2013 Siena Heights University Football
Siena Heights Saints (2-1, 0-0 MSFA Mideast) vs
Olivet Nazarene Tigers (1-2, 0-0 MSFA Midwest)
Saturday, Sept. 28 - 2:30 p.m. (1:30 CST) - Adrian, Michigan

Live Coverage: Jerry Hayes (play-by-play), Siena Heights Sports Network (SHUSAINTS.COM), WLEN 103.9 FM

For a complete PDF version of game notes, click HERE.

THE GAME
The Siena Heights football team will try to avenge its 2012 Homecoming loss to Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) when it visits the Tigers for a Sept. 28 non-conference game at Ward Field in Bourbonnais, Ill. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. EST (1:30 p.m. CST).

The Saints are coming off their first varsity shutout in program history -- a 30-0 decision over Waldorf at O'Laughlin Stadium.

Defensive back Sederick A. Dunbar II had an interception, defensive linemen Kyle Connors and C.J. Marious recorded sacks, and leading tackler DeShawn Gilbert made 6 1/2 stops for the Saints' defense.

SHU outgained the visiting Warriors, 514-238, and did not commit a turnover. The Siena Heights defense, however, has takeaways in all 13 games of the program's varsity era.

For the SHU offense, running backs Raphael Dunson and Julius Taylor Jr. had long touchdown runs while quarterback Matt King found wide receiver Reggie Blackmon for a TD pass. Kicker Victor Bodrie added three field goals.

Taylor was the Saints' leading rusher, finishing with four carries for 74 yards. Fellow running back Travis Damron had 15 runs for 65 yards.

Olivet Nazarene won its game last week over Concordia, 24-7, at Riverbank Stadium in Ann Arbor. The Tigers built a 17-0 halftime lead and never looked back.

Quarterback Ryan Sample was 12 of 24 for 167 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions; the touchdown pass was caught by wide receiver Tyler Swindle, who had four catches for 62 yards. Running back David Payne added 20 carries for 73 yards and a score.

On defense, linebacker Brandon Ruemler had 10 tackles while safety Mark Kosrow made 6 1/2 stops. Cornerback Lucas Limberg returned an interception 12 yards for a touchdown, safety Jared Carl added an interception, and defensive lineman Chris Aschemann had a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery.

THE COACHES
Jim Lyall (Michigan '74) is in his third season as head coach for Siena Heights, where he now has a 6-7 varsity record. He is 109-99-1 all-time as a collegiate varsity football coach. During SHU's 2011 club season, Lyall went 8-1. He was previously the head coach at Adrian, where he compiled a 103-92-1 varsity slate.

Brian Fish (Olivet Nazarene '97) is in his third season as head coach for his alma mater, where he now has a 9-16 record. Prior to becoming ONU's head coach, he was an assistant at Sterling (Kan.) and Malone (Ohio) after getting his start as a graduate assistant with Olivet Nazarene.

UP NEXT...
The Saints will play the first of two consecutive home games when second-ranked Saint Francis (Ind.) visits for a 1 p.m. start for SHU's homecoming game -- and a Mid-States Football Association Mideast League opener for both squads.. The Saints fell to then-sixth-ranked SFU last year, 31-7.

Saint Francis is 2-0 so far in 2013 with wins over 16th-ranked William Penn (Iowa) and No. 7 Saint Ambrose (Iowa). The early-season gauntlet continues for SFU in its third game when the Cougars visit now-seventh-ranked Grand View.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Olivet Nazarene is 1-2 so far in 2013 after getting its first win over Concordia at Riverbank Stadium in Ann Arbor. The Tigers are coming off a season in which they went 3-8 overall with a 1-5 record in MSFA Midwest play. They lost a number of tough games a year ago: against Grand View, after leading at halftime; in double-overtime to Saint Francis (Ill.); by one-point to Waldorf; versus Taylor, after leading in the second half.

ONU returned seven 2012 All-MSFA Midwest honorees, including a trio of Second Team players: running back David Payne, linebacker Brandon Ruemler and kicker/punter Andrew Muzljakovich. Muzljakovich was a Second Teamer on both offense and defense.

The Tigers also brought back four honorable mentions: offensive lineman Andrew Rothen, defensive lineman Myles Toney, linebacker Mike Williams and defensive back Mark Kosrow. Rothen, who lines up at right guard, is a graduate of Adrian High School.

Payne has been ONU's leading rusher thus far with 41 carries for 165 yards and one touchdown. Quarterback Ryan Sample is 26 of 66 for 275 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions (39.4 completion percentage) with his favorite targets coming in the form of wide receivers Tyler Swindle (seven catches for 82 yards) and Aaron Salas (six for 57).

If the ONU offense is unable to finish off drives, the Tigers will not hesitate to send Muzljakovich onto the field. The specialist is 3 of 3 on field goals in 2013, connecting on kicks of 46, 48 and 49 yards. Muzljakovich also stars as a punter as he has compiled a 40.0 average, including a long of 61 and six punts inside opponents' 20-yard-line.

