FB: Middle Atlantic Conference

[UfanBill]

Hi Kate and JM and any other DelVal fans. I'm pleased to introduce you to your next opponent. The Union College Dutchmen or Garnet Chargers(we've had a recent controversial name change) from Schenectady, NY. We play in the very competitive Liberty League. The Garnet are tough, senior stacked and hard to score on. We run the ball mixing in a respectable passing game. The two programs have never met on the football field so this will be interesting. Expect a large, enthusiastic, vocal contingent of U fans to invade Doylestown Saturday. Union fans on these boards would enjoy exchanging with you.

[PBR...]

Hi Kate and JM and any other DelVal fans. I'm pleased to introduce you to your next opponent. The Union College Dutchmen or Garnet Chargers(we've had a recent controversial name change) from Schenectady, NY. We play in the very competitive Liberty League. The Garnet are tough, senior stacked and hard to score on. We run the ball mixing in a respectable passing game. The two programs have never met on the football field so this will be interesting. Expect a large, enthusiastic, vocal contingent of U fans to invade Doylestown Saturday. Union fans on these boards would enjoy exchanging with you.

Welcome to Doylestown and DVU. This should be a good game. Not many expected DVU to be here in their normal spot this year but with grit and determination this team rose to the top. Enjoy your time in Doylestown if you get a chance, as its a quaint beautiful town with great restaurants, bars, and art galleries with much history.

[PBR...]

Have admit this was the first year in many that PBR didn't swing by preseason and predict another DVU lockdown. PBR wasn't sure if DVU would pull off taking the crown again. Boy did these folks prove PBR wrong. The coaches and players removed all doubt and played a season full of pride, hard work and guts to win it again. Congrats to everyone! Time to take down Widener and pivot to the playoffs. Everyone deserves credit... Well Done!

PBR - Kind of remarkable given all that the Aggies were up against this year. Lost 7 out of 11 defensive starters (including 4 All-Americans and the DPOY). Lost 5 of their 6 top WR's, 3 on the OL, RB #2, FB/HB #1, TE #1, only 3 QB's in the entire program (need to address that big time as 2 of the 3 are seniors in 2024)..............and then during the season, lost All-Region RB, Jay White during Game 4, All-Conference LT, Justin Roman in Game 5 and a few other vital depth pieces........on a team lacking sorely in the depth area. They also have no kicking game, their backup QB was forced to become punter #1 and the lack of depth shows on not-so-special teams.

Despite all of this and the veteran rosters of King's, LebVal, Stevenson and Widener, the Aggies have it wrapped up before the last game of the season. Simply remarkable!!

The coaches did an amazing job patching this thing together with spit and glue and need a monster recruiting year (freshmen and impact transfers) for 2024 (not as much given what is coming back) and absolutely beyond as they lose a lot after the 2024 season.

The MAC streak will end someday and when it does, it will be amazing to look back and realize how tough it is to win 50+ straight conference games, especially how a football bounces and how key injuries can deplete an already depleted team.

This season was the best coaching job I've seen anywhere in a long time and Coach Greco should be the runaway winner for MAC Coach of the Year.

JM this team never ceases to amaze me. With all the change this year and overcoming injuries they continue to roll on.... Good Luck DVU in the playoffs!

[unionpalooza]

Union v. DVU!  Man, this is going to be a great matchup - two tremendous defenses squaring off for the first time in the playoffs.  I know DVU has powered through some real adversity this year and is a great program, and I'm really excited to see this game.

DVU folks:  Any recommendations for a bite in Doyleston before or after the game, or for visiting the stadium in general?

[kate]

A big HELLO Unionpalooza and UfanBill!!!   It's been since 1997 that our Son graduated from Del Val, and since we're that much older now, we don't get down to Doylestown from Easton, PA nearly as much as we once did!   Since our Son had pretty much nothing to do with the Aggie Athletic Dept., i can tell you that the school has had a huge pull for my Hubby & me over the last 26 years!   Right now, i'm asking PBR and JM to acquaint you to some great places to stay and eat.   I hope you have a beautiful drive down and truly enjoy your stay in Doylestown!   Hubby & i will be watching on the net!   Have Fun!  PS: Also please explore the Delaware Valley University website for more info!   Again, hoping for a great game with no injuries, and a safe trip down and home to you all as well!

