BALD EAGLES MET WITH 37-14 SETBACK AT EDINBORO
Lock Haven Falls on the Road in Season Finale

(Edinboro, Pa.) – The Lock Haven University (4-7, 1-5 PSAC West) Bald Eagles met with a 37-14 loss on the muddy Edinboro University (5-6, 2-4 PSAC West) gridiron this afternoon to wrap up the 2002 campaign.
            The Fighting Scots held Lock Haven to a paltry eight yards rushing despite 147 yards passing, while Edinboro boasted two 100-yard rushers in Alonzo Roebuck and Brandon Munson for a total 270 yards on the ground in addition to 164 through the air.
            The scoreboard showed a 7-7 tie following the close of the first quarter.  Edinboro’s Alonzo Roebuck took the ball on a sweep to the left from 12 yards out and pushed into the endzone at 6:05 into the game. The extra point by Geoff Heyl was good to give the Fighting Scots the 7-0 lead.  Towards the close of the stanza with Edinboro ready to punt, Jarrod Hendricks (Rockton/DuBois) got in to block Sean McNicholas’ kick and the ball bounced up to the right.  LHU’s Nate Eck (Jersey Shore/Jersey Shore) scooped up the loose ball at the Edinboro 16-yard line and escorted it into paydirt with 0:14 remaining in the period. The point after by Greg Knauss (Laurys Station/Parkland) split the uprights to tie up the game at 7-7.         

Scott Anderson makes the catch and 
scrambles for more yards;
Dave Mottin makes the tackle on special teams

            The Edinboro defense did the work for the next score, as linebacker Nick Roth intercepted Tim Storino’s (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park) pass at the LHU 21-yard line and ran it back to within four of the goal line.  Roebuck took the pitch right and then slid back inside on the first play from scrimmage for the three-yard touchdown scamper at 12:13 in the second quarter.  Two possessions later, the Scots pushed the ball back downfield capped off by a Brandon Munson two-yard touchdown run with 5:08 remaining in the half.  
            On the following series, The Haven punched the ball into EUP territory on a 32-yard pass play to Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills). Dario Camacho picked off Storino’s next pass, however, at the Edinboro 10-yard line to silence the cheers of the LHU sideline.  The subsequent Scot drive marched all the way to into the redzone, but the Bald Eagle pass defense saved the score.  Jim Hanzely (DuBois/DuBois) knocked the ball away at the five-yard line on 1^st and 10, then Rob Carey grabbed his third interception of the season at the five-yard line to end the Boro push as the clock ran out before intermission.
            A 42-yard field goal compliments of Heyl at the 7:40 mark in the third quarter boosted the Fighting Scot lead to 24-7. Later that quarter, the Scots assembled an 80-yard drive polished off with an eight-yard touchdown reception from Justin Bouch to Sean Hess to up the margin to 31-7 in favor of the home team.
          The Haven answered with a long drive, sparked by a 40-yard diving reception by Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) to bring the ball forward to the EUP 24-yard line.  Another diving catch over the middle by Ryan Lightner (Elizabethtown/Lower Dauphin) brought the Bald Eagles to within one yard.  After two thwarted attempts to push into the endzone, Lock Haven’s Justin Marshall (Luthersburg/DuBois) finally pounded the ball up the middle and into paydirt.  The good point after by Knauss decreased the deficit to 31-14, in favor of the Fighting Scots.
         The Fighting Scots got on the board twice more on successful field goals by Geoff Heyl from 33 and 27 yards out to complete game scoring, handing the visiting Bald Eagles the 37-14 loss.
       With a virtually non-existent running game on the muddy terrain, the Bald Eagles had five players with receptions, including Scott Anderson (Cortland, Ohio/Lakeview) with two for 37 yards.  Storino completed six passes on the day for 147 yards with three interceptions.  Defensively, linebackers Jon Nalewak (Shamokin/Shamokin Area) and Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) paced LHU with 12 and 10 stops, respectively.  Metz added two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.  
          Edinboro’s Roebuck and Munson each piled up 100-yard games, Roebuck posting 131 yards and two scores while Munson had 110 yards and one touchdown.  Quarterback Justin Bouch added 157 yards on 12-for-18 passing with one score.  Eugene Grooms led the way with six stops, while Chris Wiggins added five tackles.

###LHU###

LOCK HAVEN GRIDDERS SUCCUMB TO CLARION, 34-3

(Lock Haven, Pa.) – A 20-point fourth quarter gave the visiting Clarion University Golden Eagles (7-3, 3-2 PSAC West) just enough to edge by Lock Haven University (4-6, 1-4 PSAC West) this afternoon as the Bald Eagles went down in their final home contest, 34-31.  Clarion quarterback Adam Almashy dodged the would-be Lock Haven tacklers with three and a half minutes to go and broke for a 55-yard touchdown run to secure enough of a lead for the victory. 
            It was a big offensive battle for both squads, with Lock Haven posting its highest output of the season with 411 net yards while Clarion’s 560 yards was second only to 561 posted in a win over Glenville State earlier this year.  
            The scoring started early, as the Bald Eagles took the opening kickoff and worked into Clarion territory thanks to a 38-yard pass from Tim Storino (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park) to Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) and a 27-run by Melvin Kirby (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills).  The Haven would settle for the field goal, and the kick by freshman Greg Knauss (Laurys Station/Parkland) was good from 35-yards out for the 3-0 Lock Haven lead. 

(above) LHU's Justin Marshall clears a pile 
of would-be defenders just before scoring in 
the second quarter;
(below) LHU defenders make the stop.

