LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University football team (0-8, 0-5 PSAC West) is set to play host to Gannon University (3-5, 1-4 PSAC West) as Lock Haven celebrates Homecoming 2008.

The Game:

Kickoff Saturday (Oct. 25) at Hubert Jack Stadium is set for noon as Lock Haven plays host to Gannon University. Saturday marks The Haven’s 2008 Homecoming game. The Bald Eagles enter the game 0-8 overall and 0-5 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division. Gannon travels to Jack Stadium with a 3-5 overall record and is 1-4 in division action. Lock Haven is coming off a 24-21 loss to Clarion in a PSAC West thriller. GU enters the clash, coming off a 42-24 loss to No. 6 California (Pa.). The Golden Knights were only down 21-14 at halftime. Gannon’s only divisional win was a 31-24 triumph over Clarion during week five.



The Series:

This is the first ever meeting between Lock Haven and the Erie, Pa. based school. Gannon is playing in the PSAC for the first time this year.

Listen/Watch:

Matt Martucci and Tim Thompson will have the call from Hubert Jack Stadium. Listen live on WBPZ-AM 1230 (locally-Lock Haven) and live ESPN 1050/104.1 Williamsport Pa. Fans can also listen at www.espnwilliamsport.com.

Fans can also watch the game live: HAVENc@st will also provide a live video webcast for fans so fans can watch at home. You can view the webcast at http://eagle.lhup.edu/Mediasite/catalog/.

Marc Rayman and Travis Larrabee will be on the 2008 Homecoming call.

LHU notes:

Lock Haven is coming off a 24-21 loss to Clarion in a PSAC West thriller …Lock Haven played well and the offense got a spark from backup quarterback Jason Eby ... The senior was 13-for-29 passing for 146 yards ... He threw one touchdown, ran for another and threw no interceptions ... Defensively, LHU got a tremendous game from senior linebacker

Shawn Crebs, who led the way with a game-high 11 tackles, including eight solo

stops ... The senior also forced two fumbles.

Punter Brendon Pickel is ranked 32nd out of 100 in Division II in average yards per punt with 39.95.

Wes Plummer lead the team in tackles with 48 … Dean Tortorice has 46 and Crebs is third with 45.

The loss at No. 8 Cal marked the fourth time in seven games that LHU matched up against a nationally ranked opponent … Cal was the highest ranked team LHU has played … Prior to the Cal game three of The Haven’s first six opponents were ranked in the top-25 … LHU opened the season against Glenville State, who features one of top running backs in Division II in the form of Jerry Seymour, the nations leading rusher.

The game at No. 12 IUP was tied 7-7 at halftime, but IUP’s potent offense came alive in the third quarter, scoring 28 points (four TD’s in the third) … Freshman quarterback Jarryd Burkett was 8-for-16 passing and threw one interception … He passed for 33 yards on the day … Ibrahim Smith scored LHU’s TD … Smith led The Haven with 16 rushes for 28 yards.

Defensively LHU was led by Dean Tortorice, who had a team-high six tackles against IUP ... He made five solo stops and recorded one tackles for a loss … Andre Morrison had five tackles while Aaron Pryer and Shawn Crebs both made four.

LHU was shutout for the second time in ’08 when Shippenburg beat them 36-0 at Hubert Jack Stadium

In a rain-soaked loss at WCU, LHU posted its first touchdown of the year … Sophomore Ibrahim Smith scored on a six-yard run … Setting up the TD was a 48 yard interception return by DeMarr Dowell that put LHU at the West Chester seven-yard line.

Freshman quarterback Jarryd Burkett made the second start of this career at home vs. Shippensburg.

Despite a 30-0 loss in their opener the Bald Eagles defense looked solid … The Haven got off to a solid start as sophomore linebacker Wes Plummer (picked off Pioneer quarterback James McCants on the just the second play of Glenville’s opening drive. Plummer had a solid outing on defense for Lock Haven. Along with his interception he made five tackles … Shane Barie and Dustin Harsch each recorded a team-high six tackles. Five other Bald Eagles had four tackles on the night.

