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(Slippery
Rock, Pa.) – Slippery Rock (4-5, 2-2 PSAC West) grabbed the 24-13 win
over the Bald Eagles this afternoon in N. Kerr Thompson Stadium in
Slippery Rock, Pa. The loss
knocks Lock Haven to 3-6 overall and 1-3 in the PSAC West.
The Haven was the first and the last team to score and held
numerous statistical advantages, but the middle of the game belonged to
Slippery Rock, who put up 24 unanswered points stretching from the second
through the fourth quarters. Lock
Haven owned a 20-11 advantage in first downs, put up 273 total yards to
SRU’s 229 and had a 35:27 to 24:33 advantage in time of possession.
Working against LHU were two fumbles and two interceptions, and the
offense was also pushed backwards after seven Rock sacks were recorded.
After a scoreless first period, the Bald Eagles were the first to find the
endzone on a drive initiated by a tackle for loss by Ngoyi Mukusa (Jim
Thorpe/Jim Thorpe). The Rock set up to kick a field goal on
fourth-and-five, but the holder Jason Frederick picked up the ball and
attempted instead to try for the first down with a rush. Mukusa was one
step ahead, however, stopping Frederick in his tracks to turn the ball
over to the Haven on its own 15 yardline.
Lock Haven maintained possession for over seven minutes on the
ensuing drive, working the ball down the field to get inside ten yards.
On second down from six yards out, quarterback Troy Wile
(Fayetteville/Chambersburg) spotted an opening through the middle and
took it, scoring at 12:30 in the second half to give Lock Haven the 7-0
lead.
Slippery Rock came back and progressed towards the Haven endzone
and after two broken up pass plays, settled for a 42-yard field goal by
John Katsaouni with 9:41 remaining in the opening half.
A costly Lock Haven fumble by Rafael Smith (Pittsburgh/Woodland
Hills) on the next drive led to a Slippery Rock touchdown. Brandon
Markus took the first ball 30 yards to the LHU 25-yard line, then was
stopped for no gain on his second attempt.
On second down, Chad DeVore hit Brandon Richardson open in the back
of the endzone for the touchdown and the 10-7 lead with 5:20 left in the
half.
Slippery Rock and Lock Haven exchanged the ball on turnovers over
the time remaining in the second period, both teams ending opponent drives
with interceptions. A Slippery Rock fumble was recovered by Lock Haven’s Dustin
Shaffer (Mayport/Redbank Valley) with 12 seconds left, but the Bald
Eagles were unable to do anything with it as time expired.
The Slippery Rock defense pinned the Bald Eagles deep within their
own territory near the end of the third quarter, ushering the punt at the
open of the fourth period. Danny Hagerman (Scottdale/Southmoreland)
had to kick the ball out of the Haven’s own endzone to the Rock 43-yard
line, where SRU returner Josh Kniess was waiting. Kniess cut to the right
then sliced through the oncoming defenders, breaking down the sideline and
into the endzone for the score with 14:47 left in the fourth period.
The extra point kick was good, increasing the Haven deficit to
17-7.
Momentum continued to elude the Bald Eagles later in the quarter,
the Slippery Rock defense taking down Wile as he tried to flick the ball
away. SRU’s Matt Mager
plucked the ball out of the air, running back all the way to within four
yards. Josh Kniess scored from one yard out on the third play from
scrimmage, moving the lead to 24-7 with 8:12 remaining.
As time faded, Lock Haven picked up a first down on a
roughing-the-passer penalty that moved the Bald Eagles to the Rock 15-yard
line with 1:41 remaining. Wile
took the ball on the next play for a small gain, then opted for the pass
with a 12-yard strike to Rafael Smith at 1:35 for six points. The
two-point conversion attempt failed, bringing the final tally to 24-13 in
favor of the Rock.
Despite dealing with intense pressure all game long, Wile threw for
148 yards on 16 completions and would have covered 89 yards on 13 carries
had it not been for the seven sacks against for minus 61 yards. Maurice
Walker (N. Braddock/Woodland Hills) took the ball for 91 yards on 20
carries, while Rafael Smith caught five passes for 45 yards and the
Haven’s final touchdown. Linebacker Dan Wissinger (Johnstown/Ferndale
Area) led the defense with eight stops, while fellow linebacker Derrik
Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) added seven tackles including two behind
the line of scrimmage.
The Lock Haven football team will travel to Clarion University next
Sat., Nov. 8, for a 1 p.m. contest.
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