             As would have the pattern most of the scoring in the game took, Clarion answered on their first possession with a 65-yard drive including a 25-yard run by Robert Walker. Walker completed the Golden Eagle push with a two-yard touchdown scamper and with the good extra point kick Clarion took the 7-3 advantage. 
            Clarion halted the next Haven drive with an interception by James Charles at the CU10-yard line.  LHU fought back on Clarion’s third play, however, as Jon Nalewak (Shamokin/Shamokin Area) forced Adam Almashy to fumble the ball which The Haven recovered at the 31-yard line. This time another deep drive was thwarted by Clarion, who stopped the Bald Eagles within two yards of paydirt.  
            The Bald Eagles scored the only points of the second quarter early, as running back Justin Marshall (Luthersburg/DuBois) shook off his defender then jetted 26 yards up the middle of the field into the endzone for the 10-7 lead at intermission. 
            Both teams posted scores in the third frame.  Clarion’s Kareem Shelton carted the ball 15 yards into the endzone at 2:22 remaining. Lock Haven returned the favor on its next drive as David Mottin (Snow Shoe/Bald Eagle Area) crossed into the endzone on a two-yard push up the middle for the score set up in the preceding play by a 41-yard reception by Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills). 
            Clarion took the largest lead of the game early in the fourth quarter on two consecutive touchdowns, the first a six-yard dash by Brandon Sweeney and the second on a fumble recovery/return by Zach Gourley. On that score, the Lock Haven drive was initiated by a fumble recovery, but on the first play from scrimmage at the LHU 18-yard line, quarterback Tim Storino could not escape Clarion pressure and was sacked by Troy Bowers, causing the ball to pop loose.  Gourley picked up the loose ball at the 11-yard line and escorted it into the right corner of the endzone to give Clarion the 28-17 lead. 
            Not to be outdone, Lock Haven had yet another answer as Storino completed a pass to Burkley, who brought the ball down along the right sideline then out-ran several defenders for the 52-yard touchdown reception with 5:02 on the clock.  A failed two-point conversion brought the score to 28-23 in favor of Clarion. 
      True to the flow of the game, Clarion’s Almashy came back on the next possession and saw a brief opening to his left and capitalized, taking the ball on his own and running it through 55 yards for the score.  The Golden Eagle two-point attempt was ruled no good, as an illegal touching violation nullified the play. 
        Lock Haven used up two minutes on its next drive, moving the ball 62 yards on seven plays topped off with an 11-yard pass from Storino to Scott Anderson (Cortland, Ohio/Lakeview).  This time the LHU two-point conversion was successful, with Justin Marshall coming up with the ball in the endzone to cut the deficit to three, 34-31. 
       The Bald Eagles then held Clarion and forced them to punt.  Clarion’s Ken Crawford pinned the Bald Eagles back at their own eight-yard line, however, and despite clawing their way into Clarion territory, LHU was unable to score on the drive and turned the ball over on downs with just 11 seconds remaining.
       Lock Haven’s Marcus Burkley posted his first 100-yard game of the season, totaling 124 yardds on five catches and a touchdown.  Tim Storino had his best outing, throwing for 290 yards on 15-of-31 passing with two scores.  On the ground, Justin Marshall paved the way with 61 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. Defensively, linebacker Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) became the first Bald Eagle since 1995 (Brad Payne/166) to register a 100-tackle season.  Metz had nine stops on the day, bringing his season total to 108 tackles.  Jon Nalewak led LHU with 13 tackles, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. 
         Clarion’s Adam Almashy and running back Robert Walker led the way for the Golden Eagles.  Almashy posted 163 yards and a touchdown rushing to lead CU, and also added 66 yards on 6-for-12 passing.  Walker went 151 yards on 16 carries along with a score.  Clarion defenders were led by strong safety Zach Gourley (6 TT), who also scored on the fumble recovery.  Safety Emil Johnson added six stops, while defensive end George O’Brien had five including two for loss and one sack.
          Lock Haven travels to Edinboro University for its final contest of the season on Sat., Nov. 16, with a 1 p.m. kickoff in Sox Harrison Stadium.  Clarion will host Slippery Rock University, also with a 1 p.m. start time.

###LHU###

LHU FOOTBALL FALLS TO SLIPPERY ROCK, 14-7|
Three Game Win Streak at Jack Stadium Snapped in Loss

(Lock Haven, Pa.) – The Bald Eagles (4-5, 1-3 PSAC West) stumbled, 14-7, against Slippery Rock University (6-3, 3-1 PSAC West) in conference action this afternoon at Hubert Jack Stadium.  It was Lock Haven’s first loss at home this season, and also knocks LHU down to 1-3 in the PSAC Western Division.
        With the game deadlocked at 7-7 entering the fourth quarter, The Rock took over to end things on top.  Starting on a blocked field goal by Brian Godfrey, Slippery Rock took over on its own 45-yard line just over two minutes into the fourth stanza. A roughing the passer call on the Bald Eagles brought SRU into Haven territory.  A series of rushes by Josh Kniess drew SRU to the 13-yard line, then quarterback Jeff Valentino found a gap and broke for the endzone before he was stopped at the one-yard line.  One play later, Kniess sliced to the right and into the paydirt unharmed for the game-winning score with 9:23 left on the clock.
            Slippery Rock opened game scoring on their second drive in the first quarter, covering 86 yards on 11 plays capped off with Kniess’s first touchdown run on a two-yard scamper.  The turning point of the drive came as SRU made good on a threat to cross into Lock Haven’s side of the field with a 39-yard pass from Valentino to Ryan McKavish.  The touchdown came four plays later as SRU jumped out to the 7-0 lead.  
            The second quarter brought the game back to a tie, as Lock Haven matched SRU’s points and then kept the Rock from increasing its lead with big defensive stops.  Taking over at their own 33-yard line, quarterback Tim Storino (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park) found John Caldwell (Va. Beach, Va./Fork Union M.A.) open across the middle for a 19-yard connection to move into SRU territory.  Three successive carries by Maurice Walker (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) brought LHU up to within 31 yards.  LHU gained a critical advantage on an SRU personal foul, which marched the Bald Eagles up to the SRU 16-yard line. On the next snap, Storino had just enough time to connect with Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) who carted the ball safely into the endzone to knot the game at 7-7.

