BETHLEHEM, PA - By Saturday evening, only one Landmark Conference football team will remain unbeaten in conference play. That is what is at stake for the #11/12 River Hawks (8-0, 4-0 Landmark) when they head down to face Moravian (4-3, 3-0 Landmark) for a 1 p.m. kickoff. A win can all but put Susquehanna on the path to the inaugural Landmark Conference championship with one game remaining. Their regular season finale opponent Lycoming (2-5, 2-1 Landmark), who they'll host on Saturday, Nov. 11 after their bye week, carry just one Landmark defeat entering Saturday to stand between the River Hawks and their Landmark championship hopes.
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GAME NOTES: SUSQUEHANNA | MORAVIAN PROGRAM
ALL ROADS INDICATE LANDMARK CHAMPIONSHIP IN GRASP IN FOOTBALL'S TRAVELS TO MORAVIAN
Moravian stands as the only remaining unbeaten team in Landmark action apart from Susquehanna entering Saturday's matchup. The River Hawks disarmed Wilkes last week to hand the Colonels their first Landmark defeat as SU improved to 8-0 and 4-0 in the Landmark. A win over the Greyhounds gives the River Hawks the inside track to the Landmark Conference championship. Following Saturday Susquehanna has a bye week, followed by their regular season finale when they host Lycoming Saturday, Nov. 11. The Warriors hold a 2-1 record in league play, needing wins the next two weeks versus Juniata and Moravian to remain standing between Susquehanna and the inaugural Landmark title.
Susquehanna and Moravian's football history remains virtually intact with the Landmark transition, as both squads made the move from the Centennial Conference as football-only members. Head coach
Tom Perkovich has only lost to Moravian twice in his tenure at Susquehanna in seven meetings, with the most recent in 2018. Coach Perk and captains
Keith Green III,
Nick Gonzalez and
Drew Robinson return to Bethlehem after attending the Landmark Conference's first-ever football media day, where the River Hawks were christened number one in the conference preseason poll; Moravian was positioned fifth.
FOOTBALL DOWNS WILKES ON HOMECOMING, SURGES BACK TO #11/12 IN NATIONAL POLLS...
Despite an early charge from Wilkes tied at 7-7 after the first quarter, the River Hawks surged to 27 unanswered points the rest of the way to claim a 34-7 win over the Colonels in a Homecoming Weekend battle of the Landmark's two preseason favorites.
Tommy Grabowski recorded two touchdowns, including the opening score where he trucked three defenders en route to a 20-yard touchdown, to give him ten rushing TD's on the season.
Josh Ehrlich provided another rushing score, while providing a passing TD through the air to find
Kyle Howes. The remaining score was through the air also, albeit an option play where tight end
Sean Yamada connected with fellow TE
Rowen Hershey for a 16 yard score.
The "Wild Dogs" defense had perhaps one of their best days of the season, forcing three turnovers off fumbles and gathering five sacks. All three fumble recoveries resulted in touchdowns for a 21-0 lead in points off turnovers. Defensive back
Keith Green III earned D3football.com Team of the Week honors with two fumble recoveries, one sack, and four total tackles, while defensive end
Garrett Carter earned Landmark Conference Defensive Player of the Week after a game-high ten total tackles, including 3.5 for loss and one sack. The defense also shut down Wilkes on all 11 third-down conversion attempts. After two straight weeks at #12 and #13, respectively, in the D3football.com and AFCA National Polls, the win nudged Susquehanna back to its season high of #11 and #12 in the respective rankings.
