Conference

No. 19 Central Connecticut Earns Highest Ranking Ever
After scoring more than 60 points each of the last two weeks, including a 73-13 win at Saint Peter’s on Oct. 2 and a 62-21 win versus Saint Francis (PA) last Saturday, Central Connecticut State moved up four spots to No. 19 on The Sports Network I-AA national poll - the highest ranking by an NEC team in the conference’s 11-year history. The Blue Devils have also become the first team to be ranked in consecutive weeks. CCSU has been ranked three weeks this season with its first coming on Sept. 18. Albany received 11 points on this week’s poll.

NEC I-AA National Rankings in 2006
Team (date) 			TSN Rank 		Following Week
Central Connecticut State (9/18) 	23 		Lost to Albany, 19-14/removed from poll
Albany (9/25) 			23 		Lost to Cornell, 23-21/removed from poll
Central Connecticut State (10/2) 	23 		Won vs. SFPA, 62-21/19th
Central Connecticut State (10/9) 	19 		???

Six NEC Teams On TSN I-AA Mid Major Top-10 Poll; San Diego Holds At No.1 Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Central Connecticut State scored more than 60 points for the second week in a row and routed St. Francis (PA), 62-21, to maintain the No. 2 spot in the poll. Drake has a five-game winning streak and moves up one peg to No. 3 in this week’s rankings, while Monmouth bumps one position to No. 4 after a 24-0 shutout of Sacred Heart. Robert Morris has won four games in a row after an 0-2 start, and moves up two rungs to No. 5 after beating Wagner, 14-10. Albany is at No. 6, with Duquesne at No. 7, Dayton at No. 8, Wagner at No. 9 and Stony Brook at No. 10. Stony Brook defeated Albany, 33-21, on Saturday for its second win in a row and moved back into the top 10 for the first time since Sept. 4.

The San Diego Toreros scored an easy, 56-3, win over Butler to move to 5-0 for the season on Saturday and were once again rewarded with the No. 1 spot in The Sports Network I-AA Mid-Major Top 10. The Toreros are at No. 1 for the seventh time this season and 13th poll in a row overall, and have a 13-game winning streak over the past two seasons. They picked up 24 of a possible 25 first-place votes and 249 total points. San Diego puts the ranking and streak up against Pioneer Football League opponent Valparaiso on Saturday.

Every team in the top 10 is in action this week, with two key battles between ranked opponents in the Northeast Conference. No. 2 Central Connecticut State visits No. 5 Robert Morris, while No. 4 Monmouth is at No. 9 Wagner.

NEC Football Review: Robert Morris, Stony Brook Move To 2-0; CCSU, Monmouth Also Victorious
The month of October has brought of few surprised to the NEC football scene. Robert Morris (4-2, 2-0 NEC) was picked in the preseason NEC coaches' poll to finish at the bottom of the league standings. The Colonials began the season 0-3, but have now run off four straight wins, including a 2-0 mark in conference play and sit atop the NEC along with Stony Brook (2-4, 2-0 NEC). On Saturday, RMU edged Wagner (4-2, 0-2 NEC), 14-10, on Staten Island as wideout Jarvis Powers snared two touchdowns from quarterback Erik Cwalinski in the win. Wagner faced a first goal from the two yard line in the closing minute of the game, but were kept from scoring by a Robert Morris goal line stand.

Stony Brook, which concluded non-league play 0-4, won its NEC opener versus Monmouth last week and is one step closer to back-to-back league titles with a win versus Albany (3-3, 1-1 NEC) this weekend. SBU's Cory Giddings returned two fumbles for touchdowns in the first half and Josh Dudash threw for 236 yards.

As Robert Morris and Stony Brook collected tight victories, then-No. 23 Central Connecticut State (5-1, 1-1 NEC) and Monmouth (5-1, 1-1 NEC) breezed to their first conference wins of the season. Senior running back Justise Hairston rushed 23 times for a NEC and school-record 332 yards and tied a NEC and school record with five touchdowns as the Blue Devils rolled to its second straight victory, 62-21, over St. Francis (PA) (1-5, 0-2 NEC).