Marcus Burkley (above) scores
 in the second quarter to 
tie up the ball game at 7-7;

(below) Jon Nalewak and 
Jim Hanzely combine
 for the stop.

              Second quarter defense was key in keeping LHU close, as Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) blocked a Slippery Rock field goal on SRU’s first drive, while the Bald Eagle defense forced two turnovers on downs in the next two possessions including one deep at the Haven five-yard line.   
            A scoreless third quarter drew to a close just as LHU’s John Scullin (Boiling Springs/Boiling Springs) got in to block a Slippery Rock punt, granting The Haven possession and gaining excellent field position with the ball at the SRU 18-yard line.  As the drive extended into the fourth quarter, the Slippery Rock defense was able to contain Lock Haven.  LHU would go away empty-handed, however, as a blocked field goal attempt ended the push, and SRU took control from the next possession leading to the game-deciding score.  A late Haven drive was ended by interception, finalizing the 14-7 defeat.
            Lock Haven’s Maurice Walker posted 72 yards on 17 carries, while Tim Storino added 76 yards passing and one touchdown.  Punter Greg Knauss (Laurys Station/Parkland) did his part, averaging 38.3 yards on six punts including three inside the 20-yard line.  Linebacker Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) led all defenders with 13 stops including one for loss, while Jon Nalewak (Shamokin/Shamokin Area) added 10, also with one for loss and a pass break-up.  
            For Slippery Rock, running back Josh Kniess continued his heroics from last week into today’s game, posting both touchdowns along with 112 yards on 29 carries.  Quarterback Jeff Valentino also had a big game, totaling 158 yards on 11 completions and 91 yards on the ground.  A total of seven Rock defenders had three tackles, including two sacks late in the game by Brian Godfrey.  Vic Strader came up with three stops and the fourth-quarter interception.
            Lock Haven wraps up its home schedule next Saturday, Nov. 9, against Clarion University.  Kickoff is at 1 p.m. in Hubert Jack Stadium.

###LHU###

HAVEN FOOTBALL OUTDONE BY #10 INDIANA (PA), 31-14
Error-Ridden Third Quarter Proves Too Harmful to Overcome

(Lock Haven, Pa.) – Turnovers and mental mistakes leading to a 21-point, third quarter explosion by Indiana (Pa.) University (8-1, 4-0 PSAC West) were the determining factors in an otherwise tough performance by the Lock Haven University Bald Eagles (4-4, 1-2 PSAC West) this afternoon at IUP’s Miller Stadium. 
         The Indians opened up scoring on their second drive after squandering their first possession away on a fumble on the punt return.  A subsequent Lock Haven fumble turned the ball back over to IUP, who proceeded down field 60 yards before Josh Telenko split the uprights from 33 yards out for the 3-0 lead.  Things appeared grim at first, as Lock Haven turned over the ball on an interception on its next drive, then a 46-yard field goal attempt by Greg Knauss (Laurys Station/Parkland) went wide left.  Into the second quarter, IUP and Lock Haven traded possessions throughout the first nine minutes.  The Bald Eagles went on the offensive in a drive opening at 6:11, and handed things over to running back Maurice Walker (North Braddock/Woodland Hills).  Walker, who did not touch the ball during the entire first quarter, took the pigskin on eight of nine plays in the drive from their own 19-yard line to within 10 yards of the endzone.  From there, Rob Kristiniak (Flourtown/Springfield Township) hit Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) in the back corner of the endzone for the 10-yard strike to complete the drive.  The extra point kick by Knauss was good, giving LHU the 7-3 advantage over its nationally-ranked opponent heading into the halftime break.

Marcus Burkley (seen above in a game earlier this season)
 caught two touchdown passes 

           Haven hopes for an upset were quieted in the third quarter, however, as Indiana scored 21 unanswered points in the first 10 minutes coming out of intermission.  Lock Haven was unable to get out of its own territory on its first drive of the half, punting the ball out to the IUP 19-yard line.  The good punt turned into a nightmare though as IUP’s Mike Howard dodged traffic as he weaved his way to an 81-yard return for score to catapult the Indians back into the lead, 10-7.  Indiana turned right around and recovered the ball on an on-sides kick, leading to a 12-yard pass completion for score from Kevin Weidl to Carmelo Ocasio.  Things continued to slide downhill for the Bald Eagles, as a fumble by Burkley at midfield was picked up by Indiana and Mike Howard again carted the ball safely into the endzone on a 42-yard fumble recovery and return to bring the margin to 24-7 in favor of IUP.
            Another score in the early minutes of the fourth stanza, this time a nine-yard touchdown pass from Weidl to J.R. Thomas, increased the deficit to 31-7.  An IUP fumble on its next possession was recovered by The Haven at the Indiana 43-yard line.  A penalty moved the ball up to within 38 yards, and after an incomplete pass on the first play, Tim Storino (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park) hit Burkley for his second touchdown of the game to round out the scoring at 31-14.
           Lock Haven posted 207 yards of total offense including 108 covered on the ground.  Maurice Walker accounted for 75 yards on 12 carries, while Melvin Kirby (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills) took the ball 12 times for 32 yards.  In the air, Marcus Burkley recorded 64 yards on four catches including both of LHU’s touchdowns.  Rob Kristiniak connected on 7-of-17 attempts for 61 yards and one touchdown pass.  Linebacker Derek Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) posted a game-high 12 tackles, while fellow linebacker Jon Nalewak (Shamokin/Shamokin Area) added eight including one sack. 
           Indiana showed a balanced offense paced by 68 yards from running back Elice Parker.  Kevin Weidl, in for the injured Brian Eyerman, threw for 84 yards and two touchdowns.  Mike Howard scored twice on a punt return and fumble recovery.  Dave Deneen paced IUP defenders with nine tackles and an interception.
           Lock Haven will host Slippery Rock University next Saturday, November 2, at Hubert Jack Stadium.  Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. 

