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Bentley University Pre-Game Story

WALTHAM, Mass. - The Mercyhurst University football team departed for suburban Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday afternoon as it gets set to open the 2013 season against the Falcons of Bentley University. Kickoff from Bentley Stadium is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. It marks the first meeting between the two schools.

The Lakers will be beginning the program's 33rd season of collegiate football on Saturday afternoon, with Mercyhurst winning 22 of the first 32 season openers in program history. However, the Lakers are just 5-6 in season openers under 12th-year head coach Marty Schaetzle, including a 59-42 loss at Notre Dame College last August.

Mercyhurst, predicted to finish second in the PSAC West and receiving votes in the first AFCA Division II poll of the season, is 10-7 against first-time opponents since Schaetzle took over the reins back in 2002. The Lakers went 2-0 last season against first-time opponents - a 45-7 win at Millersville last September and a 52-45 win over East Stroudsburg to conclude the 2012 season. Since joining the PSAC back in 2008, Mercyhurst is 8-5 against first-time opponents, which includes a 5-2 mark against non-conference foes.

The Lakers are coming off of a 9-2 season last year and were co-champions of the PSAC Western Division. Entering 2012, the Lakers were predicted to finish fifth in the PSAC West, but after a 40-7 rout of California (Pa.) on November 3, Mercyhurst claimed a share of the PSAC West crown. The Lakers and Indiana (Pa.) had identical 6-1 conference marks, but, since IUP won the head-to-head matchup, Mercyhurst did not have an opportunity to win its second conference title in three seasons.

After a 59-42 loss in the season opener at Notre Dame College, Mercyhurst rattled off six straight victories before the loss at IUP. After that contest, the Lakers won three straight to close the season, including a 52-45 win in the season finale against East Stroudsburg.

The nine victories tied the program-record for most regular season victories and marked the second-highest total in program history, one shy of the ten the team won in 2010 when it captured the PSAC Championship and advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals. Over the last three seasons, the Lakers have gone 23-12.

With the 52 points scored against East Stroudsburg, the 2012 squad established a new school record with 369 points scored, breaking the record of 354 set in 2010. The Lakers also averaged 33.5 points per game last season - another new record. The 2007 team held the record at 32.1 per game.

Mercyhurst returns several key pieces to this year's squad, led by the reigning PSAC West Freshman of the Year, redshirt sophomore running back Brandon Brown-Dukes, who arguably had the best season by a running back in school history after rushing for 1,295 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2012. Joining Brown-Dukes in the backfield is senior Allen Jones II, who earned All-PSAC Second Team honors last season. Also, 2013 marks the return of redshirt sophomore Richie Sanders, who earned PSAC West Freshman of the Year honors in 2011 before missing all of 2012 with a shoulder injury.

Also in the backfield is senior fullback Jeff Groene, who earned All-PSAC Second Team honors in 2011. While not a threat to run the football, he is a major piece of the Laker passing game in both blocking and receiving.

Senior defensive lineman Dustin Galich returns after earning PSAC West Second Team honors in both 2011 and 2012.

Senior placekicker/punter Steven Wakefield returns after earning All-PSAC West Second Team accolades at both positions last season. Wakefield is already the school's all-time leading scorer as a kicker.

Finally, 2013 also marks the return of redshirt junior tight end R.J. Miller, who earned All-PSAC Second Team honors in 2011. He sat out all of 2012.

Bentley, meanwhile, is coming off of an 8-2 campaign in 2012, with both losses decided by a total of eight points. A member of the Northeast-10 Conference, the Falcons were predicted to finish third in the conference in this season's preseason coaches poll. In 25 seasons of varsity football, the Falcons are 21-4 in season openers, including 11-2 in home contests.

Kickoff from Bentley Stadium is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. Mercyhurst's radio station, WMCE 88.5 FM, will have all of the action from Waltham, Massachusetts, beginning with the pre-game show at 11:45 a.m.