web1_Columnshot-1-.jpg

Bridge named for Eric J. Williams may be small but the tribute was huge

web1_Psycho-Nurse-2.jpg

CBGB regulars Psycho Nurse to play 30-year reunion show Oct. 24 at F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre

There aren&#8217;t many bright spots in the four-year history of Misericordia football when it comes to victories.The Cougars have just two wins in 37 games. But those two victories have come against FDU-Florham and Misericordia.Misericordia travels to New Jersey &#8212; the site of the first win in school history in 2013 &#8212; on Saturday afternoon in search of its first win of the 2015 campaign.This is a much different Misericordia team as opposed to the ones that have taken the field in the past. Despite the core of players being the same, the Cougars have drastically improved over the last three years. They&#8217;ve gone from being a dominantly-run offense to having a balanced attack. In previous years, they relied on quarterback Jeff Puckett to run right at opponents and then hope for a big play. Now, the team has many weapons all over the offense.King&#8217;s coach Jeff Knarr has seen first-handed how the Cougars have improved after getting a tough test from them three straight years, including just last week.&#8220;They have a good tight end and linemen with blocking. You could see offensively, they&#8217;re trying to use other weapons and spread things around and not just make it all about him,&#8221; Knarr said. &#8220;They definitely are improved and are better than their record. It&#8217;s just a matter of trying to find something to have success and build off that.&#8221;The Cougars and Devils kickoff at 1 p.m. at Robert T. Shields Field in Madison, N.J. Last time they faced off at that site, the Cougars won 63-40 in the last game of the 2013 regular season. When they met last year at Misericordia&#8217;s Mangelsdorf Field, Misericordia posted its first-ever win at home and first shutout in school history in a 35-0 pasting of FDU.Monarchs still have shotIt might be a longshot, and a lot will have to go right, but King&#8217;s is still mathematically alive to grab a share of the MAC title.The Monarchs will need sufficient help and hope for upsets for that to happen, and will also have to win their last three games of the season as well.That starts on Saturday when they host Albright, which is tied atop the conference with Delaware Valley and Stevenson. It&#8217;s not an easy task for King&#8217;s to beat the Lions, but the Monarchs are playing their best right now, and took Albright to overtime last season on the road before falling.Meanwhile, Albright is coming off its first loss of the season falling to Delaware Valley, 28-23 to snap a six-game winning streak.&#8220;Playing in double overtime with them last year gives our guys confidence that they can play with a team at the top of conference,&#8221; Knarr said. &#8220;But another thing that helps is that we&#8217;re coming off two wins, playing well, doing good things. And that gives us the confidence to go and step up our game and play.&#8220;We get them at home so our kids are excited to go out and impact the race.&#8221;Colonels trying to finishFour times this season Wilkes has been leading or within one score in the second half before falling late. It&#8217;s the difference between having one win or perhaps as many as five and being in contention for the MAC title.The latest occurrence came in last week&#8217;s loss to Lebanon Valley when the Colonels pulled within three points after a third- quarter touchdown. Scores on the next three Dutchmen drives sealed Wilkes&#8217; fate yet again.Up next for the Colonels is Stevenson, which has had the opposite luck of Wilkes. The Mustangs (5-1 MAC, 6-1 overall), who are tied atop the MAC standings with Albright and Delaware Valley, have been involved in seven games decided by two scores or less, including three second-half comeback wins.Wilkes coach Trey Brown knows what his team is up against in the Mustangs, who have been playing out of this world defense with the best turnover margin (plus-20) in the country, and the most interceptions in the nation with 22 in addition to allowing just 13.6 points per game.The coach just wants his team to play all 60 minutes and not make the mistakes late in games that have haunted the team all season.