ESU-Millersville Football

FB9-29-01

MILLERSVILLE – Quarterback Jeremy Palm passed for four touchdowns as East Stroudsburg University scored all of its points in the first half in trouncing Millersville, 42-10, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division football game Saturday.

The 42 points matched the Warriors’ most ever in the series going back to a 42-14 victory in 1969. The 32-point margin also equaled ESU’s best ever against Marauders achieved twice before in a 40-8 win in 1967 and a 41-9 decision in 1982.

Palm completed 17 of 33 passes for 239 yards, including going 12 for 19 for 200 yards in the first half. He combined on scoring passes of 7 and 24 yards to wide receiver Justin Kondikoff, 32 yards to wide receiver John Jeffries and 14 yards on a shuffle pass to tailback Greg Vaughn.

Vaughn also scored a second touchdown on a 14-yard run and was the team’s leading ground-gainer with 99 yards on 21 carries. He replaced starter Andre Castiglioni, who left the game after the first quarter because of a sore leg originally suffered in last week’s game at Shepherd. Castiglioni, who was averaging 165.3 yards per game, carried only six times for nine yards.

Safety Jeremy Brown intercepted two passes, giving him five for the season, and returned one 23 yards for a touchdown. The ESU defense held Millersville to only 188 yards, 77 rushing and 111 passing, and caused four turnovers.

After being stopped on their first series, the Warriors scored on their next two possession. After taking over the ball on their own 47-yard line following a fumble recovery by linebacker Ryan Vermillion,

Palm needed only two plays to put the ball in the end zone. He completed a 21-yard pass play to wide receiver Craig Mahon to move into ‘Ville territory at the 32. He then fired a short pass to Jeffries, who ran through the defense more than 20 yards for the score.

On the next series, Palm marched his team 77 yards in nine plays with five straight pass completions including the seven-yard scoring strike to Kondikoff on a slant pattern across the middle. Mike Berry’s second of six extra points made the score, 14-0, after one quarter.

The Marauder scored their lone touchdown early in the second quarter when Tim Schultz blocked an Adam Hostetter punt to put the ball on the ESU five-yard line and on the first play, quarterback Chuck Andrew and wide receiver Alfa Jackson combined on a five-yard TD pass.

Only ahead by one touchdown, the Warriors broke it open with three scores within two minutes and 25 seconds of the second quarter.

They drove 65 yards for the first score helped by a Millersville roughing the punter penalty which kept the drive alive. Vaughn carried 43 of the yards, including the last 14 on a draw play. That came with 11:00 minutes left in the half.

Three plays and 1:21 later, Brown made his interception and returned it down the left sideline 23 yards for his second TD return of the season.

Then after linebacker Bryan Holcovic recovered another Millersville fumble on the 24-yard line, Palm quickly went to Kondikoff in the left corner of the end zone for a third straight score and a 35-7 edge in 8:35 left in the half.

The Warriors tacked on another first half touchdown on their longest drive of the game, 81 yards on nine plays. The big play was a 39-yard pass from Palm to Mahon, a junior who had eight catches for 120 yards in his first career start. He was replacing starter John Kotarsky, sidelined with a broken thumb.

On a third-and-nine play from the 14, Palm, operating out of a shotgun, flipped a quick shuffle pass to Vaughn to took it across for a 42-7 lead with 2:29 left in the half.

Millersville’s Sean Hughes kicked a 27-yard field goal for the only scoring in the second half. ESU Coach Denny Douds cleared his bench in the fourth quarter and third string tailback Matt Yanocha rushed for 61 yards on 11 carries, ending the game on the Marauders’ three-yard line.

The win was ESU’s first over Millersville since 1992 and the first at Biemesderfer Stadium since 1989. It keeps the Warriors unbeaten in the PSAC East with a 2-0 record and lifts the team overall record to 3-1. Millersville, under new coach Kevin Kiesel, is winless in five games, including four in the conference.

East Stroudsburg 14-28-0-0 42

Millersville 0- 7-3-0 10

ESU – John Jeffries 32 pass from Jeremy Palm (Mike Berry kick), 9:39 left, 1st

ESU – Justin Kondikoff 8 pass from Palm (Berry kick), 3:52 left, 1st

Mill – Alfa Jackson 5 pass from Chuck Andrew (Shaun Hughes kick), 14:43 left, 2nd

ESU – Greg Vaughn 14 run (Berry kick), 11:00 left, 2nd

ESU – Jeremy Brown 23 interception return (Berry kick), 9:39 left, 2nd

ESU – Kondikoff 24 pass from Palm (Berry kick), 8:35 left, 2nd

ESU – Vaughn 14 pass from Palm (Berry kick), 2:29 left, 2nd

Mill – Hughes 27 field goal, 10:11 left, 3^rd

Team Statistics:

First Downs: ESU 18, Millersville 11

Rushing: ESU 48 for 213 yards, Millersville 27 for 111 yards

Passing: ESU 17 for 34, 239 yards, 0 interceptions; Millersville 11 for 34, 111 yards, 2 interceptions

Punting: ESU 4 for 39.0; Millersville 7 for 38.7

Fumbles/Lost: ESU 0-0, Millersville 2-2

Penalties: ESU 10 for 84; Millersville 6 for 61

No Missed Field Goals

Individual Statistics:

Rushing: ESU, Greg Vaughn 21 for 99, Matt Yanocha 11 for 61; Millersville, Brian Milleisen 7 for 45, Calvin Everett 9 for 43

Passing: ESU – Jeremy Palm 17 for 33, 239 yards; Millersville – Chuck Andrew 9 for 17, 96 yards; Kris Blake 2 for 7, 15 yards

Receiving: ESU – Craig Mahon 9 for 120; Justin Kondikoff 3 for 38; John Jeffries 2 for 41; Mill – Alfa Jackson 5 for 35, Terrance Trogdon 4 for 38

Punting: ESU – Adam Hostetter 3 for 52.0; Mill – Stephen Koetteritz 7 for 38.7

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