Monmouth (5-1, 1-1 NEC) outgained Sacred Heart (2-4, 1-1 NEC) 320 to 88, blanking the Pioneers, 24-0, at West Long Branch. MU's Adam San Miguel, the NEC's leading receiver, posted eight receptions for 51 yards and surpassed Will Holder for second all-time on the Monmouth career receptions list (119).

Gensler - Playing Behind The Line
Robert Morris defensive lineman Ray Gensler, a second-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American last year, is playing behind his opponents’ line of scrimmage more than anyone in the NEC this season. Gensler ranks third in I-AA football in tackles-for-loss per game (1.52) and second in sacks per game (1.50). Currently, the senior has 32 tackles, 11.5 TFL and 9.0 sacks on the season. Last season, Gensler totalled 6.5 TFL and a half sack.

Giddings Sets NCAA Fumbles Record
Stony Brook defensive back Cory Giddings etched his name in the record books, becoming the first player in recorded college football history to return three fumbles in a game and first since Alvin Nnabuife of SMU in 2004 to return two for touchdowns. After a scoreless first quarter, Giddings put the homecoming crowd into a frenzy, picking up a fumble and racing seven yards for a touchdown with 10:52 left in the first half. Giddings struck again with 3:50 left in the half, scooping up a fumble and delighting the crowd of 6,688 with a terrific return down the sideline for a score. Late in the fourth quarter, the Ocean, NJ product halted the Great Danes’ attempt at a comeback, recovering another fumble in Albany territory.

• Central Connecticut State runner Justise Hairston leads I-AA in all-purpose yards per game (215.0 ypg) and rushing yards per game (165.17 ypg).

• Monmouth wide receiver Adam San Miguel, who leads the NEC with 47 catches, is second in I-AA in receptions per game this season (7.83).

• For the first time in league history, the NEC beat an Atlantic 10 opponent as Albany knocked off Delaware, 17-10, on September 16.

• Sacred Heart returner Evin Jones ranks fourth in I-AA in kickoff return average (34.56).

• The NEC finished the non-conference season with a 3-3 record versus Patriot League teams. Albany topped Lehigh on Sept. 2, while Monmouth beat Fordham on Sept. 2 and Colgate on Sept. 23.

• With 226 yards in a win over Saint Peter’s on September 16, Monmouth’s Brian Boland became the fourth quarterback in league history to throw for 6,000 career yards. Boland now stands in third with 6,590 yards behind RMU’s Tim Levcik (7,222) and SFPA’s Anthony Doria (7,390).

• Albany junior linebacker Colin Disch leads the NEC in tackles (67) and ranks eighth in I-AA football (11.17 tpg).

• Saint Francis (PA) tailback Todd Harris now ranks fifth on the all-time career NEC rushing list with 2,765 yards. Harris stands behind Albany’s Gary Jones (2002-03), who gained 3,033 yards.

NEC 2006 Football Television Package

The first game of the NEC television package aired on September 9 when Robert Morris fell to local rival Duquesne, 27-7, at Joe Walton Stadium in Moon Township, PA. On September 30, Western Pennsylvania counterparts Robert Morris and Saint Francis (PA) met in Loretto. RMU topped SFPA, 45-13.

The package wraps up with a Fox Sports-New York broadcast on October 28 as Monmouth hosts defending NEC champion Central Connecticut State at 12:00 pm. The game will also be televised in Connecticut and Rhode Island by Cox Cable.

UAlbany (3-3, 1-1 NEC)
Last Game: Stony Brook 33, UAlbany 21
Next Game: Oct. 14 at Sacred Heart, 1:00 pm

