GREENSBURG, Pa. – Guided by a dominant defensive effort that forced five turnovers and a program-record-tying performance by kicker Devin Bartholomew, the East Stroudsburg University football team picked up its first win of the season with a 22-7 victory over Seton Hill on Saturday afternoon at Offut Field.

The Warriors (1-2) earn a much-needed win as they head into PSAC East play next week. The Griffins (0-3), who also played well defensively, fall to 0-3 in 2022.

Notables

• The Warrior defense was the star of the show, forcing three interceptions, two forced fumbles, eight punts and a turnover on downs, as the Seton Hill offense could not get comfortable. ESU held SHU to just 217 yards, including just 70 through the air. It was the fewest passing yards allowed by an ESU defense since the Warriors allowed just 61 against Millersville on Oct. 15, 2017. 55 of the 70 passing yards were registered in the fourth quarter.
• Bartholomew registered five made field goals on six attempts, converting kicks from 26, 50, 35, 46, 38 yards, which tied the program record for field goals made in a game. The only other Warrior to accomplish the feat was Greg Knauss against West Chester in 2007. Bartholomew's lone miss of the afternoon was from 52-yards out.  In the impressive performance, Bartholomew tied his career long with a 50-yd field goal in the first half. He registered 16 total points for ESU with the five field goals and a point-after-attempt.
• Quarterback Jake Cirillo started strong, but finished 14-29 through the air with a touchdown and 210 yards of passing. He found John Siggins for a 45-yd touchdown in the fourth quarter to help seal the win.
• Leading the Warrior receiving corps for the second consecutive week was Ezequiel Lopez, who caught three receptions for 59 yards. He picked up a first down with a 30-yd reception. Siggins finished with 50 yards on two catches. A total of eight Warriors caught a reception from Cirillo's 14 completed passes.
• Gunner Anglovich led the rushing attack with 36 yards, which featured a 27-yd rush.  
• Defensively, Devon Banks and Paul Carreras and Tyler Watson all recorded interceptions. It was the first career picks for Banks and Carreras, while it was the second consecutive week Watson picked off the opposing quarterback and the ninth overall of his career. 
• Forcing fumbles were Deshawn McCarthy and Matthew Davis. McCarthy recorded a sack on his forced fumble. He finished with 2.5 tackles for loss. Daryn Blackwell also recorded a quarterback takedown behind the line of scrimmage.
• Carreras, Jahmere Crumpton and Sergei Felizor led ESU with six tackles, while Ryan Hieber tallied 2.0 tackles for loss. Noah Hambrick, Christian Ash and Raheem White all tallied pass breakups.
• Ky'ron Craggette was the leader for Seton Hill, providing SHU's lone touchdown via a 75-yd kick return touchdown and 100 yards rushing on six carries.
• Both teams struggled on 3rd down (ESU 1-of-14, SHU 3-of-17).
• Punter Jaco Sattamini botted eight punts for an average of 38.9 yards, with six reaching inside the 20-yd line and one punt going 58 yards off the boot of the Stroudsburg HS graduate.  
• The Warriors are now 4-0 all-time against the Griffins, with wins in 2013, 2018, 2019 and now 2022.  

How It Happened

• After both squads traded punts, a 30-yd connection from Cirillo to Lopez setup Bartholomew with a 26-yd field goal, lifting the Warriors to a 3-0 lead.

• On the ensuing SHU drive, ESU would force a three-and-out. The Warriors were able to keep momentum going with a 27-yd reception from Cirillo to Post to move the chains on 2nd and 9. The Warriors attempted to convert a 4th and 3 from the 36-yd line, but the pass would fall incomplete to give Seton Hill possession.
• Banks came up clutch with his first career interception, to setup the ESU in great field position on SHU's 43-yd line. ESU could not take advantage, as Sattamini pinned the SHU offense on its own 1-yd line following a 41-yd punt.

• The Warrior defense continued its strong start, forcing a punt. ESU gained a first down following a 13-yd reception from Nathan Carpenter. A fumble and punt would hault the Warrior offensive drive.
• After the Warrior defense forced another stop, Bartholomew was able to connect on a 50-yd field goal, matching his career long in the process to lift ESU to a 6-0 advantage.

• ESU took over possession after stopping the Griffin offense on its fifth consecutive drive to start the game. Cirillo found Stroudsburg High School product Benny Pembleton for his first career catch for 31-yards and a first down. ESU could not advance past the SHU 23-yd line, as Seton Hill forced ESU's 3rd punt of the first half.
• Carreras came up clutch with an interception on SHU's next possession. With time winding down in the first half, Anglovich rushed for 27 yards to the SHU 25-yd line, which allowed Bartholomew to boot his third field goal of the first half following a pair of SHU timeouts. ESU led 9-0 after two quarters.

• Seton Hill would be forced to punt again on its first drive, with Blackwell registering his first sack of the season on 3rd and 19. The Warriors could not take advantage of good field position, punting inside the 10-yd line for the second time of the day.
• Owning field position with punts, Bartholomew extended the Warrior lead to 12-0 with a 46-yd field goal that could have been made from much longer. The ensuing kick return would be taken back 75-yards for a touchdown for Seton Hill, as the Griffins suddenly trailed by just five points at 12-7 with 7:31 remaining in the third quarter.

• The Warriors posted its lone offensive touchdown with a 45-yd connection from Cirillo to John Siggins.

• With the ESU defense continuing to cause havoc, Bartholomew recorded his program-record tying fifth field goal made to its lead with a minute left to play.    

Up Next

• ESU returns home for a stretch of two consecutive matchups at Eiler-Martin Stadium, facing Lock Haven for Family Weekend on Sat., Sept. 24 at 1:05 p.m.