1997
Team reaches playoffs for first time
South Region - First Round, November 22
Trinity (Texas) 44, Catholic 33
Note: Only 16 of 217 Division III schools that field
football teams are invited to the national tournament.
1997 Results (10-1)
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 6 | at Greensboro | W, 49-7 |
| Fourth straight season-opening win under Coach Clark; 544 yards total offense; QB Ricca 27-37, 362 yds, 6 TD (school record); WR Clay 15 rec, 210 yds, 4 TD (ties own school record); RB Notarfrancesco 98 yards rushing, 1 TD; WR Tan & TE Ayers catch first career TDs. | ||
| Sept. 13 | at Bridgewater | W, 35-0 |
| First shutout in 13 games; 581 yards total offense; QB Ricca 23-36, 371 yds - 285 in first half, 3 TD; WR Clay 9 rec, 124 yds, 2 TD; WR Briggs 7 rec, 142 yds, all in first half; defense allows just 103 yards total offense. | ||
| Sept. 20 | at Randolph-Macon | W, 34-21 |
| QB Ricca 18-27, 232 yds, 2 TD; WR Clay 15 rec, 187 yds, 2 TD; RB Notarfrancesco 156 yards rushing, 3 TD; DE Change 2 sacks for 20 yards in losses; DB DeBenedictis team-high 8 tackles; DB Thornton key interception. | ||
| Sept. 27 | Dickinson | W, 35-6 |
| 509 yards total offense; QB Ricca 22-28, 358 yds, 3 TD; WR Clay 12 rec, 177 yds, 1 TD; RB Notarfrancesco 98 yards rushing, 2 TD; Defense allows just 190 yards total offense & records nine tackles for losses; LB Cowan 9 tackles. | ||
| Oct. 4 | Franklin & Marshall (Family Weekend) | W, 35-21 |
| Cardinals start 5-0 for first time since 1939 Sun Bowl season; QB Ricca 17-24, 160 yards, 2 TD; WR Clay 8 rec, 89 yds, 1 TD; RB Notarfrancesco 116 yards rushing, 2 TD; WR J. Jones 2 TD; LBs Cowan & Hee 1.5 sacks each. | ||
| Oct. 11 | at La Salle (Div. I-AA) | W, 61-21 |
| 6-0; school-record 759 yards total offense; QB Ricca 29-39, 472 yards (school record), 6 TD (ties own school record); WR Clay 17 rec, 310 yards, 4 TD (ties own school record); RB Notarfrancesco 195 yards rushing (career high); DE Change 6 tackles, 4 for losses. | ||
| Oct. 18 | at FDU-Madison | W, 51-14 |
| 7-0; QB Ricca 17-28, 313 yards, 4 TD; WR Clay 11 rec, 169 yards, 1 TD; WR Hunter 2 rec, 90 yards, 1 TD; RB Notarfrancesco 103 yards rushing, 2 TD; DB Willie 2 INT, DB Anderson blocked punt recovered for TD; LB Hee 9 tackles, 1.5 sacks; DB DeBenedictis 10 tackles. | ||
| Oct. 25 | Hampden-Sydney (Homecoming) | W, 40-10 |
| 8-0; QB Ricca 25-34, 301 yards, 3 TD; WR Clay 14 rec, 211 yds, 3 TD, second in Div. III history to catch 100 passes in a season; RB Notarfrancesco 163 yards rushing, 3 TD, fourth Cardinal to rush for 1,000 yards; DB Willie INT, fumble recovery. | ||
| Nov. 8 | Thiel | W, 42-0 |
| School-record 9th win; WR Clay 7 rec, 44 yards, TD, sets Division III record for receptions in a season with 108; QB Ricca 2 passing TD, 2 rushing TD; RB Notarfrancesco 116 yards rushing, 2 TD; WR Briggs 5 rec, 60 yards, TD; DE Change 9 tackles; DB Thornton INT, 2 passes broken up. | ||
| Nov. 15 | Albright | W, 44-22 |
| Cardinals finish regular season undefeated for first time in school history; QB Ricca 267 yards, 4 TD; WR Clay ends season with two Div. III records: receptions in a seasons (112) and touchdown receptions in a season (20); WR Briggs 3 rec, 99 yards, 2 TD; RB Notarfrancesco 178 yards rushing, 2 TD, 6th-straight 100-yard rushing game; LB Hee 14 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 tackles for losses; DB Willie 2 fumble recoveries. | ||
| Nov. 22 | at Trinity - NCAA Div. III Playoffs | L, 44-33 |
| Cardinals have 10-game winning streak snapped and lose for the first time under Coach Clark when scoring first (23-1); most points given up all season; CU leads 33-24 midway through third quarter; 519 yards total offense; QB Ricca 411 yards, 4 TD: WR Clay 17 rec, 247 yards, 4 TD, sets Div. III playoff single-game record for receptions and ties record for TD catches; Briggs 7 rec, 98 yards; LB Cowan & DE Change 8 tackles each. | ||
