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THE GAME
The Lock Haven football team (1-2) will host the undefeated Mansfield University (3-0) Mountaineers on Sat., Sept. 27, under the lights at Hubert Jack Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. The game can be heard locally on WBPZ-1230 AM and online at www.nsnsports.com . 

THE SERIES
Lock Haven will defend a 39-18-4 series advantage over the Mountaineers, a match-up that dates back to 1906. Since 1980, LHU owns a 6-4-1 record in games played versus Mansfield at Jack Stadium. 

The Bald Eagles have won the last six games, most recently logging the 33-30 victory in 2002 on Van Norman Field.

The last time Mansfield won against LHU was in 1996, when the Mountaineers defeated The Haven in a low-scoring, 6-3 affair. 

First Meeting: 1906; Mansfield 29, Lock Haven 0
The Last Time MU Won: 1996, 6-3 at Hubert Jack Stadium
The Last Time LHU Won: 2002, 33-30 at Van Norman Field
The Last Time LHU Won at Hubert Jack Stadium: 2000, 24-0
The Last Time MU Won at Hubert Jack Stadium: 1996, 6-3


THE LAST TIME VERSUS VERSUS MANSFIELD
The Bald Eagles survived a fourth-quarter scare and improved to 2-2 overall with a 33-30 win over Mansfield (1-3) in the fourth week of the 2002 season. Wide receiver Marcus Burkley caught two touchdown passes, including a 60-yard strike, to help secure the victory. 

LHU took a 14-7 lead by halftime, with Burkley scoring on a 17-yard reception from Tim Storino and Rob Carey boasting a 70-yard punt return for touchdown. Mansfield’s Steve Smith caught a 15-yard pass from Travis Motley to put the Mounties on the scoreboard.

Second-half scoring included a 10-yard rush by The Haven’s Maurice Walker. Marcus Burkley broke through the defense for a 60-yard touchdown catch in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, then running back Justin Marshall powered his way into the endzone for a three-yard score to give LHU its 33 points. 
Mansfield’s Keefe Richards made a 22-yard field goal in the third, then Steve Smith posted his second touchdown of the game on a 23-yard reception in the fourth period. 

With Lock Haven leading, 33-17, a strong Mansfield challenge unfolded in the game’s final four minutes but the Mountaineers ran out of time before they could overtake the Bald Eagles. The final Mansfield points came from Arnaldo Santiago, escorting a four-yard pass from Motley into paydirt, and Smith, who tallied his third touchdown catch of the day on a 34-yard connection. 

SCOUTING MANSFIELD
The Mansfield University Mountaineers enter Jack Stadium with a 3-0 record after defeating Westminster College, 50-17. The first time since 1994 that the Mountaineers have opened the season with a 3-0 mark, Mansfield shutout its first two opponents and though it allowed Westminster 17 points in the first half, clamped down to hold them scoreless in the final two quarters.

Senior quarterback Travis Motley surpassed the 6,000 yard career passing mark last Saturday, going 12-for-18 for 265 yards and four touchdowns. On the season, he has thrown for eight touchdowns and is second in the PSAC in efficiency (157.0) and tied for second in passing yards per game (200.3). 

On the opposite end is receiver Joe Bennett, the conference leader in receiving yards per game with a 129.7 average each time out. Bennett set a new MU record and was the PSAC East Player of the Week with four touchdown catches for 210 yards against Westminster. Dan Bennett aids in the passing game, averaging 42.3 yards per game with two touchdowns.

The Mansfield ground game has also done damage to opposing defenses, in large part due to freshman running back Earnest McNeal. McNeal posted 198 yards and two scores last Saturday, and leads the PSAC with an average 151.7 yards per outing. Jason Roscoe (45.7 ypg) and Paul Garofalo (20.3 ypg) also add to the mix.

A relatively experienced front line utilizes juniors Ryan McClellan and Lucas Ingersoll at both tackle slots, senior Nick DeSantis and junior Chris Farris at guard positions along with a red-shirt freshman at center, Jamar Foulks.

Defensively, the Mountaineers go with four linebackers headlined by All-American inside linebacker Dan Holland. Holland has 27 stops on the season including 15 solo tackles. Sophomore outside linebackers Randy Reinert (13 TT) and Robert Smiley (9 TT, 2.5 TFL) join Holland as does fellow inside linebacker Andre Turner (17 TT, 1 TFL). 

Up front, junior nose guard Brian DeCecco (15 TT) leads Mansfield with four tackles for loss. Sophomore tackles Mike Donati (10 TT, 2.5 TFL) and Keith Slezak (9 TT, 2 TFL) are also on the first line of defense.

