2013 Siena Heights University Football
Siena Heights Saints (0-0, 0-0 MSFA Mideast) vs
#19 Grand View Vikings (1-0, 0-0 MSFA Midwest)
Saturday, Sept. 7 - 1 p.m. - Adrian, Michigan
Live Coverage: Jerry Hayes (play-by-play), Doug Goodnough (color), Siena Heights Sports Network (www.shusaints.com), WLEN 103.9 FM
For a complete PDF version of game notes, click HERE.
THE GAME
The Siena Heights football team will open its 2013 regular season with a Sept. 7 home contest against 19th-ranked Grand View (Iowa). SHU is also hosting "Junior Saints Day," for local youth football players and cheerleaders. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. on Dr. Mike and Lynne Dawson Field.
The Saints are coming off their first varsity season in which they had a 4-6 overall record and 2-3 slate in Mid-States Football Association Mideast League play.
Grand View opened its '13 campaign last week with a 21-16 victory over Drake -- its Des Moines cross-town rival. Drake is also a member of the Football Championship Series, which was formerly known as NCAA Division I-AA football.
Last year, the Vikings went 8-3 overall and 5-1 in the MSFA Midwest. They lost their final regular season contest to William Penn, 17-12, and fell into a three-way tie for the league championship, but ultimately missed the NAIA Tournament.
LAST TIME WE MET
Quarterback Matt King had two touchdown passes and running back/wide receiver Raphael Dunson finished with two total touchdowns, but the Saints were unable to overcome an early 17-point deficit as they fell to 10th-ranked Grand View, 37-25, on Oct. 20, 2012.
King was 23 of 35 for 226 and the two scores, which were tossed to Dunson and tight end Lyle Van Fleteren, but a pair of early fumbles led to a 17-0 first-quarter deficit.
Grand View kicker Ben Hurley converted a 30-yard field goal for the game's first points -- just 28 seconds before quarterback Derek Fulton found wide receiver Brady Roland for a 36-yard touchdown pass. A 1-yard run by running back Charlie Badgett helped the Vikings run the score up to 17-0.
The Saints eventually struck back on a 20-yard hookup from King to VanFleteren and kicker Jonah Harter followed with a half-ending, 20-yard field goal as the Saints cut their deficit to 17-10.
GVU quarterback Dorian Ballentine hit Davion Hurst with a 21-yard TD pass in the third quarter, expanding the hosts' lead until a 35-yard Harter kick enabled the Saints to pull the score to 24-13. SHU did not come any closer.
Dunson was Siena Heights' top rusher and receiver, finishing with seven carries for 29 yards and five catches for 46 yards. Van Fleteren, running back Drew Milligan and wide receivers Reggie Blackmon and Ian Thornton had four receptions apiece.
For the Siena Heights defense, defensive lineman Joseph Mravec and defensive back DeShawn Gilbert had key interceptions, leading to the Saints' 10-point second-quarter rally. The Saints' leading tackler was defensive back Sederick Dunbar II, who had 7 1/2 stops.
THE COACHES
Jim Lyall (Michigan '74) is in his third season as head coach for Siena Heights, where he now has a 4-6 varsity record. He is 107-98-1 all-time as a collegiate varsity football coach. During SHU's 2011 club season, Lyall went 8-1. He was previously the head coach at Adrian, where he compiled a 103-92-1 varsity slate.
Mike Woodley (Northern Iowa) is in his sixth year as head coach for Grand View. He is 44-40 all-time as a collegiate varsity football coach, including a 33-22 mark for the Vikings. He was named 2011 and 2009 MSFA Coach of the Year. Prior to becoming Grand View's head coach, he was a head coach for Saint Ambrose (Iowa), an assistant for Iowa State and a graduate assistant for Iowa.
UP NEXT ...
The Saints will play their first road game of the season when they visit Saint Joseph's for a 1 p.m. start in Renssalaer, Ind.
Saint Joe's, an NCAA Division II squad, went 6-5 last season with a 5-3 record in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Pumas are also opening their season today with a home game against FCS member Valparaiso (Ind.).
