LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University football team (0-6, 0-3 PSAC West) is headed West this weekend for conference clash with No. 8 California (Pa.) University.

The Game:

Kickoff Saturday (Oct. 11) is set for 3 p.m. at California’s Adamson Stadium (Capacity – 6,000). The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division clash will mark the homecoming game for host Cal. The Bald Eagles enter the contest 0-6 overall and 0-3 in the PSAC West. California is 5-1 overall and 3-0 in Western Division action The Vulcans are ranked No. 8 nationally and will be the highest ranked team the Bald Eagles will face thus far. This weekend marks the fourth in seven games LHU will take on a Top-25 team. The Haven is coming off a 49-14 loss at Mercyhurst on the road conference action. California is coming off a 52-20 win over Clarion in Western Division action.



The Series:

California leads the all-time series 35-26-1 and won 2007’s meeting 27-3.

Listen/Watch:

Matt Martucci and Tim Thompson will have the call from Adamson 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.

LHU notes:

This marks the fourth time in seven games LHU will take on a nationally ranked opponent … Prior to this three of its 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 (Jerry Seymour).

Lock Haven’s offensive was led at Mercyhurst by its freshman QB … Freshman Jarryd Burkett (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) was impressive under center last Saturday for LHU and enjoyed the best outing of his young career. Along with his two touchdown passes he was 15-for-24 with no interceptions. He passed for 118 yards sparking The Haven attack this afternoon.

Leading the way defensively for LHU is Dean Tortorice, who has a team-high 38 tackles including 19 solo stops … Second is Wes Plummer with 34 … Luke Elliston has 29 stops and Shane Barie has recorded 28 tackles on the year for LHU.

Aaron Pryer leads the team in all-purpose yards with 262 (43.7/game).

Four different Bald Eagles have an interception on the season.

Punter Brendon Pickle ranks 34th nationally (34/100) in punting (NCAA D-II) with his 39.5 yards/punt average.

Ibrahim Smith has three of Lock Haven’s four TDs this season.

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:

Football falls in PSAC West action at Mercyhurst

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (Oct. 4, 2008) - The Lock Haven University football team (0-6, 0-3 PSAC West) lost to Mercyhurst University (4-2, 3-0 PSAC West) 49-14 today in Erie.

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West contest marked the first ever meeting between the two schools and with the win Mercyhurst extends its win streak to three games.

Trailing 14-0 early in the second half, the Bald Eagles cut the deficit to a touchdown after Ibrahim Smith (New Bloomfield, Pa./West Perry) scored on a five-yard reception.

Smith’s touchdown capped off an 11 play, 68 yard drive that started in the opening quarter. The touchdown cut the MU lead to 14-7.

MU went on to score two touchdowns in the second quarter following Smith’s strike.

DeMarr Dowell (Buffalo, N.Y./Erie C.C) scored LHU’s second touchdown after catching a pass from six yards out.

Dowell’s touchdown capped off an impressive 10 play drive that saw the Bald Eagles march 82 yards down the field.

Freshman Jarryd Burkett (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) was impressive under center today for LHU and enjoyed the best outing of his young career. Along with his two touchdown passes he was 15-for-24 with no interceptions. He passed for 118 yards sparking The Haven attack this afternoon.

Dowell had five catches for 51 yards to go along with his third quarter TD.

Colden Carroll (Philadelphia/Calhoun) led LHU on the ground with 26 yards on five carries.

Defensively LHU was led by Dean Tortorice (Delmont, Pa./Franklin Regional), who had a game-high 15 tackles. He made six solo stops in the loss.

Wes Plummer (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) made 11 tackles for LHU.

Last time out for California:

Cal U claims victory at Clarion, 52-20

CLARION, Pa. (Oct. 4, 2008) – The No. 9 Vulcans scored a combined 49 points in the final three quarters in a 52-20 victory against Clarion University at Memorial Stadium on Saturday in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.

The win moves the California University of Pennsylvania football team to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in divisional play. It also marks a personal milestone for seventh-year head coach John Luckhardt, who became just the third coach in school history to total 50 career wins. Luckhardt joins Ted Nemeth (1950-61, 55) and Jeff Petrucci (1981-92, 54) as the only coaches to post 50-plus victories in their coaching careers at Cal U.

A total of seven different players scored touchdowns for the Vulcans, including senior running back Brandon Lombardy (Moureland Hills, Ohio/Chagrin Falls/Purdue). The touchdown by Lombardy moves him into second place in school history and into a tie for 10th place all-time in PSAC history with 42 career rushing touchdowns.

The two teams exchanged field goals in the first quarter before the Vulcans opened the second quarter with a 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kevin McCabe (Gibsonia, Pa. /Pine-Richland/Virginia) to senior tight end Cory Garver (Cumberland, Md./Fort Hill/Delaware State) with 14:55 left before halftime. After the defense forced a three-and-out, McCabe connected with sophomore tight end Chase DeCarlo (Danbury, Conn./Danbury/Georgia Southern) for a 14-yard score with 10:39 left in the second quarter.

McCabe finished the game with 164 passing yards on 12-of-17 attempts with two touchdowns and one interception.

The Vulcans took a 17-3 lead into halftime after amassing 240 yards of total offense on 30 plays (8.0 yards per play) before the Golden Eagles (1-5, 0-3 PSAC West) opened the second half with a field goal.

On the first Cal U possession of the second half, Lombardy scampered for a 35-yard touchdown to increase the lead to 24-6. The senior running back finished the game with 106 rushing yards on just seven carries (15.1 yards per attempt), while also adding 80 yards on two kickoff returns.

The Vulcan defense forced another three-and-out against the Golden Eagles before the Cal U offense capitalized on good field position with a five-yard rushing touchdown by senior running back Daine Williams (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls/Howard), who finished the game with 75 yards on 13 attempts.

In the final minutes of the third quarter, senior free safety Juan Butler (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) intercepted an Eric Coxon pass near midfield. The Vulcans turned the turnover into points when sophomore running back Windell Brown (Duquesne, Pa./Duquesne) scored on a 12-yard run.

The Golden Eagles responded with a touchdown on the ensuing position before junior Freddie Bacco (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) posted a 30-yard touchdown scamper down the sideline to increase the Vulcans’ lead to 45-13 with 10:40 left in the game.

After a botched snap on the next Cal U possession, the Vulcan defense responded with an interception by freshman defensive lineman Steve Santia (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) , who returned the turnover 67 yards to the Clarion 13-yard line.

The Vulcans then scored on a fourth-and-three play when freshman quarterback Zack Grossi (Tampa, Fla./Thomas Jefferson) found freshman wide receiver Tim Picard (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) in the end zone.

In the second half, the Vulcans allowed only 26 rushing yards against the Golden Golden Eagles after registering three sacks in the final two quarters.

Senior linebacker Jake Howell (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear) led the defensive charge for Cal U with seven tackles (three solo), while Butler finished with six stops (three solo). Seven different Vulcans registered at a tackle behind the line of scrimmage, including 1.5 by junior defensive lineman Mark Malloy (Braddock, Pa./Woodland Hills/Kent State) who finished with three tackles (one solo), 1.0 sack and a pass break-up.