LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – After helping the East Stroudsburg University football team to its first win over Shippensburg since 2014, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) announced on Monday afternoon that Jacob Keane and Justin Cook were selected as conference athletes of the week.
Keane was honored as the PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week after registering seven tackles and causing the game-sealing fumble recovery in the red zone to prevent a potential game-tying touchdown. Cook was named the PSAC East Special Teams Athlete of the Week after producing 130 kick return yards against the Raiders.
Kean's forced fumble, his fourth of his career, could not come at a better time. Shippensburg quarterback Evan Falco could not find an open receiver and attempted to score the game-tying touchdown, getting inside the ESU 5-yard line, before the Mount Pocono, Pa. native ripped the ball out of his hands. Deshawn McCarthy fell on the rock and to preserve ESU's fourth win of the season. Keane has totaled 24 tackles this season and enters senior day with 155 tackles in his career.
Cook, who shattered the ESU program-record with a 100-yd kickoff return last week was a factor on returns once again. He compiled 130 kick return yards, including returns of 25, 36, 28 and 41 yards to help the Warriors begin drives in good field position.
The Harrisburg native is a key contributor to ESU ranking sixth in the NCAA Division II and second in the PSAC in average kickoff return (26.29). To date, he is one of four freshman to record a 100-yd kick return touchdown among all NCAA levels this season.
Cook and Keane and the Warriors host No. 3 Shepherd on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. at Eiler-Martin Stadium.