Siena Heights won its only contest against a Division II squad. The inaugural SHU squad defeated another GLVC member, Kentucky Wesleyan, 28-26, on Sept. 17, 2011.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
For the first time in program history, the Siena Heights coaching staff allowed its players to select the team's captains. Leaders from both sides of the ball -- three on offense and three on defense -- and one from special teams were chosen. That group includes senior defensive back Sederick A. Dunbar II and six juniors: offensive linemen Gauge Aebersold and Jon Dozier, tight end Donovan Campbell, linebackers Trenton Bragg and Tyler Karcher, and long snapper Timothy Jurgonski.
ALL-CONFERENCE ACCOLADES
Tight end Donovan Campbell was named to the MSFA All-Mideast League First Team while teammate Raphael Dunson was recognized on the Second Team at the end of the 2012 season. Eight other Saints were also honored with all receiving honorable mentions.
Campbell became the first SHU player to be listed on the First Team. At the conclusion of the regular season, he's ranked 10th in the entire MSFA with 4.1 receptions per game.
On the season, Campbell totaled 41 catches for 514 yards and six touchdowns -- good enough for a 12.5-yards-per-catch average.
Dunson was honored three times on the MSFA all-league list. As a running back, he was named to the Second Team while getting honorable mentions as a wide receiver and return specialist.
Dunson finished the season with 38 carries for 190 yards and three touchdowns (5.0 yards per rush) and 22 receptions for 205 yards and one score (9.3 average). He currently ranks second in the MSFA in kickoff return average (27.4). He made 12 returns for 329 yards and finished with a team-leading 724 all-purpose yards.
Other returning all-conference honorees include offensive lineman Gauge Aebersold, defensive back Sederick A. Dunbar II, defensive linemen Kyle Connors and Joseph Mravec, and linebackers Trenton Bragg and Tyler Karcher.
Karcher was the team leader in the tackles department, finishing with 56 1/2 stops. He compiled six tackles-for-loss, 1 1/2 sacks, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
Dunbar had 55 1/2 tackles, including four for-loss, three interceptions and one forced fumble while Bragg finished with 55 stops, including a team-leading 10 1/2 tackles-for-loss, and a forced fumble.
Also in 2012, Connors added 27 tackles, including 5 1/2 for-loss, three sacks, a forced fumble and blocked kick while Mravec compiled 18 1/2 tackles (six for-loss), a team-leading four sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
WINNING IN THE CLASSROOM
The Saints earned a number of academic awards in 2012. A total of five players were named to the Capital One Academic All-District Team, including defensive back Sederick A. Dunbar II, tight end Lyle Van Fleteren, running back-turned-wide receiver Drew Milligan, and offensive linemen Jake Helsel and Paul Jacobs.
Also, Dunbar and fullback Spencer Revenberg were honored as Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
SHU SEASON PREVIEW
Two years since its inception and one year removed from its first varsity season, the Siena Heights football team is eager to find out where it truly stands within the toughest conference in the NAIA.
Head coach Jim Lyall believes his squad has gained valuable experience during the past two seasons – and an influx of incoming talent may further enhance the roster – to where it can compete for a Mid-States Football Association Mideast League championship.
"When we set our goals, our goal is to win a conference championship," Lyall said. "We have to understand we have to beat the teams in our division – at least two of those top three teams – in order to challenge for a league championship."
"Last year, we wanted to be able to play with those teams. This year, we want to be able to beat them."
For the first time in team history, Lyall allowed the roster to vote on its team captains. The seven names that emerged were Gauge Aebersold, Trent Bragg, Donovan Campbell, Jon Dozier, Sederick A. Dunbar II, Timothy Jurgonski and Tyler Karcher – three players on offense, three players on defense and one special-teamer.
Aebersold and Dozier are junior offensive lineman who are slated to start the season at left guard and right tackle, respectively. Campbell, a tight end, is one of the team's more celebrated players after gaining the program's first All-MSFA Mideast First Team nod in 2012.
The defensive captains include linebackers Bragg and Karcher and then a safety in the form of Dunbar.
Aebersold, Bragg, Dunbar and Karcher were All-MSFA Mideast honorable mentions last season.