###LHU###

HAVEN GRIDDERS SHOCK SHIPPENSBURG, 26-13

(Lock Haven, Pa.) – The Lock Haven University Bald Eagles (4-3, 1-1 PSAC West) shocked the visiting Shippensburg University (4-3, 2-1 PSAC West), 26-13, in conference action this evening at Hubert Jack Stadium for their first win over the Red Raiders since 1994. Despite a 377-145 yard deficit in total offense and being on the low end of a 28-6 margin in first downs, The Haven still managed to outscore the Red Raiders for the victory.  When cornerback/return specialist Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) is present there is no shortage of big plays, this game including a school-record 99-yard fumble recovery and return for touchdown.  Maurice Walker (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) also helped send LHU over the top with two touchdown runs in the second quarter, including one on a 46-yard dash.

Walker makes a run for the endzone 
with help from #35 Dave Mottin

               Shippensburg held a 6-3 lead after one quarter of play, but it was Lock Haven that jumped ahead first on a 31-yard field goal by Greg Knauss (Laurys Station/Parkland) on its first drive of the contest.  Rob Carey returned the opening kickoff 62 yards to give LHU good field position leading to the field goal.  Shippensburg answered on the ensuing drive with a 69-yard push for score capped off by a four-yard run by Jarrod Dech. The extra point failed, putting the score at 6-3.  An errant 39-yard field goal attempt by Shippensburg ended their next drive and the rest of the scoring opportunities in the first quarter.
                The Haven scored 16 unanswered points in the second frame to cruise to a 19-6 halftime advantage. Knauss connected on a 35-yarder to knot the score at 6-6 early in the second quarter.  On their next possession, LHU drove 71 yards for the score capped off by a 46-yard dash into the endzone by Maurice Walker. Walker took the hand-off going right on 1^st-and-10, shook off the defenders then sliced left and across the field into paydirt.  The Haven’s Devin O’Rourke (Montgomery/Montgomery) blocked a Shippensburg punt on the next drive and Lock Haven took over on the visitor’s 17-yard line.  Three plays later Walker slipped into the endzone for his second touchdown of the evening to give the Bald Eagles their 19-6 advantage at intermission.
                Neither team was able to put points on the board in the third stanza.  Shippensburg missed another field goal attempt (23 yards) and three drives were ended by interception, including two LHU picks.  
                Shippensburg threatened with a 79-yard drive in their first possession of the fourth quarter.  The Raiders made it to the one-yard line before a fumble just outside the goal line proved costly.  As Andre McLaurin attempted to work his way through a pile of LHU defenders, the ball popped loose at the one-yard line and Rob Carey grabbed it out of the air and jetted down the left side line all the way into the endzone for the longest fumble recovery and return for score on the books at Lock Haven. Knauss’ extra point attempt was good to give LHU the 26-6 lead.
                The Red Raiders made one more push for the score and were successful towards the close of the contest as John Kuhn protected the ball for the two-yard scamper for touchdown with 1:58 remaining.  The late points could not make up for the earlier Haven runs, however, as the game drew to a close at 26-13 in favor of the Bald Eagles.
                Lock Haven’s performance was highlighted by Rob Carey, who posted 219 all-purpose yards, including the 99-yards fumble recovery/return for score.   Maurice Walker had his best outing of the season on the ground, tallying 94 yards on 24 carries with two touchdowns.  Rob Kristiniak (Flourtown/Springfield Township) went 6-for-13 passing with 40 yards, and punter Greg Knauss stuck Shippensburg inside their own 20-yard line on three occasions, averaging 44.9 yards per punt.  Defensively, three Bald Eagles posted game-highs of 11 stops, Rob Carey, safety John Scullin (Boiling Springs/Boiling Springs), and linebacker Jon Nalewak (Shamokin/Shamokin Area).  Scullin added two interceptions, while Carey had one interception along with the fumble recovery. 
                Shippensburg’s John Kuhn recorded his fifth game over the century mark rushing with 145 yards and one touchdown and back-up quarterback Jim Buffington threw for 124 yards on 12-of-32 passing.  Defensively, linebackers Dan Walsh and Eric Ranieri each totaled eight tackles. 
                Lock Haven will next travel to Indiana (Pa.) University on Sat., Oct. 26, for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.

