Grove City eyes third straight PAC crown

1999 schedule Sept. 4 -- Wooster (1:30) 11 -- Ohio Weslyan (1:30) 18 -- at Bluffton (1:30) 25 -- Bethany (1:30) Oct. 2 -- at Thiel (1:30) 9 -- Wash. & Jeff. (1:30) 16 -- Waynesburg (1:30) 23 -- at Kenyon (1:30) 30 -- at Alfred (1:30) Nov. 6 -- Muhlenberg (1:30).

He's not 100 percent, but he's back.

West Middlesex's R.J. Bowers, who led all divisions of college football in rushing, scoring and all-purpose yards last year, says the left ankle he broke in the 1998 season finale is healed, but only 86 percent pain-free. The All-American junior fullback doesn't expect to miss a beat, however, as Grove City College pursues its third consecutive Presidents' Athletic Conference title and a berth in the postseason.

The Wolverines enter the 1999 campaign ranked 30th in a national poll released by USA Football. The only other Pennsylvania school listed In the top 30 is Lycoming College, who ranks seventh.

"It's always nice to be recognized on a national scale," said Wolverine head coach Chris Smith, now in his 16th year at the helm. "It sheds a positive light on the entire program, our players, coaches and support staff. But what concerns us is the postseason ranking, not a preseason poll."

Grove City shared last year's PAC crown with Washington and Jefferson College and Waynesburg College, after each finished 3-1 in the league. The Wolverines posted a 5-5 overall mark, after going 9-1 in 1997. They open the '99 season on September 4 against the College of Wooster in the first of six home games on this year's slate. The Wolverines host co-champions W&J and Waynesburg on October 9 and October 16, respectively.

Before suffering the ankle fracture, Bowers rolled up 2,283 yards, giving him 3,522 yards in his first two seasons. Remarkably, he is just 2,603 yards away from the NCAA Division III record for career rushing yards (6,125) set by Coe College's Carey Bender in four years from 1991-94. Bowers rushed for 260 yards or more in five of 10 games last season and would need to average that much to break the record in his third year.

"R.J.'s not one-hundred percent, but he did what he had to do in the offseason to give himself a chance to match last year's performance," noted Coach Smith.

Bowers, 6-1 and a beefed up 240, came within 102 yards of Division III's single-season rushing record before the injury at Muhlenberg. He left the game early in the third quarter with 172 yards, after posting 200 yards or more in the previous seven games, including a school-record 304 yards against Thiel College on October 3. Bowers, who has 16 consecutive 100-plus yard games to his credit, did break the Division III single-season record for touchdowns (34) and points (206), as well as 11 school and five conference marks. He is 236 points away from the D-III standard for career points (528), also held by Bender.

Nine other starters join Bowers on offense, including junior Steve Lacinski (New Kensington, Pa./Valley), who enters his third season as the starting quarterback. Lacinski rushed for 354 yards and threw for 444 yards. His favorite targets, senior split end Garret Schmidt (Irwin, Pa./Penn Trafford) and junior SE Jake Dailey (Karns City, Pa./Karns City), also return. Four starters return from the offensive line: senior guard Oscar Fish (Bowerston, Ohio/Conotton Valley), junior center Shawn Kelly (Madison, Ohio/Madison), junior tackle Andy Jacks (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) and senior guard Chris Mullins (Munroe Falls, Ohio/Stow). Junior Kyle Millet (Erie, Pa./Iroquois), who split time at tight end last year with Andrew LeVake (Faribault, Minn./Faribault), is expected to fill the line's one vacancy at tackle. LeVake, also a junior, gets a full-time shot at the tight end post. Senior halfback Jeremy Moore (Leechburg, Pa./Kiski), who averaged five yards per carry last season, returns to the backfield with Bowers.

Seven starters return on defense, including the entire secondary. Cornerbacks Jeremy Bowers (Hartville, Ohio/Lake) and Brock McCullough (Spruce, Pa./Purchase Line) combined for seven interceptions and 20 pass deflections last season. Senior strong safety Tony Kunczewski (Irwin, Pa./Penn Trafford) recorded 80 tackles in '98, while freshman free safety Mike Kashurba (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) led the PAC with six interceptions. Kunczewski could be making the switch to the linebacker corps, where three starters were lost to graduation.

Senior nose tackle Jeremy Horton (Canton, Ohio/Glen Oak) is back to anchor the defensive line, while senior Burt Romanoff (Washington, Pa./Trinity) returns at outside linebacker after registering 46 tackles and three sacks a year ago. Junior defensive end Kris Bubel (Tamaqua, Pa./Marian Catholic) moved into the lineup in '98 and recorded 41 tackles.

Junior Ben Shreve (Union City, Pa./Union City) will again handle the punting and place-kicking duties. In '98, Shreve averaged 38 yards per punt and accounted for 38 points, He ranked among the national leaders in punting through the first half of the season and was a perfect four-for-four on field goals inside the 40.

Smith added, "This is a hard-working, disciplined group of young men, who have high expectations. I believe strongly that they have what It takes to win another championship and get back to the postseason. if they don't, it won't be for a lack of effort, that's for sure."