Jurgonski is the squad's primary long-snapper.
Aebersold, a local product from Onsted, and Dozier are among several college-experienced offensive linemen. Fellow juniors Jake Helsel and Paul Jacobs are also expected to be key performers.
"Gauge has had a great camp; he's big and strong," Lyall said. "And Jon Dozier is an even bigger young man. Our returning offensive linemen are all young men who have had experience with us on the line.
"Number one – they need to be able to stay healthy. They're all young men that have had a good camp and have proven to be consistent."
Burke Hart, who is a Hudson product, will lend his physicality to the Saints at the fullback/H-back position while Campbell and fellow junior Lyle Van Fleteren will provide SHU with a solid 1-2 punch at the tight end position.
"They're really improving," Lyall said of Campbell and Van Fleteren, "especially in the area of blocking. They always catch the ball very well."
Other pass catchers should include juniors Raphael Dunson and Drew Milligan and sophomore Reggie Blackmon. Milligan, a Hudson grad, is making the transition from running back to receiver. Dunson received three All-MSFA Mideast accolades – one as a Second Team running back and two more as an Honorable Mention wide receiver and return specialist.
"We think Reggie is going to have a big year," said Lyall. "Drew has been playing a bit of slot receiver for us and Raphael is on the mend (from an injury), but we expect him to be back to full strength later on."
At quarterback, sophomore Travis Zajkowski has received the majority of training camp reps in place of senior Matt King, who is recovering from an early-season ailment himself.
Junior Travis Damron will see the field at running back, but like so many others on the squad, will be pushed for time by the Saints' talented freshman class.
"Our returners have had an opportunity to play in our league and they know the level of talent that we have and they know the level of talent that we're going to be competing against," Lyall said. "But we're getting better all the time. We have some incoming talent – some of which may see some significant playing time."
On the defensive side of the ball, the Saints appear strong – if not stronger – than the unit they fielded in 2012. The line features an All-MSFA Mideast Honorable Mention in junior Kyle Connors along with two other juniors, C.J. Marious and Jordan Martin. Another junior, Joseph Mravec, was also an All-MSFA Mideast Honorable Mention last season.
"Kyle has had a strong camp; he looks very strong," the coach offered. "Then C.J. at defensive end; he has had a great camp. He is very quick and very strong. And then there's Jordan, who is a two-sport player as he plays lacrosse. He also has had a strong camp."
Bragg and Karcher will lead the linebacking crew from the inside positions. They, along with Dunbar, are three players who have manned the defense since the program's beginning.
Special teamers who should see action include junior kickers Jonah Harter and Matt Horton and sophomore punter Tyler Bitz. Van Fleteren and Horton can also punt.
"I think a lot of these returning players are guys we have to depend on," Lyall mentioned. "There are a lot of young guys who keep continuing to work their way into the mix, and because of that, I think we're going to be an improved football team."
On team speed being a strength a year ago, Lyall said, "If anything, we might be a little bit quicker. The offensive line has made incredible strides and they've gotten stronger. Our quarterback position has improved. I think we can attribute improvements to having the opportunity to play spring ball. It makes a huge difference."
The MSFA Mideast League features second-ranked Marian (Ind.), the defending national champ, and fifth-ranked Saint Francis (Ind.). Two other squads received votes in the NAIA preseason poll, including Saint Francis (Ill.) and Robert Morris (Ill.).
In non-conference play, the Saints will open their season on Saturday with a matchup against 19th-ranked Grand View. SHU also is slated to visit NCAA Division II member Saint Joseph's (Ind.) a week later.
"We're going to find out our talent level when Grand View comes here," Lyall said. "Our kids practice extremely hard. We're going to play at the highest level possible.
"We expect some contributions from a very strong freshman class. We've got a couple kids who've walked in here and honestly, they look like some big-time players. On the offensive line, we might start two freshman.
"We've had an old school camp – a lot of practices, a lot of double sessions. Some players are dinged up, but we'll get better.
"We have a strong coaching staff that knows how to teach kids and how to motivate them. We'll play hard every Saturday; no one will be disappointed watching the Saints play football."