###LHU###

LHU FALLS TO CALIFORNIA, 34-19, IN PSAC WEST OPENER

(California, Pa.) – The Lock Haven football team’s (3-3, 0-1 PSAC West) hopes for a three-game win streak were ended with a 34-19 loss to California (Pa.) University (5-1, 1-1 PSAC West) this evening at Adamson Stadium.  
            A pair of 10-point runs by California in the first and fourth quarters provided the insurance for the Vulcans in the win. California found the gaps in the defense for a total of 477 yards, while The Haven offense was all but shut down by the Vulcans, posting only 92 yards total.  LHU still managed one offensive touchdown but its lifeline was prolonged by scores by the defense including a fumble return for score by Jon Nalewak (Shamokin/Shamokin Area) and an interception return into the endzone by Ngoyi Mukusa (Jim Thorpe/Jim Thorpe). 
            The opening Lock Haven series ended in an interception, setting up a quick march down the field by California which ended with the first touchdown of the game.  Vulcan running back Wesley Clemons assumed control early by taking the ball on six straight plays for 77 yards, leaving his feet to clear a pile of defenders at the goal line for the one-yard touchdown.  California added to the lead with a 32-yard field goal by Mike Dalicandro on their second possession, moving ahead 10-0.  
            The Bald Eagles answered in the final series of the first quarter, moving the ball 36 yards for the score.  On 2nd and 10 from the Cal 14-yard line, Maurice Walker (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) rambled to the right, making it into the endzone with 1:55 remaining.  Greg Knauss’ (Laurys Station/Parkland) extra point attempt was blocked, leaving the score at the end of the opening stanza at 10-6 in favor of the Vulcans.
            Mistakes and bad luck haunted the Bald Eagles early in the second quarter. On their first possession of the quarter, the California punt was downed at the one-yard line and LHU was unable to go anywhere, forced to punt the ball away.  On the ensuing Vulcan drive, Kellen Bush (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills) picked off the Cal pass attempt, but again LHU found it difficult to move the ball and were forced to resort to the punt.  Later in the quarter, California moved the ball to the eight-yard line after a late hit by The Haven leading to a touchdown reception by Garvin Graves.  Lock Haven turned the ball over again on the next drive with an interception, but the defense was able to hold California to a fourth-down situation.  On 4^th-and-nine, Nate Eck (Jersey Shore/Jersey Shore) pulled down the quarterback and knocked the ball loose.  Jon Nalewak grabbed the ball and ran it down the left sideline 45 yards for the score as time ticked off the game clock to send LHU into halftime down 17-13.  
            The Haven defense held California to just one touchdown in the third quarter, a quick advance by the Vulcans leading to a rush up the middle by Wesley Clemons.  California went for the field goal on their next possessions but were thwarted both times, the first going wide left and the second blocked by Jason Kasheta (Carbondale/Carbondale Area).  
            On the final play of the third frame, Ngoyi Mukusa intercepted the ball on the California 35-yard line, headed for the endzone, and was spun around two defenders but still crossed into paydirt on his feet to bring the score to 24-19 after a failed two-point conversion.   
            The Vulcans put 10 points on the board in the fourth quarter to quiet the Bald Eagle momentum, however, as Clemons picked up his third rush for touchdown and Gary Amos split the uprights for a 35 yard field goal.  
            A dismal day offensively, Bill Witmer (Bellefonte/Bellefonte) went 4-for-18 for 51 yards.  Maurice Walker had six carries for 24 yards, while Melvin Kirby (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills) had 15 yards on eight carries.  Nate Eck led LHU with 9.5 stops, including seven solo tackles and two for loss, while Rob Carey added 8.0 tackles.  
            The Bald Eagles will next host Western Division rival Shippensburg University on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. in Hubert Jack Stadium.  

###LHU###

BALD EAGLES SHUTOUT CHEYNEY ON HOMECOMING, 34-0

(Lock Haven, PA) – The Bald Eagle football team shutout the Cheyney University Wolves (0-5), 34-0, to improve to 3-2 on the season, the first time that Lock Haven has been better than .500 since the 1982 season when they jumped out to a 4-2 start.  The win on Homecoming weekend keeps LHU undefeated, 12-0, against the Wolves and also marked third all-time shutout and first since 1955 (54-0) over Cheyney.
            Lock Haven scored on its first possession of the game and kept the pressure on including a 17-point second quarter to capture its third victory of the season.  A 30-yard kickoff return by Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) opened the game, setting up LHU’s first score on a 12-yard pass from Tim Storino (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park) to Justin Marshall (Luthersburg/DuBois Area).  As the first quarter came to a close, Cheyney was struggling to advance the ball and opted for the punt after finding themselves at 4^th and 11 from their own 19-yard line in the early goings of the second stanza. Carey received the punt, hesitated while his blockers set themselves, then careened his way through the rushing opponents all the way into the endzone for the 48-yard return for score.  His second-straight game with a punt return for touchdown, Carey’s points gave LHU the 14-0 lead.  
        On The Haven’s second possession of the quarter, the Bald Eagles progressed into Cheyney territory with a 26-yard rush by Melvin Kirby (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills).  The LHU offense stalled just within 20 yards, however, and opted for the 36-yard field goal which Greg Knauss (Laurys Station/Parkland) executed flawlessly to up the LHU lead to 17-0.  
          The Bald Eagles punted away the ball on the following possession, but a fumble on the run-back was recovered by LHU’s Jon Nalewak (Shamokin/Shamokin Area).  With the ball on the Cheyney 37-yard line, Storino hit Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) with a 36-yard pass and a one-yard sweep to the right by Maurice Walker (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) capped off the drive with the touchdown for the 24-0 lead.

(above) A capacity crowd gathered to cheer on the Bald Eagles on Homecoming;|

(below) Quarterback Bill Witmer 
sets up the LHU offense



Jaycee Players of the Game
#39 Justin Marshall (offensive), #21 Rob Carey and #41 Derrik Metz (co-defensive)

Lock Haven added 10 points in the second half, including a touchdown in the third frame.  The Bald Eagles crossed into Cheyney territory after a Wolves’ penalty.  That gain was then followed up with a 26-yard completion from Bill Witmer (Bellefonte/Bellefonte) to Ryan Lightner (Elizabethtown/Lower Dauphin) to bring the ball to the 13-yard line of Cheyney.  Two plays later, Witmer found Adam Angelici (Bethel Park/Bethel Park) breaking towards the left back of the endzone with 1:22 remaining in the third quarter.  In the fourth stanza, Knauss split the uprights from 37 yards out to finalize The Haven’s margin of victory at 34-0. 
            The Haven out-gained its opponent for the first time this season, 347-252, including 221 on the ground.  Three quarterbacks saw time and two connected with receivers for touchdowns including Tim Storino (12-4-1, 83 yds, 1 TD) and Bill Witmer (6-4-0, 45 yds, 1 TD).  Marcus Burkley totaled 63 yards on four catches, while Justin Marshall had two receptions for 10 yards and a touchdown along with 63 yards rushing.  Melvin Kirby led the way on the ground with 72 yards on 12 carries.  Defensively, Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) was the game leader with 12 stops, littering the field with 11 solo tackles, four tackles for loss (-19) and two sacks.  
             Cheyney quarterback Tyree McCants rushed for 47 yards and added 72 yards on  5-of-21 passing.  Ronald Martin posted 69 yards on 11 carries, while Twayne Brown caught three passes for 38 yards. Linebacker Tim King led the Wolves with 10 total tackles.
             Lock Haven (3-2) will next travel to California (Pa.) University for its PSAC West opener on Saturday, October 12. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.  Cheyney (0-5) will travel to East Stroudsburg University next weekend for a 1 p.m. start. 