• The Great Danes dropped a 33-21 decision at Stony Brook on Oct. 7 … The point total was the sixth highest allowed by Albany against a NEC opponent … The Seawolves won back-to-back contests for the first time in the series and fumble returns for a touchdown played a role in each victory … SBU’s Cory Giddings reached paydirt twice in the second quarter on a pair of returns, the first time a Albany opponent in the Division I-AA era has scored two defensive touchdowns in a game … Albany has allowed 13 defensive touchdowns since the program upgraded to the I-AA level in 1999, but three have come this season … TB Omar Johnson (Edgewater Park, N.J. / Burlington City) found the end zone on runs of five and six yards in the first half … Johnson, who scored multiple touchdowns in a game for the fifth time as a collegian, moved into a tie for 14th all-time with 15 career touchdowns and a tie for 19th on the career scoring list with 90 points … CB Ryan Chrobak (Clinton, N.Y. / Clinton Central) made six tackles against Stony Brook and climbed into a tie for 30th on the career tackles chart with 166 … CB Rashad Barksdale (Hudson, N.Y. / Hudson) had a career-high six tackles, including five unassisted, plus broke up one pass … Chrobak and Barksdale each missed his previous start with ankle injuries … Freshman Justin Gannon (Sussex, N.J. / Vernon Township) made his first appearance of the season last week … Gannon accounted for 83 all-purpose yards, including two receptions for 17 and 10 more on the ground … SE Irani DeAraujo (Queens, N.Y. / Choate Rosemary Hall Prep) had a season-high six receptions for 73 yards … DeAraujo moved up to No. 14 on the school’s career receptions list with 55 … DE Mark Sheehan (Waterford, N.Y. / Catholic Central) had four tackles, including a career-best 1.5 sacks, against the Seawolves … Sheehan returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown in his previous outing at Cornell … ILB Ben Bayer (Buffalo, N.Y. / Clarence Central) made a career-high six tackles in his first start as a collegian … ILB Colin Disch (North Plainfield, N.J. / North Plainfield) ranks eighth among the Division I-AA tackles leaders at 11.17 per game … Disch is fourth on UAlbany’s career tackles list with 310 … Redshirt freshman Kevin Richards (Clifton Park, N.Y. / Shenendehowa) filled in admirably for starting center Pierce Brennan (Lake Grove, N.Y. / Sachem), who went down with a leg injury in the second quarter against Stony Brook … Richards made his first appearance on the field in a Great Danes’ uniform … Chris Lynch (Lindenhurst, N.Y. / Lindenhurst) tied the ninth-longest punt in school history with a 65-yard quick kick in the first quarter … Lynch, who had a 70-yarder earlier this season against Lehigh, is averagjng 37.2 yards per attempt.

Central Connecticut State (5-1, 1-1 NEC)
Last Game: Central Connecticut State 62, Saint Francis (PA) 21
Next Game: Oct. 14 at Robert Morris, 1:00 pm

• The Blue Devils moved to 5-1 overall and 1-1 in NEC play with a dominating 62-21 victory at home against St. Francis (PA) on Saturday. Avenging one of two conference losses last season, the Blue Devils had a record-setting day as they won for the second time in as many home games this season ... CCSU rushed for a school-record 462 yards, the second best performance in NEC history, in the victory and posted 549 total yards of offense on the day ... The victory is the second straight of more than 40 points and in the last two weeks CCSU has outscored its opponents 145-34. The Blue Devils had nine touchdowns this week and 10 a week ago in a 73-13 win over St. Peter's ... The 62 scored points are the third most in school history. The Blue Devils improve to 11-1 at home since the start of the 2004 season and have now won six straight home games (12 of their last 13). The Blue Devils held the ball for only 20 of 60 total minutes in the win on Saturday, but scored nine touchdowns ... Senior running back Justise Hairston (New Britain, CT/New Britain) had the game of his life in a 62-21 victory over St. Francis (PA) on Saturday afternoon. Playing for just the second time at home this season, Hairston set a school and Northeast Conference record with 332 rushing yards and tied a school and NEC record with five touchdowns as the Blue Devils rolled to 5-1 on the season. Hairston rushed the ball only 23 times in the game. The first two times he touched the ball Hairston scored touchdowns. The first came from 62 yards and the second from 70, as he racked up 142 yards and a pair of touchdowns on his first two carries. Hairston has touchdown runs this season of 12, 11, 68, 23, 1, 46, 56, 60, 72, 8, 1 and 11 yards this season ... In six games this season the Blue Devils have rushed for 1,762 yards, an average of 293.7 yards on the ground per game. CCSU is averaging an impressive 6.4 yards per carry on the year and have scored 25 rushing touchdowns. A pair of freshmen scored the first touchdowns of their careers on Saturday. Tight end Greg Grochowski (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from fullback Jo Jo Freeman (Lowell, MA/Pomfret School) in the frst quarter while freshman running back Adrian Hull (Goldvein, VA/Liberty) rushed from three-yards out on the fourth quarter for the first score of his career. The Blue Devils defense had four sacks on the day led by a pair from Ralph McKenley (Yonkers, NY/Roosevelt). He had a team-high 12 tackles in the win as nine Blue Devils had at least five stops on the day.

