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THE GAME
    The Bald Eagles take to the road for the first of two straight weekends away, traveling to Slippery Rock University’s (3-5, 1-2 PSAC West) N. Kerr Thompson Stadium on Saturday, November 1, for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The game can be heard locally on WBPZ-1230 AM and online at www.nsnsports.com. 

THE SERIES
     The series advantage between Lock Haven and Slippery Rock falls on the side of the Rock, 34-12-1. Slippery Rock has won every game played since 1981 except for in 1988, when the two schools played to a 21-21 tie. 

First Meeting: 1931 - LHU 13, Slippery Rock 0
The Last Time SRU Won: 2002; 14-7 at Hubert Jack Stadium
The Last Time LHU Won: 1980; 29-7
The Last Time LHU Won at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium: 1979; 42-26
The Last Time SRU Won at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium: 2001; 21-0

THE LAST TIME VERSUS SLIPPERY ROCK
      Slippery Rock handed the Bald Eagles their first home loss of the season, taking a 14-7 win in the ninth week of action. The loss brought LHU to 4-5 overall and 1-3 in the Western Division. Slippery Rock improved to 6-3 overall and 3-1 in the West.
      The Rock’s fourth-quarter touchdown by running back Josh Kniess broke a 7-7 deadlock for the win. Slippery Rock had taken the lead in the first quarter after Josh Kniess made his way into the endzone for the first of two scores, this one from two yards out.
      Lock Haven matched SRU’s score in the second quarter on a 16-yard touchdown reception to Marcus Burkley from Tim Storino. The Bald Eagles prevented a potential Rock halftime lead by blocking a field goal, then forced Slippery Rock to turn the ball over on downs on their next two drives.
      The teams traded possessions in the third quarter, LHU blocking a SRU punt but then handing the ball back to the Rock after a blocked field goal. Slippery Rock would score as their ensuing drive extended into the fourth quarter, then held off a last-minute Haven push for the tie by intercepting a pass as the clock ran down.

SCOUTING SLIPPERY ROCK
Slippery Rock is 3-5 overall and 1-2 in the PSAC Western Division, most recently suffering a 20-3 loss on the road at Edinboro University. 
       Leading the ground game is sophomore running back Josh Kniess, who averages 51.9 yards a game and has scored three of SRU’s eight rushing touchdowns. He is backed up by senior Brandon Markus, who has scored twice and puts up an average of 41.4 yards a contest. Sophomore Mike Vernillo (24.4 ypg, 1 TD) and junior Vic Strader (16.8 ypg, 1 TD) have also played a role in the ground attack.
       The Rock has two quarterbacks, senior Chad DeVore and red-shirt freshman Luke McCaffrey. DeVore played the bulk of the Edinboro game, throwing for 89 yards on eight completions. On the season, DeVore owns a 40.0-completion percentage and has thrown for four touchdowns. McCaffrey has connected on 37-of-102 attempts (36.3 pct.) and has thrown two for touchdowns.
       Freshman receiver John Benca has caught 14 passes this season, averaging 14.9 yards per game. Junior Valdez Hails has three touchdown receptions to lead the Rock. Senior Tim Arthurs (10 recep., 27.9 ypg, 1 TD) and junior Matt Tack (9 recp., 15.6 ypg) have both also contributed to the offense.
        Defensively, Slippery Rock leads the PSAC with 26 sacks, including three against Edinboro quarterbacks last Saturday. Five Rock players have three or more sacks to their credit, a list headed up by junior defensive lineman Brian Godfrey. Godfrey has five sacks for -35 yards and also leads SRU with 10 tackles for loss among his 30 total stops. 

The LHU defense lines up in a game 
earlier this season.

THE COACHES

Lock Haven is led by fourth-year mentor Head Coach Mark Luther (Penn State, ‘92). The 2002 PSAC West Coach of the Year, Luther’s Bald Eagles went 4-7 last season -- the first four-win season since 1998.           He owns a 10-23 overall mark in three seasons at the helm of the Lock Haven gridders. Luther assumed the head role following five years of service as an LHU assistant from 1994-1998, acting as defensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator and administrative assistant to former head coach Nick Polk.

Directing the Slippery Rock forces is 16th year Head Coach George Mihalik (Slippery Rock, '74). Mihalik has spent 32 of the last 33 years in the football program at Slippery Rock, where he was a quarterback and team captain in 1973.    Mihalik took over as head coach of the team in 1987 and entered the season with a 107-54-4 record.

