LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University football team returns home to play host to its 2009 Homecoming game (Saturday, September 26). The Bald Eagles play host to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West foe Mercyhurst College at 2 p.m. from Hubert Jack Stadium.

The Game:

The Bald Eagles (0-3, 0-1 PSAC West) host Mercyhurst College (2-2, 1-0 PSAC West) on Saturday, September 26. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. from Hubert Jack Stadium (3,500). The game marks Lock Haven’s 2009 Homecoming game. Lock Haven is coming off a 24-0 loss at Clarion and MC is coming off an upset of then-ranked No. 21 IUP 20-16.

The Series:

Lock Haven and Mercyhurst met for the first time a year ago. The Lakers took home the win in Erie, downing the Bald Eagles 49-14.

Listen/Watch/Live Stats:

The game can be viewed live online via HAVENc@st, Lock Haven’s official provider of athletic video webcasts.

http://eagle.lhup.edu/Mediasite/Catalog/Front.aspx?cid=5e0573f1-5eb3-4b11-ac56-dde0b13d46d8

Homecoming in more ways than one:

Homecoming is even more special for the Bald Eagles this year as it marks their first home game since Thursday, August 27 when LHU opened its 2009 season against West Chester. Lock Haven was off during Week-2 before back-to-back road games the last weekends.

2009 marks the 30th Anniversary 1979 PSAC Championship:

The 2009 season marks the 30th anniversary of Lock Haven’s 1979 PSAC Championship team. Under the direction of head coach Jack Fisher, The Haven went 9-2 overall and a perfect 9-0 in conference play. The ’79-championship was the last time LHU won the conference and it marked the Bald Eagles eighth PSAC title.

LHU at a glance:

Lock Haven is 0-3 and 0-1 in PSAC play. Most recently Lock Haven was shutout on the road at Clarion 24-0 in the PSAC West Opener for both teams.

Clarion was the site of LHU’s last win (2007season finale) as the Bald Eagles have now lost 14 straight games.

Lock Haven last win at home came on October 28, 2006 against Clarion (W, 14-7).

After using four different quarterbacks in the season-opening loss to WCU, redshirt-freshman Jarret Kratzer saw the majority of time under center in the Ship game. Krazter was 15-for-29 for 111 yards passing.

Junior running back Ibrahim Smith rushed for 37 yards in the loss. Smith had one touchdown, Lock Haven’s first of the 2009 season. Smith’s long run of 11 yards was the TD.

Austin Knighton led Lock Haven’s defensive effort against Shippensburg with a seven-tackle game. Four of his seven stops were solo efforts. Dean Tortorice Shane Barie and Wes Plummer all made six tackles in the game. Tortorice also had one interception, while Plummer made 1.5 tackles for a loss and recorded one sack.

In the 2009 season opener, Lock Haven was shutout 43-0 by nationally-ranked West Chester as the Bald Eagles struggled to get the offense going. LHU used four different quarterbacks, but only managed to rack up 52 total yards.

On the year Tortorice and Ben Synder are LHU’s leading tacklers with 16 tackles … Tortorice has 10 solo stops on the year … Nick Gounaris has 15 stops and five other players 10 or more tackles.

Mercyhurst at a glance:

Mercyhurst is 2-2 overall and 1-0 in PSAC West action and is coming off an upset of then-ranked No. 21 IUP.

The Lakers downed IUP 20-16 at home on their own Homecoming.

MC’s other win came against Cheyney (45-15). After dropping their season-opener in Detriot to Wayne State 31-13, the Lakers were edged by No. 4 Bloomsburg 17-7 in Week-3.

Mercyhurst is 0-1 on the road this season.

Leading the Lakers defensively is senior linebacker Tim Herbener, who has 37 tackles. 22 of his 37 are solo stops … MC has five guys with 19 or more stops.

Leading the Lakers at QB is Joe Laffey, who is 62-for-125 with four TD’s.

MC also has a dual-threat at running back with Ben Jennings and Gerald Anderson.

Lock Haven’s last time out:

Football drops PSAC West opener at Clarion

CLARION, Pa. – (9/19/09) The Lock University football team (0-3, 0-1 PSAC West) was shutout 24-0 on the road tonight at Clarion University (2-2, 1-0 PSAC West) in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West opener for both teams.

Clarion’s 17-point first quarter paved the way to the win for the Golden Eagles.

Clarion took that 17-0 lead into halftime and tacked on a third quarter touchdown to beat LHU, who dropped to 0-3 on the young season.

2008 All-American Alfonso Hoggard led the way for Clarion with 114 yards on the ground. Hoggard rushed for two touchdowns including one in game’s opening minutes.

Hoggard took the game’s opening kick back 78 yards to the LHU two-yard line, setting up his first score.

Lock Haven quarterback Jarrett Kratzer (Reedsville, Pa./Indian Valley) was 22-for-38 passing.

Defensively, Lock Haven got sensational performances from Nick Gounaris (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) and Ben Snyder (Ichasburg, Pa./West Perry) as both made a game-high 11 tackles.

Nine of Snyder’s 11 stops were solo tackles and Gounaris made eight solo stops.

Snyder also forced a fumble.

Tyree Pompey (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) made seven tackles.

Ian Smith (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) made a team-high six catches.

Back in action:

Lock Haven returns to action on Saturday, October 3 at 2 p.m. on the road Edinboro.