Monmouth (5-1, 1-1 NEC)
Last Game: Monmouth 24, Sacred Heart 0
Next Game: Oct. 14 at Wagner, 1:00 pm

• Monmouth’s 24-0 shutout of Sacred Heart was the 18th shutout in the 14-year history of the MU program ... It was also Sacred Heart’s first shutout in seven years, the last time they were shutout was on Nov. 5, 1999 by Albany. It was the first shutout since last season’s homecoming game against Robert Morris for the Hawks. The last time the Hawks shut out the Pioneers was in 1997, when MU downed SHU 43-0 ... After recording no sacks in their previous two games, the Hawks picked up four sacks against the Pioneers with senior Erik Yngstrom (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) moving to within 1.5 sacks for second place on MU’s all-time list. All-combined, MU’s four sacks dropped the Sacred Heart offense for –39 yards. Kevin Walsh recorded his first sack of his career, and ended with 1.5 on the day. ... With his touchdown pass to Shane Sharpley (Oak Ridge, NJ/West Milford), MU quarterback Brian Boland (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) now needs just two TD passes to tie Dan Sabella for first all-time in the MU record books ... After missing his first game since his freshman year against Stony Brook, senior defensive back Matt Hill (Hopatcong, NJ/Hopatcong) led the Hawks in tackles with six solo and one assisted for seven total. He also broke up one pass in the game ... MU gave up no sacks on the day for the second time this season ... Back up QB Brett Burke came in and was 4-of-6 for 35 yards ... Senior Jamaal McClintock (Plainfield, NJ/Plainfield) picked off his first pass of the 2006 season against Sacred Heart ... The Hawks were penalized a season-high 11 times for a total of 101 yards ... Monmouth was a perfect 4-4 in the red zone, with three touchdowns and a field goal, all coming in the first half ... Adam San Miguel (North Bergen, NJ/Saint Peter’s Prep) led all receivers with both his eight catches and 51 yards. San Miguel needed just four catches going into Saturday’s game to take sole possession of second all-time on MU’s receptions list, he trails only Dallas Cowboy Miles Austin now. San Miguel’s 7.6 receptions per game is second in all of I-AA and first in the NEC. His 77 yards per game also leads the NEC and is 26th in the NCAA ... Brian Sweeney (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) was a bother all game long to SHU quarterback Tyler Arciaga, batting down FOUR of his passes at the line of scrimmage and registering a quarterback Hurry that forced Arciaga to throw the ball away. Sweeney also had three solo tackles against Sacred Heart. Sweeney and the Hawks held Sacred Heart to 88 yards of total offense, with just 12 rushing yards (at one point the Pioneers had –28 yards rushing). Arciaga was 11-of-27 for 76 yards and one touchdown (he was also sacked four times) ... David Sinisi (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) led all rushers in the game in both carries and yardage with 18 carries for 85 yards. The freshman also scored his seventh rushing touchdown of the year, and his eighth overall (which is second in the NEC) Sinisi also had two catches for 29 yards, including a 27 yard screen pass that took the ball down to the Pioneers 12 yard line, setting up an MU touchdown.

