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October 22, 2002

Haven Football Back on the Road To Challenge #10 Indiana (Pa.)
Game #8 -- Indiana (Pa.) University -- Miller Stadium -- Indiana, PA -- 1:30 p.m.

>>>Full Game Release (PDF) >>>2002 LHU Roster >>>Indiana (Pa.) University Athletics Website

THE GAME
    The Bald Eagle football team (4-3, 1-1 PSAC West) will take on its second nationally-ranked opponent this season as it travels to No. 10-ranked Indiana (Pa.) University (7-1, 3-0 PSAC West) this Saturday, Oct. 26. Kickoff in George P. Miller Stadium is slated for 1:30 p.m. The game can be heard locally on WBPZ-1230 AM and online at http://www.redzonemedia.com.

THE SERIES
   Indiana has historically gotten the best of the Bald Eagles, maintaining a 45-15-3 advantage in 62 meetings on the gridiron since the first in 1927. Also at stake for Indiana is a current 20-game win streak over LHU. The last time the Bald Eagles were able to defeat Indiana was in 1981, a commanding 41-14 victory in Hubert Jack Stadium. The last time The Haven went on the road to IUP and won was long before any of this year’s players were born, a 40-19 victory in 1961 under then Head Coach Hubert Jack.

THE LAST TIME VERSUS VERSUS INDIANA (PA)
      Lock Haven suffered a 42-0 defeat at the hands of No. 9-ranked Indiana (Pa.) University on the road last season.
      An Indiana interception set up IUP's first score, earning the ball at the LHU 32 yardline then punching it into the endzone with a 30-yard rush by Aamir Dew. Turnovers again haunted Lock Haven in the second quarter, as two of three Indiana touchdowns resulted off possessions gained from a blocked punt and an interception. In the second frame, Carmelo Ocasio caught a 41-yard pass from quarterback Brian Eyerman. Tom Rebholz scored twice to close out first-half scoring, reaching paydirt on a one-yard run and a 10-yard pass from Eyerman.
Indiana's Ocasio scored his second touchdown on a 23-yard pass from Eyerman, and Henry Lane recorded a 1-yard scamper in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter to top off IUP scoring at 42.
      The LHU offense posted 157 yards, paced by the work of running backs Maurice Walker (40 yards, 16 carries) and Melvin Kirby (36 yards, 11 carries). Junior quarterback Brian Genis went 4-for-11, covering a total of 57 yards. John Caldwell (28 yards, 3 receptions) and Derrick Shields (39 yards, 2 receptions) also aided LHU offensive efforts. Defensively, cornerback Rob Carey, safety Rob Glielmi, and linebackers Chad Koleno and Derrik Metz all tallied five total tackles each to top the LHU chart.
       Indiana quarterback Brian Eyerman totaled three touchdowns and 135 yards to pilot the offensive attack. Aamir Dew gained 107 yards on 11 carries with one touchdown. Carmelo Ocasio caught two passes, both touchdowns, for a 64-yard total. IUP defensive leaders included Sondiata McKeithan (9 tackles, 3 TFL) and Joey Flora (7 tackles, 2 INT).

SCOUTING INDIANA (PA)
      The No. 10-ranked Indiana University Indians are 7-1 overall and perfect in the PSAC West at 3-0 following a 20-9 romp over California (Pa.) last weekend. It was the seventh-straight win for IUP this season and the 11th straight in George P. Miller Stadium.
      The quarterback situation hinges on whether or not senior Brian Eyerman makes it back from a concussion suffered against California. Eyerman is IUP’s all-time leader in passing yardage (7,402) and has 1,717 yards along with 26 touchdowns so far this season. He has a 60.7-percent completion rate, connecting on 108-of-178 passes thrown with just five interceptions. Should he be unable to play, freshman Kevin Weidl (6-for-14; 156 yds, 2 TDs) is the probable back-up.
       Receiver Carmelo Ocasio has caught 13 touchdown passes this season and averages 85.9 yards each time out. LeRon McCoy (50.4 ypg, 4 TDs), J.R. Thomas (41.4 ypg, 5 TDs), and Dave Davis (32.0 ypg, 1 TD) have also made themselves dangerous options in the passing game. A pair of tight ends, Steve Terlesky (2.1 ypg) and Pat Liebert (16.2 ypg, 4 TDs), also see extensive action.
       Tailback Elice Parker scored all three of IUP’s touchdowns against California. A senior, Parker now covers an average of 96.9 yards per game and has seven touchdowns this season. Fullback Justin Spence has put up an average of 55.0 yards per contest and has reached the endzone on two occasions.

