LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University football team (0-5, 0-2 PSAC West) is headed to Erie, Pa. on Saturday for its first ever meeting with Mecryhurst University (3-2, 2-0 PSAC West).

The Game:

Kickoff Saturday (Oct. 4) is set for 1 p.m. at Mercyhurt’s Tuillo Field. The Lock Haven University football team is 0-5 overall and 0-2 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division action. This will be the first ever meeting between LHU and the Erie based school. Mercyhurst, playing in the PSAC for the first time is 2-0 in PSAC West action and 3-2 overall. LHU is coming off a 31-0 shutout at home. The Bald Eagles were shut out 31-0 by No. 24 ranked Edinboro. Mercyhurst is coming 34-10 win over Slippery Rock.



The Series:

This is the first ever meeting between the two PSAC West schools. The Lakers are in their first year in the PSAC and play in the Western Division.

Listen/Watch:

Matt Martucci and Tim Thompson will have the call from Tuuillo Field. 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.

LHU notes:

In five games this season, three of Lock Haven’s opponents have been nationally ranked.

Ibrahim Smith leads the team in rushing yards with 137 on 47 carries.

QB Jarryd Burkett has thrown for 236 yards on the season … The rookie has made four starts.

Wes Plummer and Dean Tortorice led the team in tackles with 23 … Three players have 22 stops (Crebs, Ellison & Barie).

Punter Brendon Pickle has booted the ball 1,618 yards this season on 41 punts … He is ranked 38th of 100 punters in all of Division II in punting average … He is average 39.46 yards/punt.

Aaron Pryer leads the team in kick returns, averaging 17.1 yards per return.

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 drop PSAC West contest with #24 Edinboro

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (Sept. 27, 2008) - The Lock Haven University football team (0-5, 0-2) dropped a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division contest to No. 24 Edinboro University (4-1, 1-1) tonight.

Playing their second Top-25 team in as many weeks, the Bald Eagles were shut out at home 31-0.

Edinboro led 21-0 at the break, as LHU did everything they could to cut into the lead with its most productive offensive outing of the year.

Sophomore running back Ibrahim Smith (New Bloomfield, Pa./West Perry) led the way on the ground for LHU, rushing for a season-high 65 yards on 10 carries.

Freshman Cameron Turner (Chicora, Pa./Karns City) made four catches for a team-high 45 yards.

Offensively LHU moved the ball well at times, but just couldn’t find the back of the end zone.

Freshman quarterback Jarryd Burkett (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) was 14-for-22. Burkett threw for 111 yards, as he looked to spark the Bald Eagles air attack in his fourth start.

Senior DeMarr Dowell (Buffalo, N.Y./Erie C.C.) turned in an all-around solid outing, playing on both sides of the ball for The Haven. He made one catch for 17 yards and recorded five tackles, including three solo stops.

Wes Plummer (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) made a game-high seven tackles for LHU and Shawn Crebs (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg) turned in a five-tackle effort to help pace Lock Haven’s defensive unit.

The Bald Eagles are back in action next Saturday (Oct. 4) at 1 p.m. when they travel to Mercyhurst University for conference action.

Last time out for Mercyhurst:

Stokes Drives Lakers To Homecoming Rout Of Slippery Rock

ERIE, Pa. (Sept. 27, 2008) – Senior running back Richard Stokes rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns as the Mercyhurst football team defeated Slippery Rock 34-10 Saturday in PSAC West Division action. With the victory, Mercyhurst sits in a two-way tie with California (Pa.) at the top of the division standings at 2-0.



With leading rusher Ben Jennings on the sidelines with an injury, Stokes showed the brilliance he displayed a year ago when he broke Mercyhurst’s single-season and career rushing records. He carried the ball 30 times and had almost 100 yards by the half. Stokes scored from four yards outs on the Lakers’ first possession of the game and added a two-yard touchdown run in the third that put Mercyhurst on top 20-3. His seven-yard touchdown in the fourth salted the game away and gave the Lakers a 27-3 lead. With his 140 all-purpose yards, Stokes became Mercyhurst’s all-time leader in that category with 4,072, passing Ed Bailey (4,026 all-purpose yards from 1997-00).



Mercyhurst led 13-3 at the break behind Stokes’ touchdown and two Chris Ryan field goals, but the Lakers faced a critical fourth-and-two on the first possession of the third quarter. Sitting at Slippery Rock’s 21-yard line, head coach Marty Schaetzle elected to roll the dice and go for the knock-out blow rather than settling for another field goal attempt. Quarterback Garrett Kensy’s play fake to Stokes got the defense to bite as fullback Dave Stallard leaked out of the backfield, caught Kensy’s toss and rumbled down to the two-yard line. From there, Stokes pounded the ball into the end zone to make it 20-3.



The Mercyhurst defense was once again dominant throughout the contest and did not allow a touchdown. Slippery Rock’s only touchdown came on the recovery of a blocked punt with just 1:05 remaining in the game. The Lakers held the Rock to just 154 total yards and running back Ryan Lehmeier carried 16 times for 54 yards.



Senior Jimmy Kokrak led the defensive effort, picking up 10 tackles, an interception, and 0.5 sack. True freshman Ian Wild had eight tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 2.5 tackles for loss. The Lakers, who entered the week leading the PSAC in quarterback sacks, picked up three more against Slippery Rock. Mercyhurst added its first two interceptions of the season as Julius McCormick picked off a pass in the first half.



Mercyhurst used the same offensive formula it has used for most of the season – wear out the opponent with a bruising running game, keep the other team’s defense on the field, and ram it down their throat late. The Lakers entered the week ranked second in NCAA Division II in time of possession, averaging over 35 minutes per game, and had the ball for 37:10 against Slippery Rock.



Stokes rushed the ball 30 times himself and Mercyhurst ran the ball 54 times for 242 yards. By comparison, Slippery Rock had 29 carries for 60 yards. Kensy managed the game well from the quarterback position, going 11-for-20 for 124 yards and helping the team convert on 7-of-14 third down attempts. Slippery Rock was just 1-of-11 on third downs and 0-for-3 on fourth down attempts.



Along with Stokes’ three rushing touchdowns, true freshman Carnell Evans added a 23-yard scoring scamper midway through the fourth quarter that capped the Lakers’ scoring.



Slippery Rock falls to 3-2 on the season and 1-1 in PSAC West play. Mercyhurst is now 3-2 as well and has won two consecutive contests. The Lakers host Lock Haven Saturday at 1 p.m. to conclude a three-week homestand.