Football Opens PFL Slate at Marist Saturday

Davidson Wildcats (0-2) vs. Marist Red Foxes (1-2)

Date: Sept. 22 - 12 p.m.

Site: Tenney Stadium (5,000 capacity) - Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Audio: Mark Plemmons (play-by-play) and Ryan Arnold '06 (color) call the action on the Davidson Radio Network (1350 AM, online at DavidsonWildcats.com and mobile with the TuneIn Radio App)

Video: Available at www.goredfoxes.com

Web sites: Davidson (DavidsonWildcats.com), Marist (goredfoxes.com)

The Game

• Davidson and Marist will start the 2012 Pioneer Football League season in Tenney Stadium with kickoff at 12 p.m. It will be the first of five PFL games to kickoff on Saturday.

• Davidson is looking for its first victory of the season and its first win on the road in its last seven tries.

• Since the PFL returned to single division play in 2006, Davidson is 4-2 in PFL openers, but lost in last season's opener at San Diego.

• The Wildcats return 12 starters and 43 lettermen from last year's squad that went 4-7 overall and 2-6 in the PFL.

• Senior WR Lanny Funsten currently leads the PFL and is ranked 17th in the FCS with 7.5 receptions per game and 92.0 yards receiving per game. Funsten was recognized as a Preseason All-PFL honoree in addition to preseason FCS All-American honors by College Sporting News, The Sports Network and BeyondSportsCollegeNetwork.com.

• Davidson has allowed just 66.0 yards per game passing, good for second in the FCS.

• Marist returns 14 starters and 80 letterwinners from a team that finished 4-7 overall and tied for sixth in the PFL?with a 3-5 record.

• The Red Foxes were 1-4 at home last season and lost their lone home game this season, 17-19 vs. Bucknell.

• Marist lost in its last outing at Columbia, 9-10.

• The 'Cats were picked ninth in the PFL preseason poll while Marist was picked sixth.

Series Record

• The Red Foxes lead the all-time series 3-1, but Davidson posted a 28-21 win in its only trip to Poughkeepsie in 2010.

• All four games in the series have been decided by eight points or less.

• Last season, Marist running back Calvin McCoy rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown, and Jason Myers kicked two field goals to lead the Red Foxes to a 13-9 Pioneer Football League victory over Davidson.

• Jonathan Carkhuff completed 26-of-39 passes for 215 yards, and Lanny Funsten caught seven passes for 55 markers for Davidson. Peter Kidwell topped the Wildcat defense with nine tackles, and John Behm collected five tackles, including three for loss and a sack.

• Tommy Reilly threw for 177 yards, and Kevin Fitzpatrick caught three passes for 57 yards to lead Marist.

• The Marist defense keyed the victory, holding the Wildcats to a combined 1-for-14 on third and fourth down and giving up 11 yards on the ground. The Red Foxes did not commit a turnover while forcing two Wildcat miscues.

• With the score tied 3-3, Toms Bernhards-Callahan tied a school record with a 94-yard punt return for touchdown late in the first half. The 'Cats missed the extra point, though, and had to settle for a 9-3 lead at the break.

Last Time Out

• Lenoir-Rhyne kept Davidson's offense in check with four interceptions and scored three rushing touchdowns to defeat the Wildcats 20-2 in non-conference football action last Saturday night in Moretz Stadium.

• Davidson's lone score came on a safety early in the third quarter.

• Jonathan Carkhuff completed 31-of-54 attempts for 265 yards for Davidson, but was sacked four times and intercepted four times. Lanny Funsten caught seven passes for 95 yards, while Spencer Perry led the 'Cats on the ground with 36 yards on five carries. Defensive lineman Lewis McAlister led Davidson with a career-high 12 tackles and blocked an extra point.

• Austin Beaty led Lenoir-Rhyne's rushing attack, which totaled 301 yards, with 118 yards on 11 carries, including a 69-yard touchdown run. Graham Duncan ran for 59 yards on seven carries, including a 30-yard touchdown run.

• Myer Nolan intercepted two passes for the Bears and Joe Anderson and Chris Christian also had picks. Anderson led the team with 10 tackles. Placid Ajoku had two sacks.

• Davidson appeared to have a scoring drive in the making on their second drive of the first quarter when they reached L-R's 20-yardline, but the drive ended with an interception and a quick Lenoir-Rhyne touchdown. Two plays after a dropped pass in the end zone, Anderson picked off Carkhuff at the 10-yardline and returned it 54 yards to Davidson's 36. On the second play of the ensuing offensive possession, Duncan took a pitch around the left side for a 30-yard touchdown run.

• Beaty then broke through the middle of the Davidson defense with 2:17 remaining in the second half for a 69-yard touchdown run. McAlister blocked the extra point attempt and Davidson quickly moved into Lenoir-Rhyne territory on a 28-yard reception by Funsten in the middle of the field, but the 'Cats turned it over downs and went to the locker room trailing 13-0 at the half.

Leftovers from Lenoir-Rhyne

• Davidson's safety was its first since Nov. 15, 2008 against Marist.

• McAlister's blocked extra point was the first by a Wildcat since Chris Leftwich at Valparaiso on Oct. 19, 2002.

• Funsten was held under eight catches for the first time in six games (dating back to last season), but totaled more than 85 receiving yards for his seventh consecutive game.

Air Raid Needs a Traffic Controller

• Quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff will be making his 23rd start, and Davidson owns a 7-15 record when he starts.

• Carkhuff completed 63 percent of his passes for 3,326 yards and 18 TDs with 17 INTs last season.

Reliable Receiver

• Dating back to last season, WR Lanny Funsten has had at least 85 yards receiving in his last seven games. He caught seven passes for 95 yards last week at Lenoir-Rhyne. Funsten had at least seven receptions in each game in 2011, and has continued that streak into 2012.

Veteran Defender

• Senior captain Patrick Moynahan has led the Wildcats in tackles for two consecutive seasons, logging 72 stops in 2011. He matched his career-high for tackles in season-opener against Georgetown with 11 and posted a career-high 4.5 for loss (had 5.5 for loss all of last season). He leads the team with 24 consecutive career starts.

PFL Leaders

• QB Jonathan Carkhuff ranks fifth with 245.5 yards per game passing.

• WR Lanny Funsten leads the league with 7.5 receptions per game and 92.0 yards receiving per game.

• TE?Reese Williams and RB Chris Gorman rank fourth with 5.5 receptions per game.

• P Chazzo Habliston leads with 41.93 yards per punt.

• LBs Jelani Doeman and Patrick Moynahan rank sixth averaging nine tackles per game.

• Moynahan ranks second with 2.5 tackled for loss per game, which also places him in a tie for fourth in the nation. DB Dan Casey is fifth in the PFL averaging 1.5 TFL per game.

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