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October 1, 2002

Bald Eagle Football Hosts Cheyney In Homecoming Contest
Game #5 -- vs. Cheyney University -- Hubert Jack Stadium -- Cheyney, PA -- 2 p.m.

>>>Full Game Release (PDF) >>>2002 LHU Roster >>>Cheyney University Athletics Website

THE GAME
    The Lock Haven Bald Eagle gridders (2-2, 0-0 PSAC West) will host the Cheyney University Wolves (0-4, 0-0 PSAC East) on Saturday, October 5, for LHU’s annual Homecoming game. Kickoff in Hubert Jack Stadium is slated for 2 p.m. The game can be heard locally on WBPZ-1230 AM and online at http://www.redzonemedia.com .
    The 2002 Bald Eagles’ 2-2 record marks the program’s first .500 start after four games since the 1995 season. Should LHU defeat Cheyney, it would mark the first 3-2 start for the program since back in 1982.

THE SERIES
     The 2002 contest wil mark the 12th time and the fifth consecutive season that Lock Haven and Cheyney have met on the gridiron. LHU currently holds an 11-0 advantage in the series. Lock Haven has beaten Cheyney in Hubert Jack Stadium on four occasions in the past 24 years, dating back to the 1979, 48-14, victory to clinch the Pennsylvania Conference Championship. Last season LHU was a 44-20 victor over the Wolves at home in Jack Stadium.

THE LAST TIME VERSUS VERSUS CHEYNEY
      Lock Haven captured its first victory of the season with the 44-20 win over the visiting Cheyney Wolves on October 13th of last year. The Bald Eagles had two running backs, Maurice Walker and Melvin Kirby, hit the century mark for the first time since the 1985 season.
     The Haven was able to post its best offensive output of the season with 426 yards and 44 points. Walker broke for a season high of 194 yards on 20 carries with one score, and fellow running back Kirby tallied 132 yards off14 attempts and two touchdowns.
     Adam Angelici (3 receptions, 42 yards), Marcus Burkley (3 receptions, 33 yards, 1 TD), and John Caldwell (3 receptions, 29 yards, 1 TD) were big contributors in the passing/receiving game, as were quarterbacks Johnathan Stahl (15-5-1, 49 yards, 1 TD) and Bill Witmer (8-5-0, 65 yards, 1 TD). Defensively, The Haven was paced by Derrik Metz (6.5 tackles, 1 FF) and Michael O’Connor (6.0 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack). Lineman Chris Hileman registered 3.0 stops, including two for loss (16 yards) and one sack.
      Cheyney’s Anthony Robinson set the tone offensively, powering his way through the defense to score three touchdowns for CU’s only points of the game. Robinson finished with 209 yards on the ground on 33 attempts. Signal caller Colin Smith recorded 146 yards on 10-of-27 passing. Linebacker Marcus Turner hampered the LHU offense with 7.0 tackles, including two for loss (10 yards) and one sack.