###LHU###

BALD EAGLES OUTLAST MANSFIELD ON THE ROAD, 33-30

(Mansfield, Pa.) – For the second-straight year the Bald Eagles of Lock Haven University (2-2, 0-0 PSAC West) defeated Mansfield University (1-3, 0-1 PSAC East) despite being out-gained by a large margin, outlasting the Mountaineers for the 33-30 victory.  Wide receiver Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) caught two touchdown passes to pilot the offense, while linebacker Charles Cannon (Braddock Hills/Woodland Hills) covered the field for a game- and career-high of 18 tackles including 10 solo stops.  It was LHU’s sixth-straight victory over the Mountaineers and also the sixth-consecutive win on Van Norman Field.
                Mansfield owned a 453-286 edge on total net yardage, outdoing LHU in the air 323-155 while the Bald Eagles charted a small 151-150 advantage over MU on the ground.  The efficiency of The Haven’s passing game was key this afternoon, however, with two passes for touchdown accounting for 74 of its 155 net yards.  
                Lock Haven scored its first, opening quarter points of the season, starting off the game with authority for a 14-yard touchdown pass to Burkley from Tim Storino (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park).  The Bald Eagle’s running back Maurice Walker (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) took the ball 51 yards on the first play of the game, moving LHU to within 14 yards of paydirt.  After three more plays, The Haven jumped out to the 7-0 lead with the Burkley touchdown.

(above) Justin Marshall breaks through the MU defense for the touchdown;

(below) Derrik Metz on one of 10 tackles 

        Two possessions later on the Mansfield punt, Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) hit the seams and outran the MU defenders down the right sideline for an 80-yard punt return for score, moving Lock Haven into a 14-0 lead.  Mansfield countered in the second quarter with a 66-yard series for touchdown on a 15-yard pass from Travis Motley to Steve Smith.  Lock Haven ended the following two MU drives which had advanced into LHU territory by interception, with John Scullin (Boiling Springs/Boiling Springs) grabbing the pass at the LHU 12-yard line and Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) stopping the Mountaineer drive at the LHU 34-yard line.  
        Into the second half, Metz tallied his second interception of the game at the MU41 and carried it back all the way to within 10 yards of the endzone before being pushed out-of-bounds.  On the first play from scrimmage, Walker notched Lock Haven’s first rushing touchdown of the season on a 10-yard jaunt to put LHU ahead, 21-7.  The Mountaineers marched back down the field on the ensuing possession but were forced to settle for the 22-yard field goal, bringing them closer, 21-10. 
        The two teams traded scoring possessions in the fourth quarter, with Lock Haven scoring twice and Mansfield three times.  Another touchdown reception by Burkley opened the final stanza.  The 5’10” junior receiver went up among of a swarm of much larger defenders, came up with the ball, turned, and sprinted the remaining 20 yards into the endzone untouched to give Lock Haven a 27-10 advantage.  Mansfield made the score 27-17 with the second touchdown strike from Motley to Smith.  The Haven retaliated with a 30-yard return on the onsides kick by Will Jones (McKeesport/McKeesport), bringing them to within 20 yards of another score. Capping off the drive, sophomore Justin Marshall (Luthersburg/DuBois Area) split the defenders from three yards out, giving Lock Haven the 33-17 lead. 
       Two more scores by Mansfield would challenge the Bald Eagles’ composure, as two more touchdown passes rolled off of Motley’s hands to bring the score to 33-30 with just under a minute and a half left to play. The Haven held onto the ball for the time remaining to come away with the win.
        Haven offensive leaders included Marcus Burkley, who recorded two touchdown catches with three total receptions for 84 yards.  Maurice Walker registered LHU’s biggest rushing performance of this season, going 97 yards on 15 carries with one touchdown.  Signal caller Tim Storino was 8-for-14 with 81 yards and a touchdown throw, while Rob Kristiniak (Flourtown/Springfield Township) was 2-for-3 for 74 yards and a touchdown pass. Defensively, LHU intercepted four passes including two by Derrik Metz who also registered 10 tackles including 2.5 for loss and one sack.  Charles Cannon posted a career-best outing of 18 tackles, while cornerback Rob Carey accounted for seven stops.
       Lock Haven (2-2, 0-0 PSAC West) will next host Cheyney University on Sat., Oct. 5, in its annual Homecoming contest.  Kickoff at Hubert Jack Stadium is 2 p.m.

 ###LHU###

BLOOMSBURG HUSKIES TOPPLE BALD EAGLES, 47-23 

(Bloomsburg, Pa.) – Despite last week’s successful come-back attempt, the Lock Haven University Bald Eagle football team (1-2) was unable to match the performance and make up for a 28-10 deficit in the first half against Bloomsburg University (2-1), falling 47-23 in PSAC crossover action this afternoon at Bloomsburg’s Redman Stadium. 
            Bloomsburg scored on four of its five first-half drives, including three touchdowns by quarterback Andrew Herrman, two by passing and one on the rush.  After punting the ball away on the first two drives, Lock Haven’s third possession of the game opened with a 71-yard kickoff return by Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills).  That gain was called back to the LHU 49-yard marker due to an illegal block and then another penalty on a false start left LHU to open the drive on its own 34-yard line.  The Bald Eagles did manage to move the ball down the field, however, with both signal caller Tim Storino (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park) and running back Melvin Kirby (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills) earning first downs on the ground.  Freshman kicker Greg Knauss (Laurys Station/ Parkland) closed out the drive by splitting the uprights from 25-yards out to put LHU on the board, down by 18 points at 21-3 in the open of the second quarter.

