By Pat Cummings
D3sports.com
As we approach the midway point of the 2003 season and conference schedules are in full swing, let's examine the state of the five conferences in the Mid-Atlantic region and who has the best chances for the postseason.
Middle Atlantic Conference
Driver's seat: No. 11 Lycoming
No one should be surprised that Lycoming is 3-0 this season, with its most impressive win coming against its toughest opponent of the year, Wilkes. Yet, Lycoming struggled with both King's and Albright despite posting double-digit victories; those games were much closer than the final scores appear. After a bye week, the Warriors will return to action against 0-5 FDU-Florham then welcome Delaware Valley to Williamsport. I would not be surprised if Lyco fell to Del Val or really, any other team on their schedule this year. Fortunately for them, the brute of their remaining schedule takes place at home.
Threatening: Delaware Valley, Wilkes, Susquehanna
The sight of Delaware Valley atop the MAC is startling. The Aggies were 12-28 in their last four seasons before rattling off four wins to start the season and recording the team's sixth consecutive win dating to last season. There is no question that Del Val has faced some softer opponents -- but four wins is four wins, including this week's tally over Lebanon Valley. The Flying Dutchmen have owned the Aggies in the past, especially in Annville, but the Aggies' win against their rivals might signify Del Val's movement over a constant hump in their schedule. A 4-0 start may provide Del Val with the confidence they need to jumpstart their foray into the brute of the MAC. King's will travel to Doylestown this weekend with its season on the line. Del Val will have to hit the road next week to face Lyco and then at Wilkes and at Widener in the final two weeks of the regular season.
Brett Trichilo and Wilkes fell to Lycoming in the third week of the season and, as a result, their fate will rest on the performance of the Warriors. Lyco needs to lose two games for the Colonels to have a chance to take the MAC.
Susquehanna's only conference loss was a drubbing from Del Val. Should the Aggies lose two games and the Warriors drop one, the Crusaders can get right back into the fray. Mark Bartosic is such an asset for Susquehanna, and may even garner some NFL looks. The 6-1 senior surpassed 4,000 career receiving yards in their 45-14 win against Juniata, moving him to fifth on the all-time receiving list in Division III. Bartosic has played 35 games for Susquehanna and has passed the 100-yards receiving mark in 24 of those games.
The Crusaders amassed a MAC-record 724 yards of total offense against Juniata just one week after allowing 616 yards to Del Val. Just one more reason to show how fun it is to follow the MAC.
Hanging by a thread: King's, Widener
The Monarchs can start the bus and prepare for next season having suffered defeats at the hands of Lycoming and Widener. The chances of King's winning the automatic bid are still there, but incredibly slim.
Widener's two losses came to Wilkes and Susquehanna, MAC teams with a better record. The Pioneers need to knock off Lycoming in Williamsport on Nov. 8 to have hope. Given the recent track record of that series, anything is possible.
Centennial Conference
Driver's Seat: Johns Hopkins
While the Blue Jays have only played one conference game, their overall performance for the season is enough to push them to the top of the Centennial. With a 30-0 shutout of Dickinson, the Blue Jays' defense recorded its third consecutive blanking (Randolph-Macon 24-0, Carnegie Mellon 21-0). That feat was last accomplished by a Hopkins squad in 1959. Johns Hopkins is now 5-0 for the 2003 season and 9-0 in their last nine games. JHU leads the country in scoring defense, allowing 3.2 points per game in their five contests, and will most likely remain at the top of the country in pass efficiency defense. No matter whom their opponents are from here on out, the Blue Jays are impressive.
Threatening: McDaniel
The Green Terror only have two wins this season but both are in conference, and one against preseason favorite Muhlenberg. McDaniel had a tough time of things against Ursinus, sneaking by with a 24-20 win at home and will hit the road for the next three games, at Gettysburg, Dickinson, and Brockport State. Should the Terror remain in the hunt, which I expect they will, look out for the regular season finale in Westminster, Md., against JHU.
