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October 8, 2002

LHU Opens PSAC Western Division Action at California (Pa.)
Game #6 -- at California University -- Adamson Stadium -- California, PA -- 3 p.m.

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

THE GAME
    Lock Haven (3-2, 0-0 PSAC West) opens up its PSAC Western Division schedule on the road at California (Pa.) University on Saturday, October 12. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. The game can be heard locally on WBPZ-1230 AM and online at http://www.redzonemedia.com .
     The 2002 Bald Eagles’ current 3-2 mark is the first such start for LHU since the 1982 campaign.

THE SERIES
     Since 1971, the Vulcans of California hold a 17-13-1 advantage in the series between the two squad, however, The Haven came away with the 24-21 victory in Hubert Jack Stadium last season. The two previous seasons, California had scored wins in Adamson Stadium, 27-7 and 33-12. From 1994-1998, the Bald Eagles won four-of-five match-ups including the most recent win at Cal’s Adamson Stadium in 1996 (21-14). Over the past 20 years, Lock Haven has won three times in ten road trips to California (1996, 1994, 1982).

THE LAST TIME VERSUS VERSUS CALIFORNIA (PA)
      The Haven collected its second win and only Western Division victory of the 2001 season over California (Pa.), 24-21, at home in Jack Stadium.
The Bald Eagles netted just 164 total offensive yards to California’s 360 yards, but big help from defense and special teams gave the LHU offense prime field position several times leading to touchdowns.
      Lock Haven opened up the game with a 37 yard field goal by Jonathan Miller to go on the scoreboard first, 3-0. The Vulcans answered loudly, driving 67 yards on 10 plays for the score with quarterback Brandon LeDonne opting to run the ball in himself from 13 yards out. On their next possession, LHU hit a field goal but a penalty against California gave them the chance to go for the touchdown. Maurice Walker then sliced his way though to paydirt to give The Haven the 10-7 lead.
     Both teams traded touchdowns in the second quarter, as the Vulcans’ Wesley Cates scored on a five-yard rush, then LHU safety Renaldo Nichols intercepted a LeDonne pass at the California 40-yard line and broke for the endzone, crossing unscathed to send the Bald Eagles into the half with a 17-14 lead.
     Late in the third stanza, the Bald Eagles struck again with a 16-yard completion from Witmer to Marcus Burkley, boosting the slim lead to a more comfortable 24-14 advantage. Reserve Cal quarterback Dustin Strayer completed scoring with his nine-yard rush for score, brining the score to 24-21.

SCOUTING CALIFORNIA (PA)
      The California Vulcans are 4-1 overall and 0-1 in the PSAC West following a 41-16 loss to Slippery Rock University last Saturday. The California offense has out-gained its opponents by 1,103 yards, an average of 220 yards more per outing. Despite the loss, the Vulcans also held an advantage in yardage over Slippery Rock, 404-282, but seven fumbles, including four turned over to SRU, and two interceptions were too costly to overcome.
       The gap filled by the loss of PSAC all-time leading rusher Wesley Cates is being filled sophomore Wesley Clemons (295 yds, 42 carries, 4 TDs) and junior Claude Whitaker (293 yds, 64 carries, 3 TDs). Red-shirt frosh Tayon Mitchell has also added depth to the Cal running game, covering 196 yards on 34 carries with three touchdowns.
       The Vulcan offense sets up around senior quarterback Brandon LeDonne, who has 789 yards on 61-for-102 passing with six touchdowns. LeDonne did not play versus Slippery Rock due to an arm injury, however, and the Vulcans opted to give freshman Jared Dumm his first collegiate start. Dumm completed six passes for 81 yards but was replaced by sophomore Dustin Strayer who moved the ball up field for 225 yards on 13-of-18 passing with two touchdowns.
      Whichever signal caller is in the game, his main targets will be a pair of sophomores, Garvin Graves and Dedric Anderson. Graves caught nine passes for 137 yards last Saturday. He is the conference leader with 7.6 receptions per game, and is third in the PSAC with 95.2 receiving yards per game. Anderson crossed into the endzone twice versus Slippery Rock, including a 67-yard touchdown reception. He currently averages 84 yards an outing and has six touchdown receptions.

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.

	California Head Coach John Luckhardt (Purdue) enters his first season at the helm of the Vulcan program following a 17-year tenure as the head coach at Washington and Jefferson College (1982-1998).
He became the W&J Presidents' most successful football coach with a 137-37-2 win-loss ledger, winning 13 PAC championships and making 11 NCAA-III playoff appearances. Prior to Washington and Jefferson, he served time as backfield and receivers coach at Lehigh University.

