CLICK HERE TO SAMPLE PHOTOS FROM TODAY'S GAME

RELEASE DATE: 9/19/09

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mansfield’s shutouts Princeton 33-0 in first game as full-time CSFL member – Freshman quarterback Kode Plank passes for 209 yards and touchdown -- Mounties win 2009 Josh Palmer Pigskin Classic

MANSFIELD – Freshman Kode Plank (Pleasant Gap/Bellefonte) passed for 209 yards and a touchdown and the Mansfield defensive held Princeton scoreless in a season opening 33-0 over Princeton Saturday afternoon before more than 2000 fans at Karl Van Norman Field.

“It’s always good to win your season opener,” said head coach Dan Davis.  “We played well at times and looked like a team with 39 freshmen at other times -- but it was a good win. I thought the defense, especially Cody Croasdale, played well for much of the game.”

Mansfield started off slowly in its first game as a full-fledged member of the College Sprint Football League (CSFL) capping off a seven-play, 35-yard drive on 4-yard run by Desmen Johnson (Pennllyn/Upper Dublin). The drive was set up of a forced fumble by Croasdale (Nicholson/Lackawanna Trail). Mansfield missed the extra point for a 6-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

The score remained at 6-0 until Mansfield recovered another Princeton fumble, this one at the Princeton 11-yard line. After losing seven yards on a sack, Ryan Bernaiche (Hollis,ME/Bonny Eagle) caught a pass from Plank and stretched into the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown. Michael Steele’s (Forksville/Montoursville) extra-point attempt was good for a 13-0 lead with 1:06 remaining before halftime.

13 seconds later the defensive came up big again with Elijah Morgan (Mansfield/Mansfield) intercepted a pass and returned it for a 35-yard touchdown. Steele’s extra-point gave Mansfield a 20-0 lead at halftime.

“We started out a little slow and the defense really setup all the scoring in the first half,” said Davis. “But we were able to move the ball more in the second half. You make your biggest improvement between the first and second game and I’m looking forward to that.”

Mansfield showed some ball control in the second half putting together a 13-play, 90-yard drive cumulating on a 2-yard touchdown plunge by Steele with 6:24 remaining in the third quarter. Mansfield capped off the scored on a 3-yard run by Paul Frederick (Lancaster/Penn Manor) with 13:11 to play.

Mansfield gained 343 yards in total offense while holding Princeton to -13 yards.

Plank completed 15-of-27 passes in his first collegiate game for 209 yards while Matt Gant (Stroudsburg/North Pocono) had seven catches for 90 yards and Bernaiche four receptions for 60 yards including a touchdown. Johnson topped the rushing attack with 12 carries for 44 yards while Tyler Floyd (Halifax/Halifax) had 43 yards on 13 carries.

Adam Breon (Mansfield/North Penn) had six tackles and an interception for Mansfield while freshmen David Wallace(Coplay/Parkland) and Aaron Blinn (Fairfield/Fairfield) had five tackles each. 30 Mountaineer players were credited with tackles. Joshua Schrum (Johnstown,NY/Gloversville), and Cedric Ingram (Philadelphia/Overbrook) each had an interception as Mansfield forced seven turnovers in the game.

Mansfield will host Cornell next Saturday at Karl Van Norman Field.

                               Box Score (Final)

Princeton University vs Mansfield University (Sep 19, 2009 at Mansfield University)

  Score by Quarters     1  2  3  4   Score

  -----------------    -- -- -- --   -----

  Princeton University  0  0  0  0  -  0       Record: (0-1,0-1)

  Mansfield University  6 14  6  7  - 33       Record: (1-0,1-0)

  Scoring Summary:

  1st 07:24 MANS-SFB - Desmen Johnson 4 yd run (Michael Steele kick failed), 7-35 2:24, PRINCE 0 - MANS-SFB 6

  2nd 01:06 MANS-SFB - Ryan Bernaiche 18 yd pass from Kode Plank (Michael Steele kick), 3-11 0:44, PRINCE 0 - MANS-SFB 13