&#8220;It&#8217;s all about putting ourselves in position to win in the fourth quarter,&#8221; Brown said. &#8220;We just need to find a way to hang in there on senior day. Play with a ton of energy. Maybe get a few breaks, a few things bounce our way. A scoop and score, a pick, a big touchdown pass. Whatever it is. Just try to compete and see where it ends up.&#8221;Albright (5-1 MAC, 6-1 overall) at King&#8217;s (3-3, 3-4) When: 1 p.m. Saturday at McCarthy Stadium, Wilkes-Barre Twp.Monarchs team leaders: QB Tom Hehre 993 yards, 5TD, 7INTs, 155 rush yards, 5TD; RB Gabe Brown 364 yards, 3TD; WR Mike Palmer 35 rec, 396 yards, 3TD; LB Bobby Russell 46 tackles; Jake Manetti 40 tackles, 2INTs; DE Michael Martina 44 tackles, 6.5 sacksLions team leaders: QB Mike Knight 1,349 yards, 9TDs, 7INTs; RB Brian Wickkiser 263 yards, 6TDs; WR Malik Jackson 34 rec, 318 yards, 1TD; Kevin Mason 50 tackles; Jamal Hayden 41 tackles, 4.5 sacks; Steve Barrosso 46 tackles, 4INTsPregame Stat: King&#8217;s is one of just two teams in the MAC with a kick return touchdown this season. But the Lions have the top kickoff coverage team in the MAC.***Misericordia (0-6 MAC, 0-7 overall) at FDU-Florham (1-5, 2-5)When: 1 p.m. Saturday at Robert T. Shields Field in Madison, N.J.Cougars team leaders: QB Jeff Puckett 865 yards, 6TD, 10INTs, 609 rushing yards, 6TD; RB Ryan Kurtz 268 yards, 13 rec, 107 yards, 1TD; WR Mark McMaster 23 rec, 243 yards, 1TD; Hunter Pates 37 tackles, 1 sack; Kevin Bagasevich 29 tackles, 2INT; Tyler Collins 47 tackles, 1 sackDevils team leaders: RB Anthony Ognibene 440 yards, 1TD; WR Malik Pressley 60 rec, 696 yards, 10TDs; Chris Fitzgerald 66 tackles, 1INT; Jaleel Tyson 2INTs; Nick Galletta 3 sacksPregame stat: Misericordia&#8217;s rush offense ranks fourth in the MAC averaging 151.3 yards per game, while defensively, the Devils are allowing a MAC-high 282.6 yards per game on the ground.***Stevenson (5-1 MAC, 6-1 overall) at Wilkes (1-5, 1-6 )When: noon Saturday at Schmidt Stadium, EdwardsvilleColonels team leaders: QB Ryan Dailey 1,703 yards, 8 TD, 10 INTs; RB PJ Incremona 364 yards, 2TD; WR Storm Deemer 39 rec, 407 yards, 1TD; WR Aaron Coyne 35 rec, 371 yards, 4TD; Jordan Stiles 2int; Tanner Stengel 85 tackles, 3 sacksMustangs team leaders: QB Jeff Farrah 1,181 yards, 12TDs, 6INTs; RB Kiandre Burrell 537 yards, 3TD; WR Cortez Taylor 21 rec, 169 yards, 1TD; WR Seth Jordan 18 rec, 345 yards, 3TDs; Brady Kempa 66 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3INTs; Cory Pietrzyk 59 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 1INT; Billy Lewis 28 tackles, 5INTsPregame Stat: The Mustangs lead the country with 22 passes intercepted. Unfavorable for the Colonels is that quarterback Ryan Dailey&#8217;s 10 interceptions is tied for most in the MAC.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Dave Rosengrantdrosengrant@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta>MAC Football StandingsTeam`MAC`OverallAlbright`5-1`6-1Delaware Valley`5-1`6-1Stevenson`5-1`6-1Lebanon Valley`4-2`4-3Widener`4-2`4-3King&#8217;s`3-3`3-4Lycoming`2-4`2-5FDU-Florham`1-5`2-5Wilkes`1-5`1-6Misericordia`0-6`0-7Last Week&#8217;s ResultsKing&#8217;s 28, Misericordia 14Lebanon Valley 48, Wilkes 17Stevenson 31, Widener 20Delaware Valley 28, Albright 23Lycoming 44, FDU-Florham 20This Week&#8217;s ScheduleStevenson at WilkesAlbright at King&#8217;sMisericordia at FDU-FlorhamLycoming at WidenerLebanon Valley at Delaware ValleyNext Week&#8217;s ScheduleWilkes at MisericordiaKing&#8217;s at Lebanon ValleyAlbright at StevensonDelaware Valley at LycomingFDU-Florham at Widener</factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Dave Rosengrant at 570-991-6398 or on Twitter @tldrosengrant</shirttailMeta></div>

Misericordia football back at FDU for first time since historic win