK OUT and all fans are encouraged to wear black. The Huskies will debut their new all-black uniforms.
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.
THE GAME
The Huskies and Falcons meet the second-straight year on Thursday night to open the season for Bloomsburg. The Huskies are coming off a 3-8 year in 2023 while Fairmont State opened the year with a 56-24 win over Seton Hill last Thursday.
THE SERIES
The Huskies and Falcons meet for just the third time in program history on Thursday night. The all-time series is tied 1-1 after a 34-30 win for Fairmont State last year. The Huskies won the first matchup between the two schools on Saturday, September 3, 2005, 33-0. This week's game marks the first time Fairmont State will travel to Bloomsburg to play at Redman Stadium.
SCOUTING FAIRMONT STATE
The Falcons opened the year with a dominant 56-24 win over Seton Hill after scoring 42 points in the second half.
As a team, Fairmont State gained 506 yards with 298 of them coming from the arm of Will Adkins. He finished the game 24-36 with three touchdowns and one interception. Dereik Crosby II led the team in rushing with 11 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown. The 56 points is the team's most in the first win of the season since 2019 and the most in the season opener in program history.
Gage Michael caught seven passes for the Falcons for 101 yards and one touchdown. Leonard Farrow reeled in four passes for 58 yards and Winston Page had three catches for 46 yards and a TD.
Defensively, the Falcons were led by Nick Longo with seven tackles. Eltayeb Bushra made six stops and had 0.5 tackles for loss. Longo had the lone interception for the Falcons and Izuchukwu Igwe and Nemo Roberts were credited with a sack each.
Emmanuel Richardson had his only field goal attempt, a 33-yard try, blocked but was 8-for-8 on point after attempts.
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
The Huskies return a pair of all-PSAC players in senior linebacker Tom Goetz (Wenonah, N.J./Gateway Regional) and senior defensive lineman Giovanni Cancro (Pequannock, N.J./Pequannock Township). Cancro earned his first career postseason honor as a second-team defensive lineman. The Pequannock, N.J. native had a breakout year for the Huskies with 29 total tackles this year, including 15 solo stops. He had 5.0 tackles for a loss of 22 yards and broke up two passes. Cancro finished with one quarterback hurry and a blocked kick.
Goetz had an exceptional comeback season for the Huskies in 2023 after playing in just four games before a season-ending injuring in 2022. Goetz had a career-best 76 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss (34 yards), and 4.5 sacks (23 yards). The Wenonah, N.J. native had a pair of interceptions and three pass breakups for the year. Both of his INTs came against Clarion – one that was recovered for a touchdown and the second to seal the win for the Huskies late in the fourth quarter. He led the team in tackles for loss and sacks.
The Bloomsburg offensive line returns a talented group of veterans that know how to protect their QB. The Huskies allowed the fewest sacks in the PSAC last year – giving up just 11 in 11 games for 76 yards. In conference play, teams had just 10 sacks against the Huskies in seven games. The run game ran for 122.5 yards on 359 carries and had 15 rushing touchdowns.
Bloomsburg returns eight of its top-10 tacklers for the 2024 season, including team-leader Ryan D'Ambra (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood). The senior linebacker had 90 tackles in 2023, including 5.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. He added four broken up passes and four quarterback hurries to his resume. For his career, D'Ambra has 160 tackles and six passes defended.
Ben Ries (Bloomsbury, N.J./Phillipsburg) (Bloomsbury, N.J./Phillipsburg) returns to lead the Huskies' offense that will be under new OC, Tim Landis. Ries threw for 747 yards and went 68-125-3 with one touchdown last year in the final eight games of the season. He went 14-for-26 with 168 yards and 2 INTs in the Huskies 14-10 win over Shepherd. Ries also ran for 97 yards on the year on 47 attempts and had two touchdowns on the ground.
ON THIS DAY – SEPTMBER 5
Quarterback Dan Latorre (Elysburg, Southern Columbia) hit Cory Stiger (Williamsport, Loyalsock Twp.) with a four-yard touchdown pass with 22 seconds left to play to lift the sixth-ranked Bloomsburg University Huskies over 17th-ranked California (PA), 17-10.
The game was a back and forth struggle between the defenses with the only scoring through the first three quarters being a field goal from Jon Koenig (Pine Grove, Pine Grove) from 42-yards out which tied his career long with 12:47 to play in the second period. In the third period, Cal's Kevin Hagerman connected from 30-yards out tying the score at 3-3 heading to the fourth period.
Bloomsburg went in front 10-3 on a special teams play. A long punt from Bloomsburg was muffed by Cal's Mike Brown and recovered in the end zone by Bloomsburg's Branden Wright (Danville, Danville)with 4:29 to play setting up the wild finish.