[UfanBill]

I know little about DVU except that they've got an incredible 53 game winning streak in the MAC and that they've been in the tourney almost every year lately under HC Duke Greco. I also remember your epic battles with Wesley. Nobody in D3 misses those guys right? As I said earlier Union has never played DVU and as a matter of fact it appears that you have only one historical match-up with any member of the Liberty League... a 2005 tourney win over Hobart. In checking it looks like incredibly Union has only played one previous game against anyone from the MAC...Widener in the 2000 tournament. This is truly a rare pairing.

[PBR...]

I know little about DVU except that they've got an incredible 53 game winning streak in the MAC and that they've been in the tourney almost every year lately under HC Duke Greco. I also remember your epic battles with Wesley. Nobody in D3 misses those guys right? As I said earlier Union has never played DVU and as a matter of fact it appears that you have only one historical match-up with any member of the Liberty League... a 2005 tourney win over Hobart. In checking it looks like incredibly Union has only played one previous game against anyone from the MAC...Widener in the 2000 tournament. This is truly a rare pairing.

That Hobart vs DVU game was a crusher for Hobart with DVU (DVC scoring late in the 4th qtr). Adam Knoblauch was a great qb for DVU and all the scoring was in the 4th qtr of that game. Looking forward to this weekends match up. Fill us in a little more on Union this year. How is their offense good running game or passing? How many seniors are starting? Defense? Strong against the run or pass?

[PBR...]

Union v. DVU!  Man, this is going to be a great matchup - two tremendous defenses squaring off for the first time in the playoffs.  I know DVU has powered through some real adversity this year and is a great program, and I'm really excited to see this game.

DVU folks:  Any recommendations for a bite in Doyleston before or after the game, or for visiting the stadium in general?

Give you a couple of places to eat. When I have more time I will try and get you more.
1. Paganini's ... excellent Italian food.
2. 86 West .... Good mixed food menu.
3. Doylestown Inn... Historic and nice to sit in and relax at the bar if you want a nice drink.
4. Honey... Not sure of their hours so check if going here but excellent food.

* Note these are all right in the center of town. In this area of town, (State Street/Main Street there are many restaurants you can walk around and see what menu interests you)  You can walk around town and see the history and beautiful architecture of Doylestown. Home of James Michener (author), Henry Mercer (Mercer Tile Works), many more people as well.

[Jonny Utah]

I hear there is a big HS football game in that area Friday night as well?  Central Bucks West vs. Central Bucks South in the playoffs?  Gotta send a Union coach there for a quick recruiting trip!

[PBR...]

I hear there is a big HS football game in that area Friday night as well?  Central Bucks West vs. Central Bucks South in the playoffs?  Gotta send a Union coach there for a quick recruiting trip!

Utah!! Long time since we have talked. Hope you are well. The older crew from LL I still talk to off of here. Yes the game is at 7 pm at CB West. Very close to DVU campus probably about 1 mile apart.

[UfanBill]

I know little about DVU except that they've got an incredible 53 game winning streak in the MAC and that they've been in the tourney almost every year lately under HC Duke Greco. I also remember your epic battles with Wesley. Nobody in D3 misses those guys right? As I said earlier Union has never played DVU and as a matter of fact it appears that you have only one historical match-up with any member of the Liberty League... a 2005 tourney win over Hobart. In checking it looks like incredibly Union has only played one previous game against anyone from the MAC...Widener in the 2000 tournament. This is truly a rare pairing.

That Hobart vs DVU game was a crusher for Hobart with DVU (DVC scoring late in the 4th qtr). Adam Knoblauch was a great qb for DVU and all the scoring was in the 4th qtr of that game. Looking forward to this weekends match up. Fill us in a little more on Union this year. How is their offense good running game or passing? How many seniors are starting? Defense? Strong against the run or pass?

