Lock Haven football edged out in quest for winning season since 1981

LOCK HAVEN, PA – The Lock Haven football team closed its historic 2023 run at home Saturday and despite a late surge, the Bald Eagles were edged out by visiting Edinboro (3-8), 36-30, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East-West shootout.

With the loss, Lock Haven ended the 2023 season with a 5-6 overall record. The Bald Eagles were in search of their first winning record since 1981.

The five wins, however, did help The Haven make history as it served as the first five-win season since 1982.

A big reason behind the 2023 success was the play of standout running back Chris Collier (Lawrence, N.Y./Lawrence (Wagner College)), who broke Lock Haven’s all-time single-season rushing record.

Prior to the start of the game, head coach Dan Mulrooney and the Bald Eagles honored their 22 seniors: Armstrong Antoine (Stratford, Conn./Bunnell (Anna Maria)), Chandler Baker (Batavia, N.Y./Batavia (Buffalo)), Ryan Flowers (Johnstown, Pa./Bishop McCourt), Isiah Gonzalez (Philadelphia/Olney (Alvernia)), Mister Hogue (Oakman, Ala./Oakman (Alabama)), Jaderian Johnson (Pensacola, Fla./Take (North Dakota)), DeAaron Lawrence (Middletown, Conn./Middletown (Stonehill)), Edward Leak (Philadelphia/Sankofa Freedom Academy), John Minnich (Mansfield, Pa./North Penn – Mansfield), Kenneth Pettiford (Long Pond, Pa./Pocono Mountain West), Jaime Rodriguez-Vega (Lancaster, Pa./McCaskey), Cody Romano (Newton, N.J./Blair Academy (Penn State)), Davin Roy (Colchester, Conn./Bacon (New Haven)), Shaheed Salim (Washington, D.C./Ballou), Danny Sanchez (Bronx, N.Y./Lehman (Stony Brook), Neville Smith (Washington, D.C./Friendly), Jyair Thomas (Owings Mills, Md./Boys Latin (Monmouth)), Joe Turek (Armagh, Pa./United), Quan Williams (Kenosha, Wis./Bradford (Minnesota State University)), Brett Zachman (Leesburg, Fla./Eustis (Dordt)) and Zach Zajack (Middletown, Conn./Capital Prep (Central Connecticut State)) and the aforementioned – Collier.

These seniors played a major role in the program’s remarkable, and quick turnaround.

The Haven entered this season coming off back-to-back one-win seasons, and the Bald Eagles had won a combined four games in the previous three seasons prior to this fall.

Lock Haven finished PSAC Eastern Division play with a 3-4 record with wins over Millersville, Bloomsburg and Shippensburg – last week. The Bald Eagles opened the season with a lopsided win over Post and added a thrilling comeback-win over Clarion in Week-3 action.

Collier carried the ball 19 times for 160 yards, and one touchdown on Saturday.

The 160 yards pushed Collier’s season total to 1,393 yards, which now stands alone at the top of Lock Haven’s single-season rushing record book. Collier broke Hall of Famer Joe Speese’s record of 1,321yards, set back in 1979 when the Bald Eagles won the PSAC title.

Collier finished the season with 126.6 rushing yards-per-game to lead the entire PSAC. The next-best rusher was 33-plus yards behind Collier.

Wide receiver T-iar Young (Philadelphia/Northeast (Millersville) put on a show today, finishing with a pair of TD catches and 101 total receiving yards on five total catches. Marquis Perry (East Orange, N.J./North Brunswick) finished with a touchdown grab.

Zajack threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-30 passing.

Romano capped an all-around brilliant season with a nine-tackle outing. Johnson finished with seven tackles, and Gonzalez recorded five tackles and two sacks as the senior-trio led the defensive charge.

Kasir Henry (Philadelphia, Pa./Anna Marie College) added six tackles.

Midway through the first half, Collier’s 13-yard rushing TD put Lock Haven up 7-0. Zajack and Young connected on a 35-yard catch-and-run play late in the half to put the Bald Eagles up 13-7, but Edinboro clung to a 14-13 lead at halftime.

The Bald Eagles opened the second half with a 14 play, 70-yard drive and it ended with a 39-yard field goal by Brett Zachman (Leesburg, Fla./Eustis (Dordt)).

Young’s second touchdown of the game grab put Lock Haven up 23-22 with 11 seconds left in the third quarter.

For Edinboro, 14 fourth-quarter points helped the visitors open a 36-23 lead.

Lock Haven didn’t go away and Perry’s thrilling 36-yard touchdown grab with just over a minute to go gave the home team life.

The late surge wasn’t enough as the Edinboro defense held strong in the final minutes.

For Lock Haven, the motto from the start has been simple – to be “Locked In.” This 2023 team was no doubt locked in and will be remembered forever for doing just that as the program turnaround is alive and well in Haven Nation.