Latorre finished 12-22 for 166 yards and one score, while Ben Weaber (Lebanon, Cedar Crest) caught five passes for 37 yards to lead the receivers. Varanavage finished with 10 tackles and the one key pass break-up, while Anthony Smith (Pottstown, Pottstown) added eight tackles.
American boxer Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) won the gold medal in the 175-pound division at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome and then embarked on a professional career that saw him become one of the sport's most legendary competitors.
QUICK RECAP – 2023 HUSKIES
The Huskies finished the 2023 campaign 3-8 with a 2-5 record in PSAC East action under head coach Frank Sheptock. Bloomsburg picked up a 21-7 win over Clarion for the Huskies' first win of the season before handing Shepherd a 14-10 loss in at Redman Stadium. The Huskies defeated Millersville 34-31 on the road in their final road trip of the year.
QUICK RECAP – 2023 FALCONS
The Falcons went 8-3 in 2023 and 6-3 in MEC play. The Falcons opened the season with a 34-30 win over Bloomsburg and followed it with a 42-29 win over West Liberty. After a 43-37 overtime loss to Wheeling, the Falcons won three-straight games, including a 42-9 over Concord. UNC Pembroke snapped the winning streak with a 49-7 win in Pembroke, N.C. The Falcons closed out the season 3-1 in their final four games, ending the year with a 50-20 loss to Frostburg State.
COACHING STAFF UPDATES
Head coach Frank Sheptock has announced several updates to his staff ahead of the 2024 season. The Huskies welcomed Tim Landis, offensive coordinator, to Bloomsburg ahead of spring practice while Zach Martin (defensive coordinator & linebackers), Greg Kahn (defensive line), and Johnathan Pruden (defensive backs) joined the Huskies this summer. Previous student assistant Josh Bernocco was elevated to wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator following spring practices.
KEY LOSSES
The Huskies will take the field on Thursday without all-conference running back Kaleb Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West). Monaco led the team with 952 yards on the ground last season and ran in six touchdowns. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry and 86.55 yards per game. Monaco had 1,658 all-purpose yards for the year.
Star defensive back Quentin Gaskill (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) graduated last fall after a stellar career for the Huskies. Last season, he was second on the team with 76 tackles and had six broken up passes, two interceptions, and a blocked kick. For his career, Gaskill accumulated 279 tackles, 10.5 TLF (47 yards), 3.0 sacks (27 yards), six interceptions, 28 passes defended, five forced fumbles (three recoveries), and three blocked kicks. Gaskill played in 43 out of 44 possible games during his time in the maroon and gold.
RETURNING ALL-PSAC ATHLETES
The Huskies return a pair of all-PSAC players in senior linebacker Tom Goetz (Wenonah, N.J./Gateway Regional) and senior defensive lineman Giovanni Cancro (Pequannock, N.J./Pequannock Township). Cancro earned his first career postseason honor as a second-team defensive lineman. The Pequannock, N.J. native had a breakout year for the Huskies with 29 total tackles this year, including 15 solo stops. He had 5.0 tackles for a loss of 22 yards and broke up two passes. Cancro finished with one quarterback hurry and a blocked kick.
Goetz had an exceptional comeback season for the Huskies in 2023 after playing in just four games before a season-ending injuring in 2022. Goetz had a career-best 76 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss (34 yards), and 4.5 sacks (23 yards). The Wenonah, N.J. native had a pair of interceptions and three pass breakups for the year. Both of his INTs came against Clarion – one that was recovered for a touchdown and the second to seal the win for the Huskies late in the fourth quarter. He led the team in tackles for loss and sacks.
WELCOME TO BLOOM
Bloomsburg added 36 newcomers to the program on National Signing Day including six defensive backs, three defensive linemen, seven linebackers, a long snapper, five offensive linemen, a kicker, four quarterbacks, three running backs, two tight ends, and four wide receivers. The Huskies brought in players from two different states, including Pennsylvania (28), and New Jersey (8). The Huskies welcome four transfers to the roster this season. Spencer Branin (Rumson, N.J./Rumson Fair Haven Regional) from Southern Connecticut State, Ben Paserk (Batavia, N.Y./Batavia) from Lackawanna, Infinite Campbell (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley) from Lock Haven, and Malik McLaurin (Newark, N.J./West Side) from Monroe.
FEATURED EVENTS ON THE SCHEDULE
The Huskies host West Chester on September 28 for the Salute to Danny Hale, sponsored by the Husky Legacy Club. Bloomsburg hosts East Stroudsburg on October 12 for the Homecoming/Hall of Fame and Parents' and Supporters Weekend. The game on October 26 against Shippensburg will serve as the Huskies' ThinkPink game. Bloomsburg will honor its football, band, and cheerleading senior student-athletes prior to the game against Millersville on November 9.
