LHU HOME

October 15, 2002

Bald Eagle Gridders Host Conference Rival Shippensburg
Game #7 -- Lock Haven University -- Hubert Jack Stadium -- Lock Haven, PA -- 7 p.m.

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

THE GAME
    The Bald Eagle gridders (3-3, 0-1 PSAC West) host PSAC Western Division rival Shippensburg University (4-2, 2-0 PSAC West) on Saturday, October 19, in a game under the lights at Hubert Jack Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. The game can be heard locally on WBPZ-1230 AM and online at http://www.redzonemedia.com.

THE SERIES
     This year’s match-up is the 60th between Lock Haven and Shippensburg, the Red Raiders holding a 39-17-2 advantage since the first game between the programs in 1926. Shippensburg has won the past seven games and the last three in Hubert Jack Stadium including last year’s 31-10 victory. The last time the Bald Eagles defeated Shippensburg was 1994, when LHU rallied for the 35-21 win in Jack Stadium.

THE LAST TIME VERSUS VERSUS SHIPPENSBURG
      Shippensburg University defeated Lock Haven, 31-10, in conference action under the lights at Hubert Jack Stadium in the fifth week of the 2001 season. Shippensburg utilized a balanced offensive attack and two rushing touchdowns from Matt Phillips to help garner Head Coach Rocky Rees his 100th collegiate coaching victory.
     Shippensburg scored on its first two possessions of the ball game to earn the 14-point advantage. Halfback Dave Brown shook free of the LHU defense to cap off a 5-play, 74 yard drive on the first SU possession. Fullback Matt Phillips crossed into the endzone on a one-yard scamper for the second.
      Lock Haven’s Jonathan Miller hit a 28-yard field goal at the open of the second quarter to put the Bald Eagles on the board, 14-3. Shippensburg answered with a kick of their own before the intermission, moving the Raiders’ edge back up to 14, 17-3.
     The Bald Eagles climbed closer after the third period, cutting the Shippensburg lead to 17-10 with a 42-yard drive culminating in a 27-yard touchdown in the air from Johnathan Stahl to John Caldwell. The Red Raiders would push ahead the fourth quarter, however, silencing LHU comeback hopes with two touchdowns, one on a return for touchdown following a blocked field goal and the other on Phillips’ second score of the game.

SCOUTING SHIPPENSBURG
      After dropping two games to open the season, the Red Raiders have gone on a four-game win streak including two games within conference play. Last Saturday, Shippensburg improved to 2-0 in the PSAC West with a 13-7 overtime victory over Slippery Rock University. Down 7-0 late in the fourth quarter, the Raiders drove the ball into the endzone on a five-yard rush by Jarrod Dech to tie up the contest. A pass from Tyler Novak to Brian Sekel in overtime gave Shippensburg the win.
        Senior quarterback Tyler Novak pilots the Shippensburg offense, having completed 54 passes on 101 attempts this season for 862 yards and eight touchdowns. His main targets include freshman Brandon Saner (14 receptions, 217 yds, 1 TD) and red-shirt frosh Will Perry (5 receptions, 135 yds, 3 TDs). Junior tight end Brian Sekel has added 125 yards on six catches and two scores, while sophomore tight end Joel Gamble has caught 10 passes for 156 yards.
       The Red Raider rush offense is rated third in the PSAC at 220.3 yards per game -- most of those compliments of sophomore fullback John Kuhn. Kuhn has posted four 100-yard games this season, including 112 yards against The Rock, and leads Shippensburg in scoring with six touchdowns. Options in the SU running game are plentiful, also including halfbacks Jarrod Dech (23.5 ypg, 3 TDs), Andre McLaurin (41.3 ypg, 1 TD), and Jermaine Smith (24.2 ypg).
      The frontline is solidified by center Ben Weir, guards Chris Ward and Andrew Moses, all-conference tackle Jon Saba, and tackle Greg Hutchinson.
      Defensively, the Red Raiders are ranked second in the PSAC in points allowed, giving up an average of 16.5 points per contest. Middle linebacker Dan Walsh leads Shippensburg with 47 total tackles including four for loss. Fellow linebacker Eric Ranieri is second on the team with 38 stops. The third starting linebacker is sophomore Chris Leonetti, who is fourth on the squad with 34 tackles including six for loss along with two forced fumbles.
       The Shippensburg defensive line is headed up by junior tackle Chris Minner (23 TT, 8 TFL, 3.5 sacks) and all-conference end and senior Ron Johnson (22 TT, 6 TFL, 2.5 sacks). They are flanked to the right by senior Tom Walsh (12 TT, 3 TFL) and sophomore Ryan Hoffman (15 TT, 3 TFL, 2.0 sacks).
       Cornerback Brent Grimes (24 TT, 5 int) leads the Red Raiders with five interceptions including two versus Slippery Rock. Tony Johnson (13 TT, 1 int, 3 break-ups) is the other predicted starter at cornerback. Strong safety Clint Inch (17 TT, 1 TFL, 1 int) and free safety John Andrews (38 TT, 2 break-ups) will also help anchor the secondary.
        Tony Johnson and Brent Grimes team up to handle kick and punt returns. Johnson averages 4.7 yards per punt return and has run back five kickoffs for an average of 19.2 yards per return. Grimes averages 18.0 yards per kick return. Denver Brydon will be the Shippensburg punter (24 punts, 36.2 ypp, 2 I-20). Senior Craig Lough has the kicking duties under control, leading the PSAC in field goals with six on 11 attempts. Lough is 9-for-11 on extra point attempts.

