RELEASE DATE: 10/04/03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIES GO TO 5-0 FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1938 WITH 39-27 WIN OVER MILLERSVILLE – POOHBEAR McNEAL RUNS FOR SCHOOL RECORD 272 YARDS

MILLERSVILLE – For anyone who doubted the 2003 Mansfield University football team was real – Pooh on you.

Better make that Poohbear McNeal. The freshman running back from Orlando, Fl ran for a school record 272-yard – 214 of them in the second half, to lead Mansfield University to a 39-27 win over Millersville University in the opening game of the PSAC East season for both teams at Biemsderfer Stadium Saturday afternoon.

It marked the first time since 1938 Mansfield has opened a season at 5-0 and the first time since 1968-69 the Mountaineers have defeated Millersville in back-to-back seasons.

“It was an incredible performance for a group of guys that would not give in to adversity,” said head coach Chris Woods. “ This team just refused to lose this afternoon. Today they again showed the character of a champion.”

Mansfield dominated the game in the first quarter and took a 7-0 lead midway through the quarter when sophomore tight end Eddie Van Buren (Fulton,NY/Fulton) hauled in a seven yards scoring pass from senior quarterback Travis Motley (York/Central York).

But Millerville would tie the score early in the second on a 61-yard gallop by Mahmoud Elbattah to tie the score.

With 2:42 to play, Millersville would take a 14-0 lead on a five-yard pass from Omar Sanders to Alfa Jackson.

But the Mountaineers would come right back with Motley hitting Dan Bennett (Horseheads,NY/Notre Dame) on a 42-yard pass on the first play of the series after McNeal returned the kickoff to the Mansfield 40 yard line.

After a two-yard run by McNeal and two incomplete passes, Motley found Joe  Bennett (Horseheads,NY/Notre Dame) on a perfectly thrown over the shoulder pass on a fourth and eight for a 16-yard touchdown to tie the score at 14-14 at intermission.

Millersville would retake the lead with less than a minute into the second half when they recovered a Mansfield fumble at the Mountaineer 11-yard line and scored on an eight-yard run by freshman quarterback Omar Sanders for a 21-14 lead.

Mansfield would score ten minutes later when freshman Paul Garofalo (McKean/General McLane) scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 24-yard run. But the extra point was wide and Millersville retain a 21-20 lead.

Millersville would go ahead again on the next series on a seven yard run by Elbattah, but the extra point attempt was blocked by Joe Frick (Montrose/Montrose) putting the score at 27-20.

Mansfield came right back on the next series with Motley hitting Joe Bennett with a 41-yard pass and McNeal scoring on a 39-yard run off the left side. Sean Hair ( Abington Heights ) extra point was good and the score was tied at 27-27 with :28 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

But the fourth quarter would be all Mansfield and McNeal. The Mountaineer defense held Millersville on a key fourth and six from Mansfield’s 35-yard line and Mansfield would drive 66-yards – 60 yards on runs by McNeal – to score on a six-yard TD pass from Motley to Joe Bennett. The extra point attempt was blocked and the Mountaineers took a 33-27 lead.

Mansfield would put the game away two series when Joe Frick scooped up a fumble at the Millersville 32-yard line.

McNeal would give the Mountaineers two first down runs to milk the clock before Motley found Bennett again for a three-yard TD.

“Really – I ran for that many yards” said a surprised McNeal after the game. “I felt I need to redeem myself after fumbling the ball at the start of the second half and the harder I ran, the more my line blocked.”

Motley – who was limping the entire game – completed nine-of-20 passes for 163 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Joe Bennett caught six passes for 116-yards and three touchdowns.

A banged up Mountaineer defense was led by Dan Holland (Scranton/Bishop O’Hara) with 14 tackles, including three for a loss. Randy Reinert added eight stops with Mike Reed having seven solo stops. Andre’ Turner was credited with six tackles with Joe Frick on five stops. Mike Donati had four tackles all of them for a loss.

Mansfield goes to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the PSAC East. They will host Kutztown (4-1, 1-0) who stunned West Chester 17-16.

Notes – McNeal has now rushed for 946 yards on the season. Mansfield rushed for 818-yards as a team last year.

Travis Motley tied his career high with four touchdown passes. He now has 12 on the season.

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