FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mansfield wraps up 2010 sprint football season at Cornell Friday

MANSFIELD – The Mansfield University sprint football team will end the season against the same opponent they opened the 2010 season when the Mountaineers travel to Schoellkopf Field in Ithaca,NY to host the Cornell Big Red.

Game time is set for 7 p.m. with live radio streaming of the game with Brian Armstrong available at GoMounties.com. You can also view live stats and live video at CornellBigRed.com.

Mansfield is 2-4 on the season after a thrilling 7-6 win over Post University last Saturday while Cornell is 4-2 after suffering a 31-12 setback to Navy. Cornell beat Mansfield 23-15 in the Josh Palmer Pigskin Classic in the season opener.

The Mountaineers got a big boost in the win over Post with two goal-line stops and an interception in the end zone in the final four minutes of the game. Mansfield's offense was just effective enough to win with sophomore quarterback Kode Plank hit junior wide receiver Kevin Valentine for a 12-yard touchdown in the second quarter to rally the Mountaineers from a 6-0 deficit.

The defense was inspiring in making that slip lead hold, especially late in the game when Post had first-and-goal on the nine-yard line and then first-and-goal on the five yard line. Both times the Mountaineer defense forced Post to go for field goals and both field goals missed.

Post still had one more chance in game's final 10 seconds but Troy Taylor intercepted a pass in the endzone to preserve the Mountaineers the victory. The win guarantees Mansfield its second straight two win season in its first two full seasons in the CSFL.

Plank completed 8-of-18 passes for 71-yards and a touchdown while being intercepted twice during the game. Valentine caught three of the passes for 31 yards and a touchdown while David Wallace had two catches for 24 yards. Michael Wallace rushed 31 times for 77-net yards.

The defense was led by senior Solomon Isom who racked up a game-high 12 tackles to earn CSFL Defensive Player of the Week honors. It marked the second time this season Isom has been so honored. Junior tackle Cody Croasdale, had eight stops including three for a loss, while linebacker Jake Myers had three sacks and four tackles-for-a-loss.

For the season, Plank has connected on 37-of-82 passes for 388 yards and three touchdowns. He has been intercepted eight times. Senior Ben Anderton continues to rank among the top receivers in the CSFL with 18 catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Valentine has 12 grabs for 122 yards and a touchdown while David Wallace has 10 grabs for 86-yards.

Michael Wallace is one of the top running backs in the CSFL rushing for 388-net yards on 86 carries with two touchdowns. The freshman is averaging 64.7 yards per game and has two 100+ rushing games on the year.

Cornell started the season off with four straight wins before suffering losses to Penn and Navy in their last two outings.

The Big Red's offense revolves around dual threats quarterback Elliot Corey and running back Doug Famularo. Corey has completed 69-145 passes for 676 yards with four touchdowns while being intercepted five times. Famularo is averaging 100.4 yards rushing over five games this season with two touchdowns.

S. Grunenfelder has been by far the top receiver pulling in 33 receptions for 405 yards and three touchdowns.

Linebacker Tim Dooley leads the defense with 43 tackles and two interceptions. Clay Hemminger is just behind Dooley with 41 tackles and two interceptions.


UPDATE ON MANSFIELD HEAD COACH DAN DAVIS – Mansfield University head football coach Dan Davis has been forced to miss the Mountaineer last three games due to surgery. Coach Davis was transferred from the Packer Hospital, where he has been for the past three weeks, to the Troy Hospital on Wednesday. Coach Davis will be recovering and rehabbing in Troy for an undisclosed time. The doctors have been pleased with his recovery to date. Assistant coach Graham Johnson has served as the interim head coach during Coach Davis's absence.