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(Kutztown,
Pa.) – Slippery conditions with a messy ending – the Lock Haven
University of Pennsylvania football team (0-2) lost in a 7-3 defensive
battle on the road at Kutztown University (2-0).
The Bald Eagles outgained Kutztown, 236-201, but it was the second
quarter scoring along with 15 KU stops behind the line of scrimmage and 11
combined turnovers that decided the outcome of the game.
The first quarter ended in a scoreless tie, with Lock Haven forced to
punt on its first drive while Kutztown turned over the ball on downs on its
initial possession. On its
second drive, The Haven’s Maurice Walker (North Braddock/Woodland
Hills) carted the ball into KU territory on the fourth play from
scrimmage but had it stripped and recovered by the Golden Bears at the
47-yardline. The Bears pushed
into Lock Haven’s side of the field, but the LHU defense held strong
including a stop by Charles Cannon (Braddock Hills/Woodland Hills) on
third-and-one to force the KU punt.
The Bald Eagles got a good look at Kutztown territory in the second
quarter after Cannon recovered a fumble on the punt snap at the home team’s
19 yardline. Quarterback Troy
Wile (Fayetteville/Chambersburg) was sacked on the first play from
scrimmage before a 12-yard rush by Walker brought LHU back up to within 16
yards of the endzone. Another
KU sack of Wile brought on the Haven kicking team but the 39 yard field goal
attempt by freshman Danny Hagerman (Scottdale/Southmoreland) fell
short.
The ensuing Kutztown drive would add the first points to the
scoreboard as the Bears drove from their own 22 yardline into paydirt with
7:04 remaining in the first half. A 10-yard connection from quarterback
Jeremy Copeland to Mike Conner in the back left corner of the endzone sealed
the touchdown and with the Matt Scartozzi extra point kick KU went ahead,
7-0.
Lock Haven would punt away its following possession, and Kutztown
threatened with a push into Haven territory with a long reception by Tony
Bria to the LHU 35 yardline. On
the next play, however, the Bald Eagles’ Derrik Metz (Roaring
Spring/Central) snared another potential long gain over the middle by
picking off the Copeland pass and running it across the midfield line.
Following a yardage loss from a penalty after the play, the Haven
opened up its final drive of the half from the 50 yardline. A shuffle pass
to Walker picked up 17 yards, bringing LHU to the 33 yardline.
Wile added 11 yards after eluding KU pressure, then a 10-yard
reception by Danson Mwaura (Leola/Conestoga Valley) brought the Bald
Eagles up to the 14-yard line. LHU
made it to the 10-yard line with a short gain by Burkley, but a Kutztown
sack pushed The Haven back another ten yards.
With one second remaining on the game clock, Hagerman’s second
field goal attempt of the day, this one a 37-yarder, split the uprights to
send LHU into the half down by four, 7-3.
Neither team made it across midfield in the third quarter, with both
teams punting two possessions away. Into
the final stanza, Kutztown almost added to its lead but a punt return into
the endzone was called back after an illegal block in the back.
A Lock Haven fumble turned over the ball to Kutztown at 5:23
remaining, but LHU’s Ngoyi Mukusa (Jim Thorpe/Jim Thorpe) returned
the favor with the interception at 1:38 to give the Bald Eagles one more
shot at the come-from-behind victory.
Tim Storino (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park), entering the game as the
back-up for Wile, scrambled for the 13-yard gain on the first play from
scrimmage, bringing LHU to its own 46 yard line.
A 19-yard pass reception by Mwaura brought the Bald Eagles onto the
KU side of field, and rushes of nine and eight yards by Walker brought the
ball to the KU 27 yard line with two yards to go for the first down.
On fourth-and-two, Storino attempted to connect with Mwaura again but
the ball fell dead, turning over the ball on downs at 0:24 remaining to wrap
up the game at 7-3 in favor of the Golden Bears.
LHU’s Maurice Walker earned 99 yards on 26 carries to pace the
ground game, while Marcus Burkley totaled 38 yards on four catches.
Starting quarterback Troy Wile went 8-for-15 for 65 yards, while
backup Tim Storino was 3-for-9 with 39 yards.
Linebackers Derrik Metz and Charles Cannon led the defensive charts,
Metz totaling eight stops and an interception with a 30 yard return. Cannon added five stops and a fumble recovery.
Kutztown’s Tony Bria had 93 yards on the rush, while quarterback
Copeland had 10 completions for 85 yards including the deciding touchdown.
The Bear defense handed LHU a total of 15 stops behind the line of
scrimmage, including five by Tim Krusen.
Linebacker Greg Mitchell was the game leader with 11 tackles,
including two for loss, and Yusef Turner added 10 stops.
Lock Haven (0-2) will be at home next Saturday, September 20, for its
Jack Stadium opener against Bloomsburg University (1-1).
###LHU###
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