Michael Ruisch and the other Susquehanna players who came back for their extra year of eligibility have their eyes on finishing Susquehanna's run in the Centennial Conference with a championship. Susquehanna athletics photo

By Joe Sager
D3sports.com

Susquehanna has been here before.

The River Hawks are 6-0 for the second year in a row and in the hunt for a Centennial Conference title with a 5-0 mark.

Last season, though, Susquehanna stumbled down the stretch as it dropped two of its final three conference games to Johns Hopkins and Muhlenberg. It’s something that’s stung the River Hawks ever since.

“This started long before August with our team and our fifth-year guys coming back,” Susquehanna coach Tom Perkovich. “We want to take the next step as a program. We are excited for the opportunities we’ve been given.”

A veteran team and a balanced approach have helped fuel Susquehanna’s unbeaten start. Traditionally a defensive power, the River Hawks are at it once again. Their defense allows an average of 251.5 yards per game, which ranks first in the conference.  

“We’re very multiple in what we do, in terms of putting guys in position to be successful,” Perkovich said. “If you only have a week to prepare to play us, I like to think we’re tough to prepare for. The guys have been playing really well. The injury bug got us a little bit, but guys have continued to step up and perform, which has been great to see. The kids play hard and run to the football really well. We aren’t perfect, but I think we get better each week.”

Susquehanna has been especially stingy against the run. The team limits foes to 81.2 yards per game on the ground.

“I think we have a little of everything on defense. We like to drop back, but also get after the quarterback,” said Salvatore Gurnari, a fifth-year defensive lineman. “Our defense just loves running to the football. We play with a lot of energy and have a lot of fun. We’ve been playing great on big downs to get the ball back into our offense’s hands. Every single time they get the ball, something special happens. It’s been good team football.”

The River Hawks are second in the conference in total offense at 418.6 yards per game, but rank first in passing yardage (272.7) per contest.   

“The offensive line has been great this year opening up gaps and our running game is opening up our passing game. We have a lot of depth and competition in our backfield. That kind of fuels it for us on the offensive side,” said quarterback Michael Ruisch, who came back for his fifth year. “Our defense helps us out in some games and we have helped them out, too. The schemes have been great. We’re just trying to play within the offense.”

Having a balanced offensive attack has helped Susquehanna. The River Hawks’ depth at running back showed, too, last week in the team’s 41-7 win over Gettysburg. Hunter Coulter and D.K. Wyche both rushed for two touchdowns in the victory, while starter Frankie Nergini missed the game with an injury.

“We’ve always had the philosophy of having a balanced offense. Having a running game and being physical up front allows us to open up the offense, run some play action and throw the ball downfield, which takes some stress off the quarterback, too,” Perkovich said. “We have the ability to run it with a lot of people. Our offensive line has played well. We have a pretty good stable of backs back there. There’s a lot of competition, which has been good.”

The River Hawks hope they have a winning formula this season, their 12th and last as affiliate members of the Centennial Conference. Next fall, Susquehanna will compete in the Landmark Conference, which will sponsor football for the first time. The River Hawks, who are currently part of the Landmark Conference in all other sports, would like to end their Centennial football run with their first title. They’ve finished no worse than third every year since 2016.

“We’ve been in the hunt for a number of years. A championship has been the expectation and goal for us for a long time,” Perkovich said. “We’re trying to stay in the moment. Our motto is W.I.N. – What’s Important Now. We’re not getting ahead of ourselves. We’re going meeting to meeting, practice to practice. Last year, I think we got a little ahead of ourselves, at times. We need to stay in the moment. It’d be great to go out (as champions). It’s kind of wild to think I won’t be coaching in this conference after this season, but it’ll be interesting to see some different people and maybe circle back and play some Centennial teams after a couple years.”

“This has been in our eye for some time,” Gurnari said. “To close out Centennial Conference play and win it, not just for our class, but for every other class has been a really big goal of ours.”

Susquehanna realizes it has a long way to go before it can really think about that, though. Some big showdowns remain for the No. 19 River Hawks. They visit McDaniel on Saturday and face the gauntlet of No. 8 Johns Hopkins and Muhlenberg. They close the season against Juniata.

“Just staying in the moment has been a big thing for us this year,” Ruisch said. “Every day, we’re just trying to get better at something and focusing on what’s important now. We’re grateful to have this opportunity in the conference, but we’re just focusing on McDaniel right now.”