ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl

WESTMINSTER TITANS (7-3)

vs.

SUNY-BROCKPORT GOLDEN EAGLES (7-3)

Saturday, Nov. 19, Noon

Bob Boozer Field, Brockport, N.Y.

QUICK FACTS

Name of School … Westminster College

City/Zip … New Wilmington, Pa. 16172

Founded … 1852

Enrollment .. 1,400

Nickname … Titans

School Colors … Blue and White

Affiliation … NCAA Division III

Conference … Presidents' Athletic (PAC)

President … Dr. Kathy B. Richardson

Athletic Director … Jason Lener

Athletics Department Phone … 724-946-7307

Stadium … Harold Burry Stadium/Memorial Field

Capacity/Surface … 4,500/FieldTurf

HISTORY

First Year of Football … 1891 

All-time Bowl/Playoff Record … 35-13 (.729) 

Years in postseason play … 23

Last NCAA/NAIA appearance ........... 1996 (NAIA Quarterfinals,, Lost to Findlay (Ohio), 28-9

Last postseason appearance … 2021 (ECAC Asa S. Bushnell Bowl, Lost to Hobart, 21-3)

PAC Championships … 2 (2020, 2021)

Last PAC Championship …  Won, 27-20, over Washington & Jefferson

National Championships … 1994, 1989, 1988, 1977, 1976, 1970

Head Coach … Scott Benzel (9th, 63-27, 70%)

Alma Mater … Mercyhurst, 1997

Office Phone … 724-946-7310

Email … benzelsr@westminster.edu

TEAM INFORMATION

Basic Offense … Multiple

Basic Defense … Multiple

Starters Returning/Lost … 16/6

Offense … 7/4

Defense … 8/1

Specialty … 1/1

2021 Overall Record … 8-3

Home/Away/Neutral … 4-2/4-1

2021 PAC Record … 8-1

Home/Away … 4-0/4-1

2021 PAC Finish … 1st (tie)

2022 SCHEDULE

9/3 … at Delaware Valley … L, 8-22

9/10 … BETHANY … W, 42-3

9/17 … ALLEGHENY* … W, 42-14

BYE

10/1 … at Carnegie Mellon* … L, 10-0

10/8 … WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON* … L, 17-14

10/15 … THIEL* (Homecoming) … W, 41-6

10/22 … at Grove City* … W, 24-17

10/29 … at Waynesburg* … W, 30-10

11/5 … CASE WESTERN RESERVE* (Senior Day) … W, 14-13

11/12 … at Geneva* … W, 49-0

2021 RESULTS

9/4 … No. 1 MOUNT UNION, L, 7-48

9/18 … at Case Western Reserve* W, 34-12

9/25 … GROVE CITY* W, 33-32

10/2 … at Thiel* W, 49-14

10/9 … at Carnegie Mellon L, 10-34

10/16 … WAYNESBURG* W, 66-14

10/23 … at Washington & Jefferson W, 23-18

10/30 … at Bethany* W 42-6

11/6 … SAINT VINCENT* W, 41-6

11/13 … GENEVA* W, 31-6

11/20 … HOBART 

(ECAC Asa S.Bushnell Bowl) L, 3-21

*PAC Game; Home games in CAPS

COACHING STAFF

Head Coach … Scott Benzel (9th)

Record … 63-27 (70%)

Alma Mater … Mercyhurst, 1997

Office Phone … 724-946-7310

Email … benzelsr@westminster.edu

Twitter Handle … @coachbenzel

Assistant Coaches: David Blake (Asso. HC, co-OC, QBs), Colyn Haugh (co-OC/run game coordinator, OL), Jared Heck (Special Teams, DBs), Michael Bongivengo (pass game coordinator), David Jamieson (DL), Rashad Wheeler (DL), Pat Mineok (LBs, Special Teams), Josh Wrightson (offensive asst.), Nick Marmo (TEs), Corey Oaks (DBs), Garvey Biggers (Specialist coach, Recruiting coordinator), Jim Mohr (chaplain).

