Offense erupts, leads LHU to record-breaking win
EAST STROUDSBURG – The Bald Eagles offense erupted for 724 total yards, including 424 on the ground and the Lock Haven University football team scored a school-record 66 points in a dominating 66-41 win over perennial Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division contender East Stroudsburg (4-6, 2-5 PSAC East).
LHU’s offense got a spark from the three-headed monster of quarterback Caleb Walton (Manheim, Pa./Manheim), wide receiver Shawn Seif (Harrisburg, Pa./Kutztown Univ.) and running back John Ford (Etters, Pa./Shippensburg) who all racked up individual “video-game-like” numbers in the victory, and accounted for a number of records on the day.
The win marked Lock Haven’s fourth in the last five games and the second straight. With the win LHU moved to 4-6 overall and 4-3 in PSAC East play.
It marked the first time since 1989 where the Bald Eagles defeated ESU and snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Warriors.
LHU’s four wins this season are the most in a single-season since 2002. Lock Haven finished the 2002 season at 4-7 overall. The Bald Eagles will go for a fifth win at Mercyhurst (2-8) next Saturday.
The Bald Eagles’ four PSAC East wins this season mark the most PSAC Divisional victories in a single-season since LHU won six games in PSAC West action in 1979.
Today, Lock Haven scored early and often, and dominated ESU all over the field.
Just 39 seconds into the game Walton threw his first of five touchdown passes (all in the first half) and the rout was on. Walton hit Seif on a pass and Seif did the rest, thanks to a 68-yard catch-and-run TD, and Lock Haven led 7-0.
With 4:21 left in the first quarter Jacob Jones (Williamsport, Pa./Montoursville) blocked an ESU punt and Adrian Pritchett (Yonkers, N.Y./Nassau C.C.) took it 26 yards to the house and helped Lock Haven take a commanding 25-0 lead.
The Bald Eagles led 25-7 after the first quarter and never looked back on the way to a 45-13 halftime lead.
Walton finished with 300 yards in the air and he added 101 yards rushing. He threw a career-high five TD passes, just one away from the single-game school record.
Seif finished with 210 yards receiving and four touchdowns. The 210 yards receiving are the sixth-most for a single-game and moved him into first-place all-time for a single-season with a school-record 1,227 yards. Seif’s four-TD catches today also broke the single-game school record.
Lastly, Seif’s four-TD catches today give him 11 on the season, which is also a school record for single-season receiving touchdowns. Seif is the just the second LHU player in school history to go over 1,000-yards receiving in a season.
Walton’s 101 yards rushing put an exclamation point on a huge day on the ground for Lock Haven. For the first time in school history, LHU racked up three individual 100-yard rushers.
Leading the way on the ground was Ford, who had a career-high 206 yards and two TDs. He also caught one touchdown pass. His 206 rushing yards are the ninth-most in school history for a single-game.
Corey Blakey (Philadelphia/West Catholic) added 111 yards on the ground and scored one TD in his breakout-outing.
The Bald Eagles defensive effort was equally impressive.
Carlos Balkcom (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) led the way with a team-high eight tackles and he recorded 1 of 2 LHU interceptions on the day.
Christian Martir (Reading, Pa./Wyomissing), Kevin Chapple (Columbus, Ohio/Urbana) and Rahjeir Miles-Eubanks (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) all finished with seven tackles apiece.
Walton now has 2,892 passing yards this season, the third-most ever recorded by a Lock Haven QB in a single season. He’s just 81 passing yards away from the all-time mark and just 108 away from becoming the first LHU player to pass for over 3,000 yards in a single-season.
The Bald Eagles will close the 2016 regular season next Saturday, November 12 (Week 11) at Mercyhurst University (2-8) at 12 p.m.