Ruemler, Kosrow and Williams are the Tigers' leaders on the defensive side. Kosrow and Ruemler have 19 1/2 and 18 total tackles, respectively, while Williams has accumulated 17 1/2 stops and two fumble recoveries.

Ruemler and Williams are linebackers while Kosrow will see time at free safety.

Cornerback Lucas Limberg has also had a strong start to the season. He returned an interception for a touchdown last week against Concordia. He also has blocked a kick.

LAST TIME WE MET
Running back Calebb Goings rushed 36 times for 137 yards and one touchdown, but the Saints dropped a 20-14 triple-overtime contest to Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) on Oct. 6, 2012, at O'Laughlin Stadium.

Tight end Donovan Campbell added a 57-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Matt King, but three touchdowns by ONU running back David Payne made the difference.

Olivet Nazarene went up, 7-0, on its first possession on a 1-yard run by Payne and ensuing extra point by Andrew Muzljakovich and held the lead until the fourth.

Later in the first quarter, the Tigers had a chance to extend their lead until quarterback Rico Prestia fumbled at the SHU 15-yard-line; credit linebacker Chris Vann with the forced fumble and defensive lineman Joseph Mravec with the recovery.

The Saints gained only nine yards in the first half before trekking on a six-play, 68-yard drive on their first possession of the third quarter, but the march ended on a SHU fumble that rolled out-of-bounds in the Tiger end zone. The play resulted in a touchback as visiting ONU escaped the first Siena Heights scoring threat.

Late in the third quarter, defensive back Fred Butler made a key interception for the Saints, snagging a Prestia pass at the Saints' goal-line. The turnover set up a seven-play, 98-yard drive, ending with the King-to-Campbell hookup.

In the opening overtime, the Saints took their first lead on a 14-yard Goings touchdown run, but the Tigers had a response with a 12-yard pass from Prestia to Payne.

During the second OT, Muzljakovich missed a 33-yard field goal before SHU kicker Jonah Harter  had his 23-yard attempt blocked.

In the fateful third OT, ONU linebacker Michael Williams forced a fumble by Goings and defensive back Mark Kosrow recovered the ball. The Tigers then used four plays to travel 25 yards and finish the contest with a four-yard touchdown burst by Payne.

Payne ended with 11 carries for 53 yards and four catches for 68 yards. Fellow running back Michael Ho-Lewis had 20 runs for 66 yards while Prestia went 9 of 24 for 124 yards.

For the Siena Heights defense, defensive back Sederick Dunbar II, linebacker Tyler Karcher and linebacker Trent Bragg  had nine, eight and seven tackles, respectively.

Mravec and defensive lineman Cecil Marious added sacks, defensive lineman Robert Becker  had a forced fumble and defensive back DeShawn Gilbert made a fumble recovery. Bragg and Butler also had two pass breakups apiece.

ONU's defense was led by defensive lineman Myles Toney, who had seven tackles and three sacks. Williams and defensive lineman Tony Turner also had sacks.

ZEROED IN
The Saints recorded their first shutout as a varsity program last week when they downed Waldorf, 30-0. The visiting Warriors pushed their way into SHU territory on four separate occasions -- twice as far as the Siena Heights 36-yard-line -- but could not manage to put a number on the scoreboard.

Twice, Waldorf elected to punt while inside SHU territory. The other two opportunities they had, the Warriors' fourth-down attempts were thwarted by the Saints' defense. On 4th-and-7, SHU defensive lineman Kyle Connors recorded a sack. Later, defensive back Sean Smith stopped a quarterback sneak on 4th-and-1.

CRAZY EIGHTS
Four different times, tight end Donovan Campbell has set the SHU single-game record for receptions, making eight catches but never a ninth. Last week, he tied that record and also set a new single-game record for receiving yards (123).

Campbell is earning some recognition in the NAIA rankings. He currently rates 11th in the NAIA in receptions per game (6.7) and 16th in receiving yards per game (100.7).

In 13 games as a varsity program, Siena Heights has passed for 19 touchdowns. Campbell leads the way with 11 TD receptions while fellow tight end Lyle Van Fleteren has four and wide receiver Reggie Blackmon has three.

RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN
Kicker Victor Bodrie claimed a SHU program record during the Saints' victory over Waldorf, connecting on three field goals. He booted three-pointers of 21, 23 and 32 yards.

A number of team records were also set: yards rushing (276), yards per rush (6.0), yards per pass (9.9) and total yards of offense (514).

STANDING TALL
The Saints' group of playmakers on defense continues to stand tall. They continued their takeaway streak that began in 2012; SHU has had a takeaway in each of its 13 contests as a varsity program. That total includes 24 last season (13 fumble recoveries and 11 interception) and now five in 2013 (four INTs and one fumble recovery).

The three captains on defense -- Dunbar, Bragg and Karcher --  continue to display why their peers voted them as the team leaders. So far in 2013, Karcher has 20 1/2 tackles (two for-loss), Dunbar has 18 stops (one for-loss) and Bragg has 16 (1 1/2 for-loss).