LOCK HAVEN – Redshirt senior quarterback
Sean McTaggart led a 90-yard drive for the go-ahead touchdown with less than two minutes left, and East Stroudsburg University's defense made several key second-half stops, including an interception on Lock Haven's final possession, for a 24-21 win in the PSAC East football opener for both schools on Saturday afternoon at Hubert Jack Stadium.
ESU (3-1, 1-0) trailed 21-10 at halftime before blanking Lock Haven (1-3, 0-1) in the second half, forcing five punts and holding the Bald Eagles to 103 total yards – 55 coming on their drive to the ESU 20-yard line in the final two minutes, before redshirt freshman DL
Ryan Epps' timely interception.
Redshirt junior FB
Matt Frame, who scored the go-ahead TD on a one-yard run with 1:47 remaining, had three carries for 11 yards to close the game – notching gains of two yards, five yards and then four yards on third-and-three with LHU keying on stopping the run.
McTaggart and the ESU offense, which was essentially perfect with 10 consecutive TD drives, 562 yards and 10.2 yards per play in a 69-22 win at Gannon on Sept. 13 before its bye last week, moved the ball when it mattered most.
The Warriors gained 90 of their 270 yards on the game-winning drive, with McTaggart (13-for-20, 177 yards, two interceptions) going 3-for-3 for 65 yards. He hit sophomore WR
Jaylen Andrews (4 catches, 81 yards) for 15 yards, then had consecutive completions to senior TE
Beau Heyser for 20 yards and 30 yards as ESU drove to the LHU 18.
After a five-yard run by Frame, redshirt senior WR
Randy Fizer had a 12-yard gain to set up first-and-goal at the one, and Frame punched it in for the lead.
Lock Haven quickly drove to the ESU 20, getting into range for a potential game-tying field goal or go-ahead TD, before Epps' interception with 1:09 remaining.
ESU's five forced punts in the second half included a crucial stop in the middle of the fourth quarter. LHU took over at the ESU 41-yard line after a blocked punt, but gained just six yards and punted back to the Warriors with 6:11 left, leading to McTaggart's drive.
The Warriors got off to a quick start with a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown by redshirt freshman
Elijah Carroll, who is averaging 37.3 yards on 11 kick returns through four games.
LHU answered with a 10-play, 82-yard drive to tie it at 7-7 on a four-yard pass from Cole Transue to Mekhi Watson, the first of their two TD's.
ESU led 10-7 midway through the second quarter on a 37-yard field goal by junior
Ty Quintois, set up by a 35-yard punt return by redshirt sophomore
Cade Christopher.
LHU scored twice in the final three minutes of the first half to stake its 21-10 lead. Robert Footman, Jr. threw a 31-yard TD pass to Damir Green to finish a nine-play, 75-yard drive, and following a Troy Miller interception, the Bald Eagles covered 33 yards on three plays with Transue hitting Watson for a 13-yard TD with 1:26 left in the half.
The Warriors moved to the LHU 45 before a long pass was intercepted at the five-yard line with 13 seconds left.
ESU closed the margin to 21-17 on its first drive of the second half. Christopher had an 11-yard punt return to the LHU 47 after a three-and-out, and a 35-yard pass from McTaggart to Andrews to the one-yard line set up a TD by redshirt freshman TB
Ajani Walker (12 carries, 49 yards). Walker had a seven-yard run on third-and-six early in the possession.
Overall, LHU outgained ESU 349-270, which was offset by Carroll's 95-yard kick return TD and Christopher's five punt returns for 83 yards.
ESU netted 38.2 yards on five punts, even factoring in the blocked punt in the fourth quarter. Redshirt sophomore
Adam Noll had four punts for a 48.2-yard average.
Graduate linebackers
Khalil Scott (1.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks) and
Symear Williams both had seven tackles, and junior DE
Ashton Blose had five tackles and 1.5 sacks, giving him 6.5 TFL and 5.0 sacks through four games.
Transue (13-for-17, 122 yards, 2 TD, Int.) and Footman (7-for-13, 90 yards, TD) shared quarterback duties for Lock Haven. Cureem Hathcock had nine carries for 40 yards, and Green had 82 total yards with 11 carries for 34 yards and four catches for 48 yards and a TD. Watson had four catches for 40 yards and two scores.
ESU ran for 93 yards on 30 carries, led by Walker (18-49, TD), Frame (7-19, TD) and McTaggart (6-18).
Andrews' four catches for 81 yards included the 35-yarder early in the third quarter, and his 15-yard catch on the game-winning drive. Both of Heyser's catches for 50 yards were on the 90-yard march.
ESU travels to West Chester (3-1, 1-0), which won 38-7 at Millersville on Saturday, for a 2 p.m. kickoff next weekend at Farrell Stadium.
