Boxscore

SELINSGROVE, Pa. - Susquehanna University's sophomore quarterback Rich Palazzi (Newfoundland, Pa./Wallenpaupack) completed 15 of 22 passes for 193 yards and a career-high five touchdowns, including three to senior split end J.J. Moran (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville), as Susquehanna outgunned visiting Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 35-21, in a Liberty League football game on Senior Day and Homecoming at Amos Alonzo Stagg Field at Nicholas A. Lopardo Stadium on Nov. 7.

Palazzi threw no interceptions, but SU (7-2, 5-1 Liberty) capitalized on five WPI (3-6, 0-6 Liberty) turnovers to remain one game back in the league standings with just one game left in the regular season--a showdown at first-place Union College (7-2, 6-0 Liberty) on Nov. 14.

Union, by defeating the United States Merchant Marine Academy (4-5, 2-4 Liberty), 37-6, on Nov. 7, has earned at least a share of the 2009 league championship. However, if Susquehanna wins at Union on Nov. 14, the Crusaders would earn a share as well and secure, through a head-to-head tiebreak with Union, the Liberty's automatic invitation to the NCAA Division III championships.

First, SU needed to get by WPI, and Palazzi made sure of that with the five TD passes, setting a new Nicholas A. Lopardo Stadium record for the most in one game. Lopardo Stadium debuted during the 2000 season.

Moran tied for the game-high with six receptions (for 60 yards). His career-high three TD catches were a game-high and tied the stadium record. He now has 112 career receptions, good for sixth in Susquehanna history. Jim Owen '09, who made 115 catches from 2005-08, ranks fifth.

Right behind Moran in this game was SU's sophomore split end Mike Ritter (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area), who made three catches for a team-high 72 yards, including two TD. Ritter and Moran are tied for the team lead this season with six TD catches each.

SU's sophomore tight end Matt Knouse (Elliottsburg, Pa./West Perry) and sophomore running back Greg Tellish (Mount Airy, Md./South Carroll) both made a pair of catches. Knouse gained 24 yards, while Tellish gained 21.

Tellish also rushed 16 times for a game- and career-high 82 yards. All of Tellish's carries came after the midway point of the second quarter, after teammate and senior running back Dave Paveletz (Warrior Run, Pa./Hanover Area) left the game with a leg injury. Paveletz did return for the third and fourth quarters. He finished the day with 11 carries for 36 yards and a four-yard reception.

WPI featured a spread-option offense with four ballcarriers netting at least 20 yards. The Engineers' junior running back Aaron Champagne (Bethel, Conn./Bethel) led the way with 76 yards on 14 rushes. Teammate and senior quarterback Mike Swanton (Foxboro, Mass./Foxboro) ran 22 times for 74 yards and a TD. Sophomore running backs Mitch McClune (Pembroke, Mass./Boston College HS) and Ernie Mello (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) added 29 and 20 yards on five and seven carries, respectively. Mello had a TD.

Swanton completed 15 of 31 passes for a game-high 200 yards. He threw one TD but was picked off twice inside the SU 30-yard line.

Senior wide receiver R.C. Grady (Shirley, Mass./St. Bernard's) was Swanton's favorite target, catching six passes for a game-high 97 yards. Grady also ran once for three yards.

WPI's sophomore wide receivers Mohamed Yatim (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) and Nick Bean (Middleboro, Mass./Middleboro) both made two catches. Yatim gained 40 yards to Bean's 14. Sophomore tight end Scott Brady (Westboro, Mass./Westboro) made the most of one catch, and 11-yard TD.

The Crusaders had a host of defensive highlights, led by a game-high 10 tackles, including a game-high-tying seven solo stops, from senior linebacker Erich Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg). Majors also broke up a pass. He leads SU with 58 tackles this year.

Susquehanna's junior defensive back Braden Klingler (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) made eight tackles (seven solo) and also broke up a pass. Junior linebacker Ryan Eck (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock Twp.) had a big day, making eight tackles (five solo), recovering a fumble and intercepting a pass for the second week in a row. Senior defensive back Tony McIntosh (Avondale, Pa./Avon Grove) had six tackles (all solo) and recovered a fumble. Freshman defensive lineman Ken Schetroma (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia Area) posted six tackles (five solo).