Robert Morris (4-2, 2-0 NEC)
Last Game: Robert Morris 14, Wagner 10
Next Game: Oct. 14 vs. Central Connecticut State, 1:00 pm

• Robert Morris posted its fourth straight win with a 14-10 victory at Wagner, thanks to a goal-line stand in the last minute of the contest ... Wagner marched 71 yards down to the Colonial two-yard with less than a minute to play, but RMU turned away the Seahawks on each of their next four attempts at the end zone for the go-ahead score ... Robert Morris was a perfect 2-for-2 in red zone situations against Wagner, pushing their success rate to 86.7 percent (13-for-15) during its four-game winning streak ... Mike Niklos (Columbus, Ohio / Bishop Watterson) posted six tackles, including a half a tackle for a loss, a forced fumble, fumble recovery and two interceptions against the Seahawks ... His biggest tackle of the game came in RMU's goal-line stand with less than a minute to play, when he and senior defensive lineman Matt Brunck (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Fox Chapel) teamed up to throw Wagner running back Jason Butler for a four-yard loss back to the RMU five-yard line on third and goal ... Robert Morris would complete the stand when Seahawk quarterback Matt Abbey was pushed out of bounds on fourth-and-goal at the Colonial one-yard line ... Nikloss picked off Abbey twice in the first half to help preserve a 7-3 lead going into halftime ... His first pick of the game came at the RMU two-yard line on a pass attempt to Chris Turner after the Colonials had turned the ball over to Wagner at their own 39-yard line ... His second interception of the game came after RMU took a 7-3 advantage and Wagner marched down to the RMU 30-yard line on its next drive ... He returned it 23 yards to the RMU 45-yard line ... His third takeaway of the game came in third quarter after the Colonials upped their lead to 14-3 when he stripped Jason Butler of the ball at the Wagner 47-yard line then pounced on the loose ball ... Helped hold Wagner wide receiver Chris Turner to just one reception for eight yards ... His two interceptions bumped his career total to 11, which is tied for third all-time at Robert Morris with former linebacker Nate List (1994-97) ... On the season leads the club in interceptions (3) and pass breakups (7) while adding 23 tackles ... RMU tallied five turnovers on the afternoon, with all 10 Wagner points coming off Colonial miscues ... Senior linebacker Jeff Rommes (Gibsonia, Pa. / Deer Lakes) posted six tackles against the Seahawks to push his career total to 176, which ranks 15th all-time at Robert Morris ... The victory gives the Colonials three straight road victories, their best such stretch on the road since also winning three straight in 2001 ... Sophomore quarterback Erik Cwalinski (Jacobsburg, Ohio / Shadyside) set a career high in completions by finishing 19-for-31 passing for 186 yards two touchdowns and an interception ... Senior tight end Jarvis Powers (Stafford, Va. / Brooke Point) caught both of Cwalinski's touchdown passes, hauling in scoring catches of 13 and 18 yards and finishing the day with six catches for 69 yards ... Senior split end Michael Rogers (Duarte, Calif. / Citrus J.C.) added six catches for 54 yards ... Brunck paced the RMU defense with eight tackles ... RMU returns home for a two-game homestand, starting Oct. 14 with a 1 p.m. league tilt against Central Connecticut State at Joe Walton Stadium.

Sacred Heart (2-4, 1-1 NEC)
Last Game: Monmouth 24, Sacred Heart 0
Next Game: Oct. 14 vs. Albany, 1:00 pm

• The Pioneers were shutout for the first time since Nov. 6, 1999 with a 24-0 loss to Monmouth on Saturday ... The Pioneers were blanked by Albany in the first year of Division I play ... The 88 yards of total offense against the Hawks was also the lowest since that Albany game ... Senior QB Tyler Arciaga (Bonita, CA) had the worst statistical day of his SHU career against Monmouth, completing just 11 of 27 passes for 76 yards and an interception ... Arciaga had been sacked just six times in the first five games of the season, but was dropped four times for minus 39 yards against Monmouth on Saturday ... Junior receiver Corey Bundy (Selden, NY/Newfield) had his string of consecutive games with a touchdown receptions snapped at four ... Sophomore punter Derek Marks (East Lyme, CT/East Lyme) punted a career-high nine times against the Hawks, averaging 41.4 yards per kick including a career-high 59-yarder ... Senior linebacker Rolando Garcia (Bronx, NY/Avon Old Farms (CT))tied his career high with 13 tackles against Monmouth, including a career-best ten solo stops ... Senior JJ Wilson (Bloomfield, CT/Bloomfield) picked off his third pass of the season, his career high. Wilson is tied for the team lead with sophomore Jeff Hodges (Royal Palm Beach, FL/Royal Palm) ... The Pioneers will host Albany this weekend for Family Weekend at 1:00 p.m.