(above) LHU goal line defense;

(below) Marcus Burkley led Haven 
receivers with four catches

            Before the close of the half, Lock Haven’s Rob Carey repeated last week’s offensive performance with a 48-yard touchdown reception at 5:40 remaining.  Carey took off down the right sideline with close coverage but still managed to reel in the Storino pass to bring the score to 21-10.  The fourth Bloomsburg first-half scoring drive resulted in the 28-10 difference at intermission.
            The Huskies did all the third quarter scoring, crossing on a one-yard rush after driving 80 yards on the series.  Into the fourth quarter, backup Haven quarterback Rob Kristiniak (Flourtown/Springfield Township) took advantage of good field position due to Bloomsburg turnovers to throw for two touchdowns in his first collegiate appearance.  LHU’s Ryan Bickel (Morrisdale/West Branch Area) came up with a fumble recovery at the BU 21-yard line, and three plays later, Kristiniak rolled out to the right then hit Ryan Lightner (Elizabethtown/Lower Dauphin) in the right corner of the endzone at 13:11.  
            Bloomsburg answered with two more touchdowns, including the second from Herrman to Rocco Forgione (21yds) at 11:30 and a two-yard jaunt by Shaun Gaul with 5:17 left on the clock.  Bloomsburg intercepted Kristiniak on the following series, but LHU bounced back to snare another fumble recovery off the Huskies just one play later.  With the ball at the Bloomsburg 14-yard line, Kristiniak again located a Bald Eagle in the endzone.  This time he connected with Adam Angelici (Bethel Park/Bethel Park), who held on to the 15-yard touchdown strike to move the final score to 47-23 after Knauss’ kick hit the left post.
            Tim Storino covered 109 yards with the pass (20-7-0) including one touchdown, while Rob Kristiniak collected two touchdown throws and a total of 17 yards (7-4-1).  LHU gathered only 75 yards rushing, paced by 29 from Melvin Kirby.  In the air, Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) reeled in four passes for 27 yards.  Ryan Lightner had two catches for 22 yards and the score.  Cornerback Ngoyi Mukusa (Jim Thorpe/Jim Thorpe) and linebacker Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) were LHU defensive leaders, both with seven total stops.  Metz added one interception, two pass breakups, and a tackle for loss.  
            Bloomsburg’s Andrew Herrmann threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns on 17-for-25 passing.  Receiver Rocco Forgione recorded 153 yards on nine catches and two touchdowns.  On the ground, Julius Brown (83 yds) and Mike Ceroli (83 yds) were the Huskie leaders.  Shawn Butler was the Huskies’ defensive standout with seven total tackles including two for loss.
            Lock Haven (1-2) will look to even up its record against Mansfield University next Saturday, Sept. 28.  Game time is 1 p.m. at Mansfield’s Van Norman Field.

 ###LHU###

BALD EAGLES SURPRISE KUTZTOWN, 21-14
Lock Haven Scores All 21 Points in Fourth Quarter

(Lock Haven, PA) – An incredible 21-point, fourth-quarter effort catapulted the Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania football team to the 21-14 come-from-behind victory over Kutztown University (1-1) in their home opener this evening at Hubert Jack Stadium.  LHU’s utility player Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) scored a touchdown on his first career reception, intercepted Kutztown on its final drive with time running off the clock, had 88 yards on kickoff returns to set up The Haven offense on three trips down the field, and tallied seven tackles.  It was the first win for the Bald Eagles over Kutztown since the 1993 season (52-30).
             Lock Haven marched to the opponent 33-yard line on its opening drive before turning over the ball on downs.  Kutztown went eight plays before punting the ball back to LHU on the successive drive.  Both squads traded possessions twice more in the first quarter, leaving the game in a scoreless tie.
            A Kutztown drive carrying over from the first period ended in the contest’s first touchdown in the second quarter at 10:54.  A 26-yard pass to Doug Reynolds from Rob Flowers inched KU closer to paydirt, and on second and goal from the one-yard line, Flowers squeezed into the endzone to give the Golden Bears the 7-0 lead.  On Kutztown’s final play of the second quarter, LHU’s Charles Cannon (Braddock Hills/Woodland Hills) intercepted a pass from Flowers just outside the endzone, saving an even larger KU halftime lead.

LHU's Rob Carey (above) 
on the move

Bald Eagle Nate Eck (below) on 
the stop against KU leading 
rusher Atiba Kenyatta