SCOUTING CHEYNEY
      A young Cheyney University squad is 0-4 on the season, last suffering a 51-7 loss against California (Pa.) University. High on the minds of the Wolves and first-year head coach Lee Brown will be the need to snap a 22-game losing skid which began back in the 2000 season.
      This season the Wolves are still heavy on the passing game with 863 of their total 1066 yards coming via the aerial. Taking the majority of snaps from center has been junior quarterback Colin Smith. Smith has six touchdown passes and has recorded 200 or more yards in three of their first four games for a total of 824 yards on 62-of-125 passing. Freshman Tyree McCants may also make an appearance this weekend.
      Receiver Ed Giddings is fourth in the PSAC in receiving yardage after hauling in 17 catches for 383 yards (22.5 ypr) and a team-best four touchdowns. Twayne Brown has caught two touchdown passes and has 221 yards on 15 receptions. Wide receiver John Chestnut is also slated to start for the Wolves this Saturday, catching three passes for 80 yards in last weekend’s contest.
      On the ground, most of the work has been performed by Trevis Willingham who has 112 yards on 20 carries. Mustafa Ali has taken the ball on 22 occasions, covering 108 yards.
      Freshman Gerald Barnes is expected to earn the starting nod at center, while sophomore Lamar Douglas and senior Robert Moore flank Barnes to either side. The offensive tackle slots for the Wolves will be maintained by junior Prentice Cottrell along with freshman Jason Harris.
      Defensively the Wolves are led by linebacker Tim King with 38 total stops including two for loss. Joining King at linebacker will be Dior Paire (11 TT) and Sunny Garcha (10 TT).
      Lineman Terrence Cook has a team-high of seven tackles for loss (-25 yds), while defensive end Riq Whitous has recorded six (-43 yds) stops behind the line of scrimmage along with 3.5 sacks. Tackle Jay Jenkins is second among the Cheyney Wolves with 21 tackles including three for loss and starting end Tradell Saunders has eight stops.
      The starting defensive back unit is young with three sophomores and one freshman including sophomore Orlando Payton (18 TT), freshman Stanley Jackson (15 TT, 1 INT), sophomore Donte Barnes (12 TT, 1 INT), and sophomore Earnest Giddings (10 TT, 4 pass break-ups).
      Ed Giddings is fifth in the conference in punt return yardage, registering 65 yards (10.8 ypr) on six attempts. Orlando Payton and Ahmid Ledbetter handle kick returns -- Payton is fifth in the PSAC with a 25.0 yards per return average (175 yards/7 returns) while Ledbetter has run back six kickoffs for 118 yards (19.7 ypr).
      Cheyney will call on either Stanley Jackson or Mustafa Ali for field goals and extra point attempts. Jackson is 2-for-4 on PATs and 0-for-2 on field goal kicks. Ali has missed one field goal (0-1) and is 1-for-3 on the extra point attempts. Punting for the Wolves will be Twayne Brown (15 punts, 33.3 ypp) or Lacy Lancaster (9 punts, 34.2 ypp).

Junior quarterback Tim Storino will
look to lead the Bald Eagle offense
against Cheyney this Saturday.

THE COACHES

	Lock Haven Head Coach Mark Luther (Penn State, ‘92) enters his third season. Luther’s gridders compiled 3-8 overall and 1-5 PSAC West marks in both of his prior two seasons at the helm of the Bald Eagles.
He assumed the lead role following five years of service as a Bald Eagle assistant coach from 1994-98, acting as defensive coordinator in the 1997 and ‘98 seasons, recruiting coordinator and administrative assistant to former head coach Nick Polk.

	First year Wolves’ head coach Lee Brown arrived at Cheyney following a one-year stint as the secondary coach at Mt. Senario (Wis.) College from 2001-02.
He spent five years as the general manager and head coach of the St. Louis Bulldogs of the South Central Football League, a semiprofessional league, before heading to Indiana State as an assistant during the 2000-01 season.

BALD EAGLE NOTES...

