Bald Eagles Drop Opener
Community Day Saturday at Jack Stadium
INSTITUTE, W.Va. – Following a two hour and 27 minute weather delay, the Bald Eagles rallied for two touchdowns, but the comeback came up just short as the Lock Haven University football team was edged 19-14 by host West Virginia State in the season-opener for both teams on Saturday.
The WVS win broke that school’s 17-game losing streak. West Virginia State (1-0) converted a field goal in each of the first two quarters and led 6-0 at halftime as both teams struggled to put points the board despite moving the ball. The Yellow Jackets made it 13-0 early in the third quarter on a two-yard run by Matt Kinnick. With 12:06 left in the third however, the game went in a weather delay because of lighting in the area.
The extra time may have been what the Bald Eagles (0-1) needed, as they bolted out of the two-plus hour delay to the tune of two touchdowns. With 8:13 left in the third, quarterback Caleb Walton (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) connected with tight end Matt Luebbers (Carlisle, Pa./Boiling Springs) on a six-yard pass.
The touchdown capped an 11-play, 79-yard drive, cutting the West Virginia State lead to 13-7. With 55 seconds left in the third quarter, transfer Malyk Harris (Harrisburg, Pa./Albright College) took the very first carry of his Bald Eagle career 15-yards for a score, giving Lock Haven its first lead of the game.
The rushing TD capped a 10-play, 84-yard drive. The Haven rally was halted by a Matt Kinnick touchdown-pass with 9:51 left in the game. Tyler Carrilo’s TD-reception put the Yellow Jackets up for good. Walton was 22-for-42 with 254 yards in the air. He had one TD-pass and was intercepted once. He also rushed the ball eight times of for 31 yards. Beau Swales (Clearfield, Pa./Clearfield) carried the ball 22 times for 78 yards.
Luebbers caught eight pass, including one for a touchdown as he finished with 63 yards receiving. The Bald Eagles defensive unit kept LHU in the game with four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, five sacks, 10 tackles for a loss and six pass breakups. Mike Williams (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) finished with a game-high 14 tackles. Matt Kirchner (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) made 13 stops and Tony Ballon (Jersey City, N.J./Harrisburg) added nine.
It marked the second straight year where Lock Haven and West Virginia State opened their seasons against each other. Last year, LHU won 31-13 at home. The win snapped a 17-game losing streak for the Yellow Jackets.
Lock Haven returns to action this Saturday at 3 p.m. when the Bald Eagles host Seton Hill. The game marks The Haven’s 2014 home-opener and LHU’s 2014 “Community Day.”