Home games in bold
1997 FINAL REGULAR SEASON NCAA DIV. III FOOTBALL
STATISTICS:
INDIVIDUAL:
| Category | Player | Rank | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receptions Per Game | Jeff Clay | 1st | 11.2 receptions per game |
| Receiving Yards Per Game | Jeff Clay | 1st | 162.5 yards per game |
| Total Offense | Kevin Ricca | 3rd | 320.0 yards per game |
| Passing Efficiency | Kevin Ricca | 3rd | 183.9 rating points |
| Scoring | Andrew Notarfrancesco | 9th | 13.0 points per game |
| Scoring | Jeff Clay | 11th | 12.0 points per game |
| Rushing | Andrew Notarfrancesco | 20th | 130.7 yards per game |
| All-Purpose Yards | Jeff Clay | 25th | 165.2 yards per game |
TEAM:
| Category | Rank | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Total Offense | 5th | 489.4 yards per game |
| Scoring Offense | 6th | 42.6 points per game |
| Passing Offense | 8th | 310.4 yards per game |
| Rushing Defense | 13th | 80.2 yards per game |
| Scoring Defense | 14th | 12.2 points per game |
| Total Defense | 15th | 248.3 yards per game |
1997 POSTSEASON HONORS:
Melberger Award (Div. III Player of the
Year):
Jeff Clay, WR (Finalist)
Photo at left
American Football Coaches Association (AFCA)
All-America Team:
Jeff Clay, WR (First Team)
Hewlett Packard All-America Team:
Jeff Clay, WR (First Team)
Tony Faison, OT (First Team)
Kevin Ricca, QB (Second Team)
Don Hansen's Football Gazette All-America
Team:
Jeff Clay, WR (First Team, Receiver of the Year)
Tony Faison, OL (First Team)
Andrew Notarfrancesco (Honorable Mention)
Kevin Ricca, QB (Second Team)
Don Hansen's Football Gazette All-South
Region:
Richard Change, DE (Second Team)
Jeff Clay, WR (First Team)
Tony Faison, OL (First Team)
Andrew Notarfrancesco, RB (First Team)
Kevin Ricca, QB (First Team)
ECAC Southern Region All-Stars:
Jeff Clay, WR
Tony Faison, OL
Kevin Ricca, QB (Player of the Year)
1997 REGULAR SEASON HONORS:
Nov. 22 vs. Trinity (Texas):
WR Jeff Clay (Football Gazette Co-National Offensive Player of the
Week)
Nov. 15 vs. Albright:
LB Brian Hee (ECAC South Region Defensive Player of the Week)
QB Kevin Ricca (ECAC South Region Offensive Player of the Week)
Nov. 8 vs. Thiel:
RB Andrew Notarfrancesco (ECAC South Region Weekly Honor Roll)
DE Richard Change (ECAC South Region Weekly Honor Roll)
Oct. 25 vs. Hampden-Sydney:
DB Darrell Willie (ECAC South Region Defensive Player of the Week,
USA III Football National Weekly Honor Roll)
WR Jeff Clay (ECAC South Region Weekly Honor Roll, USA III Football
National Weekly Honor Roll)
Oct. 18 vs. Fairleigh
Dickinson-Madison:
LB Brian Hee (ECAC South Region Weekly Honor Roll)
Oct. 11 vs. La Salle (Div. I-AA):
QB Kevin Ricca (Football Gazette Co-National Offensive Player of
the Week, USA III Football NationalOffensive Player of the Week,
ECAC South Region Weekly Honor Roll)
WR Jeff Clay (Football Gazette Co-National Offensive Player of the
Week)
Oct. 4 vs. Franklin &
Marshall:
LB Mike Cowan (ECAC South Region Weekly Honor Roll)
Sept. 27 vs. Dickinson:
QB Kevin Ricca (ECAC South Region Offensive Player of the Week, USA
III Football National Weekly Honor Roll)
Sept. 20 vs. Randolph-Macon:
WR Jeff Clay (ECAC South Region Weekly Honor Roll)
DE Richard Change (ECAC South Region Weekly Honor Roll)
RB Andrew Notarfrancesco (USA III Football National Weekly Honor
Roll)
Sept. 13 vs. Bridgewater (Va.):
QB Kevin Ricca (ECAC South Region Offensive Player of the Week, USA
III Football National Weekly Honor Roll)
NG Dick Richardson (ECAC South Region Weekly Honor Roll)
Sept. 6 vs. Greensboro:
WR Jeff Clay (Football Gazette National Offensive Player of the
Week, USA III Football National Offensive Player of the Week, ECAC
South Region Offensive Player of the Week)
