From the beginning of the 2024 season (4-6), Lock Haven set their goals high, wanting to achieve six wins for the first time since 1981. While last week’s loss to West Chester ensured that would not be the case this season, that doesn’t mean they still didn’t have goals to meet. At the least, Lock Haven head coach Dan Mulrooney said he wanted to tie last year’s win total of five, and Saturday’s crushing win over (2-9) Shippensburg keeps back to back five win seasons as a very real possibility.

Here are my five takeaways from the game:

IT’S HOW YOU START

Saturday’s game was the definition of the phrase “it’s not about how you start, but how you finish that counts”, as Lock Haven seemed to immediately go into defcon 5 as the game began.

After winning the toss Lock Haven deferred to the second half, giving Shippensburg the ball first. On just the first play from scrimmage the Raiders offense kicked into high gear, as running back Josiah Leonard hit a wide open hole and burst free for a 53-yard gain. Then just four plays later Leonard found the endzone to put Shippensburg up 7-0.

Allowing a touchdown on the opening drive is going to happen every now and again, but it seemed the sudden start shocked the Bald Eagles into a daze, as on their own opening three drives they amassed a total of 8 yards on offense. And to make things worse, after going three and out on their second drive, Lock Haven Kicker/Punter Tony Niccasio was unable to handle the snap on his punt attempt, setting the Raiders up at the Bald Eagle 37-yard line. Shippensburg went on to score again, and Lock Haven quickly found themselves down 14-0 at the end of the first.

Coach Mulrooney looked irate on the sidelines at the end of the quarter, as he could be seen spiking a water bottle into the turf. But that sudden showing of emotion from Mulrooney seemed to snap his team out of whatever funk they were in, as they went on to completely stifle the Raiders for the next 45 minutes of play.

Lock Haven scored 35 points in the second quarter alone, which is the most they have scored in a quarter all season. They looked like a completely different team than they had just minutes prior, completely overwhelming the Raider’s secondary, and shutting down Shippensburg’s offense.

42 points marks the most that Lock Haven has scored since last year’s opening week victory versus Post.

A RECORD-BREAKING DAY, AND HISTORIC SEASON

To put it simply, Saturday’s game versus Bloomsburg has the chance to go down as one of the best regular season games in Lock Haven history. The party got started quickly, as linebacker Justin Anderson secured a tackle for loss, bringing him to within one TFL of third place for the most TFLs in a single season. And funny enough currently sitting at number three is current Lock Haven interim athletic director Albert Jones.

But that was only the beginning, as quarterback Jackson Ostrowsky had, simply put, a performance of the ages. Ostrowsky broke the single season passing touchdown record of 23 (previously held by Caleb Walton) in the midst of a five touchdown game. Ostrowsky now is the sole leader of the record with 25. Ostrowsky also only needs 191 yards passing next week to become the sole leader in passing yards for a single season (currently held by Caleb Walton).

But wait, there’s more as Lock Haven receiver T’iar Young eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving this season, as he is sitting currently at 1,034 yards thanks to the 9 catches, 134 yards, and 2 TDs he had in Saturday’s game. Young becomes only the third wide receiver in Lock Haven history to achieve this feat, joining Bryan McGinty (1,081) and Shawn Seif (1,282). Young also needs 1 TD to tie Seif for most receiving touchdowns in a season with 11.

“They make plays.” Mulrooney said when asked his reaction to all the records his team may break, “I take none of the credit, they’re good players, and players make plays. We are going to keep breaking records, we are going to keep doing things no one has ever done. I’m really proud of it, and proud of the individuals just as much. We are always rooting for them to do amazing stuff.”

A FITTING SENDOFF ON SENIOR DAY

Saturday’s win marked the first time in Mulrooney’s coaching career that they won on their senior day, and you could tell how much it meant to him and his players to accomplish that.

“Underneath the helmet there is a young man there, and It means alot to me to make their last memory a win at home against Shippensburg.” Mulrooney said when asked about what that win meant to him.

In total 12 players walked on Saturday, as Alfred Manyeah, KJ Howard, Quon Williams, Darryl Pollard, Kasir Henry, Jahmel Flowers, Mister Houge, Chris Hicks, Rhys McDonald, Jacob Sturm, Justin Anderson, and Tony Nicassio all were honored pre-game.

And not only did they play but many of those senior’s had major impacts, and all of them played a major role in the win. Hicks caught two TDs, Howard ran in a TD while amassing 105 yards, Pollard had an Interception, Henry had five tackles alongside Manyeah who had three, Anderson had one TFL, McDonald had 4 tackles and 1.5 sacks, Flowers also registered a sack, Houge and Sturm both got carries, Williams was targeted a few times but held catchless, and Nicassio went 6 for 6 on extra point attempts.

RUN GAME HAS THEIR BEST DAY SINCE OCTOBER

Running the ball has certainly not been Lock Haven’s most efficient way of moving the ball this season, as they have had one of the worst rushing attacks in the PSAC. But things looked promising versus Ship, as they had one of their better games this season against one of the worst rush defenses in the PSAC.

Like I mentioned Howard ran for 105 yards and one score, doing so on just 9 carries. Many of Howard’s yards coming on a 64-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter. But alongside Howard, Damir Green also found some success on the ground as he ran for 37-yards on 11 carries.

The Bald Eagles ran for 134 yards on the day, averaging 5-yards per carry. While they still were out rushed 196-134, Lock Haven showcased an ability to run for four or five yards every carry, something they haven’t done most of this season.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO GANNON

The curtains are beginning to close the 2024 football season, but before they do, there is still one game left to be played. Lock Haven travels up to Erie, PA to take on a Gannon team not having as much success as they are used to. The Golden Knights currently sit at 3-6, but are coming of a 34-28 win versus (3-7) Clarion. Next Saturday is the Golden Knight’s senior day, so they will be extra motivated to get that final home win and end this dreadful season on a positive note.

Meanwhile for Lock Haven, this team and staff is well aware that this game means more than just being their last of the season. The Bald Eagles need to beat Gannon to match last year’s record of five wins, a mark which they desperately want to hit. If they win, it shows that last year’s mark was not just a fluke, but the new standard. However if they lose, it will be the first time in Mulrooney’s coaching career that he lost more games than the season prior, and questions will arise if 2023 was just a flash in the pan.

The final game of the 2024 season will take place at McConnell Family Stadium, with a scheduled noon kickoff time.