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Week 4 Football Game Notes: LHU heads to East Stroudsburg (Sept. 22)

Sophomore running back Chantz Swartz (31) of Lock Haven University Football runs the ball in for a touchdown against Clarion University. The LHU Bald Eagles would lose that game, 31-20. (Photo courtesy of LHU Football)

EAST STROUDSBURG — The Lock Haven University football team is returning to the road and set to open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East action.

Setting the stage:

The Bald Eagles are set to open PSAC East play on Saturday (Sept. 22) at East Stroudsburg (2:05 p.m.). The Bald Eagles are 0-3 and coming off a 59-17 loss last week at home to No. 3 IUP. ESU is 1-2 overall and coming off a 49-24 loss at Edinboro.

The series with

East Stroudsburg:

ESU leads the all-time series 12-7 as Saturday marks the 20th all-time meeting between LHU and ESU. Last season, East Stroudsburg won 37-27 in Lock Haven. Back in 2016, the Bald Eagles scored a school-record 66 points on the way to a 66-41 win over the Warriors. The win was Lock Haven’s first over ESU since 1989 and snapped a seven-game losing skid.

Back in PSAC East play:

Saturday is the PSAC opener for both LHU and ESU. Last season, Lock Haven finished 2-9 overall with both wins coming in PSAC East action thanks to divisional wins over Cheyney and local-rival Bloomsburg. It marked LHU’s second straight win over Bloomsburg and moved third-year head coach Dave Taynor to 2-1 all-time vs. Bloomsburg. In 2016, Lock Haven went 4-3 in PSAC play after wins over Cheyney, Millersville, Bloomsburg and East Stroudsburg.

Asare leading the way on ‘D’:

Through three games, sophomore-linebacker Obadiah Asare leads LHU with 27 tackles. His 27 tackles rank sixth in the PSAC. Asare’s 18 solo tackles are third in the PSAC and his nine tackles per game rank fourth.

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.

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 25 games of his career for the Bald Eagles and is without question one of the premier lineman in the entire PSAC.

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 (8-28, 8-13 PSAC East)

– Career Record, 11th season (45-68 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

-Head Coach/Quarterbacks: Dave Taynor

-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line/Tight Ends: Bill Nickell

-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers: Jeff Smith

-Wide Receivers: Matt Zanellato

-Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs: Cortez Carter

-Defensive Line: Marshall Hall

-Assistant Defensive Line: Mat Turner

-Running Backs: Shane Baker

The 2018 schedule:

A second straight season-opener at a Division I opponent, five home games and a trip to Texas to take on the defending NCAA Division II national champions highlight the 2018 schedule. During the 2018 season, the Bald Eagles will host Clarion, IUP, Millersville, Bloomsburg and Shippensburg. LHU’s home-opener is set for Saturday, September 8 at 12 p.m. All five of Lock Haven’s home games will start at 12 p.m. including the Homecoming game on October 20. LHU will also make a trip to The Lone Star State on Saturday, September 29 to take on Texas A&M Commerce, the defending NCAA DII champions.

Up next:

Next week (Week 5), the Bald Eagles will head to Texas to take on No. 1 Texas A&M Commence, the defending NCAA Division II national champions. The game – LHU’s second straight on the road – is set for a 7 p.m. EST kickoff. It will also mark the Lock Haven University Bald Eagles’ second game in three weeks vs. an opponent ranked in the top-three nationally.

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