      00:53 MANS-SFB - Elijah Morgan 35 yd interception return (Michael Steele kick), , PRINCE 0 - MANS-SFB 20

  3rd 06:24 MANS-SFB - Michael Steele 2 yd run (Michael Steele kick failed), 13-90 4:23, PRINCE 0 - MANS-SFB 26

  4th 13:11 MANS-SFB - Paul Frederick 3 yd run (Michael Steele kick), 5-45 1:37, PRINCE 0 - MANS-SFB 33

                                   PRINCE MANS-SFB

  FIRST DOWNS...................        7       23

  RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............   40--28   54-134

  PASSING YDS (NET).............       15      209

  Passes Att-Comp-Int...........   12-2-4  29-15-0

  TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS.....   52--13   83-343

  Fumble Returns-Yards..........      0-0      1-0

  Punt Returns-Yards............     4-61     3-38

  Kickoff Returns-Yards.........     6-59      0-0

  Interception Returns-Yards....      0-0     4-50

  Punts (Number-Avg)............   7-38.1   8-26.2

  Fumbles-Lost..................      6-3      4-1

  Penalties-Yards...............    10-79    8-100

  Possession Time...............    25:18    31:51

  Third-Down Conversions........  0 of 12  8 of 18

  Fourth-Down Conversions.......   0 of 3   1 of 4

  Red-Zone Scores-Chances.......      0-1      4-6

  Sacks By: Number-Yards........     3-25     4-25

  RUSHING: Princeton University-K. Infante 17-25; K. Thompson 3-12; M. Schoder

  3-5; Z. Sobel 3-minus 4; S. Gulland 1-minus 7; N. Moffat 5-minus 9; N. Genta

  2-minus 10; R. Addis 5-minus 15; R. Fritz 1-minus 25. Mansfield

  University-Desmen Johnson 12-44; Tyler Ford 13-43; Jason Winters 4-20;

  Daniel Ruiz IV 5-17; Lucas Bailey 2-12; Paul Frederick 3-9; Michael Steele

  2-2; J. Estremera 2-1; Zachary Sauers 1-minus 1; Kevin Valentine 1-minus 4;

  Kody Plank 9-minus 7; David Wallace 0-minus 2.

  PASSING: Princeton University-R. Addis 0-6-2-0; N. Genta 1-3-1-9; N. Moffat

  1-2-0-6; 17 0-1-1-0. Mansfield University-Kode Plank 15-27-0-209; Sean Kenny

  0-2-0-0.

  RECEIVING: Princeton University-K. Thompson 1-9; K. Infante 1-6. Mansfield

  University-Matt Gant 7-90; Ryan Bernaiche 4-60; Dominik Brown 2-16; J.

  Estremera 1-27; Lucas Bailey 1-16.

  INTERCEPTIONS: Princeton University-None. Mansfield University-Cedric Ingram

  1-3; Joshua Schrum 1-12; Adam Breon 1-0; Elijah Morgan 1-35.

  FUMBLES: Princeton University-S. Gulland 1-0; N. Genta 1-1; K. Infante 1-0;

  M. Schoder 1-0; N. Moffat 1-1; R. Fritz 1-1. Mansfield University-Desmen

  Johnson 2-0; Tyler Ford 1-0; Lucas Bailey 1-1.

  Stadium: Karl Van Norman       Attendance: 2015

  Kickoff time: 1:00 pm   End of Game: 3:50 pm   Total elapsed time: 2h 50m

  Officials: Referee: Jeff Lane; Umpire: Dirk Finely; Linesman: Rich Ferraro;

  Line judge: Ed Melillo; Back judge: Mike Zyglis; Field judge: Bill Hale;

  Side judge: Wil White; Scorer: Cody Whipple;

  Temperature: 68 F      Wind: 7mph E    Weather: Clear

 CLICK HERE TO SAMPLE PHOTOS FROM TODAY'S GAME