This Union team, under first year coach Jon Poppe, is battle tested. Twelve Union 5th years played in the NCAA Tourney as freshmen in 2019(a 24-21 win over Case Western Reserve followed by a 62-41 loss to Salisbury). Unlike the MAC the Liberty League is well balanced with RPI, Hobart, Ithaca and Union all contending for the championship every year.

Under their new coach the Garnet have become a run first team. They have an excellent O-line and 2 interchangeable running backs. Michael Fiore has rushed for 1031 yards and 15 TDs. Equally effective Jonathan Anderson has 859 and 5 TDs. They don't have super break away speed but they're extremely hard to tackle. QB Donovan Pacatte also tucks it and runs, 276 yds/6 TDs. Pacatte throws the ball well 148/256 yds, 11 TDs. They use a lot of WRs. the best being Landers Green. Their tight ends are big and great blockers. More like O-linemen but can catch a pass when called upon. Speaking of the O-line. They are big, tough,deep and experienced as evidenced by their success running the ball. The place kicker is the solid Max Gluck. 38/43 on xpts and 13/18 on FGs with a long of 40. 

That's the offense. Now for the real strength, the defense. Union is nationally ranked in a number of defensive categories...2nd in First Downs allowed defense, 4th in 3rd down conversions allowed, 6th in rushing yards allowed and 3rd in scoring defense giving up just 8.3 points per game. They're really strong up front. They run a 3-4 and all seven starters are 5th years or seniors. They also have a 5th year starting at safety who leads a talented defensive backfield. The D is the key.     

*Edited to include the link to Union's Game Notes from it's most recent game against RPI  https://unionathletics.com/documents/2023/11/10/2023_FB_10_RPI.pdf

[PBR...]

I know little about DVU except that they've got an incredible 53 game winning streak in the MAC and that they've been in the tourney almost every year lately under HC Duke Greco. I also remember your epic battles with Wesley. Nobody in D3 misses those guys right? As I said earlier Union has never played DVU and as a matter of fact it appears that you have only one historical match-up with any member of the Liberty League... a 2005 tourney win over Hobart. In checking it looks like incredibly Union has only played one previous game against anyone from the MAC...Widener in the 2000 tournament. This is truly a rare pairing.

That Hobart vs DVU game was a crusher for Hobart with DVU (DVC scoring late in the 4th qtr). Adam Knoblauch was a great qb for DVU and all the scoring was in the 4th qtr of that game. Looking forward to this weekends match up. Fill us in a little more on Union this year. How is their offense good running game or passing? How many seniors are starting? Defense? Strong against the run or pass?

This Union team, under first year coach Jon Poppe, is battle tested. Twelve Union 5th years played in the NCAA Tourney as freshmen in 2019(a 24-21 win over Case Western Reserve followed by a 62-41 loss to Salisbury). Unlike the MAC the Liberty League is well balanced with RPI, Hobart, Ithaca and Union all contending for the championship every year.

Under their new coach the Garnet have become a run first team. They have an excellent O-line and 2 interchangeable running backs. Michael Fiore has rushed for 1031 yards and 15 TDs. Equally effective Jonathan Anderson has 859 and 5 TDs. They don't have super break away speed but they're extremely hard to tackle. QB Donovan Pacatte also tucks it and runs, 276 yds/6 TDs. Pacatte throws the ball well 148/256 yds, 11 TDs. They use a lot of WRs. the best being Landers Green. Their tight ends are big and great blockers. More like O-linemen but can catch a pass when called upon. Speaking of the O-line. They are big, tough,deep and experienced as evidenced by their success running the ball. The place kicker is the solid Max Gluck. 38/43 on xpts and 13/18 on FGs with a long of 40. 