MCGONIGLE RETURNS
Brendan McGonigle returns to do the place kicking for the Huskies after an injury shortened his 2023 campaign. McGonigle is 13-for-18 in his career in field goals and 31-33 in point after attempts. McGonigle has a career-long field goal 47 yards, which he hit against Millersville on 11/05/22.
PROTECTING THE QB
The offensive line was a bright spot for the Huskiesin 2023. The Bloomsburg o-line allowed the fewest sacks of all the PSAC schools, letting the quarterback get sacked just 12 times in 12 games and giving back just 87 yards on the sacks.
PLAYING A CLEAN GAME
The Huskies were the second-least penalized team in the PSAC last season. Bloomsburg was called for just 55 penalties which cost the Huskies just 522 yards, averaging just 43.5 yards per game. The least-penalized team was Kutztown with 53 flags for 453 yards and the most penalized team was Seton Hill which drew 112 flags for 1,027 yards.
LET'S GO FOR IT
The Huskies went for it on 4th-down 16 times last season, converting nine of those attempts at a 56.3% clip. They were the fourth-best fourth-down conversion team in the PSAC last season behind California (Pa.) (8-13/61.5%), Slippery Rock (20-33/60.6%), and Edinboro (10-17/58.8).
RIES' PIECES
Graduate student Ben Ries (Bloomsbury, N.J./Phillipsburg) has a full complement of seasoned receivers at his disposal this season. All-conference tight end Matthew Bowes (Somerton, Pa./La Salle College HS) is back for the Huskies after a season-ending injury in 2022 kept him out of the 2023 season.
The Huskies top target of the quarterbacks last season, Jerry Griffen-Batchler (Norristown, Pa./Germantown Academy), is back to stretch the field for Bloomsburg. Griffen-Batchler had 45 catches for 606 yards last season, averaging 13.47 yards per catch and 55.09 yards per game. He had a career-long catch of 56 yards against Lock Haven last year.
Owen Anderson (Cogan Station, Pa./Jersey Shore Area) hauled in 24 catches for 244 yards last year and averaged 10.17 yards per catch and Jaden Helton (Ardmore, Pa./Lower Merion) made five catches in three games for 86 yards, including a career-long 43 yard catch against East Stroudsburg.
THE RIES FILE
Ben Ries (Bloomsbury, N.J./Phillipsburg) took over under center last season and finished out the year strong for the Huskies. In eight games, he went 68-for-125 with one touchdown and three interceptions. He threw for 747 yards, averaging 11.0 yards per play and 93.4 yards per game. Ries ran for another 97 yards on 47 attempts and two touchdowns. For his career, Ries is 101-for-192 with three touchdowns and seven interceptions and 1,146 yards. Ries has 284 yards on the ground on 94 rushing attempts in three seasons with the Huskies.
NO FLY ZONE
The Bloomsburg defensive backs made a statement last year and allowed the fewest passing yards to opponents in the PSAC and were ranked 11th in NCAA DII. The Huskies allowed just 152.55 yards per game to opposing quarterbacks and collected 10 interceptions. The longest passing play the Huskies allowed last season was just 39 yards. In total, Bloomsburg had 31 broken up passes for the year and hurried the quarterback 27 times.
Returning in the secondary for Bloomsburg is Ron Long (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) (44 tackles, 2 INT, 1 QBH), Ervin Mitchell (Waldorf, Md./Westlake) (6 tackles, 1 INT, 1 PBU), Devin Fleming (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) (34 tackles, 4 PBU), and Nate Capers (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) (39 tackles, 2 PBU, 2 QBH).
LBU
The Huskies' linebackers have been a force to be reckoned with since the Frank Sheptock days, and the 2024 group is no different. Leading the way are seniors Ryan D'Ambra (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and Tom Goetz (Wenonah, N.J./Gateway Regional). D'Ambra led the Huskies with 90 total tackles last season and have 5.0 tackles for loss (19 yards) and 2.0 sacks (15 yards). He hit the quarterback four other times and blocked one kick. D'Ambra broke up four passes as well. D'Ambra has 160 tackles in his career so far.
Goetz, an all-PSAC linebacker, was third on the team with 76 tackles, including 3.0 tackles for loss (9 yards). He had two interceptions, one broken up pass, and three quarterback hurries. For his career, Goetz has 139 tackles in 26 games over the last three seasons. His 2022 season was shortened by an early-season injury. Goetz has 14 TFL (55 yards) and 6.5 sacks (38 yards).
Brady Thompson (Green Lane, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) made his presence known in his first season with the Huskies last year. He had 67 tackles, including 5.0 tackles for loss (11 yards) and 0.5 sacks (2 yards). Thompson had three quarterback hurries to his credit and once forced fumble.
