THE PENDULUM
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2010 // PAGE 23
Elon starts SoCon schedule against
perennial power Georgia Southern
Jack Rodenfels
Senior Reporter
The first season is over, according
to football head coach Pete Lembo.
While the Elon University football
team has only played three games,
the team is getting ready for what
Lembo describes as the “second
season” — the beginning of Southern
Conference play — with a tilt against
No. 24 Georgia Southern University
at 6 p.m. Saturday in Statesboro, Ga.
In Elon’s “hrst season,” or
nonconference play, the Phoenix
finished 1-2. While not the start the
Phoenix wanted to commence the
year, Lembo is quick to point out
the level of competition the Phoenix
faced in two losses to Duke University
and the University of Richmond,
respectively, as well as a win against
Shaw University.
“The good news for our guys is that
this is the toughest nonconference
schedule we’ve ever had,” Lembo said,
noting games against an Football
Bowl Subdivision team and a top-10
matchup against the 2008 National
Champion Richmond Spiders. “We’ll
see some really good teams in the
next few weeks, and I think our prior
experience (this season) will help.”
A historic power with six Football
Championship Subdivision national
championships, Georgia Southern
comes into Saturday’s game looking
for revenge against a Phoenix team
that has defeated the Eagles in its
three prior contests.
Lembo looks back to the 2007
Phoenix tilt against the Eagles as a
defining moment that turned Elon
football into a national contender,
with an unexpected 36-33 double
overtime upset of the Eagles.
“Three or four years ago, we were
the spoilers who were sneaking up
on teams and shocking them,” Lembo
said. "Now we’re the ones with a
bulls-eye on our back."
The commencement of league
play brings parity and an extra level
of competition that Lembo said his
team is well aware of.
“I think our guys understand
when conference play rolls around,
you have to be playing your best
football.”
While the Phoenix has finished
second in the SoCon for the previous
two years, Lembo said he is coaching
his players to give that extra push
throughout the season, hoping that
it helps the Phoenix get over the
hump and win its first-ever SoCon
championship in football.
“Coach said that it’s all about
your identity,” said junior linebacker
Joshua Jones. “We’re still striving to
be the best in the conference and I
think we can be.”
Ranked No. 10 in The Sporting
News poll, the Phoenix has three
remaining contests on its schedule
against nationally ranked football
teams, starting with this weekend’s
matchup against Georgia Southern,
followed by games against No. 2
Appalachian State University and No.
23 Furman University.
Those three matchups will prove
pivotal in shaping the conference
outlook, but Lembo noted the
importance of preparing for each
team individually, rather than
looking ahead to later in the season.
“When you get into conference
play, the mentality is that ever game
is a championship game,” Lembo
said. “The league has had incredible
parity in the last few years, and you
have to know that a lot can happen
on any given weekend.”
A successful “second season” is
what coach Lembo said he hopes will
give the Phoenix momentum carrying
into a hopeful “third season” as
described by the coach, a second
straight trip to the FCS playoffs.
St/
yip.
I
FILE PHOTO
Sophomore wide receiver Aaron Mellette (left) set the Elon record for most receptions In a game
Sept. 18 against Shaw University. Mellette had 18 catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns.
5 things to look for against Georgia Southern
1. Can the Phoenix offense establish its rush attack? Against Richmond, the Phoenix ran
for just 73 yards, and 27 yards came on a run by sophomore punter John Reece for a fake
punt. The team had gained 324 yards on the ground in its first two games.
2. What will Aaron Mellette do for an encore? With a Terrell Hudgins-esque performance
(18 catches, 195 yards and two touchdowns), the sophomore wide receiver recorded the
most catches in a single game in school history. So what will Mellette do against Georgia
Southern University?
3. Can the Phoenix capture a road victory? Both Phoenix losses this season have come on
the road, and this weekend the team travels to another hostile environment in Statesboro.
The last time the team visited Georgia Southern, the Phoenix needed a last second field
goal from Andrew Wilcox to beat the Eagles.
4. Will the Phoenix find discipline? After committing 15 penalties combined in its first two
games, the Phoenix committed 11 penalties against the Spiders. What hurt more was that
five of the penalties resulted in first downs for the University of Richmond.
5. How will the team begin its conference slate? With Georgia Southern, the Phoenix will
have its first Southern Conference opponent of 2010. Last season, the team went 7-1 in
the conference, and in the seven victories the team averaged a win differential of nearly 24
points.
Sam Calvert
Sports Editor
For the second year, the Elon University men s and women s cross
country teams hosted the Elon Invitational, and for the second year, they
finished near the top. „ . . .u c * i?
Both the men and women saw second-place finishes at the Sept.
meet, finishing just behind the UNC Greensboro teams. T„cfin
The men fell short of first place by just one point, led by
Gianni and Matt Richardson, who finished third an ^ pjann,’
respectively. Both runners finished with personal-bes i
withatimeof 25:15 and Richardson with a time of 25:2b.
Senior Emily Fournier held the best finish on the women s team, wi
a time of 18:24 for fourth place, to lead the Phoenix to 37 points - nine
points behind UNCG. Three other women finished in theJop 1 ■
Allyson Oram in sixth, sophomore Chrissy Pacewicz in eighth and
Catherine Rossi in ninth. 7 in the I ouisville
The cross country teams will compete next Oct. 2 in the Louisviiie
Classic and the Hagan Stone Classic.
The men’s and women’s cross country teams both came in second
annual Elon Invitational Sept. 18, hosted by the Phoenix teams and
JULIA MURPHY I Staff Photographer
out of five teams in their second
held on the Phoenix Trails.