LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Gage Ocker (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest), the Bald Eagles No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart, engineered several quick scoring drives and running back Chantz Swartz (Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata) rushed for a career-high 173 yards, but in the end the Lock Haven University football team (1-4, 0-2 PSAC East) fell to visiting Shepherd University (3-2, 1-1 PSAC East), 62-28, tonight (Thursday) in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division action.
 
The two teams combined for 56 first-half points as Shepherd led 35-21 at the break after the Lock Haven and Shepherd offensive units enjoyed an explosive opening 30 minutes despite cooling and rainy conditions.
 
It was 14-14 less than eight minutes into the game and the two teams scored five total touchdowns in the first 10 minutes of the game.
 
LHU received the opening kick of the game and went right down the field for a touchdown. Ocker led a brilliant 8-play, 70-yard drive that took 4:09. He capped the drive with a 6-yard run and Lock Haven led 7-0 with 10:51 to play.
 
On Shepherd's first offensive play on the ensuing drive, Deonte Glover went 75 yards for a score and the tied the game just like that. It was 7-7 with 10:30 left in the opening quarter.
 
The offensive fireworks continued, as on the very next drive – LHU's second of the game – Swartz took it to the house on an 87-yard touchdown run.
 
Swartz's TD put Lock Haven up 14-7 with 8:54 left in the first quarter. Shepherd quickly struck again, as offense was certainly the main story in the opening 15 minutes. It was 14-14 with 7:01 left in the first.
 
From there, Shepherd capped the first quarter with two more TDs and led 28-14 after the first quarter. The two teams combined for 42 first-quarter points.
 
Swartz added a second-quarter TD run, but the Rams led 35-21 at half.
 
The name of the game was "run the ball" for the Bald Eagles tonight and they finished with an impressive 262 yards on the ground. Swartz led the way with 173 on 22 carries. Swartz, the backbone of the run-game tonight ran for two scores.
 
Ocker, who made his first career start at quarterback, finished with 63 yards on 15 attempts. He rushed for one score. Ocker was 7 of 14 (2 INTs) for 114 yards and he threw a TD-pass to Camron Abalos (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Spackenkill (Hudson Valley C.C.)) late in the game.
 
All-American tight end Jalen Jackson (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport) made three catches for 64 yards.
 
Alex Welch (Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville) was the Bald Eagles engine on defense and finished with a game-high and season-high 11 tackles. He made eight solo stops. Austin Barber (Johnstown, Pa./Greater Johnstown) had eight tackles and Kahari Whitfield (Reading, Pa./Reading) registered seven stops (5 solo).
 
Shepherd scored 27 second-half points and took advantage of LHU's second-half turnovers. Glover powered the Rams with 171 yards on the ground and two rushing TDs.
 
UP NEXT:
After two straight home games, LHU will head back on the road for Week 6 action. The Bald Eagles will take advantage of a couple extra days of rest, thanks to playing tonight (Thursday), before heading to Millersville University for a 12 p.m. kick on Saturday, October 12.