(above) Freshman quarterback
Rob Kristiniak;
(below) The LHU defense makes
a stop against the Red Raiders

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.

	At the helm of Indiana (Pa.) football is 17th-year Head Coach Frank Cignetti (IUP, '60, ‘65).
While at Indiana, Cignetti has accumulated a 149-39-1 record along with 12 NCAA Division II playoff appearances. Before coming to IUP, he served as head coach at West Virginia University from 1976-79 before moving on to direct the Indians in 1986.

      The IUP offensive line averages just over 6’3” and 294 pounds, consisting of center Beau Elliott, guards Steve Perry and Saeed Hudson, and tackles Matt Fischer and Khiawatha Downey.
      Defensively, the Indians’ front an experienced line, starting with junior end Andrew Battle. Battle, the Western Division’s Co-Player of the Week, has 41 total stops and a team-high seven sacks. The opposite end is secured by junior Jamien Harvey (13 TT, 4 TFL, 2 sacks), while junior Craig Prince (41 TT, 5 TFL) and senior Brian Harris (24 TT, 3 TFL) occupy both defensive tackle slots.
      Four linebackers top the Indian defensive charts paced by junior outside linebacker Kris Griffin. Griffin has 61 total stops, four for loss, and two interceptions. Senior Jeff Jackson is expected back after sitting out the past two games -- Jackson has 49 tackles and two for loss. Sophomore middle linebacker Neal Wood has a team-best 11 tackles for loss including 5.5 sacks for 49 total stops. Walt Mosteller, a freshman, has posted 47 tackles on the season and has been starting the past two games in Jackson’s place.
      Free safety Dave Deneen has 46 stops and a team-high seven pass break-ups, while starting strong safety Trent Jones has 38 stops and three interceptions. Starting at cornerback are seniors Mike Howard (26 TT, 4 INT) and Kairi Cooper (43 TT, 5 PBU).
      J.R. Thomas and Dave Davis handle the bulk of kickoff returns, Thomas averaging 23.5 yards and Davis 16.7 yards per return. Mike Howard is back on punts, averaging 7.0 yards per return on 20 attempts this season including one run back for the touchdown. Junior Josh Telenko has made 33-of-35 extra point attempts and 2-of-5 field goal chances, while IUP punter Brian Burke averages 36.9 yards on 34 kicks.

BALD EAGLE NOTES...