That's the offense. Now for the real strength, the defense. Union is nationally ranked in a number of defensive categories...2nd in First Downs allowed defense, 4th in 3rd down conversions allowed, 6th in rushing yards allowed and 3rd in scoring defense giving up just 8.3 points per game. They're really strong up front. They run a 3-4 and all seven starters are 5th years or seniors. They also have a 5th year starting at safety who leads a talented defensive backfield. The D is the key.     

*Edited to include the link to Union's Game Notes from it's most recent game against RPI  https://unionathletics.com/documents/2023/11/10/2023_FB_10_RPI.pdf

Good stuff. Union will be a very difficult opponent no doubt. Looking forward to the game. PBR has always wished DVU played the LL more. Good competition that is not too far away for a home and home series with Union/RPI/etc....

[Ice Bear]

What's up PBR? I used to post on here for almost a decade under dlip. Then I had a major temper tantrum, got off the boards, and then got right back on as I couldn't help myself. It was a fine moment of infantile maturity. Great to see you on here as I always loved your posts and perspective. Hoping you and your loved ones are well.

I'm really looking forward to this matchup/game. I believe this is an excellent draw for both teams as I believe both teams can realistically win. I know this has been somewhat of a down year for Del Val, and I only mean that in the sense that I believe they lost a ton from last year and for the first time in sometime they were somewhat suspect in the MAC. Well all they did was continue their MAC winning streak, go undefeated in the league, and win the league crown yet again. That's pretty impressive to me for any team in any league who is supposedly "down."

Ufan did a great job hitting on all the important aspects of Union. I love our quarterback Donavon Pacatte. With that said, we tend to live and die, points wise, based upon his accuracy. We run the ball very very well, but when Donavon and his receivers are not on the same page, which has happened at times throughout the season, we struggle to score. Last weekend I believe (please anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) we failed to score on 4 trips to the redzone. We had every opportunity to put more points on the board and didn't. Obviously tons of credit goes to the tough RPI D. Yet our passing game was really off and while we ran the ball very well, we didn't score more than 13. I believe we are going to have to be a bit better on Saturday to have a chance to win.

How about the Aggies? What can you tells us?

[PBR...]

What's up PBR? I used to post on here for almost a decade under dlip. Then I had a major temper tantrum, got off the boards, and then got right back on as I couldn't help myself. It was a fine moment of infantile maturity. Great to see you on here as I always loved your posts and perspective. Hoping you and your loved ones are well.

I'm really looking forward to this matchup/game. I believe this is an excellent draw for both teams as I believe both teams can realistically win. I know this has been somewhat of a down year for Del Val, and I only mean that in the sense that I believe they lost a ton from last year and for the first time in sometime they were somewhat suspect in the MAC. Well all they did was continue their MAC winning streak, go undefeated in the league, and win the league crown yet again. That's pretty impressive to me for any team in any league who is supposedly "down."

Ufan did a great job hitting on all the important aspects of Union. I love our quarterback Donavon Pacatte. With that said, we tend to live and die, points wise, based upon his accuracy. We run the ball very very well, but when Donavon and his receivers are not on the same page, which has happened at times throughout the season, we struggle to score. Last weekend I believe (please anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) we failed to score on 4 trips to the redzone. We had every opportunity to put more points on the board and didn't. Obviously tons of credit goes to the tough RPI D. Yet our passing game was really off and while we ran the ball very well, we didn't score more than 13. I believe we are going to have to be a bit better on Saturday to have a chance to win.

How about the Aggies? What can you tells us?

Dlip... been awhile. Hope you are well. I do miss the old days on LL .... I still hear from LewDogg/Reg/'Gro not obviously on these boards. I am living in Delray Beach, FL now. Was thinking about retiring after 25 years on Wall St. but my best friend somehow convinced PBR to go work for his company in medical device sales in the O.R. so PBR is now grinding away again but having fun in the O.R. most days.  Still have some family in Doylestown but many of my family and friends are migrating south into the Carolina's and Florida. JM can fill you in more on DVU than I can at this point. He gave a breakdown in an earlier post about the graduation/injury losses this year. Somehow this team pushes on and keeps winning. Says a lot about the coaching staff and players. You making it down to Dtown for the game? I will be back up there for Thanksgiving.

