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Edinboro Athletic Press Release Index
EDINBORO, PA - The Edinboro University football team has been selected for the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the second year in a row. The announcement was made this afternoon, with the Fighting Scots seeded sixth in the Northeast Region. They will play at third seed Bentley in the first round of the Northeast Regional on Saturday, November 13. Kickoff is 12 noon.
Edinboro concluded its regular season on Saturday with a 38-14 win over Lock Haven to finish the regular season with an 8-2 record, ending the season with a six-game winning streak for the second year in a row. The Fighting Scots were 5-1 in PSAC West play, sharing the championship with Shippensburg and Indiana(Pa.). It marks the first time in school history that Edinboro has won back-to-back PSAC crowns.
This is also just the second time that Edinboro has gone to the NCAA Division II Playoffs two straight years. The Fighting Scots previously went in 1989 and 1990, and are making their sixth appearance in NCAA postseason action. A year ago Edinboro lost to top-ranked Saginaw Valley State, 33-9, in the first round.
"We're excited," commented head coach Lou Tepper. "We're anxious to see Bentley on tape. It's a non-PSAC team, it will be a flight for us. The air is filled with excitement. The only thing I know is they throw the ball extremely well, and have an NFL prospect at quarterback. Other than that I don't really know anything about them. To be ranked third in our region, they must be very strong.
Unlike a year ago when Edinboro was just looking for respectability after six straight losing seasons, this year's Fighting Scot squad had high expectations. "I think it probably is different from last year," admitted Tepper. "I know this year we fully anticipated competing for a championship and the playoffs, whereas it was a hope and a dream a year ago. I think we have a bit more maturity now. How much last year will help us this year, I'm not really sure."
The 2004 playoff field has been expanded to 24 teams, with six from each of the four regions. The top two seeded teams receive byes the first week, with the third seeds meeting the sixth seed and the fourth seeds meeting the fifth seed. The winners of the three vs. six seed games will play the number one seeds on Saturday, November 20, with the two seeds opposing the winners of the four vs. five games.
The two first round games in the Northeast Region feature PSAC vs. Northeast 10 matchups, with a total of four PSAC teams in the field. Edinboro will play a Bentley team which finished its regular season a week ago and has had a week to rest. The winner moves on to face second seed East Stroudsburg (9-1). The other first round match finds PSAC entrant West Chester (seeded fourth with an 8-3 record) facing C.W. Post (seeded fifth with an 8-2 record). That winner goes up against top seed Shippensburg, who is 10-1.
Edinboro is averaging 31.9 ppg. on offense, led by tailback Andre Burke (Wilkinsburg, PA/Valley). The 5-10, 205 lb. junior has 1,587 yards rushing on 258 carries with 17 TDs. He is one of six finalists in the Northeast Region for the Harlon Hill Trophy. The ground game is averaging 210.0 ypg., with fullback Matt Phillips (Monaca, PA/Monaca) adding 333 yards on 70 rushes with 6 TDs.
Quarterback Justin Bouch (Brackenridge, PA/Highlands) has completed 137 of 230 passes for 1,848 yards with 14 TDs and 9 INTs. His favorite target is junior Justin Lipscomb (Roaming Shores, OH/Grand Valley), who has 46 receptions for 627 yards and 7 TDs. Jeff Dinger (Conneaut, OH/Conneaut) adds 20 catches for 223 yards and a score.
The Fighting Scot defense is giving up just 17.9 ppg. and limiting opponents 94.1 ypg. on the ground. Only four teams ran for more than 100 yards against Edinboro, and the defense also set a school record with 27 interceptions.
Junior OLB Seth Fragale (Emporium, PA/Cameron County) is the leading tackler with 87 stops, and also paces the Scots with 9.5 tackles for losses and 4.5 sacks. Junior SS Tim Hyde (Wayland, NY/Wayland-Cohocton) adds 62 tackles. Free safety Tom Davidson (Geneva, OH/Geneva), a redshirt freshman, has a team-high 7 interceptions, while junior cornerback Chris Avery (Berea, OH/Berea) adds 6 interceptions.
Like Edinboro, Bentley has run off six straight wins since dropping a 34-28 decision to Merrimack for its only loss. The Falcons are coached by Peter Yetten, who is in his 26th year at Bentley and became the first football coach in New England history to win 200 games when Bentley won its season finale vs. Bryant. Yetten has an overall record of 200-63-2, including a 129-42-1 ledger in 17 varsity seasons. He guided Bentley to its first-ever NCAA postseason appearance a year ago.
Bentley showcases a powerful offense which averages 41.6 ppg.. The Falcons give up 13.6 ppg. Most of the offense is through the air thanks to the throwing of senior Marc Eddy. The NCAA Division II record-holder for career touchdown passes (118), Eddy joins Burke as a Harlon Hill Trophy finalist. He joined Doug Flutie as the only two New England quarterbacks to amass 10,000 yards in total offense. Eddy has completed 193 of 344 passes for 2,639 yards with 28 TDs and 10 INTs, and has extended two NCAA Division II records he already owns (most consecutive games with a TD pass, 27, and most career games with at least three TD passes, 25). Bentley averages 323.2 yards through the air.
Eddy's favorite target is senior WR Dallas Mall, who has 70 catches for 949 yards and 18 TDs. He is one touchdown shy of the career record for touchdown receptions held by former Grand Valley State standout David Kircus (76).
Defensively, Bentley has allowed 13.6 ppg. and is very stingy against the run, allowing just 73.9 ypg. Like Edinboro, the Falcon defense takes full advantage of turnovers, intercepting 21 passes and recovering 7 fumbles.
~ Fighting Scots ~
Edinboro Athletic Press Release Index
Created on ... November 7, 2004