           A scoreless third quarter was more than made up for in the final stanza.  Kutztown topped off its first drive of the period and five successive carries by Atiba Kenyatta with a touchdown strike from Flowers to Trevor Smith from 15 yards out at 13:02.  Lock Haven punted the ball back to the Golden Bears three plays later after getting stuck in its own territory.  On KU’s first play following the punt, LHU’s Carey stripped the ball from KU’s Kenyatta’s hands, and Cannon came up with possession to give the Bald Eagles a clear view of the endzone from the 19 yard line.  After a short rushing gain, quarterback Tim Storino (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park) sent the ball left to Carey who gathered the pass in the endzone for LHU’s first points of the season.  A penalty on The Haven following the score set the point after attempt back and the kick failed, leaving the score at 14-6.  Kutztown punted away the ball on the next drive. Wasting little time on their first play from scrimmage, the Lock Haven passing game cashed in yet again as Storino found Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) wide open midfield and Burkley outran several KU defenders on the 80-yard touchdown reception to bring Lock Haven to within two points, 14-12, with 7:19 remaining in the game.
            A noticeable momentum shift was in the air, as a bad snap on a punt attempt by Kutztown resulted in a safety for Lock Haven, knotting things at 14-14 with 5:20 on the clock.  Rob Carey returned the kick from the safety for 29 yards into Kutztown territory.  Storino finished off that drive with three completions including a 15-yard strike to John Caldwell (Va. Beach, Va./Fork Union MA), who came up with the ball deep in the endzone despite multiple coverage by KU to give Lock Haven its only lead of the game with 3:56 remaining.  KU’s final scoring run was put to a halt by Lock Haven’s go-to-guy Rob Carey, who intercepted another of Flowers’ passes at the Haven 27-yard line, to put the game out of reach and give LHU its first victory of the 2002 season.
            Lock Haven quarterback Tim Storino competed 12 of 22 passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns.  On the receiving end, Marcus Burkley tallied 90 yards and a touchdown on two catches and John Caldwell added 42 yards on four receptions with the game-winning touchdown.  Defensively, linebacker Jon Nalewak (Shamokin/Shamokin Area) posted 10 stops along with two tackles for loss, while Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) added nine tackles. Carey had seven tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, a touchdown reception (16 yds), and 145 return yards combined.
            For Kutztown, Atiba Kenyatta had a handle on the LHU defense, running the ball on 25 occasions for 132 yards.  Quarterback Rob Flowers threw nine completions for 91 yards and a touchdown, while also sneaking into the endzone himself in the second quarter. Defensively the Golden Bears were led by Corey Benson with eight stops including four for loss of 26 yards.
            Lock Haven (1-1) next travels to Bloomsburg University on Sept. 21 for a 1 p.m. kickoff, while Kutztown (1-1) will host Shippensburg University on the 21^st with a 1:05 start time. 

 ###LHU###

BALD EAGLES FALL TO NORTHEASTERN IN SEASON DEBUT, 48-0

(Boston, MA) – The Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania football team traveled to Division I-AA Northeastern University for its 2002 opener, falling 48-0 to the Huskies this afternoon at Parsons Field in Boston, Massachusetts. 
                A stingy NU defense severly hampered any Bald Eagle advancement into the endzone, limiting LHU to just 109 total yards including 76 via the pass.  The NU offense also did its work, posting its largest margin of victory in a season opener with the 48-point win.
                “Northeastern is an outstanding football program,” said Lock Haven’s third-year head coach Mark Luther.  “Their great team speed and team strength really showed today, and they showed they were a stronger team up front.”  
               “We’ll take a look at the film, and there will be good things and there will be bad things. One good thing is that though there are some impressive teams in our conference, we won’t face a team of this caliber again this season. It’s also nice knowing going into the next game that we did some good things against these guys.”

                The Bald Eagles advanced just 13 yards on their first possession, and the Huskies wasted little time establishing themselves on their home turf, taking the ball 81 yards on the ensuing exchange for the score. NU’s William Griffin topped off the Huskie possession with the two-yard push into the endzone followed by Miro Kesic’s good point after attempt.  The Huskies again drove the ball downfield midway through the quarter, but LHU’s Kellen Bush (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills) silenced the NU offense by picking off a deep pass by quarterback Shawn Brady at the three-yardline. 
                Northeastern continued the momentum into the second quarter, gaining the ball at the Lock Haven 25-yardline after an errant punt late in the first quarter.  NU took nine plays to cross the goalline, this time a two-yard run by Tim Gale.  The Huskies put up 17 more points in the remained of the half, including a two-yard run by Frank McDonald, a 23-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Cory Parks, and an 18-yard field goal by Kesic.
                The luck did not improve for the Bald Eagles in the third quarter, as they came out and gave up the ball on a fumble at their own 14-yard line. Three plays later, NU capitalized with yet another short gain for score on a two-yard rush by Griffin.  On the next possession, Lock Haven was again thwarted in attempts to push the ball through the NU defense, and then suffered a blocked punt inside its own 20-yard line that the Huskies recovered.  This time NU settled for the 24-yard field goal by Kesic, bringing the score to 41-0.  
                One of Lock Haven’s biggest pushes into Northeastern territory came late in the third, as tailback Melvin Kirby (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills) weaved his way through the pack of Huskie defenders for a 20-yard gain to the LHU 46-yard line.  Kirby took the reigns again on the next play, crossing midfield on an eight yard carry to the 46 yard line of Northeastern. An NU sack on the ensuing play ended the drive however, forcing the punt.
                The Huskies put up seven points in the final period to wrap up game scoring.  A Huskie interception led to a 16-yard scamper straight down the middle by Bobby French with just under eight minutes remaining.
                Another LHU charge into NU territory came in the waning minutes of the fourth, as Tim Storino (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park) completed a 19-yard pass to Adam Angelici  (Bethel Park/Bethel Park) to bring LHU to the 40-yard line. The Bald Eagles clawed their way to within 17 yards after receptions by Chelstan Anderson (Halifax/Halifax) and another by Scott Anderson (Cortland, Ohio/Lakeview) with just 11 seconds remaining, LHU’s deepest penetration in the ball game, but could not finish as time ran out.
                Leading Lock Haven’s defense was an 18-tackle effort by junior linebacker Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central), his highest career output.  Safety Jim Hanzely (DuBois/DuBois Area) (8 TT) and linebacker Dan Wissinger (Johnstown/Ferndale Area) (7 TT) also contributed.  Offensively, quarterbacks Tim Storino and Bill Witmer (Bellefonte/Bellefonte) recorded similar numbers, with Storino completing four passes for 45 yards and Witmer connecting on four passes for 31 yards.  
                Lock Haven will refocus its efforts towards its home opener, coming on September 14 versus Kutztown University (1-0) at Hubert Jack Stadium.

 ###LHU###