        Linebacker Dan Woodard leads Slippery Rock and is among conference leaders with 67 total stops, including 7.5 for loss and two sacks. Other linebackers in the mix include Jesse Kelley (32 TT, 4.5 TFL), Mike Cooper (30 TT, 4 TFL, 4 sacks) and Mike Jennings (27 TT, 6 TFL, 3 sacks).
       Safety Kevin Johnston is second on the Rock defensive chart with 45 tackles and three interceptions. Corey Lemmon, a strong safety, has 40 stops and two interceptions. Starting corner Kavin Banks has posted 39 tackles and a team-best of four interceptions. Corner Darnell Avent has 30 tackles, while another corner, Dwayne Baldwin, has posted 22 tackles and a team high of five pass breakups.
      Three defensive linemen are listed among the top of the Slippery Rock defensive chart including PSAC sacks leader and starting nose guard Brian Godfrey. Senior tackle Matt Mager has 34 tackles including six for loss and three sacks. Defensive end Louis Jamison has five tackles behind the line of scrimmage among his 33 tackles. At the opposite end is Mike Jennings, who has registered 27 tackles including six for loss.
       Back deep for kick returns is Josh Kniess, who is among conference leaders with an average return of 23.9 yards on 11 tries. Kevin Johnston (22.7 ypr) and Corey Lemmon (18.8 ypr) have also joined Kniess on return duty. Matt Tack has handled the majority of punt returns, running back 13 for an average of 4.5 yards per return. 
       Senior placekicker John Katsaouni is the conference leader with 12 field goals, including a long of 52 yards. Katsaouni is 12-for-16 on field goal attempts and 13-for-15 on point after kicks. Freshman punter Ray Rotell has taken 41 snaps for an average of 37.0 yards per kick.

BALD EAGLE NOTES...

THE OFFENSE 
        The last four touchdowns scored by Lock Haven have been through the air, three coming compliments of the new school career record holder in the category, Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills). Burkley caught seven passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns against Indiana, bringing his season totals to 40 catches, a personal career high, for 504 yards and five touchdowns. He is currently in a tie for fourth in the PSAC with 5.0 receptions per game.
       The passing game also casts senior Scott Anderson (Cortland, Ohio/Lakeview) (5 recep., 110 yds., 1 TD), who scored his first touchdown of the season last Saturday, and freshman Rafael Smith (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) (17 recep., 289 yds, 4 TDs). Senior Adam Angelici (Bethel Park/Bethel Park) (9.4 ypg, 2 TDs) and tight end Jason Walther (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown) (10.1 ypg, 1 TD) both also contribute to the air attack.
       Both Tim Storino (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park) and Troy Wile (Fayetteville/Chambersburg) saw the field against Indiana, Storino earning the start while the red-shirt freshman Wile played the entire second half. Storino has connected on 22-of-48 attempts over the course of six games played, totaling 55.5 yards per game with two touchdowns including one last Saturday. Wile owns a 55.1 completion percentage (49-of-89), averaging 79.0 yards per game along with five touchdowns thrown over six games played. 
       The Bald Eagles have not been able to generate much offense from their ground game of late, posting an average of only 51.0 yards rushing over the last three games. A trio of backs has been scrapping for whatever it can cover, however, still accounting for a season average of 119.5 yards per game. Junior Maurice Walker (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) averages 57.9 yards per game, scoring on three occasions. Sophomore Chelstan Anderson (Halifax/Halifax) (34.1 ypg, 3 TDs) and junior Justin Marshall (Luthersburg/DuBois) (22.0 ypg) have rotated with Walker to handle the bulk of the running duties. Halfback Josh Stadulis (Willow Grove/Academy of the New Church) (3.8 ypg) has also been a possible option.
       Taking care of things in the trenches are center Jason Scott (Linden/Williamsport), guards Aaron Nicklas (St. Marys/St. Marys Area) and Steve Szoboscan (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown) and tackles Kevin Scheidler (Millersburg/Millersburg Area) and Bill Cook (York/Central York). 


THE DEFENSE 
       Defensive tackle Jarrod Hendricks (Rockton/DuBois Area) (22 TT, 1 TFL) led LHU with eight stops against Indiana. Hendricks positions himself up front along with tackle Jason Kasheta (Carbondale/Carbondale Area)(10 TT, 2.5 TFL). Along side of Hendricks and Kasheta are defensive ends Dustin Shaffer (Mayport/Redbank Valley) (22 TT, 4.5 TFL) and Devin O’Rourke (Montgomery/Montgomery) (23 TT, 4.5 TFL, 2 sacks).
      Backing up the front line is a solid unit of starting linebackers which includes Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central), 13th in the PSAC with 63 total tackles and the Haven leader with nine tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Senior Dan Wissinger (Johnstown/Ferndale Area) is third among Haven defenders with 46 total tackles. Junior Charles Cannon (Braddock Hills/Woodland Hills) is currently fifth on the list with 36 stops including six for loss. 
      Strong safety Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) has 47 tackles on the season to head up the secondary. Free safety Will Jones (McKeesport/McKeesport) adds 32 tackles. The Bald Eagles will also utilize cornerbacks Matt Shealy (New Bethlehem/Redbank Valley) (16 TT, 3 PB) and Ngoyi Mukusa (Jim Thorpe/Jim Thorpe) (37 TT, 2 PB).

SPECIAL TEAMS 
  Rob Carey (23.2 ypr) and Marcus Burkley (21.5 ypr) share duties with Rafael Smith (17.2 ypr) in kickoff returns while Carey (5.6 ypr) remains LHU’s top punt returner. Carey currently rates as the PSAC’s eighth-leading kick returner, while Burkley is situated tenth on the same list.
       Danny Hagerman (Scottdale/Southmoreland) is third in the conference with seven field goals for a 0.88 per game average, his longest a 37-yard boot. He is 11-for-13 on point after kicks, and averages 33.8 yards a punt.

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