LHU tailback Melvin Kirby;

Haven defenders Dustin Shaffer (#91)
and Nate Eck (#29)

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.

	Thirteenth-year Head Coach Rocky Rees (West Chester, ‘71) has built a 69-63-2 overall record while at the helm of the Shippensburg program.
Entering into the 2002 season, he held a 105-78-2 overall record as a head coach. Rees served five years at Susquehanna University prior to arriving in Shippensburg.

BALD EAGLE NOTES...

THE OFFENSE
       The Bald Eagle offense will be looking to bounce back from a drab performance of 92 total yards versus California (Pa.) last weekend. Lock Haven netted 51 yards via the pass while utilizing two quarterbacks, Rob Kristiniak (Flourtown/Springfield Township) and Bill Witmer (Bellefonte/Bellefonte). Witmer earned the start last weekend, building his year-to-date totals to 127 yards on 12-for-37 passing with one touchdown. Kristiniak is penciled in as this Saturday’s starter and currently totals 89 yards on seven completions with three touchdowns.
       On the receiving end, Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) continues to lead Haven receivers with 287 yards and three scores on 16 catches. Scott Anderson (Cortland, Ohio/Lakeview) has yet to snag a pass in the endzone, but has accumulated 73 yards on eight receptions including two for 22 yards against California last Saturday. Starting tight end Ryan Lightner (Elizabethtown/Lower Dauphin) is also a key player in the passing game with 99 yards off of seven catches with one touchdown. The LHU quarterbacks have also had two more consistent receiving options in rotation in John Caldwell (Va. Beach, Va./Fork Union Military Academy) (11.7 ypg/1 TD) and Adam Angelici (Bethel Park/Bethel Park) (8.0 ypg/2 TDs).
       The trio of Maurice Walker (North Braddock/Woodland Hills), Melvin Kirby (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills) and Justin Marshall (Luthersburg/DuBois Area) accounts for 97-percent of The Haven’s ground yardage. Walker had six carries for 24 yards and a touchdown against the Vulcans, and leads LHU with 43.0 yards per game along with three touchdowns. Kirby is right behind Walker with 35.3 yards per contest, while Marshall averages 16.8 yards each game with one touchdown. LHU has also utilized fullbacks Dave Mottin (Snow Shoe/Bald Eagle Area) and Josh Stadulis (Willow Grove/Academy of the New Church) when needed.
      Down in the trenches are freshman center Jason Scott (Linden/Williamsport Area), junior guard Bill Cook (York/Central York), sophomore guard Kris Kishbaugh (Berwick/Berwick), sophomore tackle Vinnie Kishbaugh (Berwick/Berwick) and junior tackle Keith Boyer (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown Area).

THE DEFENSE
      The Haven defense was working overtime last Saturday, but still managed some big plays to help keep the Bald Eagles in the game including a fumble recovery and run-back for touchdown along with an interception and return for score. A pair of linebackers top the Haven’s statistical column, Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) and Charles Cannon (Braddock Hills/Woodland Hills). Metz is second in the conference in total tackles, checking in with 66 total tackles including 43 solo stops. He also leads The Haven with three sacks and three interceptions along with 7.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Cannon has 47 tackles along with 3.5 tackles for loss. Jon Nalewak (Shamokin/Shamokin Area) is the third linebacker slated for the start on Saturday, entering into the game with 34 tackles including five for loss. Nalewak posted his second fumble recovery of the year against California, this time running it back 45 yards for the touchdown.
      Cornerback Ngoyi Mukusa (Jim Thorpe/Jim Thorpe) (36 TT) snared his first career interception then ran it back 35 yards for the touchdown versus the Vulcans. Fellow cornerback Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) is third on the squad with 38 tackles including three for loss. Lock Haven will go with two young players at free and strong safety, scheduling true-freshman Winston Alspaugh (Carlisle/Boiling Springs) (7 TT) and red-shirt frosh John Scullin (Boiling Springs/Boiling Springs) (17 TT, 1 INT) for the start this weekend.
       Defensive end Nathan Eck (Jersey Shore/Jersey Shore) has been a strong link in the LHU defense, posting 12 tackles against California including two for loss, while also forcing the fumble that led directly to one of the Bald Eagles’ touchdowns. Eck has 24 total stops and leads the team with nine behind the line of scrimmage. The rest of the defensive line is manned by end Dustin Shaffer (Mayport/Redbank Valley) (10 TT) and tackles Jarrod Hendricks (Rockton/DuBois Area) (18 TT, 1.5 TFL) and Jason Kasheta (Carbondale/Carbondale Area) (6 TT, 1.5 TFL).

SPECIAL TEAMS
         Rob Carey is second in the conference in punt return average, covering 19.9 yards per return on 11 attempts. He also remains one of the conference’s top kick returners, covering 22.7 yards per return. Greg Knauss (Laurys Station/Parkland) is capable of handling all kicking duties including punting. Knauss was 1-for-2 on extra point attempts last week and is 7-for-8 on the season. He has also connected on 3-of-4 field goal attempts with a long of 37 yards.

###LHU###