ASU ready

for big game
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

The result of Appalachian State’s showdown with Delaware in the Football Championship Subdivision finals tonight may come down to who scores last.

Both teams, playing at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn., can score points in bunches. Appalachian State averages 42.3 points per game, has scored 79 points in one game, and beat Richmond 55-35 last Friday.

The Mountaineers boast one of the most explosive running games in the nation with quarterback Armanti Edwards and running back Kevin Richard-son capable of breaking free any time they touch the ball. Edwards has completed 139-of-207 passes for 1,750 yards and 14 touchdowns.

He’s also rushed for 1,499 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. Richardson, who set an Appalachian State record last year with 30 touchdowns, has rushed for 1,230 yards and scored 15 touchdowns this season.

Their offensive line is deep, anchored by All-American Kerry Brown, and there is plenty of depth at receiver with Hans Batichon, Dexter Jackson, CoCo Hillary, T.J. Courman and Josh Johnson available.

“This is what you try to play for,” Edwards said. “In any sports league, you’re trying to get that ring.”

It’s not like Delaware, which averages 37.3 points per game, is lacking weapons. The Blue Hens are led by quarterback Joe Flacco, who stands 6-foot-5, has a strong arm and has hit 308 of 473 passes for 3,929 yards, 22 touchdown and five interceptions. The Blue Hens have five receivers who have caught at least 37 passes, led by Aaron Love, who has 66 catches for 908 yards and three touchdowns.

However, this team can also run the football. Omar Cuff has gained 1,861 yards and scored 34 touchdowns on the ground. He’s also caught 52 passes for 513 yards and four scores. He needs two touchdowns tonight to pass Barry Sanders for the Division I record for most touchdowns scored in a season.

The Blue Hens reached the finals the hard way. Delaware lost its final two games to Richmond and Villanova, but rebounded with a 44-7 win over Delaware State, the MEAC champion.

Delaware then beat No. 1-ranked Northern Iowa, on the road, 39-27 after falling behind 10-0. The following week, they beat Southern Illinois, the Gateway Conference runner-up to Northern Iowa, 20-17 after once again falling behind 10-0.

“We’ve had two of our best road victories in our history by beating the No. 1 team and the No. 4 team,” Delaware coach K.C. Keeler said. “It’s a whatever-it-takes kind of attitude that we want to take down to Chattanooga.”

Appalachian State’s road to the finals was paved at Kidd Brewer Stadium. The Mountaineers beat CAA power James Madison 28-27 in the first round, and moved on to beat Eastern Washington 38-35 in round two.

Appalachian State, after seeing its 35-14 lead evaporate into a 35-35 tie, pulled away from Richmond to take a 55-35 victory last week.

The Mountaineers will have to face the Delaware offense without starting cornerback Justin Woazeah and backup linebacker Chris Johnson. Both were suspended by Mountaineers coach Jerry Moore.

Woazeah had a court date Thursday, where he faced charges of simple affray (fighting) and resisting a public officer. The charges stemmed from an incident back on March 30. No word was left for the reason why Johnson will not play.

It is likely that sophomore Cortez Gilbert will fill in for Woazeah.