LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Behind the strength of 42 points in the first half and a defense that continued its strong play, the East Stroudsburg University football team recorded a 63-14 victory in its PSAC East opener against Lock Haven on Saturday.
 
ESU (4-0, 1-0 PSAC East) showed its offensive prowess once again, scoring three times in the first quarter to jump out to an early lead against its opponent. Senior wide receiver Javier Buffalo matched his career-best of 118 yards receiving on six catches to go along with three touchdowns.
 
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Jake Cirillo showed off his pinpoint accuracy for a second consecutive week as he finished 19-of-23 with 280 yards passing and five touchdowns. His completion percentage (82.6%) bested his mark of 81.5% from last week's victory at home against Edinboro. Cirillo also ran the ball seven times for 54 yards.
 
The Warriors also had a pair of touchdowns from the running game as redshirt junior Devante Robinson carried the ball 12 times for 55 yards and two scores. Redshirt freshman Nick Sarangoulis netted 46 yards on the ground off eight carries.
 
ESU scored on its first possession of the game as Cirillo found redshirt freshman full back David Akinwande open for a 15-yard touchdown to make it 7-0 with 10:59 left in the first quarter. The drive lasted just 1:08 and needed just three plays.
 
The drive would be set up by the Warriors' defense as redshirt senior safety Justin Johnson intercepted a pass from Lock Haven quarterback Ethan Persa and returned it 46 yards to put ESU into scoring position.
 
Cirillo and Buffalo would team up on each of ESU's next two scoring drives as Buffalo went 32 yards to the end zone with 6:15 left in the first quarter to make it 14-0 on a three-play 46-yard drive. The two made it 21-0 with 4:19 remaining as Cirillo connected for 22 yards with Buffalo.
 
Both drives combined for a total of just five plays and needed just two minutes of game clock to make it a three-possession game. Robinson opened the scoring in the second quarter as his one-yard run found the end zone and capped an eight-play 80-yard drive by the Warriors to make it 28-0.
 
Lock Haven found its way into the end zone with 6:47 left in the second quarter as Persa connected with Jalen Jackson on a 26-yard play to finish a 10-play 75-yard drive that took over four minutes off the clock.
 
With less than a minute to play in the first half, it seemed as though ESU would take its 28-7 lead into the break following a punt from the Bald Eagles. The Warriors would have other plans, driving 80 yards from their own 20-yard line in just 39 seconds to increase the lead to 35-7.
 
Buffalo reeled in his third touchdown catch of the day off a 33-yard toss from Cirillo with 20 seconds left on the clock. Buffalo accounted for three receptions and 50 yards on the drive.
 
Lock Haven had a chance of its own to go into the half with extra points on the scoreboard following a 58-yard reception by Jackson from quarterback Kyle Knight. The play moved the Bald Eagles to the ESU 17-yard line with five ticks left on the clock. ESU denied a 34-yard field goal attempt by Charles Hayes as junior defensive end Isaiah Reigel blocked the kick.
 
The ball would be picked up by redshirt freshman defensive back Jahmere Crumpton, who ran the ball 83-yards to the end zone with time expired to make it 42-7 in favor of ESU.
 
ESU opened the third quarter with another score as redshirt senior wide receiver RJ Sarajian caught a five-yard pass from Cirillo to cap a seven-play 75-yard drive and make it 49-7 in favor of the Warriors.
 
Lock Haven answered by scoring on one of its two possessions in the third quarter. Dante Graham finished a 15-play 81-yard drive that spanned over five minutes with a one-yard rush to get into the end zone and make it 49-14.
 
Robinson notched his second touchdown of the contest with 2:30 left in the quarter as he ran the ball in from two yards out to make it 56-14. ESU closed the scoring with 4:52 left in the fourth quarter as Sarangoulis found the end zone for the first time this season with a one-yard rush to cap a four-play 42-yard drive.
 
The ESU defense forced seven punts, a missed field goal, an interception, and a turnover on downs in the contest. The Warriors also limited Lock Haven to a 9-of-18 effort on third down and a 1-for-3 showing on fourth down. Freshman defensive end DeShawn McCarthy recorded a pair of sacks for the Warriors while tallying five total tackles. Johnson paced the Warriors defensively with six total tackles and one for a three-yard loss.
 
ESU will look to match its best start to a season (5-0) since 2008 next Saturday at home as the Warriors face Millersville on Family Weekend beginning at 12:05 p.m. It will also be Youth Football Day at Eiler-Martin Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on Blue Ridge Cable TV-13 and also on the airwaves courtesy of ESPN Poconos 840 AM.