GAME NOTES

THE SERIES

This will be the initial meeting between the programs.

BOWL BERTHS

All-time, Titans' teams have tallied a 35-13 won-lost record in the postseason (72.9%).

In ECAC bowls Westminster has fared well, be it the Asa S. Bushnell, Clayton Chapman, or James Lynah bowls.

Westminster won in 2019 (35-24, Morrisville, N.Y.), 2016 (33-6, Utica), and 2015 (42-21, St. John Fisher). The Titans were topped in 2021 (21-3, Hobart) and 2018 (42-34, Wesley). 

Last season SUNY-Brockport hosted and defeated Washington & Jefferson (20-7) in the Clayton Chapman Bowl; Westminster– which shared the Presidents' Athletic Conference championship with Carnegie Mellon – lost to Hobart in the Asa S. Bushnell Bowl at Harold Burry Stadium, New Wilmington.

The Golden Eagles ended 8-3, as did the Titans.

THIS SEASON

SUNY-Brockport is a member of the Empire 8 Conference. The Golden Eagles enter the game on a 4-game win streak and are 4-1 at Bob Boozer Field.

They have defeated Framington State University (27-7), University of Rochester (23-3), St. John Fisher University (25-0), Hartwick (35-14), Buffalo State University (54-2), Morrisville State (17-3) and Alfred University (16-7), but bowed to Ithaca College (24-0) in Week 2, and SUNY-Cortland (42-24) and Utica (35-21) in Weeks 5-6.

Westminster has won 5 consecutive contests, erasing a 2-3 mid-season mark.

The Titans' trio of losses occurred to American Football Coaches' Assn. Top 25 teams Delaware Valley University (10-0) and Carnegie Mellon (10-0), as well as W&J (8-2), which is listed among vote-getters. 

Similarly, SUNY-Brockport's losses include Ithaca (10-0) and SUNY-Cortland (9-1) – AFCA Top 25 teams – and Utica (9-1), which lost to SUNY-Cortland and is included among vote-getters. 

MEET MANGONE

Jason Mangone is a SUNY-Brockport graduate (2000) and joined the coaching staff in 2003. He became head coach in 2013 and has posted an aggregate 73-28 won-lost ledger (77.2%). Mangone led his alma mater to 3 consecutive Empire 8 championships (2017-18-19) and 3 straight NCAA playoff berths (2017-18-19) when the Golden Eagles ended 13-1 (national semifinals), 11-1 (NCAA 2nd round) and 9-3 (NCAA 2nd round), respectively.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

SUNY-Brockport is averaging 24.2 points and 301 yards-per-game (193.9 rushing; 107.1 passing) and yielding 13.7 ppg.and 194.8 ypg. (55. 1 rushing; 139.7 passing). The Golden Eagles enjoy a 31:35 to 27.58 time-of-possession edge.

Offensively, Brockport boasts a ground game led by sophomore Gino Fontanarosa (169 carries, 806 yards, 4.5 per-carry, 10 TDs) and junior Rashad Law (130-639, 4.8, 5 TDs). The offense is orchestrated by senior signal-caller Todd Simonds, who transferred from University of Mount Union. He has completed 76 of 135 pass attempts (56.3%) for 736 yards and 5 TDs for a 106.91 efficiency rating; however, has been intercepted 5 times. His top targets have been seniors Jared Maurino (21 catches, 255 yards, 12.1 per-catch, 3 TDs) and Derrick Chance (15-121, 8.1), and newcomer Anthony Testa (13-129, 9.9, 1 TD).

Defensively, the Golden Eagles are led by 6-2, 235-pound senior linebacker Ben Damiani (60 tackles/32 solos and 4.5 tackles-for-loss), sophomore linebacker Ben Robinson (54/27, 6.5 TFL, including 2 sacks), senior defensive back Ben Marshall (49/26, 3 interceptions) and junior DB Raylens Boutin (42/33, 4.5 TFL, 2 interceptions, 7 pass break-ups). Also, sophomore DB Giovanni Frisenda, senior LB John DeRidder and freshman DB Malik Kelly have evenly divided another 6 picks. Collectively, Brockport has pilfered 17 passes and recovered 4 fumbles.

