TIM WEIGHT FILE The Lock Haven defense waits for action to resume during a football game against Glenville State on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Hubert Jack Stadium.

INDIANA — The first road test for Lock Haven Football this season certainly did not go as planned, as the (1-1) Bald Eagles fell to the (1-1) IUP Crimson Hawks, 42-10. That loss marks the 37th straight game that Lock Haven has lost to IUP.

Both of the Haven’s scores came thanks to the defense, as a Troy Miller pick six resulted in their only touchdown on the day. Then, a Bode Sipel forced fumble deep in IUP territory led to a Kaden Bauer 42-yard field goal.

Here are five takeaways from the game.

PASSING GAME WOES CONTINUE

Last week, there was some concern with how the Haven’s passing attack looked, and their struggles continued against the Crimson Hawks. In total, quarterback Jackson Ostrowsky threw for 130 yards against IUP, ending the game with a sub 50-percent completion percentage.

It seemed like Ostrowsky and his receivers couldn’t manage to get on the same page all day long, as there were a handful of instances where both QB and WR seemed to get confused on what route was supposed to be run.

Struggles like this were to be expected as Ostrowsky tries to build chemistry with a whole new pass catching group, but it is still a worrying trend on just how off it looks so far.

After the game, Lock Haven head coach Joe Battaglia addressed the passing game concerns, and noted on what needs to change for the offense to get back to the form it had a year ago.

“We need to start with keeping the QB upright. We need to hunker down our protection and give us a chance to make plays,” said Battaglia.

“That being said, this offense has a lot of freedom to throw the football down the field to create big plays. We’re just off on our timing right now, something we need to get better at asap to give us a chance to score.”

SECONDARY MISCOMMUNICATIONS PROVE COSTLY

Another worrying trend that continued on from Week One was the breakdowns in the secondary, and those mishaps often led to disaster. Most of IUP’s points came through the air, scoring on passing plays of 30, 57 and 72 yards. Just like with the Haven wide-outs, there were many instances of Bald Eagle defenders looking at each other in confusion throughout the game.

After conceding 299 yards last week against Glenville, it only got worse on Saturday. In total, IUP quarterback Matthew Rueve passed for 365 yards and five touchdowns, with his lone interception being the aforementioned Miller pick six.

JAEION PERRY HAS BEEN A STANDOUT

While as a unit Lock Haven’s defensive backs have struggled, there have been a few notable standouts, and none bigger than corner Jaeion Perry. In Saturday’s game, Perry had the herculean task of shadowing top Crimson Hawks receiver Maurice Massey.

Massey stuffed the stat sheet a year ago for IUP, racking up 46 catches for 720 yards and eight touchdowns, being named All-PSAC West first team and a nominee for the Harlon Hill Trophy. Needless to say, it looked like Perry would be in for a long day.

But Perry deserves his flowers for his performance Saturday, as he held one of the best wide outs in the PSAC to just three catches for 26 yards, and was also the corner who tipped the ball into the air that led to Miller’s pick six. Perry has been a big bright spot for the Haven through two games and definitely deserves praise.

NEW FACES ON THE D-LINE

Lock Haven’s defensive line saw some new faces for the first time this season. Players like Justin Castro-Dixon, Benjamin Carey and David Montgomery saw an uptick in playing time. Specifically Carey, a true freshman, was a name who stood out and had some impressive pass rush reps.

“At the end of the day, anyone who can help us at a high level will be in the rotation.” Coach Battaglia said when asked about the new faces. “Practices are graded daily and as we keep working and developing the rest of that room there’s no limit on who else could join that rotation weekly.”

STILL LOOKING FOR THAT UPSET WIN

While the Bald Eagles are still in the midst of one of the best stretches of football this program has seen in a long time, they are still looking for their first true upset win. Last year, they came close in games versus IUP, Cal (Pa.), Shepherd and East Stroudsburg, but they have yet to manage to complete a stunning win.

“I thought we reverted back to a lot of old habits from last season,” Battaglia said when asked about his thoughts on the game. “It’s hard to beat the opponent and beat yourself when you put yourself in those situations penalty wise. We had multiple blown assignments on both sides of the ball today, defensively, allowing three easy touchdowns and offensively, leading to a couple sacks and TFL’s.”

[We] shot ourselves in the foot numerous times and you can’t do that against a good team like IUP because they’ll capitalize like they did. The good news is it’s fixable and the guys are bought in to fixing it starting tomorrow.”

NEXT UP

Lock Haven will have an opportunity to pull off a stunner next week, as they travel on the road to take on a nationally ranked Cal Pa. Vulcans squad riding high after a PSAC championship appearance a year ago. That game is set to kick off at noon on Saturday, Sept. 20.