A.J. Kizekai
Bison fans have been sold on freshman running back A.J. Kizekai since his first carry. Late in the fourth quarter of a blowout loss to Richmond earlier this season, Kizekai took his first collegiate handoff from quarterback Terrance Wilson, slid through one tackler at the line of scrimmage, broke another tackle, and outran the rest of the Spider defense on his way to the end zone for a 36-yard score. Kizekai finished with a team-high 57 yards on the day, impressive considering he only touched the ball five times.
The former Rhode Island player of the year currently leads his team in touchdowns with four and will most likely become the team’s leading rusher this week with the current leader, junior Josh DeStefano, out with a back injury.
Although he still needs to grow into his 5-foot-9, 170-pound frame, Kizekai has speed to burn. The 2006 55-meter dash indoor track champion of Rhode Island has already made a habit of whizzing past would-be tacklers. Against Marist on Sept. 30, the Monrovia, Liberia native turned two simple option pitches into a pair of 35-yard sprints to the end zone. The most challenging task for the Georgetown defense on Saturday will not be to figure out where the ball is going, but to corral the fleet-footed Kizekai.
Dorian Petersen
In what has been so far a rebuilding year for the Bucknell defense, senior linebacker Dorian Petersen has been the foundation on which to build.
The co-captain has provided much-needed veteran leadership on a unit that starts three freshmen. “Everyone contributes, but he is definitely our leader on defense,” Bison Head Coach Tim Landis said of his unit’s middle man.
Petersen knows what it is like to be counted on at an early age. He started the final two games of the 2003 season and was the only member of his freshman class to start a game on defense. Since the Lehigh game on Oct. 23, 2004, Petersen has only missed one game. He has finished the last two seasons as the team’s second-leading tackler and is currently first with 53 midway through the 2006 campaign.
The native of Rahway, N.J. has forced two fumbles this year to go along with three career interceptions. Of all the highlight reel hits he has made over his four year career in Lewisburg, perhaps his finest moment came on Nov. 12 against Colgate. On the first play from scrimmage, Petersen stepped in front of a Mike Saraceno pass and raced 32 yards for a touchdown. Given their propensity for turnovers, Georgetown backs and receivers must be on the lookout tomorrow for big No. 49.
– Harlan Goode