Saint Francis (PA) (1-5, 0-2 NEC)
Last Game: Central Connecticut State 62, Saint Francis (PA) 21
Next Game: Oct. 14 vs. Stony Brook, 1:00 pm

• Saint Francis (PA) lost its fifth straight game with a 62-21 thumping by Central Connecticut State. The Red Flash lost five straight for the first time since 2004 ... Senior quarterback Anthony Dori (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton LaSalle)a threw his 50th and 51st touchdowns of his career, a school record; Doria had his best statistical day of the season with 203 passing yards and 2 touchdown passes ... Junior placekicer Adam Sciulli (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) made all three of his PAT attempts to run his school-record streak to 69-for-69 during his career. Sciulli missed a 49-yard field goal attempt, breaking a streak of 11 consecutive field goal attempts ... The Red Flash had 381 yards of total offense, and held the ball for 40:00 in the game ... Senior wide receiver Luke Palko (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) only held on field goal and point-after-attempts after suffering a high-ankle sprain in Saint Francis (PA)’s NEC opener against RMU ... Senior wideout Michael Caputo (Bethel Park, Pa./Seton LaSalle) had another solid game for Saint Francis, snaring nine balls for 113 yards and his 27 touchdown.

Stony Brook (2-4, 2-0 NEC)
Last Game: Stony Brook 33, Albany 21
Next Game: Oct. 14 at Saint Francis (PA), 1:00 pm

• Stony Brook won its second straight game to remain undefeated in conference play with a 33-21 win over Albany ... Head Coach Chuck Priore faced his college coach Bob Ford ... Freshman defensive back Cory Giddings (Ocean, NJ/Ocean Towsnhip) had an amazing day with three fumble recoveries, two of them he returned for touchdowns. In the second quarter, Giddings had scoring returns of seven and 34 yards to give Stony Brook an early lead ... Josh Dudash (Beachwood, NJ/Toms River South) led the way offensively as he was 16 of 22-for-236 yards and a TD ... Mike Cosentino (Staten Island, NY/Saint Peter’s) caught seven passes for 110 yards ... The homecoming crowd of 6,688 was the third largest in LaValle Stadium history to witness an Stony Brook athletic event ... Running back Conte Cuttino (Uniondale, NY/Uniondale) had 20 carries for 88 yards ... The Seawolves have a chance to begin the conference slate 3-0 for the first time since becoming a member of the NEC in 1999.

Wagner (4-2, 0-2 NEC)
Last Game: Robert Morris 14, Wagner 10
Next Game: Oct. 14 vs. Monmouth, 1:00 pm

• Wagner lost for the second straight week, falling to Robert Morris at home 14-10 ... The Seahawks had first and goal at the two-yard line in the closing minute but were unable to score the go ahead touchdown ... Junior running back Jason Butler (Syracuse, NY / Henninger) ran for a game and career high 101 yards on 21 carries. On Wagner’s final drive of the game Butler totaled 53 yards on the ground against the #2 ranked rushing defense in I-AA ... Freshman Lon Woods (Tamarac, FL / J.P. Taravella) scored the only touchdown of the game for the Green and White, catching a 34 yard TD in the third quarter for his first career score ... Junior defensive back Al Phillips (Hialeah, FL / American) intercepted one pass and broke up two others ... Senior linebacker Thomas Larsen (Brooklyn, NY / Fort Hamilton) led the team with 11 stops (5 solo) plus recovered two fumbles, giving him three for the year ... One week after setting a NEC record with a 54 yard field goal, kicker Piotr Czech (Keyport, NJ / Keyport) nailed his only attempt from 39 yards out ... The Wagner defense has yet to allow a rushing touchdown this season and has surrendered over 100 rushing yards just two times in six games ... Senior Azim Ross (Washington, DC / Gonzaga) also recovered two fumbles in the contest while defensive end Thomas Davis (Syracuse, NY / Henninger) forced two fumbles. Wagner has outscored opponents 27-0 in the first quarter this season.