      California is currently home to the top defense in the conference, allowing just 14.2 points per game. The Vulcans are first in the PSAC in rushing defense (71.6 ypg) and after the first five games wind up fifth in pass defense (151.4 ypg). Free safety Jon Arnold is Cal’s defensive leader, recording 32 total tackles, and is also second in the conference with four interceptions including one against Slippery Rock last Saturday.
      Four linebackers highlight the defensive charts below Arnold including senior Kevan Scott, who has 31 stops including four for loss. Junior linebacker Matt Onyshko has 29 tackles along with three for loss. T.J. Carden has also tallied 29 tackles along with a team-high of five stops behind the line of scrimmage and two interceptions. Yadin Collins shares the team-high of five tackles for loss with Carden, and also leads the squad with 2.5 sacks.
      Starting cornerback R.J. Abercrombie has batted away seven pass intentions in addition to two interceptions. On the line for Cal are starting defensive ends Jason Ellis (13 TT, 1.5 sacks) and Dan Smith (5 TT, 2 TFL), while the tackle spots are anchored by Ernest Genes (6 TT, 1 sack) and Chris McKnight (7 TT, 2 sacks).
      R.J. Abercrombie is the Vulcans’ main kick returner, averaging 26.8 yards per kick return and landing among conference leaders with 11.6 yards per punt return. He is joined on kickoffs by Wesley Clemons (19.3 ypr), and Garvin Graves has the ability to fill in at punt returner (2 returns/11.0 ypr). Kicking for California is Gary Amos, who has scored 25 points after connecting on 16-of-17 extra points and 3-of-5 field goals. Larry Calabrese (36.5 ypp) or Rusty Springer (29.3 ypp) are the likely choices when California opts to punt.

BALD EAGLE NOTES...

THE OFFENSE
       The LHU offense managed to produce its highest scoring total of the season with last Saturday’s 34-0 win over Cheyney University, and the Cheyney game also marked the first time this season that Lock Haven has put up more total yardage than its opponent by owning the 347-252 advantage. A trio of running backs have taken the lead in the ground game headed up by sophomore tailback Maurice Walker (North Braddock/Woodland Hills). Walker has crossed into the endzone on two occasions and averages 46.8 yards per game. Melvin Kirby (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills) and Justin Marshall (Luthersburg/DuBois Area) are also threats, Kirby averaging 39.4 yards each outing and Marshall coming on strong the past two games for 19.5 yards a game along with one touchdown. Marshall also added a touchdown reception versus Cheyney. Fullbacks Dave Mottin (Snow Shoe/Bald Eagle Area) and Josh Stadulis (Willow Grove/Academy of the New Church) are also viable options in the LHU backfield.
          With no clear choice emerging yet from the battle among LHU’s quarterbacks, any one of Tim Storino (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park), Bill Witmer (Bellefonte/Bellefonte), or Rob Kristiniak (Flourtown/Springfield Township) could handle duties as the starting signal caller. Storino has started the past four games and leads Lock Haven with six touchdowns thrown and a total of 495 yards (79-35-4). Witmer made his first appearance last Saturday after separating his throwing shoulder against Northeastern back in August. He connected on 4-of-6 passes for 45 yards and one touchdown against Cheyney. Kristiniak stepped in late last Saturday, and on the season has completed 7-of-13 passes for 89 yards and three touchdowns.
         Junior Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) has 284 yards on 15 catches along with three touchdowns to lead the Haven’s receiving game. LHU has multiple options in its passing game, also including tight end Ryan Lightner (Elizabethtown/Lower Dauphin), and receivers Scott Anderson (Cortland, Ohio/Lakeview), John Caldwell (Va. Beach, Va./Fork Union Military Academy) and Adam Angelici (Bethel Park/Bethel Park).
         Looking to pave the way for the Haven running backs are freshman center Jason Scott (Linden/Williamsport Area), guards Bill Cook (York/Central York) and guard Kris Kishbaugh (Berwick/Berwick), along with tackles Vinnie Kishbaugh (Berwick/Berwick) and Keith Boyer (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown Area).

THE DEFENSE
        The Bald Eagle defense held Cheyney to just 72 yards passing and helped secure the shutout victory, the first since a 24-0 win over Mansfield in the final game of the 2000 season. Junior linebacker Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) continued his standout play with a game-high of 12 tackles, including two sacks and an additional two tackles for loss. Metz is second in the PSAC with 56 tackles and is also among conference leaders with three interceptions. Linebackers Charles Cannon (Braddock Hills/Woodland Hills) and Jon Nalewak (Shamokin/Shamokin Area) have also been doing their part. Cannon registered three stops against Cheyney to bring his total to 35 including four for loss, while Nalewak is fifth on the team with 27 stops including five for loss, two of those coming against the Wolves.
       Cornerback Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) has registered 28 total tackles along with four pass break-ups, and fellow corner Ngoyi Mukusa (Jim Thorpe/Jim Thorpe) is right behind with 27 tackles. Strong safety Jim Hanzely (DuBois/DuBois) (21 TT, 4 pass breakups) will start, and free safety John Scullin (Boiling Springs/Boiling Springs) (13 TT, 1 INT) has also earned a spot in the starting lineup.
        The frontline of the Haven defense will be solidified by Jarrod Hendricks (Rockton/DuBois Area) (11 TT, 2 TFL) and Jason Kasheta (Carbondale/Carbondale Area) (6 TT, 2 TFL) at the tackle positions along with defensive ends Nathan Eck (Jersey Shore/Jersey Shore) (13 TT, 7 TFL) and Dustin Shaffer (Mayport/Redbank Valley) (8 TT).

SPECIAL TEAMS
         Rob Carey is the PSAC leading punt returner (20.6 ypr) and ran back a punt for touchdown for the second straight week versus Cheyney. Carey is also deep for kickoffs, ranking fifth in the conference after averaging 24.0 yards per return. Marcus Burkley also joins Carey deep on kickoff returns, running back three for an average of 14.3 yards. Placekicker/punter Greg Knauss (Laurys Station/Parkland) hit two field goals last weekend, splitting the uprights from 36 and 37 yards out. For the season, he is 3-of-4 on field goal attempts and is 6-for-6 on extra point kicks.

###LHU###