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EDINBORO, PA – Edinboro picked up its
fifth straight win while celebrating Homecoming with one of its
most prolific offensive showings ever, handing Lock Haven a 70-19
defeat at Sox Harrison Stadium before 4, 972 fans on Saturday. The
Fighting Scots improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the PSAC West
with the win, while Lock Haven fell to 0-6 and 0-1, respectively.
With the victory Edinboro has now won seven
straight against the Bald Eagles and 25 of the last 26 meetings.
Actually, it was the offense, defense and
special teams that took part in the scoring, as all three phases
of the game accounted for touchdowns. The 70 points represented
the third-highest point total in school history, and the most
since 1983 when the Fighting Scots handed Mercyhurst a 74-13
defeat. The school record is 83 points against Alliance in 1928.
In addition, Edinboro totaled 611 yards, tied
for the third-highest total in school history, and threw for 427
yards, the second-highest total ever.
The Fighting Scots scored on their first two
possessions of the game as they came out passing behind sophomore
quarterback Trevor Harris (Waldo, OH/Marion Pleasant).
After Lock Haven was stopped on downs at the Edinboro 28 to start
the game, Harris completed all five of his passes for 71 yards,
capped by 23-yard strike to freshman David Bostic (Tavares,
FL/Tavares) for the first of Edinboro’s ten touchdowns.
In fact, Harris completed his first 15 attempts, a school record.
Justin Gomes (Erie, PA/McDowell) made the first of ten
successful extra points.
Lock Haven again drove into Edinboro territory,
but the march stalled at the 24. This time Harris needed eight
plays, five of which were successful passes, to cover the 77
yards. A 32-yard connection with Rich Cerro (Franklin,
PA/Franklin) brought the ball down to the 23, and after a
17-yard hookup with Gary Nolen (Pittsburgh, PA/Perry
Traditional Acad.), three plays later Harris snuck in from the
one for a 14-0 lead with 1:27 remaining in the first quarter.
Edinboro built the lead to 35-6 at the half.
Taurean Valentine (Allentown, PA/Allentown Dieruff)
accounted for the first score of the second period, and his first
career touchdown, as the senior cornerback stepped in front of a
Ilio DiPaolo pass at the LHU 13 and returned it 13 yards for a
touchdown.
The Bald Eagles would close the gap to 21-6
after an interception by Corey Gildea at the EUP 34. On 4th-and-6,
DiPaolo and DeMar Dowell combined on a 30-yard scoring play. Chad
Brooks (Brockport, NY/Albion) blocked the extra point.
Edinboro tacked on two more scores in the final
three minutes as Harris threw two more touchdown passes. The first
was a nine-yarder to Jeremy Burr (South Wales, NY/Iroquois)
to cap a seven-play, 60-yard march with 2:55 remaining. For
the third in the half Lock Haven advanced into Edinboro territory,
only to have the drive stall. This time the Fighting Scot defense
forced DiPaolo into two straight incompletions and Edinboro took
over at its own 37 with 1:06 remaining.
That was more than enough time for Harris, as
he needed just 25 seconds and three plays to cover the 63 yards.
The touchdown play was a 41-yard catch-and-run to Kyle Witucki
(Tarentum, PA/Highlands), who turned a short pass into his
14th career touchdown reception, for sixth all-time.
In the first half alone Harris completed 22 of
26 passes for 295 yards, and he would play just one series in the
second half. Edinboro took the second half kickoff and drove 72
yards in seven plays, part of a 28-point third quarter. That is
tied for the most points ever in the third quarter. The Fighting
Scots previously scored 28 points against Buffalo State in 1983.
The touchdown came on a five-yard run by Houston Brown
(Westerville, OH/Westerville Central).
Harris’ day ended 25 completions in 29
attempts, good for 340 yards with 3 TDs and an interception. It
marked a season-high yardage total and the fifth-highest
single-game total. He has also thrown three-or-more touchdown
passes in five straight games and nine of his 17 career games. He
became just the fifth passer in school history to throw for more
than 4,000 yards, with his total now at 4,354 yards.
Lock Haven closed the margin to 42-12 on the
next series with its best drive of the day, going 70 yards in nine
plays. DiPaolo and Dowell hooked again, this time on a one-yard
pass play. DiPaolo’s two-point conversion pass was no good.
Edinboro’s second team offense would score
on three of its five possessions. Joe Wanson (DuBois,
PA/DuBois Area) guided an eight play, 75-yard march,
highlighted by a 48-yard touchdown strike to Ben Swank
(Edinboro, PA/General McLane). It was the first career
touchdown for Swank, a freshman wide receiver and the son of
Edinboro women’s basketball coach Stan Swank.
The Fighting Scots were back in business
moments later, as DiPaolo’s pass on the play from scrimmage
was intercepted by Ryan Greene (Pittsburgh, PA/Langley) and
returned 12 yards to the LHU 29. On the very next play Ulysse “Spud”
Davis (Bryan’s Road, MD/Bishop McNamara) burst off left
tackle and went 29 yards for a touchdown and a 56-12 lead with
4:27 remaining in the third period.
Edinboro’s special teams accounted for the
next six points, with Tommie Campbell (Aliquippa,
PA/Aliquippa) blocking a Lock Haven punt, then picking it up
and returning it 20 yards for a touchdown. It marked his first
career six-pointer.
Both teams tacked on scores in the fourth
quarter. Lock Haven made it 63-19 on a six-yard run by Steve Lomis
with 9:31 remaining. The score was set up by Wes Plummer’s
49-yard interception return.
Edinboro scored its last touchdown of the day
with 3:33 to play, as backup fullback Justin Olney (Amanda,
OH/Clearcreek) moved to tailback and carried the final three
times of an 11-play, 80-yard drive. His last carry, off left
tackle, covered two yards for his first career touchdown.
Edinboro finished with a 611 to 294 yards
advantage in total offense. The Fighting Scots gained 184 yards on
the ground, with third-string tailback Jamell Dennis
(Rochester, NY/Webster Schroeder) leading the way with 73
yards on 12 carries. Cerro had 6 catches for 96 yards, while
Bostic hauled in 5 passes for 52 yards and Nolen finished with 5
catches for 52 yards.
DiPaolo completed 17 of 30 passes for 186 yards
with 2 TDs and 3 INTs, and was also the leading rusher with 33
yards. Dowell was his favorite target, ending the day with 8
catches for 136 yards.
Edinboro returns to action next Saturday,
October 13 against 18th-ranked Indiana(Pa.). The contest is
scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start as the Crimson Hawks celebrate
Homecoming. The Crimson Hawks fell to 4-1 on Saturday with a 38-12
loss to California(Pa.).
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