THE OFFENSE
         Junior wide receiver Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) caught two passes for touchdowns against Mansfield for 84 yards. Burkley leads Lock Haven with 55.2 yards receiving per game and shares the top spot on its scoring chart with three touchdowns. A host of other players have continued to contribute to passing game, including tight end Ryan Lightner (Elizabethtown/Lower Dauphin) and Scott Anderson (Cortland, Ohio/Lakeview). Lightner caught four passes for 51 yards versus Mansfield last weekend and has 73 yards and one touchdown on six catches. Anderson has also been key with 51 total yards on six receptions. John Caldwell (Va. Beach, Va./Fork Union Military Academy) (12.0 ypg/1 TD) and Adam Angelici (Bethel Park/Bethel Park) (10.8 ypg/1 TD) have also proven to be capable components of the pass offense.
       The Haven has juggled quarterbacks, primarily using junior Tim Storino (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park) while also giving freshman Rob Kristiniak (Flourtown/Springfield Township) time in the past two games. Storino threw for 81 yards and one score against Mansfield and leads LHU signal callers with 412 total yards and five touchdown strikes on 31-for-67 passing. Kristiniak has thrown three touchdowns in two games on the field on 6-for-10 passing and 91 total yards.
       For the first time this season the Bald Eagle rushing crew out-gained it opponent with 131 yards on the ground against Mansfield. Maurice Walker (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) and Melvin Kirby (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills) were the main players in the ground game, with Walker just three yards away from the century mark at 97 yards after scoring LHU’s first rushing touchdown of the season. Walker leads LHU with 42.2 yards per game on the run, netting 169 yards on 46 rush attempts. Kirby had 13 yards against Mansfield and owns a net gain of 125 yards on 37 carries this season. Fullbacks Dave Mottin (Snow Shoe/Bald Eagle Area) and Josh Stadulis (Willow Grove/Academy of the New Church) remain as LHU starters, while Justin Marshall (Luthersburg/DuBois Area) has also stepped up, pushing through the MU defense for a three-yard touchdown up the middle last weekend.
        Looking to pave the way for the Haven running backs are center Jason Popp (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin), senior guard Josh Clair (Manheim/Manheim Central), sophomore guard Kris Kishbaugh (Berwick/Berwick), and junior tackles Keith Boyer (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown Area) and Bill Cook (York/Central York).

THE DEFENSE
        Another PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week selection went to a Lock Haven player this past week as junior linebacker Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) was awarded the honors. Metz posted 10 tackles, three for loss (-8), his first career sack, a pass break-up and two interceptions. He returned his second interception 31 yards to the Mansfield 10-yard line, setting up a key Lock Haven touchdown in the narrow victory. On the season Metz has a team-high of 44 stops and is second among conference defensive leaders. Outside linebacker Charles Cannon (Braddock Hills/Woodland Hills) had a game best of 18 tackles versus the Mounties, and is second on the squad with a four-game total of 32 stops. Linebacker Jon Nalewak (Shamokin/Shamokin Area) joins the Metz and Cannon in the starting lineup after tallying three stops against Mansfield for a season total of 22 tackles.
      Cornerback Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills), senior strong safety Jim Hanzely (DuBois/DuBois), freshman cornerback Ngoyi Mukusa (Jim Thorpe/Jim Thorpe), and sophomore free safety Kellen Bush (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills) make up the starting secondary for the Bald Eagles. Carey had seven tackles against Mansfield, upping his season total to 22 along with three pass breakups and an interception. Hanzely also has three pass break-ups along with 18 total tackles. Mukusa had four stops last weekend and enters Saturday’s game third on the squad with 23 tackles, while Bush has a total of 13 tackles.
      Lining up down front are Warren Whitaker (Wilkes-Barre/GAR Memorial) (1 TT) and Jason Kasheta (Carbondale/Carbondale Area) (5 TT) along with defensive ends Nathan Eck (Jersey Shore/Jersey Shore) and Dustin Shaffer (Mayport/Redbank Valley) (6 TT). Eck had three tackles including two for loss against Mansfield and has 10 total stops and a team-high of five for loss.

SPECIAL TEAMS
         Rob Carey is second in the PSAC in punt return average, running back seven punts for an average of 21.6 yards and one touchdown which came last Saturday on an 80-yard return. He is also among conference kickoff return leaders, averaging 23.5 yards after covering 306 yards on 13 attempts. Punting for LHU will be either Greg Knauss (Laurys Station/Parkland) or Chris Keefer (Reedsville/Indian Valley), while place kicking duties will be maintained by either Knauss or Austin Kerstetter (Milton/Milton). Kerstetter is 4-for-8 on extra point attempts and 0-for-1 on field goal attempts. Knauss has split the uprights on both extra point attempts and is also 1-for-1 on field goal attempts.

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