The Huskies brought in seven new linebackers in their 2024 recruiting class to continue the tradition – Nick Farrell (Dallas, Pa./Dallas), Garrett Garcia (Catawissa, Pa./Southern Columbia), Brady Ronan (Tyrone,Pa./Tyrone Area), Connor Rickabaugh (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area), Brady Mizenko (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area), Nahzier Booker (Pottstown, Pa./Pottstown), and Rocco Serafini (Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain).
ONE LAST RIDE
Ron Long (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan), Ben Ries (Bloomsbury, N.J./Phillipsburg), Ky Seesholtz (Mifflinville, Pa./Central Columbia), Matthew Bowes (Somerton, Pa./La Salle College HS), Nyree Ford-Cherry (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg North), Devin Fleming (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park), Hakeem Bacon (Chester, Pa./STEM Academy), Jaden Helton (Ardmore, Pa./Lower Merion), Darnell Hightower (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee), Nate Capers (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford), Blake Charlton (West Chester, Pa./Unionville), Owen Anderson (Cogan Station, Pa./Jersey Shore Area), Peyton Persing (Danville, Pa./Danville Area), Ryan D'Ambra (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood), Neurys Ortiz (Union City, N.J./Union City), Jack Ferguson (Sellersville, Pa./Pennridge), Xavier Newman (Collingdale, Pa./Academy Park High School), Marlon Westcott (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter), Tom Goetz (Wenonah, N.J./Gateway Regional), Rahmayne Jackson-Bey (Philadelphia, Pa./Simon Gratz), and Giovanni Cancro (Pequannock, N.J./Pequannock Township) line up for the Huskies for their final season at Bloomsburg.
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 fourth-straight year, head coach Frank Sheptock will host "Huddle with the Huskies" though new this year, the event will take place West End Ale Haus on Main Street in Bloomsburg on two select Thursdays this season.
The two Huddle with the Huskies evenings will be September 12 and October 10. The Thursday, October 10 date serves as the midseason review and preview for the Huskies Homecoming match-up with East Stroudsburg on October 12.
The events are open to the public, and appetizers are available as supplies last, beginning at 6:00 p.m. with a short program to follow. During the program, 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.
Those joining the team for Huddle with the Huskies are encouraged to stay following the formal programming to enjoy a delicious dinner and drinks at the West End Ale Haus.
SALUTE TO DANNY HALE
NCAA DII football coaching legend of the Bloomsburg Huskies,Danny Hale, has gotten the call for his rightful enshrinement in the College Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2024 Induction Class, as announced by the National Football Foundation (NFF) and ESPN on in January of 2024. The Bloomsburg department of athletics in partnership with the Husky Legacy Club has announced the Salute to Danny Hale to celebrate his induction in Bloomsburg on September 28, 2024.
Hale, one of the winningest coaches in all of NCAA Division II, retired June 28, 2013, after spending 20 seasons as the head coach of the Huskies and 25 years overall as a head coach. Hale also spent five years as head coach at West Chester University (1984-1988).
As part of the celebration, Bloomsburg athletics is hosting A Salute to Danny Hale, sponsored by the Husky Legacy Club (HLC) on Saturday, September 28 following the Huskies home football game against West Chester which kicks off at 2:00 pm at Danny Hale Field in Redman Stadium. The event is free to all attendees and registration is encouraged for all guests. The event will be held at Monty's in the Pettit Athletic Complex on upper campus of Bloomsburg.
42nd ANNUAL HALL OF FAME CELEBRATION
The members of the 2024 Hall of Fame Class are Jen Bryan '03, (Women's Basketball), Nicole Hartranft '04 (Field Hockey), Christine Krebs '01 (Women's Soccer '01), Pete Rinella '95 (Wrestling), and Vanessa Sterner '02 (Softball). The induction brunch and ceremony will occur on Sunday October 13, at the Kehr Union Ballroom. Festivities will begin at 12:30 p.m. The six will bring the enshrined number to 208.
2024 PSAC PRESEASON POLL
The Bloomsburg football team was selected to finish eighth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division by the league's head coaches in the annual preseason poll on Thursday.
Last year's conference champion, Kutztown, was selected to win the East this year with six first-place votes, while Shepherd was selected second with one first places vote and East Stroudsburg grabbed a first place vote to finish third in the poll. West Chester came in fourth in the East and Lock Haven claimed the No. 5 spot. Millersville came in sixth ahead of Shippensburg at No. 7 with Bloomsburg rounding out the east at No. 8.
On the West, PSAC runner's up, Slippery Rock claimed the top spot with sixth first-place votes while California (PA) took the No. 2 spot. IUP had one first place vote to finish third and Gannon finished fourth in voting. Seton Hill is fifth in the poll just ahead of Edinboro at No. 6 and Clarion at No. 7.
Print Friendly Version
