Last week, Slippery Rock edged Edinboro, 38-31, in overtime. Here’s a video interview with Rock head coach George Mihalik after the game.
The Scots (3-4, 2-3) play PSAC West rival Mercyhurst (6-2, 4-1) Saturday at noon while Slippery Rock (4-4, 3-2) plays at No. 13-ranked California (Pa.) (7-1, 5-0).
It’s as plain as day.
To remind its players the importance of beating Slippery Rock, Edinboro has been placing a sizable rock painted green on display in its football office for years.
Slippery Rock’s school colors are green and white.
The Scots face this PSAC West rival Saturday at 2 p.m. at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium in Slippery Rock.
Wonder if the Rock have some sort of symbol in their football office to remind their players how big this game is?
“We don’t have any symbol,” Rock coach George Mihalik said. “It’s tough to put a person dressed as a Scot in your office.”
To Mihalik, Edinboro itself is enough motivation.
“We don’t need a reminder,” he said. “All we know is it’s Edinboro. That’s enough of a reminder. We better show up and be ready to play. We know year in and year out it’s a physical game and it’s a four-quarter game.”
– Duane Rankin
If Akeem Satterfield and Slippery Rock lose Saturday, they will have three loses and most likely won't make the playoffs./Photo by Jack Hanrahan/Erie Times-News
This is the deal.
The winner of Saturday’s PSAC title game between Slippery Rock (8-2) and Kutztown (9-1) will likely make the NCAA Division II playoffs.
The loser? Uh oh.
In the past three years since the PSAC reinstated the championship game, the winner and loser has made it to the playoffs, but the odds of the loser getting in this time aren’t high.
Now both coaches – Slippery Rock’s George Mihalik and Kutztown’s Raymond Monica – are both griping about the loser not getting in.
Focus should solely be on winning, but I see their point and so does the PSAC.
Commissioner Steve Murray said he’ll look into the game if the loser doesn’t make the playoffs, but doesn’t plan on making a knee jerk reaction and cancel the game.
Still, looks like Murray better find some magnifying glasses.
George Mihalik was more than just upset today – and his team won.
The longtime Slippery Rock coach had words with the referees after Slippery Rock erased a 17-point deficit to win 24-23 at Edinboro.
Mihalik’s biggest gripe was about how Edinboro scored its second touchdown to take a 13-3 halftime lead. To keep himself out of the PSAC commissioner Steve Murray’s doghouse, Mihalik made the following point about the play:
“Let me phrase this and you can print it exactly,” he said. “No comment on the call. That tells you what I think of it.”
Late in the first half, Kevin Sanders caught pass and was being driven back by a host of Edinboro defense. Sanders’ forward progressed was clearly stopped, but Edinboro freshman cornerback Devin Ghafoor came in and ripped the ball out.”
Freshman safety Veuntrae Robinson picked the ball up and scored from 17 yards out.
Mihalik lost it.
Jake Wickline had a team-high eight tackles today for Slippery Rock.
Wearing dark shades and a big smile, Slippery Rock senior linebacker Jake Wickline couldn’t have been happier this afternoon.
Wickline returned to the place he once played and left with a 24-23 win at Edinboro’s Sox Harrison Stadium.
“A great win,” Wickline said. “To come up here on their homecoming, come down to the wire and win like that, that was a great win.”
Wickline transferred to Slippery Rock from Edinboro after playing three seasons for the Scots. He transferred in part to be closer to his home of Beaver Falls after his dad died last year at the age of 52.
Wickline’s aunt passed away at the age of 56 in March of this year.
However, Rock coach George Mihalik had to convince Edinboro to release Wickline so he could transfer to Slippery Rock.
Today couldn’t get here soon enough for Wickline.
“I’ve been waiting for this day,” he said. “Real excited. Been circled on my calendar for over a year now since I went to Slippery Rock to come back here. So yeah, I was real excited.”
Wickline, who led Edinboro in tackles in 2009, had a team-high eight tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and interception.
“Our defense is ranked No. 1 in the nation for a reason,” Wickline said. “Straight up and we all believed and it was a total team effort. To come out and have a pick and another pick and another pick and then to have a fumble recovery. And then to have our offense come back and score when we really needed them, that was a total team effort. Just glad to be a part of it.”
He's at Slippery Rock now, but here's senior linebacker Jack Wickline (No. 28) in an Edinboro uniform back in 2008 making a tackle against Gannon's Anthony Weaver./ETN file photo.
They’re still on opposite ends.
Sophomore Kellen O’Neill was once at Slippery Rock, but transferred to Edinboro. Senior Jake Wickline was once at Edinboro, but transferred to Slippery Rock.
According to Rock coach George Mihalik, it will not have any bearing of what takes place between these PSAC West rival schools Saturday at Sox Harrison Stadium with the Scots (4-1, 1-1) take on the Rock (4-1, 2-0).
“When Kellen was here, he gave us a great effort,” Mihalik said. “He was a team guy so he just felt it was a better situation at Edinboro. So no problems. We released him. That happens. That doesn’t enter into any issues.
“We’re going to prepare for Edinboro as we always would. There is no problem with the fact that Kellen is at Edinboro. Hey, you just want the best for young men wherever they feel they can have the most success. You want to try to accommodate their request.”
