Hobbled Flash hit the road

College

Discussion

October 4, 2008

BY HUGH CONRAD The Tribune-Democrat Sat Oct 04, 2008, 12:18 AM EDT

LORETTO — Forgive St. Francis coach Dave Opfar if he thinks of his team as an injury ward right now.

His Red Flash team has incurred some major injuries this year, leading him to try to change his approach on both sides of the ball.

St. Francis (0-4, 0-1 Northeast Conference) visits West Long Branch, N.J., for today’s Northeast Conference game with Monmouth (2-3, 1-0) that starts at 1 p.m.

“It is a matter of trying to find some pieces to put it all together,” Opfar said. “We are really busted up, and we lost two more this week. We are out of outside linebackers right now, and we are down to one fullback. This is very interesting when you are down to 14 scholarship players and you have only 20.”

The Red Flash had lost their top wideout, Antoine Rivera, in the Marist game, and linebackers Tyler Gillmen, Dan Conley, Chad Iachini and Jesse Stasko are also out, with some possibly done for the season.

That injury situation has led Opfar to change his defense from his conventional five-man front.

“We are going to a four-man front out of necessity,” Opfar said. “We have to simplify it because we have so many kids in their first game action.”

The three remaining linebackers on that defense are good ones. Former Bishop McCort standout Scott Lewis continues to lead the Red Flash with 40 tackles from his linebacker position, with fellow sophomore Matthew Parker second with 39.

While Monmouth has lost three games, the Hawks have played up in competition, losing to Maine (21-17), Rhode Island (27-24), and Coastal Carolina (26-7).

Monmouth defeated Robert Morris 26-7 in the NEC opener.

“They’re really good,” Opfar said about the Hawks, who beat the Flash 47-17 last year. “They have played a very tough schedule against some of the (Football Championship Subdivision) teams, and they have played them very close,” Opfar said. “They had a very physical game against Robert Morris.”

Red Flash quarterback George Little is injured but will play today. Little has completed 61 of 117 passes for 779 yards and five touchdowns. He also has thrown five interceptions.

Junior wideout Omar Winston is now the go-to receiver for Little, with 21 catches for 213 yards and a touchdown.

The Red Flash have had difficulty sustaining a running game, rushing for a net 262 yards in four games. Tailback Calvin Williams leads the running attack with 197.

Monmouth running back David Sinisi averages almost that many per game. He leads the Hawks with 717 yards, averaging 143 yards per contest.

Brett Burke is the quarterback for Monmouth, connecting on 71 of 120 passes for 720 yards and five touchdowns. He has thrown four interceptions.

Text Only | Photo Reprints

College

MAC honors Roberts
Forest Hills graduate and former Delweld MVP George Roberts was named Mid-American Conference (MAC) Player of the Year in baseball on Tuesday.

May 22, 2012 1 Photo
Sentence given, but Rutgers webcam saga not over
The legal saga is far from over for a former Rutgers University student sentenced to 30 days jail for using a webcam to spy on his roommate kissing another man. The cultural fallout could continue, too.

Dharun Ravi, 20, was sentenced Monday, two months after a jury convicted him of 15 criminal counts, including invasion of privacy and bias intimidation and seven counts dealing with covering up a crime.

May 22, 2012 1 Photo
Paterno's family to get $13.4 million pension
Joe Paterno earned a state pension of $13.4 million for his 61-year coaching career at Penn State.

Paterno's family said Tuesday through a spokesman that Paterno's widow, Sue, would receive an initial payment of $10.1 million by the end of May, with the rest to be paid out over the next two years.

May 22, 2012 1 Photo
O’Brien keeps message fresh in selling Penn State
After three weeks of crisscrossing the Northeast to rally and re-assure the Nittany Lions faithful that all will be well in Happy Valley, Bill O’Brien still had fresh material when the Penn State coaching caravan reached its 18th and final stop.

May 19, 2012 1 Photo
[VIDEO] Panthers eager to renew PSU rivalry
It didn’t take Steve Pederson long to realize how important a renewal of the Pitt-Penn State football rivalry is to local fans.
Even the invocation at the Johnstown Panther Club’s fifth annual spring event at Sunnehanna Country Club on Thursday night included a request for the teams to meet on the field again.

May 18, 2012 1 Photo
Penn State coach stops in Altoona
Bill O’Brien has quickly put to rest any notion that he plans to stick around as long as the last Penn State football coach.
Don’t expect his tenure in Happy Valley to last 46 years.

May 14, 2012 1 Photo
Shepherd takes WVIAC championship
Shepherd recorded a 10-5 victory over Alderson-Broaddus in the WVIAC baseball championship Sunday afternoon at Point Stadium, earning a spot in the NCAA tournament with the league’s automatic bid.

May 13, 2012
Mount falls in title game
Mount Aloysius’ Cinderella run through the AMCC playoffs came to an end Saturday, as the No. 6 seed Mounties fell to top-seeded La Roche 14-4 in the AMCC Championship game.

May 12, 2012
Shepherd advances to title game
Shepherd advanced to the WVIAC Championship by defeating West Virginia State on Saturday at Point Stadium.
The conference title game will be played at 1 p.m. today at the Point.

May 12, 2012
Two UPJ players earn WVIAC first-team honors
Pitt-Johnstown sophomore catcher Kyle Morrow and sophomore second baseman Jake Warner were named first-team All-WVIAC baseball, while senior outfielder Drew Westover and sopohomore right-hander Derek Younker each earned a spot on the second-team.

May 11, 2012
More College Headlines

California raids 9/11 fund for deficits

College

Search Results

Discussion

Hobbled Flash hit the road

Should the speed limit on sections of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and related highways be raised to 70 mph from 65 mph.

Contact Us