LHU Drops PSAC East Opener at West Chester

WEST CHESTER – The Lock Haven University football team (0-4, 0-1 PSAC East) dropped its 2016 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division opener to preseason favorite West Chester University (2-2, 1-0 PSAC East), 37-7.

Caleb Walton (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) threw for 160 yards and one touchdown in the Saturday loss.

Walton surpassed the 7,000-yard career-passing mark, becoming just the second LHU quarterback to do so. He now has 54 career passing touchdowns and is just seven away from breaking the all-time LHU mark. With 1,243 passing yards through four games this season, Walton is aiming to become just the second LHU quarterback to pass for over 2,000 yards in three straight seasons.

Shawn Seif (Harrisburg, Pa./Kutztown University) finished with six catches and 72 receiving yards, while Del’Vaughn Dennis (Enola, Pa./East Pennsboro) hauled in five catches (38 yards). John Ford(Etters, Pa./Shippensburg) carried the ball seven times for 48 yards.

Three different Bald Eagles finished with double-digit tackles to help lead the defensive effort. Leading the way was Kevin Chapple (Columbus, Ohio/Urbana), who had a game-high 12 tackles (5 solo, 7 assisted, 0.5 TFL). Fernando Flores (York, Pa. / Northeastern) had 11 tackles and Isaiah Flamer(Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) made 10 stops.

West Chester led 16-0 at halftime. The Golden Rams led 3-0 after the first quarter and Andrew Derr threw two second-quarter TD passes.

Derr finished with three passing touchdowns one rushing-TD for the game.

Early in the fourth quarter, Walton and Seif, one of the top quarterback-wide receiver combos in the nation combined again and put the Bald Eagles on the board. It was a 29-yard pass play that resulted in LHU’s TD.

LHU will return home to host Shippensburg University (3-1) in PSAC East action in Week 5. Kickoff on Saturday, October 1 is set for 12 p.m. Shippensburg won its game Saturday, 31-14, over East Stroudsburg.