In order for Union to get an NCAA invitation, the Dutchmen had to shut down the country's No. 1 rushing offense. Springfield went into last weekend's game averaging 447 yards on the ground and 45 points a game (which ranked them sixth). The Dutchmen Defenders held the Pride to just 257 rushing yards (with 74 of those coming on two plays late in the game against the Dutchmen's reserves). Union built a 48-6 lead before taking its first team off of the field.
This week the Garnet Wave will have to stop a passing attack that was ranked No. 11 in the country in passing offense, No. 11 in total offense and No. 15 in scoring offense through the first nine games of the season. Union's defensive numbers through the first nine games had the Garnet ranked No. 5 in pass efficiency, No. 3 in total defense, No. 13 in scoring defense and No. 11 in rushing defense.
Union comes into the contest with 30 quarterback sacks with ends, junior Josh Stinehour (Rochester, NY/Pennfield) and senior, Brevator Creech (Chico, CA/Chico) the leaders with 11 and six, respectively. Union's backfield has picked off 16 passes with cornerback junior Radney Wood (Newport, NY/West Canada) among the national leaders with seven. Junior corners James Weaver (Bronxville, NY/Iona Prep) and George Kandirakis (White Plains, NY/Valhalla) have three each. The Dutchmen will benefit from the return of senior Devon Wimberly (Albany, NY/Albany Acadmey) who missed two complete games after he was injured in the game against Coast Guard, and saw limited action last week against Springfield. Wimberly comes into the game with 11 career interceptions and 43 pass deflections to go along with his 139 total tackles, six fumble recoveries and seven blocked kicks.
Junior linebackers Mike Ranfone (Branford, CT/Hamden Hall) (75 total tackles) and Mike Rosenthal (Walpole, MA/Blair Academy) (68 total tackles) lead the Dutchmen while senior strong safety Brian Vegliando (Walkill, NY/Wallkill) is next with 58 hits. Senior linebacker Adam Tyksinski (Clinton, NY/Clinton) who has been bothered by injuries all year long, shows 46 tackles. Once again it will be up to junior tackle Anthony Linter (Ravena, NY/Ravena) and sophomore mate Justin Sievert (New Paltz, NY/New Paltz) to tie up Widener's offensive linemen and keep them away from the Dutchmen's active linebackers.
Offensively, Union will have to maintain the balanced ball control that has seen them improve their average to 413.5 total yards, which has produced an average of 32.5 points. In the last three games, the unit has produced 444, 505 and 490 yards, respectively. Last week against Springfield the Dutchmen threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 189 yards and two scores. The previous week against Rochester, Union ran for 318 yards (against a team that was giving up an average of 95) and threw for 187. Three weeks ago against Hartwick Union was a balanced 245 yards on the ground and 199 yards in the air.
Junior quarterback Ben Gilbert (Brattleboro, VT/Brattleboro) has completed 142 of 247 passes (57.5%) for 1,909 yards and 21 touchdowns and is two TD passes away from tying the single-season mark of 23 set by Brett Russ in 1989 (a year in which Union played 14 games). Gilbert, who has two games in which he has thrown four touchdowns and four others in which he has two or more scoring strikes, is averaging 191 yards a game. Senior wide out Bryan Slekes (Rochester, NY/Gates Chili) has caught 38 of those passes for 582 yards and has set a new single-season record of 10 scoring receptions this season (breaking the previous mark of eight first set in 1967 and equaled in both 1982 and 1983). A total of 11 players have caught at least one pass with eight of those players surpassing the 100-yard mark this season. Besides Slekes, junior fullback Matt Laporta (Rensselaer, NY/Columbia) and tight end senior Rob Krickovich (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) have each caught three touchdown tosses. In all, six Dutchmen have found the end zone via the pass.
Sophomore tailback George Beebe (Salem, NY/Salem) leads a ground game that is averaging 223 yards and has scored 18 times. Beebe, who has rushed for 1,170 yards and is averaging 6.8 yards a carry and 117.0 yards a game, set the Union single-season, regular-season record with his 11 rushing touchdowns. Behind Beebe is junior tailback Jasper Mills (Hamden, CT/Hamden Hill), who has 406 yards and three touchdowns on 101 carries.
Offensively, Union's offensive line of tackles, sophomore A.J. Bodden (Scotia, NY/Scotia) and junior Justin Forrester (Rochester, NY/Bridgeton), guards, sophomore Chris Lalonde (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury), and junior Mike Visconti (Marion, MA/Northfield) and sophomore center Alan Fiore (Staten Island, NY/Susan Wagner) have done an outstanding job protecting Gilbert and opening holes for Beebe and Mills.
Junior placekicker Andrew Ruffo (Conklin, NY/Susquehanna Valley) leads the Dutchmen in scoring with his 79 points. Ruffo, who had 12 points in the win over Springfield (six PATs and two field goals), has connected on 37 of 38 point after kicks and 14 of 20 field goals. Ruffo is six for six from between the 20s and eight of nine from between the 30s.