EAST STROUDSBURG – In front of a sizeable crowd and the debut of new LED lights and Daktronics Videoboard, the East Stroudsburg University football team put on a show and dominated every phase of the game, posting the most points in a season opener since 2005 in a 62-9 triumph over Pace on Thursday night at Eiler-Martin Stadium.

The Warriors (1-0) start the season with a win and got revenge after falling to the Setters (0-1) in the 2022 season opener in Pleasantville, N.Y.

Notables

• In his first career start, Aaron Tobias completed 24-29 passes for 230 yards and four touchdowns to pace the Warriors. He completed 18 of his first 21 passes on the season, and found 11 different Warriors for a reception. Tobias showed his mobility with 62 yards rushing and was sacked just once, with the experienced Warrior offensive line dominating the line of scrimmage.
• Tyriq Lewis led the ground game with a career-best 121 yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns, scampering for a long of 46 yards. It's the third time in his career that the Downingtown native reached the century mark. In their first career action, Deante Crawford (28 yards) and Matt Frame (12 yards) added to ESU's 225 yard rushing performance.
• John Siggins led the way with 63 yards on eight receptions and a touchdown receiving among 11 Warriors hauling in a pass. Justin Cook added three receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown. Evan Roche caught a pair of catches for 30 yards. DJ Thomson's first career reception went for six points, with a toe drag in the back of the endzone for a 20-yd reception. Tyrese Brandon posted a 12-yd touchdown to open the scoring for the Warriors on his lone reception.
• Matthew Davis registered eight tackles to lead the defense, with Sergei Felizor and Everette Dingle each posting five. The balanced affair saw five Warriors register four tackles and four register three.
• Jered Fenstermaker got home and earned ESU's first sack of the season.
• Four Warriors forced fumbles, including captain Jahmere Crumpton, Matthew Davis, Tyrese Brandon and Aidan Hayward. Recovering the fumbles were Fenstermaker, Raymond Simmons IV and Andrew Krawczyk (Touchdown) and Evan Roche (Touchdown) on special teams.
• ESU's 62 points are the most in a single game since the Warriors earned a 63-14 win at Lock Haven on Sept. 28, 2019. It's the most Warrior points in a season opener since Warrior head coach Jimmy Terwilliger led ESU with a 72-17 outburst to open the illustrious 2005 Harlon Hill Trophy and NCAA Semifinalist season at Bentley on August 26, 2005.
• ESU's defense held Pace to just 12 yards passing at halftime and just 207 yards overall through four quarters. The Setters converted just two third downs in 11 opportunities, while ESU successfully earned nine first downs on 12 third down attempts. The 207 for an opponent is the fewest since allowing 196 to Millersville in the 2021 campaign.
• ESU registered its 100th and 101st consecutive point-after-touchdown attempt, before Devin Bartholomew missed his first career extra point. ESU's streak lasted from the 2018 season finale, with the Allentown native putting 59 consecutive PATs through the uprights before the missed try.

How It Happened

• After receiving possession to open the game, ESU put together a methodical 13-play 74-yd drive that took 5:27 off the clock. Tobias converted three first downs on his way to a 12-yd touchdown to Brandon to give ESU its first lead of the season. The Centre Hall native completed eight of his first nine passes to lead ESU into the endzone.
• Pace also put points on the scoreboard to start the contest with its first drive. A 52-yd rush from QB Israel Lopez set up a 33-yd field goal from Dylan Squillacioti.
• On his next possession, Tobias converted 3rd down opportunity with a 11-yd rush on 3rd-and-6. The PA State High School record holder for touchdowns in a single season then found Cook for a 34-yd connection to give ESU possession. After getting into the redzone, Tobias found Siggins open for six points in the back of the endzone, as ESU grabbed a 14-3 advantage. ESU allowed just one first down the entire first quarter, with the Setters failing to complete its lone pass.
• After the Warrior defense forced its first punt, Lewis sparked another touchdown with a 46-yd run on the first play of the drive to put the Warriors near the redzone. On the six-yd line, Tobias found Cook from six-yards out, as ESU took a 20-3 lead after the missed PAT.
• Pace was able to add a field goal after a pair of first downs via rushes. Squillacioti was able to boot a field goal from 20-yards out. ESU nearly ran out the final 5:55 of the first half, before its first punt of the season. The Warriors led 20-6 after 30 minutes of action at Eiler-Martin Stadium.
• The Warrior defense remained dialed in, forcing a 3-and-out to start the second half. Tobias kept the offense moving with Lewis finding a hole for two yards to extend ESU's advantage to 27-6.
• After two short rushes and an incomplete pass, ESU gained back possession. On 3rd-and-11 from its own 30-yd line, Tobias found Siggins again for a monster 30-yd gain to keep the drive alive. Tobias later connected with Thomson for his first career reception, a 20-yd toe-drag at the back of the endzone. Thomson was interfered with on the play and still managed to lift ESU to a 34-6 edge.
• The Setters were able to move the ball to midfield after a 24-yd pass on 1st-and-20, but Crumpton forced  a fumble and Fenstermaker jumped on top of it to allow the Warriors to gain even more momentum. ESU ultimately took a 34-6 lead into the final quarter.
• Despite not passing the ball once in the final quarter, the Warriors managed to post 28 points during the final 15 minutes. Lewis opened the frame with a 30-yd rushing touchdown on 3rd-and-1, as ESU took a commanding 41-6 lead with 14:54 to go.
• Pace fumbled the snap on a  punt on its next possession, which was scooped by the punter, but Hayward was able to strip possession. The ball would land in Evan Roche's hands, as the East Stroudsburg native took the fumble 24 yards for the special teams touchdown.
• On the ensuing kick off, Davis forced an additional fumble, with Simmons jumping on it at the Pace 24-yd line. It was all Crawford on the upcoming drive, rushing for 24 yards on five plays combined, ultimately scoring his first career touchdown from four-yards out.
• With ESU's second unit in the contest, Pace was able to put together a 10-play 62-yd drive which resulted in another Squillacioti field goal, this time from 26-yards out.
• After a rare ESU punt, Pace fumbled again on a punt, with Brandon forcing the fumble and Krawczyk was in the right position at the right time to scoop in from three-yards out for the final points of the game in the 62-9 victory. Pace was forced to punt with a 3-and-out on its final drive. Charlie McKee kneeled down the final play of the lopsided victory.

Up Next

•  ESU looks to knock off defending PSAC Champion IUP on the road on Sat., Sept. 9th at 4:00 p.m.
• The Warriors return to Eiler-Martin Stadium on Sat., Sept. 16 at 1:05 p.m. for Family Weekend against Seton Hill.