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Friday, October 18, 2002

By Phil Axelrod, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

IUP is looking to extend positive streaks, and California wants to end its negative streaks when the teams meet tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. at IUP's Miller Stadium. It is a pivotal matchup in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West.

IUP (6-1, 2-0), which has defeated California (5-1, 1-1) 17 consecutive times by an average score of 35-10, has won six games in a row since an opening, 37-34 loss to Findlay. IUP is ranked 10th in Division II by the American Football Coaches Association and No. 5 in the Northeast Region, which sends the first four teams to the playoffs.

California, whose last winning season was 1987, has reversed its fortunes under John Luckhardt, who has left coaching for three years after 17 seasons building a Division III powerhouse at Washington and Jefferson.

The Vulcans boast the stingiest defense in the PSAC, limiting opponents to 201.2 yards and 15 points per game. CB Jon Arnold, the PSAC West player of the week, has a conference-high seven interceptions.

California's offense has undergone a facelift because quarterback Brandon LeDonne is being treated for a swollen arm. He has been replaced by Dustin Strayer, who has completed 68 percent of his passes for 436 yards in three games. Wide receiver Garvin Graves has 44 catches for 565 yards and two touchdowns, and tailback Wesley Clemons leads with 468 yards rushing and seven touchdowns.

Quarterback Brian Eyerman leads IUP's attack. He has thrown for at least two touchdowns in each of the past 13 games and leads Division II with 26. He is tied with Tony Aliucci (1988-91) for the school record with 7,332 yards passing. Wide receiver Carmelo Ocasio has caught a touchdown pass in 11 consecutive games and is tied for the national lead with 13 touchdown receptions this season.

Other games

St. John's (1-4, 1-2) at Duquesne (6-0, 3-0), 1:30 p.m.: Dukes, ranked No. 1 in I-AA Mid-Major, have won 19 consecutive games against teams from Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference by an average score of 40-11. ... Duquesne leads the country in pass defense (88.3 yards per game) and total defense (193.7 ypg) and is seventh in scoring defense (12.3 ppg). ... Senior NG John Rodgers has a team-high 48 tackles. ...QB Niel Loebig (1,210 yards passing, 11 TDs), WR Jeremy Conley ( 35 catches, 651 yards, 5 TDs) and TB Mike Hilliard (426 yards rushing, 6 TDs) lead the offense. ...The Dukes, seeking their fourth consecutive MAAC title, play their final five regular-season games against league foes with a combined 9-20 record.

Westminster (3-2, 1-1) at Thiel (3-3, 2-1), 1:30 p.m.: Thiel, which hasn't won four games in a season since going 5-4 in 1991, has lost 16 consecutive games to Westminster since a 20-7 victory in 1950. ... Both teams need a victory to stay within range of Washington and Jefferson in the Presidents' Athletic Conference. ... Thiel is coming off a 21-13 victory against Waynesburg in which QB Daryl Moore passed for 237 yards and three touchdowns and Shannon Alston had 11 catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns.

Washington and Jefferson (4-1, 3-0) at Bethany (1-5, 0-3), 2 p.m.: W&J, ranked No. 21 in NCAA Division III, has won the past 19 games against Bethany and 18 consecutive against teams from the PAC by an average of 29 points per game.

Carnegie Mellon (3-2, 0-0) at Case Western Reserve (3-2, 0-0), 1:30 p.m.: A matchup between the only teams in the University Athletic Conference with a winning record, Case averages 37.5 points and CMU allows 12 per game.

Clarion (4-2, 0-1) at Edinboro (3-3, 0-2), 1 p.m.: Clarion has lost to nationally ranked teams -- Div. I-AA Youngstown State, 27-14, and Div. II IUP, 28-14. ... Clarion ranks fifth in Division II in rushing offense with 293.8 yards per game, led by Robert Walker's 466 yards. Senior Adam Almashy has 263 yards this season and 1,089 for his career to be the only quarterback in school history to go over the 1,000-yard mark.

Wooster (5-0, 2-0) at Allegheny (2-3, 1-1), 1 p.m.: Wooster, tied for first place in the North Coast Athletic Conference, features Division III's second-leading rusher, Tony Sutton (183.4 yards per game). He had 313 against Ohio Wesleyan. Allegheny has allowed 110.8 yards rushing per game.