[jmcozenlaw]

PBR did a great job with his recommendations in Doylestown. It has consistently ranked for many years as one publication or another's "top places to move", "top places to raise a family". It's also located in an amazingly convenient location to Philly, Jersey Shore, Poconos, NYC and Balt/D.C. If jaywalking is a crime, then it is a crime filled location.

There are actually over 30 places to eat and drink just in downtown Doylestown. It is laid out in a hub (county seat) and spoke setup, so park the car and walk everywhere. We did the Thanksgiving Eve booze fest for years, loooooooooong before Uber existed and you would pass out or die from alcohol poisoning before you could even have one drink at a third of Doylestown's spots. I went to school at Swarthmore, but have adopted Doylestown and DelVal after settling here over 30 years ago.

The C.B. West vs. C.B. South District Semifinal on Friday night will be a blast. Many years ago, C.B. West was a Top Ten program nationally, cranking out stud players, state championships and mythical national championships. The Godfather of the program was a coach named Mike Pettine. Coached their for decades. His son played there, then Virginia and moved his way up in the NFL. He was the head coach of the Browns (where most coaches have gone to die) and has been a defensive coordinator for years. He and Rex Ryan are best buddies.

The opening of a third high school (South) diluted the talent and then the nail in the coffin occurred when the Private Schools went to open enrollment and overt (free tuition if you can ball) recruiting. The stories are legendary regarding the lengths that the Private School coaches went to in recruiting great players. Josh Adams was a RB who went to South and then starred at Notre Dame. He banged around the NFL for a bit. His father has told stories about what would be in the mailbox (or the porch) on a weekly basis. The kid finally said enough and told the coaches to stop and that he was staying at South. The Private School sleaze did manage to get most of the D1 and NFL potential prospects to transfer to Archbishop Wood and St. Joe Prep (I could write a book about THAT program.........K.C. Keeler at Rowan back in the day was a choirboy comparatively speaking).

C.B. West and C.B. East used to play on Thanksgiving morning every year (until the greedy PIAA and their playoffs got in the way). 8,000 - 10,000 at each game. The kids all grew up together playing baseball, football, basketball and wrestling........and then junior high and high school split them up. The rivalry got diminished in 2004 when the third high school opened up and took half of the players from the other two. C.B. West used to have 120 players in the program. They went as low as the high 30's a few years ago.

West has had many D1 players BUT this season was going to be the first time that a QB would have been a 4 year starter. So what happens? He tears his ACL at the end of a preseason game (position taken over by a kid who never played QB). Their best RB? He was lost for the season to an injury. He is widely recognized as the best High School rugby player in the country. Their best overall athlete? One of the fastest kids in the country (track scholarships from everybody), incredible safety and WR. He tore his ACL 2 weeks ago. These are C.B. West's top 3 players and each was a stud on both sides of the line. Most of the players play both ways. How they are doing it is mind blowing!

So it's 2 of the 3 Central Bucks High Schools in one district playoff game and the 2 Downingtown High Schools in the other semifinal. Had C.B. West not lost the 3 players mentioned above, I would have liked their chances to win the district title. Now? If they can beat South, I don't see how they beat the Downingtown school that comes out of that game.

The winner of the district, where you must live within a defined geographical boundary to attend a specific high school will be matched against St. Joe Prep, a top 10 program in the country, with players from 4 states. Ex-NFL star players have sent their kids there (Jeremiah Trotter, from South Jersey, stud LB with the Eagles, sent two boys there........one is a LB at Clemson and a potential low first round pick and the other, even better than his older brother, is headed to West Virginia). The current QB at Ohio State is from the Prep. I could go on and on. A small school from Doylestown, where 99% of the kids live in little Doylestown and even littler Warrington could be forced to play a 4-state All Star team. New Jersey does it right. They have separate playoffs for Public and Private schools. That day is coming in PA and I am a big voice behind it. The PIAA in Harrisburg is spineless and gutless and their day is coming!!