ARCATA — It's becoming a very familiar scenario for the Humboldt State Lumberjacks and Central Washington Wildcats – big games, large crowds, and and amped-up players.
While still in the development stages, the football relationship between CWU and HSU can be aptly described as a rivalry. That association resumes Saturday when the Lumberjacks travel to face the Wildcats in a 1 p.m. Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest.
Entering the week, the Jacks and 'Cats are tied for the top spot in the conference standings, both 3-0 in GNAC games. Central Washington, the team HSU unseated as GNAC champion last year, is 3-1 overall, while the Lumberjacks remain unbeaten at 4-0.
Where the game will be played is undecided. Wildfires have raised air quality warnings to high alert level in Ellensburg, Wash., forcing the Wildcats to play last week's home game in Bothell, a town 15 miles northeast of Seattle. A decision on this week's site will be made by the end of the day Tuesday.
Head-to-Head
Humboldt State made progress last year in its quest to even the all-time series, but still has a ways to go before catching the Wildcats. HSU has won seven meetings, CWU has claimed 18, and the teams have tied once. The Lumberjacks swept last year's games, winning a 38-36 thriller on national television in Redwood Bowl, then defeating the Wildcats, 30-20, at Ellensburg later in the season.
On-the-Air
Humboldt State football can be once again heard over the airwaves on KATA, 1340 AM, the North Coast's ESPN radio affiliate. Former Lumberjack player and BiCoastal Media Sports Director J.B. Mathers describes the action and HSU Hall-of-Famer Burt Nordstrom adds commentary. Airtime is 12:45 p.m. … This week's game can also be viewed through Central Washington's live video link at
http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/cwu.portal#.
LiveStats
Fans can follow this week's statistics in real time by accessing the Central Washington LiveStats and accompanying video at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/cwu.portal#. …All Humboldt State football home games also feature LiveStats, viewable through the Lumberjacks' web site at hsujacks.com. Simply follow the link listed as LIVESTATS on the home page, or paste the following link into your browser: http://www.sidearmstats.com/humboldt/football
Injury Report
Linebacker Colton Russi is slowly recovering from a leg injury, and his status will be determined later in the week. …Defensive tackle Tonio Celotto remains unavailable with a foot injury.
GNAC Red Lion Player of the Week
Chris Campbell has been selected GNAC Red Lion Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the Lumberjacks' 49-13 win over Dixie State on Saturday. Campbell, a junior from San Diego, averaged 42.3 yards per punt during the game, played in Saint George, Utah. In the fourth quarter he launched a 48-yard punt that hit the turf with backspin and stopped dead on the Dixie State 4-yard line. …Humboldt State running back Nick Ricciardulli and linebacker Julius Evans were also recognized with Player of the Week honorable mention.
GNAC Standings 9/24/12
School GNAC Overall
|
Humboldt State |
3-0 |
4-0 |
|
Central Washington |
3-0 |
3-1 |
|
Dixie State |
2-1 |
2-2 |
|
Western Oregon |
1-2 |
1-3 |
|
Simon Fraser |
0-3 |
1-3 |
|
Azusa Pacific |
0-3 |
0-4 |
Lumberjack Notes
As they continue to win, each week has seen the Jacks move up in the national rankings. Monday's release of the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 listed the Jacks No. 9, a gain of one position in the poll. Ranked 21st in the AFCA preseason poll released Aug. 13, the Jacks moved up to 17th in the first regular season poll, 11th in the second, and stood at No. 10 a week ago. …Humboldt State is first in 12 of the 17 GNAC team statistical categories, and is making its name known among the national leaders as well. The Lumberjacks' highest national rank is fourth in sacks allowed, just a spot ahead of their No. 5 turnover margin. The Jacks' other top 10 position is scoring offense, where they're listed fifth with an average of 42.50 points scored per game. …Nick Ricciardulli broke the 100-yard barrier Saturday for the fourth time in four games, and now averages 157 yard rushing per game. That total ranks him fourth nationally. The junior from Poway is No. 15 in all-purpose yards at 172.25 per game. …Both Ricciardulli and head coach Rob Smith have repeatedly shared credit with the offensive line for the team's success on the ground. Starting tackles Brett Frydendall and Elijah Ruhl, guards Max Little and Dillon Reagan, along with center David Kulp, have been equally adept at protecting quarterback Alex Rump, who has been sacked only once in HSU's four games. …Rump has been a large, and rather surprising part of the Jacks' success. The junior quarterback ranks 18th nationally in passing efficiency with a 157.03 mark, and is still improving game by game, Smith said. "We're getting great production out of Alex every week," Smith said. "He's getting to know his receivers better each week and gaining confidence as the season moves forward." …Another player quietly contributing to the team's success is kicker Matt Bruder, who has maintained his perfection in PATs, building on his achievement of two years ago. Bruder was 44 of 44 on extra point kicks as a freshman in 2010 before using his redshirt season in 2011. He's extended his streak to 67 by converting all 23 of this year's attempts. …One of Smith's concerns heading into this weekend is the Lumberjacks' problem with penalties. Humboldt State has committed a GNAC-worst 49 infractions, and is averaging 107.8 penalty yards per game. "It remains an area we need to clean up," Smith said. "We'll get back to work on trying to improve in that area Tuesday." …One aspect of HSU's preparation for Saturday's game depends on where the game will be played. If in Ellensburg, the Jacks will be on natural grass, but the high school field in Bothell has an artificial surface.
Coaches Picks
For their performance in last week's game against Azusa Pacific, the HSU coaching staff has selected the following for team honors.
Special Teams Scout: Jeff Carnduff
Opponent Notes
Hungry veterans lead the Central Washington Wildcats, bringing experience and skill to the field. Among them is quarterback Ryan Robertson, who is in his fourth year guiding his team. "He's an extremely accurate quarterback who runs their system very well," Smith said."He's also working behind an experienced offensive line." …On defense, linebacker Stan Langlow is one of the GNAC's best at his position, Smith said. Also making his presence know is strong safety Kevin Puckett, who ranks second in league in tackles with 35. …Central Washington's running game features a pair of big-play producers in John Fogerson and Demetrius Sumler. Fogerson is second in the GNAC behind Ricciardulli with an average of 115 yards per game rushing, and Sumler was named GNAC Red Lion Offensive Player of the Week on Monday for his 148-yard, 3-touchdown performance in CWU's 41-17 win over Azusa Pacific. Both players are NCAA Division I transfers, Fogerson coming to CWU after a stint with the University of Washington, and Sumler coming over from the University of Colorado.
Smith Says
“Our players proved they can travel a long distance and remain focused. Fifty percent of the players we took to Dixie had never traveled before. That speaks to how young our team is, but they handled it very well." …"We won't have any recovery time this week, particularly when we have to prepare for the level of opponent we're facing. It'll be a short week of preparation." …"I talk about the rankings at practice and congratulate our players on it. It's nice to be recognized for what we've done, but we all know that we can quickly drop in the polls if we don't prepare appropriately and respect each opponent."