SU's freshman defensive back Jalon Scott (Albany, N.Y./Albany HS), who leads the Liberty with 14 passes defended this year, broke up two passes in this game as part of a six-tackle day (four solo). Senior defensive end Pete Johnsen (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) made five stops (four solo), including his league-leading ninth-and-a-half sack, and forced a fumble. Sophomore defensive end Trevor Terpening (Mount Airy, Md./South Carroll) also forced a fumble as part of a four-tackle day (all solo).

Not to be overlooked was sophomore linebacker Mitch Phillips (Millersburg, Pa./Millersburg), who broke up a pass, recovered a fumble and returned an interception 45 yards to go with four stops (three solo). Also, senior defensive lineman Marc McDonough (Kingston, Pa./Bishop Hoban) notched three tackles (all solo), including a sack and a game-high two tackles for a loss, totaling a game-high-tying negative-10 yards.

WPI's junior defensive lineman Brendan Gove (Rutland, Mass./Wachusett Regional) made a team-high tying six tackles, including a team-high five solo stops and a sack for a loss of 10 yards. Sophomore defensive back John Perron (Auburn, Mass./St. John's HS) notched the Engineers other sack. Perron made six total tackles (four solo), as did senior defensive back Chris Boudreau (Rensselaer, N.Y./La Salle Institute).

Both teams scored on their first possession of the game.

WPI received the opening kickoff and then went 67 yards in 10 plays, capped by a Mello 2-yard TD run and an extra point from sophomore placekicker Cody Beckel [Jupiter, Fla./Earl L. Vandermeulen (N.Y.)].

The Crusaders responded with an 11-play, 70-yard drive, ended by a Palazzi-to-Moran nine-yard TD pass and a point-after by junior punter/placekicker Bobby Eppleman (Chester Springs, Pa./Great Valley).

The score remained 7-7 through the opening quarter, but the Engineers staged an impressive drive that ran from the end of first quarter and into the second, covering 63 yards and 7 minutes, 56 seconds over 15 plays and ending with Swanton's TD pass to Brady and another Beckel PAT to make the score 14-7.

The Crusaders fumbled the ensuing kickoff return, and WPI capitalized, covering the short, 36-yard field in seven plays for a 21-7 lead. Swanton rushed two yards for the TD, and Beckel hit another PAT.

Susquehanna answered right back again by putting together a six-play, 59-yard drive that culminated with a 25-yard TD pass from Palazzi to Ritter and an Eppleman extra point that cut the lead to 21-14.

The game truly turned when WPI fumbled on its next possession. Swanton couldn't handle the snap from the shotgun, and Phillips pounced on the loose ball at the SU 47.

The Crusaders turned the gaffe into seven points when Palazzi hit Moran for a 22-yard TD pass to end an eight-play 53-yard drive. Eppleman hit the point-after, and suddenly, it was 21-21.

SU was called for a personal foul after the PAT, which pushed the ensuing kickoff back 15 yards. The Engineers then got a good return, taking the ball to the SU 48 with 39 seconds left in the first half.

WPI got down to the Susquehanna 12 with time about to expire, where it set up for a 29-yard field-goal try. However, Beckel's kick was blocked by senior split end/defensive back Justin Young (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) to end the half with a tied score.

The Crusaders received the first kickoff of the second half, and after a 36-yard return by senior split end Keith Howell (North Braddock, Pa./Woodland Hills) and a 15-yard personal foul by WPI, they started a drive at the Engineers 36.

Four plays later, Palazzi connected with Ritter again, this time for a 34-yard highlight-reel catch-and-run TD to give the Crusaders their first lead of the game. Eppleman made the PAT for a 28-21 advantage just 1:45 into the third quarter.

WPI seemed poise to respond on its next possession, but on second-and-goal from the Susquehanna 9, Johnsen forced a fumble by Mello that was recovered at the 7 by McIntosh.

Following a Crusaders punt, WPI drove deep into SU territory again. This time, on fourth-and-one from the 10, Terpening forced a McClune fumble that was recovered by Eck at the 12.

The Crusaders turned the fumble into points this time, marching 88 yards over 13 plays on the following drive, finished by a Palazzi-to-Moran five-yard TD pass and another Eppleman PAT to spell the game's final score with 10:43 left in the fourth quarter.

Susquehanna iced the game with interceptions on the last two WPI drives, allowing itself to run out the clock on offense for the fourth game in a row.

Susquehanna converted both of its fourth-down conversions in this game, while WPI went 1-for-5. The Crusaders were also 2-for-2 in the red zone, while the Engineers went 3-for-6.

Next Game: Saturday, Nov. 14, at Union (Liberty League game), 12 p.m.