The secondary utilizes cornerbacks Ryan Geishauser (13 TT), the team leader with four pass breakups, and Ronnie Montgomery (17 TT), who has a team best three interceptions. The strong safety is Joe Frick (10 TT, 2 FF) and Daricus Haynes (10 TT) starts at free safety.

Field goal kicker Chris Negro is 0-1 and 1-for-3 in extra point attempts, while Sean Hair is 4-of-5 in point after attempts. Brandon Fields handles the punting, averaging 31.3 yards per punt.

BALD EAGLE NOTES...

THE OFFENSE 
After breaking into Bloomsburg territory only twice in the first half, the Bald Eagle offense put up 17 points in the final two quarters to overtake the Huskies. The 142 yards on the ground was the most generated this season, due primarily to the talents of junior Maurice Walker (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) and sophomore Chelstan Anderson (Halifax/Halifax). Walker leads LHU averaging 66.7 yards per game with one touchdown. Anderson, averaging 38.3 yards per game, scored versus Bloomsburg on a series of gains capped off with his one yard push up the middle for six points. 

Halfback Josh Stadulis (Willow Grove/Academy of the New Church) added 16 yards rushing and 11 on a catch against the Huskies, and is fourth on the rushing list with a 5.7 yard contribution per game. Back-up halfback Travis Diehl (Williamsport/Williamsport) (4.0 ypg) has also been a solid option. 

Signal caller Troy Wile (Fayetteville/Chambersburg Area) completed 11 of 18 pass attempts against Bloomsburg, including his first collegiate touchdown. He is currently eighth in the PSAC in pass efficiency (108.31) and average per game (93.7 ypg). On the season he owns a 59.6 completion percentage for 281 yards and a touchdown. 
The Bald Eagles can go to one of several able receivers including senior Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills). Burkley caught five passes for 43 yards last Saturday, and leads LHU receivers with 33.0 yards per game. Rafael Smith’s (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) 30 yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter was the first of his collegiate career and gave LHU the lead against Bloomsburg. Other players on the depth chart include seniors Adam Angelici (Bethel Park/Bethel Park) and Scott Anderson (Cortland, Ohio/Lakeview) along with sophomore Danson Mwaura (Leola/Conestoga Valley) and red-shirt freshman tight end Jason Walther (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown).
Manning the front line is the task of center Jason Scott (Linden/Williamsport), guards Eric Scaife (Philipsburg/Philipsburg-Osceola) and Steve Szoboscan (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown) and tackles Kevin Scheidler (Millersburg/Millersburg Area) and Bill Cook (York/Central York). 


THE DEFENSE 
The Haven defense and special teams handed the ball off to the offense in Bloomsburg territory on four occasions in the second half, creating four Huskie turnovers in the form of three interceptions and a fumble recovery on a botched BU punt return.

Linebacker Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) is tied for third on the PSAC tackles list with 29 on the season. Metz also leads LHU with two interceptions, including one with a 36-yard return that set up a Haven field goal last Saturday, and owns a share of the team high of four tackles for loss. Fellow linebacker Charles Cannon (Braddock Hills/Woodland Hills) also has four stops behind the line of scrimmage and has 17 tackles on the season. Senior outside linebacker Dan Wissinger (Johnstown/Ferndale Area) is second on the squad with 18 tackles. 

The Bald Eagle defensive line starts junior tackles Jarrod Hendricks (Rockton/DuBois Area) (6 TT, 1 TFL) and Jason Kasheta (Carbondale/Carbondale Area) (1 TT). Joining Hendricks and Kasheta are defensive ends Nathan Eck (Jersey Shore/Jersey Shore) (10 TT, 1.5 TFL) and junior Dustin Shaffer (Mayport/Redbank Valley) (7 TT, 1 TFL, 1 FR). 

Cornerbacks Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) and Ngoyi Mukusa (Jim Thorpe/Jim Thorpe) add solid support, Mukusa totaling 14 stops while Carey has 12 on the season. Strong safety Winston Alspaugh (Carlisle/Boiling Springs) (13 TT) had five tackles and provided the coverage on Bloomsburg’s indended receiver on a failed two-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game had it been successful. Free safety John Scullin (Boiling Springs/Boiling Springs) (9 TT) got his first pick of the season in the deciding fourth quarter against Bloomsburg.


SPECIAL TEAMS 
Seniors Rob Carey and Marcus Burkley continue to position themselves deep on kickoff returns and Carey takes punt return duties, forcing opponents to follow last year’s trend of redirecting the kicks away from the talented duo. 
Freshman punter/placekicker Dan Hagerman (Scottdale/Southmoreland) split the uprights from 22 yards out to add a crucial three points to LHU’s two touchdowns for its 17-point total. Hagerman was also 2-for-2 on point after kicks.

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