LHU football falls to #25 Kutztown on Homecoming
LOCK HAVEN, PA – The Lock Haven University football team (1-7, 0-5 PSAC East) looked poised for an upset, thanks in large part to a strong start by the defense, but in the end, No. 25 Kutztown University (7-1, 5-0 PSAC East) pulled away for a 32-15 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division victory, which spoiled the Bald Eagles 2021 Homecoming on Saturday.
LHU trailed nationally-ranked Kutztown 6-0 after the first quarter and with 12:11 left in the second quarter, Lock Haven took the lead. Isiah Gonzalez (Philadelphia/Olney) hauled in a 2-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Persa (Schnecksville, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) and LHU led 7-6.
The visitors led 19-7 at halftime and stretched the lead to 25-7 before the Bald Eagles pushed themselves back into the contest.
With 8:20 left in the game Dante Graham (West Chester, Pa./Unionville) pulled in a 9-yard TD pass from Persa. LHU went for two and Gonzalez scored on a pass from Persa as the two connected for another important play. The Lock Haven touchdown and subsequent successful two-point conversion made it a 10-point game (KU, 25-15) early in the fourth.
Kutztown added an important insurance score late after Zaire Jones darted into the end zone from 10 yards out. The Jones TD put Kutztown up 32-15.
Persa finished the game with 173 passing yards and two TDs. He was 20-of-31 with no interceptions.
Kareem Davis (Brooklyn, N.Y./Grand Street) made seven catches for 53 yards and Jadin Goodman (Brooklyn, N.Y./Curtis) had four catches for 54 yards. DeAndre Wakefield (Norristown, Pa./Souderton) carried the ball nine times for 74 yards.
Jaime Rodriguez-Vega (Lancaster, Pa./McCaskey) and Kahari Kirklin-Whitfield (Reading, Pa./Reading) led a strong defensive effort, which kept Kutztown unbalanced early in the game. Rodriguez-Vega made a team-high nine tackles, including six solo stops. Kirklin-Whitfield had seven tackles and one interception.
Shane Scott (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape) and Austin Barber (Johnstown, Pa./Greater Johnstown) stood out from their linebacker spots. Scott finished with seven tackles, while Barber made six tackles, including two sacks and three total tackles-for-loss.
For the first time this season, Lock Haven will host back-to-back home game as the Bald Eagles prepare to host West Chester University next week on Saturday, October 30 at 4 p.m. in Week-9 PSAC East action. Following next week’s home game, Lock Haven will travel to Shippensburg University on November 6, before closing the 2021 regular season at home on Saturday, November 13 vs. Seton Hill.