THE OFFENSE
      The Bald Eagle offense continues to struggle with consistency but was still able to generate two touchdowns and two field goals against Shippensburg last Saturday. Those two scores came via the run along with Maurice Walker (North Braddock/Woodland Hills), who tucked the ball away and crossed into the endzone twice in the second quarter including one 46-yard break for paydirt. For the season, Walker alone has five touchdowns rushing, equalling the team’s total from 2001. Melvin Kirby (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills) and Justin Marshall (Luthersburg/DuBois Area) share duties running the ball with Walker. Kirby averages 30.3 yards each game, while Marshall averages 13.7 yards with one score. Fullbacks Dave Mottin (Snow Shoe/Bald Eagle Area) and Josh Stadulis (Willow Grove/Academy of the New Church) have also been key members of the Haven offense. Mottin helped set up Walker’s second touchdown run versus Shippensburg with two straight carries for ten yards and recorded a total of 18 yards on the contest. For the year, Mottin averages 4.2 yards per game on the rush, while Stadulis averages 4.0 ypg rushing and has caught one pass for four yards.
       The Haven is slated to start freshman Rob Kristiniak (Flourtown/Springfield Township) at quarterback again this Saturday. Kristiniak directed the Bald Eagles to the victory over Shippensburg in what was his first collegiate start, and currently has three touchdowns on 13-for-31 passing this season. Junior signal caller Tim Storino (Pittsburgh/Bethel Park) will be waiting in the wings if needed. Storino has thrown for six touchdowns, completing 35-of-79 pass attempts.
       The Bald Eagle receivers hope for a little more action this weekend after LHU opted for the pass just 13 times against Shippensburg, generating 40 yards. Marcus Burkley (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) had 27 of those yards and is The Haven’s leader with 314 yards and three touchdowns on 18 catches. Scott Anderson (Cortland, Ohio/Lakeview) has 73 yards on eight catches, and fellow receivers John Caldwell (Va. Beach, Va./Fork Union Military Academy) (11.3 ypg/1 TD) and Adam Angelici (Bethel Park/Bethel Park) (6.9 ypg/2 TDs) have also been in the mix. Tight end Ryan Lightner (Elizabethtown/Lower Dauphin) is second on the Haven receiving charts with 103 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions.
      Maintaining the front line is the duty of rookie 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 Bald Eagle defense wreaked havoc on the Shippensburg offense, picking off four passes, causing two fumbles with one recovered and run back by Rob Carey for the touchdown, and blocking a punt which led directly to an offensive score. Cornerback Rob Carey (North Braddock/Woodland Hills) earned a myriad of honors for his performance last Saturday, garnering Defensive Player of the Week accolades from Don Hansen’s National Football Gazette, D2Football.com and the PSAC West. Carey made 11 tackles, two pass break-ups, an interception, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery that he ran back a school-record 99 yards for the touchdown.
      Linebacker Derrik Metz (Roaring Spring/Central) is The Haven’s tackle leader and is second in the PSAC with 74 stops. He also has eight tackles for loss along with team highs of 3.0 sacks and four interceptions. Brian Lumpkin (Rockville, Md./Bullis School) (17 TT, 1 TFL) will start at outside linebacker along with Jon Nalewak (Shamokin/Shamokin Area). Nalewak led the Bald Eagle defense with 12 stops against Shippensburg and has 46 total on the year along with five for loss and two fumble recoveries.
      Ngoyi Mukusa (Jim Thorpe/Jim Thorpe) had eight stops and two pass break ups last weekend to bring his season total to 44 total tackles. The Bald Eagles will start Jim Hanzely (DuBois/DuBois Area) (26 TT) at strong safety and John Scullin (Boiling Springs/Boiling Springs) (28 TT, 3 INT) gets the starting nod at free safety. Scullin recorded a big game against Shippensburg with 11 tackles, two interceptions, and two additional pass break ups.
      Keeping the pressure on up front is defensive end Nathan Eck (Jersey Shore/Jersey Shore), who leads LHU in tackles for loss with 10 among his 25 total stops. On the opposite end is Dustin Shaffer (Mayport/Redbank Valley) (16 TT, 2 TFL). Manning the middle of the line are tackles Jarrod Hendricks (Rockton/DuBois Area) (20 TT, 2.0 TFL) and Jason Kasheta (Carbondale/Carbondale Area) (6 TT, 1.5 TFL).

SPECIAL TEAMS
         Rob Carey earned laurels for his defensive play, but his work on kick and punt returns was also notable -- Carey’s 62-yard kickoff return and a 35-yard punt return led directly to Haven field goals early in the Shippensburg game. On the season, Carey is second in the PSAC in punt return yardage, averaging 19.8 yards per return. He is fourth in the conference averaging 24.2 yards per kickoff return.
       Freshman kicker Greg Knauss (Laurys Station/Parkland) pinned Shippensburg inside its own 20-yard line on three occasions and for the season averages 41.4 yards per punt. With five games played he is just shy of being included in the conference statistics (75-percent participation), but Knauss’s numbers would be good enough to put him second in the PSAC. He also has hit 5-of-7 field goals, including two last Saturday, and is 9-for-11 on extra point attempts.

###LHU###