Hanging by a thread: Muhlenberg
Muhlenberg has struggled mightily, losing to Kings Point and McDaniel while having their game against Christopher Newport cancelled. The Mules are a better team than they have seemed this season and should improve. Their season may bank on their game at home against Hopkins on Oct. 25.
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
Driver's Seat: No. 16 Bridgewater
The Eagles' thrilling come-from-behind over Hampden-Sydney may have decided the ODAC. Many thought the Eagles would spin their wheels after their 16-12 loss at Christopher Newport. After the Tigers jumped to a 21-0 lead, the Eagles took advantage of some laissez-faire offensive play-calling from HSC coach Marty Favret and jumped right back into the game. In doing so, the Eagles may have wrapped up the ODAC crown. The other five ODAC teams have provided little competition to the top two, and I would be shocked if a squad such as Guilford or Emory & Henry upset Bridgewater or HSC.
Threatening: No. 19 Hampden-Sydney (barely)
As mentioned above, the Division III world would be stunned if Bridgewater lost to another ODAC rival. The result of Saturday's game -- HSC playing for a Pool C bid.
USA South Athletic Conference
Driver's seat: No. 22 Christopher Newport
The Captains 21-0 win over Shenandoah marked its first-ever win over the Hornets. Barring a big upset, CNU should cruise into their final regular season game at Ferrum where a heated rivalry bubbles. Matt Kelchner and his Captains are looking for their first undefeated conference season and a win over the Hornets was a necessary first step.
Pool B Watch
Salisbury remains at 3-0 after resting last weekend; the Sea Gulls will travel to Chowan on Saturday. Their hopes for a Pool B bid may be aided by some close wins by Washington & Jefferson. The Presidents have been less than impressive in their last two games, slight wins over Thiel and Westminster (Pa.).
Wolverines stymied, then attack
Falling behind Carnegie Mellon 21-7 at halftime, the Wesley Wolverines exploded, outscoring the Tartans 40-7 in the second half, routing CMU 47-28. Wesley was paced with a tenacious ground attack, tallying 392 yards between backs Omar Muhammed and Keith Holland. The Wolverines now improve to 2-2 and will host Frostburg this weekend.
Obscure Mid-Atlantic Region Media Guide Factoid of the Week
Widener played its 1000th game on Saturday, a 16-14 loss at Wilkes. Formerly the Pennsylvania Military Academy, Widener was the second team in Division III to hit the field 1,000 times, beating Mount Union by a half-hour this past weekend. The only other team to claim the same: Franklin & Marshall.
Mid-Atlantic Region Top 5
I have no clue. Christopher Newport beats Bridgewater. Bridgewater beats Hampden-Sydney. Lycoming is undefeated despite struggling in two of their three wins. Johns Hopkins is 5-0 and has one of the best defenses outside of Alliance, Ohio. I dug myself a hole by offering this weekly feature ... so you might as well bury me in it. Until some more unfolds, a new Top 5 is impossible to determine by one man alone.
So -- I turn the task over to you. Email me with your Mid-Atlantic Region Top 5 for this week and I will unveil the results next week along with my own updated version.
Games to Watch
King's at Delaware Valley, Doylestown, Pa., 1 p.m.: The Aggies can eliminate the Monarchs from postseason competition with a win while tallying their biggest MAC victory in years.
Franklin & Marshall at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, 12 p.m.: Numerically, the best scoring defense in D3 heads home to tackle the Diplomats, diplomatically.
No. 19 Hampden-Sydney at Emory & Henry, Emory, Va., 1 p.m.: The Tigers must respond to their collapse against Bridgewater. Should HSC come out flat, look for the Wasps to sting.
Attention SIDs, and all
Feel free to contact me with any info, questions, comments about your squad and more. Especially welcome are tidbits of useless knowledge for our "Obscure Media Guide Factoids" segment.
