November 04, 2006 12:55 am
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By Ed Farrell
Herald Assistant Sports Editor
WHEN WESTMINSTER COLLEGE treks to Thiel’s Alumni Stadium this afternoon for a Presidents’ Athletic Conference contest, one of the Titans’ offensive leaders will be Jake Buzard.
The former West Middlesex High football and basketball standout has emerged as Westminster’s second-leading receiver this season with 32 catches for 374 yards (11.68 yards/catch). The 5-foot-9, 180-pound senior had a season-best 7-catch, 86-yard season-opening performance against Allegheny College.
In his second season as a starter after catching 30 passes for 252 yards last year, Buzard also serves as a punt-returner for head coach Jeff Hand’s Titans. Buzard’s career totals are 82 receptions for 828 yards. A member of the Head Coach Academic Honor Roll for compiling a GPA of 3.0 or greater, Buzard is majoring in accounting.
Westminster (1-3, 2-6) is coming off a 14-6 non-conference loss at Frostburg (Md.) State, while head coach Jack Leipheimer’s Tomcats (3-2, 4-4) had a bye.
Led by Sharon High product Logan Malie, a 5-8, 205-pound senior nose tackle, Thiel paces the PAC in total defense (231 yards/game). However Westminster freshman quarterback Kevin Franz keys the conference in total yards/game (209.2) and yards passing/game (189.1).
The Titans lead the all-time series 39-17-8, but Thiel has taken the last two meetings, 34-0 a year ago and 28-0 in ’04. Prior to the Tomcats’ 2-game skein, however, Westminster had won 18 consecutive contests in the series dating back to 1951, according to Westminster SID Justin Zackal.
Also listed on Westminster’s roster are Mike Snyderwine (Sharon High), a 5-11, 175-pound freshman wide-out, and Andrew Robison (Wilmington High), a 6-3, 215-pound sophomore defensive end.
The game, beginning 1 p.m., will be broadcast on NewsTalk 790 (WPIC AM) with Hugh Ringer and Brad Yoder calling the action, and WWNW (88.9 FM) with Dr. Dave Barner and D.J. Yokley making the call. It also will be streamed on www.titanradio.net, and will be telecast on a delayed basis on Westminster Cable Network (Steve Brink and former Titans’ taskmaster Dr. Joe Fusco).
ä Dr. George Mihalik became Slippery Rock University’s winningest football coach Thursday night by virtue of SRU’s 21-17 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference victory at Indiana University of Pa.’s George P. Miller Stadium. Nineteenth-year mentor Mihalik (127-76-4) surpassed legendary N. Kerr Thompson (126-58-11 in 24 seasons).
Mihalik was a standout signal-caller for Slippery Rock State College head coach Bob DiSpirito, winning three consecutive PSAC crowns (1972-74). The Rock now plays its home games at Bob DiSpirito Field at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.
With the win — which snapped Slippery Rock’s 7-game losing skid to Indiana, and ended with IUP at SRU’s 3-yard line with 2 ticks to play before a incomplete pass in the end zone — Slippery Rock improved to 4-2 in the PSAC-West and 7-3 overall. Indiana (7-2) had been ranked 18th in this week’s American Football Coaches’ Association NCAA Division II poll.
Mihalik grew up mere miles from Indiana in Ebensburg, graduating from Bishop Carroll High.
ä Mihalik’s daughter Beth (Slippery Rock High), a Washington & Jefferson College junior volleyball middle-hitter, posted a 12-kill outing in a late-season win over Thiel, while LaToya Locke (Farrell High), a freshman outside-hitter, finished with a flourish for Thiel as she logged 45 kills and 15 digs in the Lady Cats’ final two matches. Diana Conzett (Hubbard High) and Danielle Hogue (Slippery Rock High) have helped Westminster’s spikers (10-2, 23-10) pursuit of the program’s first conference crown since ’02. The PAC Championships are this weekend at Westminster.
ä Bryan Hanrahan (West Middlesex High) competed for W&J in the recent PAC cross country championships, finishing 42nd in a time of 30:54.
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Photos
Ed Farrell, Herald assistant sports editor. The Herald