Last time out for Lock Haven:

Bald Eagles fall to Clarion 24-21 in PSAC West thriller

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (Oct. 18, 2008) – The Lock Haven University football team (0-8, 0-5 PSAC West) fell to Clarion University (2-6, 1-4 PSAC West) 24-21 tonight at Hubert Jack Stadium in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West thriller.

The Bald Eagles found themselves trailing early as Clarion posted two touchdowns in the opening quarter. Clarion would take that two-touchdown lead into the locker room as the Golden Eagles led 14-0 nothing after 30 minutes.

It was a tale of two halves for Lock Haven’s offense as they came out on fire to start the third quarter, led by backup quarterback Jason Eby (Ulster, Pa./Athens).

Eby marched The Haven down the field and capped off an impressive drive with a three-yard dash of his own. Eby’s three-yard scamper capped off a 10-play drive that saw the LHU offense move 65 yards down the field.

The LHU touchdown with 12:15 left in the third quarter cut the Clarion lead to 14-7.

LHU quickly got the ball back as Dean Tortorice’s (Delmont, Pa./Franklin Regional) 82-yard interception return set up Lock Haven’s second TD. Tortorice picked off Clarion’s Tyler Heuther at LHU’s 16-yard line and ran it all the way to the Clarion two.

Lock Haven’s next play was a touchdown run by Reggie Mencer (Altoona, Pa./Altoona).

Clarion’s next drive was again short lived as the Lock Haven defense came up big. This time it was linebacker Shawn Crebs (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg) forcing a fumble giving LHU the ball back.

Eby led the Bald Eagles back down the field on a nine-play, 53-yard drive that lasted 2:49.

The drive was capped off a by a 26-yard touchdown reception by DeMarr Dowell (Buffalo, N.Y./Eric C.C.) with 5:31 left in the third.

Dowell’s TD put LHU up 21-14, but Clarion battled back. Eddie Emmanuel scored on a four-yard run with just 27 seconds left in the third period.

Robert Mamula’s 27-yard field goal with 3:30 left in regulation gave Clarion the hard-fought road-win in conference action.

Eby finished the game 13-for-29 passing for 146 yards. He threw the one touchdown and no interceptions proving a solid spark for LHU in the second half as Lock Haven moved the ball with ease at times.

Dowell finished with five catches for 59 yards and the one TD.

Defensively Crebs led the way with a game-high 11 tackles including eight solo stops. The senior also forced two fumbles.

Wes Plummer (Lebanon, Pa./Stevens Tech) wasn’t far off the pace with a 10-tackle effort. He made six solo stops and had one tackle for a loss.

Shane Barie (Export, Pa./Franklin Regional) chipped in with nine tackles.

Last time out for Gannon:

No. 8 California (Pa.) Holds off Gannon in PSAC Football Action

ERIE, Pa. (Oct. 18, 2008) – No. 8 California (Pa.) received a scare from a pesky Gannon football team Saturday night before a cold crowd at Gannon University Field, but it was the Vulcans who posted a 42-24 victory to remain undefeated in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division play.

California held large advantages in most of the statistical categories in the first half, but only led 21-14 at halftime. Gannon used two big plays to set up its first-half touchdowns. Trailing 14-0, Kevin Minor (South Euclid, Ohio/Shaw) returned an interception 73 yards for a score. After California went three-and-out, Matt Ward (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport) drilled punter Derek Fiorenza after a bad snap and recovered the ball at California’s 17-yard line. Zach Boedicker (Northfield, Ohio/Nordonia) found the endzone on the next play, tying the game at 14.

California regained a two-touchdown advantage with the final score of the first half and the first touchdown of the third quarter. Jon Richardson (Warren, Ohio/Warren G. Harding) accounted for the final score, hitting the endzone from one yard out with 2:12 to play.

Boedicker led Gannon’s ground game with 57 yards and one touchdown on five carries. Bob Bartley (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) and Boedicker combined to go 11-of-26 for 150 yards through the air. Sylvester Burel (Redlands, Calif./Redlands East Valley) and Jacobe Smith (Maple Heights, Ohio/Maple Heights) hauled in three receptions each.

Minor was unbelievable on defense, making a game-high 15 tackles. Tomar Pettis (Massillon, Ohio/Washington) added nine stops.

Gannon dropped to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the PSAC West. California improved to 7-1 overall and 5-0 in conference play.