According to the SUNY-Brockport website, the team is tied for the top spot in the country with 7 defensive scores and also ranks among the nation's leaders in total defense (4th), rush defense (6th), pass defense (15th), 1st downs permitted (10th), and scoring defense (23rd).

Westminster is averaging 26.4 ppg.and 321.6 ypg. (156.9 rushing; 164.7 passing), while the Titans have permitted just 11.2 ppg.and 219 ypg. (100.5 rushing; 118.5 passing).

Offensively, senior running back Ryan Gomes (Tampa, Fla./Walter L. Sickles High) paced the PAC in rushing (102.4), having gained 1,024 yards on 224 totes (4.6) with 8 TDs. He also has caught a pair of scoring strikes.

Also, junior wide receiver Tylon Eilam (Sharon, Pa./Sharon High) and sophomore speedster Jalen Washington (Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips High) have hauled in 26 and 27 passes respectively, averaging 14.9 and 13.9 yards-per-catch. Eilam has 3 TD receptions; Washington 5 following last week's 5-catch, 77-yard, 2-TD performance in a regular season-ending win at Geneva (49-0). In that game sophomore southpaw signal-caller Billy Levak (Macedonia, Ohio/Nordonia High) made his 2nd collegiate start, completing 9 of 19 attempts for 156 yards and a trio of TDs, including a 46-yarder to senior tight end Damon Maul (Portage, Pa./Cambria Heights High).

Levak is the Titans' 3rd starting quarterback this season, following injured senior Cole Konieczka and first-year standout Tyler McGowan (both of whom hail from Coraopolis, Pa. and graduated from Moon Area High).

Defensively, the Titans' top tacklers have been a trio of seniors in linebacker Nicholas Treloar (New Castle, Pa./NeCaHi), end Brayden Thimons (Natrona Heights, Pa./Highlands High), and linebacker Ian Barr (State College, Pa./State College High), with 64 (25 solos), 59/42 and 58/35, respectively. Thimons, his brother Daniel (Tarentum, Pa./Highlands High), senior lineman Tyree Reeder (Youngstown, Ohio/Ursuline High) and senior linebacker Jarred Kohl (York, Pa./York Catholic High) have logged 8.5, 5.5, 4.5 and 3 QB sacks, respectively. Brayden Thimons, Reeder, Daniel Thimons and Barr have respectively recorded 16, 10, 8 and 6.5 tackles-for-loss. Barr also has recovered a pair of fumbles, one of which in the end zone last week versus Geneva. 

Sophomore safety Brice Butler (Farrell, Pa./Farrell High) has pilfered 6 passes and forced a pair of fumbles to lead the secondary. He has been joined by senior safeties Luca Botti (Ellwood City, Pa./Ellwood City-Riverside) and Bryce Thomas (Saint Marys, Ga./Camden County High). Botti has 6 pass break-ups and he and Thomas each have picked off a pair of passes. Also, sophomore lineman Carter Chinn (Grove City, Pa./Grove City High) has contributed 2 fumble recoveries.

The ubiquitous Butler also has returned 15 punts for an average of 9.8 – 2nd-best in the PAC.

Nationally, Westminster also is ranked in several statistical categories, including 3rd-down conversions permitted (2nd), passing yards permitted (5th), and scoring (12th, having allowed just 12 TDs and 8 field goals).

The Titans have 24 takeaways (13 fumbles recovered, 11 interceptions), while averaging 7.5 tackles-for-loss per game.

BE THERE, EVEN IF YOU CAN'T ATTEND

Gary Swanson, technical operations manager/media systems engineer for Westminster College radio WMNW FM and WGN 24.7, announced the game will be broadcast live on radio, in addition to a live video broadcast (also, live stats). The links are:

89.1 The Point Radio – https://www.891thepoint.com/

Gobrockport.com - https://gobrockport.com/watch/?Live=567

And for live stats – https://gobrockport.com/sidearmstats/football/summary.