LHU's Week 10 Two-Deep
The Lock Haven University football team is set for a Week 10 (Saturday, November 3) Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division clash at No. 11 West Chester.
Kickoff on Saturday at West Chester is set scheduled for 2 p.m., as the Golden Rams celebrate their annual Homecoming.
Lock Haven is 1-8 overall and 1-4 in PSAC East play. LHU's lone win of the season came in the Week 4 (Sept. 22) PSAC East opener at East Stroudsburg. West Chester is ranked No. 11 in the nation and sits at a perfect 8-0 (5-0 PSAC East) on the season.
Live coverage:
Live stats, video and audio links will available at
www.GoLHU.com. Fans can also listen to the game on the radio locally on Bear Country Radio, 99.9FM WQBR. The Bear is the flagship radio station of LHU Athletics.
LHU news, notes and storylines:
- The Bald Eagles are coming off a 56-37 PSAC East loss to Shippensburg.
- Despite the loss a number of individuals stood out on offense.
- Last week senior QB Cameron Tobias threw for 256 yards and three TDs. He was 17 of 31 passing for 256 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
- In the loss last week vs. Shippensburg, RB Chantz Swartz carried the ball 18 times for 172 yards and two scores. Both of his touchdown-runs came on big plays, thanks to rushes of 58 yards and 86 yards.
- Rounding out last week's offensive heroics was TE Jalen Jackson who hauled in a pair of TD catches. In all, he finished with four catches for 116 yards. He scored on a 79-yard catch-and-run and he scored on a five-yard play in the third quarter after a catch and nifty move that helped him split the Shippensburg defense.
- Swartz's 172 rushing yards vs. Ship marked a career-high and served as his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season.
- Last week, it marked Tobias' fourth game with over 200-yards passing.
- Defensively, LHU is being led by LB Obadiah Asare who has a team-best 71 tackles. His 14 tackles-for-loss rank No. 3 in the PSAC.
- DB Dontae Mason has five interceptions on the season, which are tied for the second-most in the PSAC.
Series history with West Chester:
West Chester leads the all-time series, 23-6-1, as Saturday marks the 31
st meeting between Lock Haven and West Chester in a series that dates back to 1931, a 26-0 LHU victory. Last season, West Chester won 35-14 and the Golden Ram win streak is at seven games, dating back to a Lock Haven victory in 1991, 13-7.
Last time out (Week 9 vs. Shippensburg (Sat, Oct. 27)):
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Senior quarterback
Cameron Tobias threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns, running back
Chantz Swartz rushed for two TDs and tight end
Jalen Jackson hauled in two catches for scores, but the individual offensive highlights were not enough, as Shippensburg rallied for a big second half and downed LHU, 56-37, in a thrilling PSAC East shootout. LHU got off to a quick start and led 10-0 with 5:55 left in the first quarter after a big TD-run from Swartz and a 34-yard field goal from
Austyn Carson. Lock Haven led 23-14 at halftime, but the visiting Red Raiders scored 42 second half points, including 21 in the third and fourth periods, as they rallied for the thrilling win in a cold and rain-soaked Hubert Jack Stadium.
Honoring the senior class:
Last Saturday's game vs. Shippensburg marked the final home game of the 2018 season for the Bald Eagles and the team honored its graduating seniors:
Jimmy Strickland,
Blake Kovin,
David Staton,
Brent Crushong,
Cameron Tobias and
Bryan Greene.
Opened PSAC East play with a win:
On Saturday, September 22, LHU opened PSAC East play and the Bald Eagles used 31 second-half points and held off host-East Stroudsburg, 44-41, in a second-half offensive shootout.
Cameron Tobias threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns,
Nysir Minney-Gratz returned a punt 84 yards for a TD, and
Javon Whitfield finished with a team-high 11 tackles and two interceptions, sparking the comeback. The win – Lock Haven's first of the 2018 season – came in the PSAC Eastern Division opener for both LHU and host East Stroudsburg. Both teams combined for 55 second-half points, and Lock Haven came back to win after trailing 14-0 in the first quarter, 17-13 at halftime and 27-13 midway through the third quarter.
Staton holds down the O-line:
Redshirt-junior
David Staton (LT) leads the way on the offensive line. The 6-foot-6, 305-pound left tackle has played in all 31 games of his career for the Bald Eagles and is without question one of the premier lineman in the entire PSAC.
A number of 'firsts' vs. IUP:
Despite the Week 3 (Sept. 15) loss to nationally-ranked IUP, the Bald Eagles recorded a number of 'firsts' in the game. Rookie kicker
Austyn Carson knocked home his first career field goal and fellow true-freshman
Dante Graham ran for his first career TD. Sophomore tight end
Jalen Jackson hauled in his first touchdown catch of the 2018 season.
Mason makes history in Week 2:
In the narrow Week 2 (Sept. 8) loss to Clarion, redshirt-sophomore defensive back
Dontae Mason made history with three interceptions, which tied the single-game LHU record.
The 'grand re-opening' of Hubert Jack Stadium surface:
During LHU's 2018 home-opener in Week 2 (Sat, Sept. 8) action, the Bald Eagles took time to celebrate the 'grand re-opening' of the Hubert Jack Stadium surface. Prior to the coin toss, there was a special ribbon cutting ceremony. Following the ribbon cutting and as part of the grand re-opening, the LHU offense ran a ceremonial first play and it was only fitting that new LHU President Robert Pignatello scored the first touchdown on the new turf. Last spring, LHU replaced its former surface with Astroturf's Trionic fiber, one of the most technologically advanced surfaces in the world.
2018 Gridiron Greats:
On Saturday, Sept. 8 (home-opener vs. Clarion), the LHU football team honored its 2018 Gridiron Greats class at halftime: Jim Doran, Brian Sekerak, John Spinosa, Maurice Walker and Chris Kustanbauter.
Starting vs. FCS opponents:
For the second straight season, the Bald Eagles opened a new season with an NCAA Division I FCS opponent. On Saturday (Sept. 1), LHU fell to host Duquesne, 45-0. It marked the first meeting between the two Pennsylvania schools. Last year, Lock Haven dropped its 2017 opener at Saint Francis, 69-3. Last season's opener marked LHU's first game vs. an FCS team since the 2012 season-opener at Fordham. In all, Saturday's game at Duquesne marked LHU's 13th game vs. an NCAA DI FCS opponent since 2000. Nine of those games served as season-openers. LHU hasn't beaten an FCS opponent since 1971 when the Bald Eagles opened the season with a 14-7 victory over Delaware State.
Taynor in fourth season:
- Dave Taynor (Urbana, '99), fourth season at LHU (9-33, 9-17 PSAC East)
- Career Record, 11th season (46-73 overall)
For LHU head football coach
Dave Taynor, the 2018 season will mark his fourth at The Haven. On April 12, 2015 he was named the school's 24th head coach.
2018 LHU Coaching Staff
The road ahead:
The Bald Eagles will close out the 2018 season next weekend (Week 11: Saturday, November 10) at Gannon University (12 p.m.).
