IUP 31, Lock Haven 14
October 26, 2002
Miller Stadium ** Indiana, Pa.
With starting quarterback Brian Eyerman sidelined by a concussion, IUP turned
to its defense and special teams to post a 31-14 victory over Lock Haven at
Miller Stadium in the regular season home finale for the Indians.
The win was the eighth in a row for IUP (8-1, 4-0 PSAC West) after losing its
opener to Findlay and the 21st straight over Lock Haven (4-4, 1-2 PSAC West)
dating back to the 1982 season. The Bald Eagles have not won in Indiana since
the 1961 campaign.
IUP trailed 7-3 at halftime as the Indians were able to amass only 101 yards
of total offense before the break. But Mike Howard brought back a punt 81
yards for a touchdown, the fourth longest such play in school history, and
also scored from 42 yards out on a fumble recovery in the third quarter to
spark a 28-point Indian explosion in the final 30 minutes.
Redshirt freshman Kevin Weidl, who got the start in place of Eyerman, threw
touchdown passes of 12 yards to Carmelo Ocasio and nine to J.R. Thomas to help
IUP keep its playoff hopes alive. Weidl completed 7 of 15 passes for 84 yards
while Elice Parker and Aaron Cochran led the ground game with 68 and 60 yards,
respectively.
Maurice Walker carried 12 times for 75 yards for the Bald Eagles, who were
held to 207 yards of total offense and turned the ball over six times, with
three interceptions and three fumbles.
Rob Kristiniak was 7 of 17 for 61 yards, and his 10-yard touchdown pass to
Marcus Burkley with 1:47 left in the second quarter gave Lock Haven a stunning
7-3 lead as the teams went to the locker room.
The score was the first for Lock Haven against IUP since 1999. The Indians
had posted 35-0 and 42-0 victories over the Bald Eagles the past two seasons.
Tim Storino produced the second Lock Haven score of the game with a 38-yard
scoring pass to Burkley with 5:23 left in the game.
Lock Haven had the first threat of the game, reaching the IUP 24 before
Kristiniak fumbled and Andrew Battle recovered for the Indians. IUP drove 60
yards on 11 plays before Josh Telenko kicked a 33-yard field goal for a 3-0
lead with 8:38 left in the first quarter.
The rest of the half was best characterized by missed opportunities. IUP did
not score after Jeff Jackson intercepted a pass at the Lock Haven 29, and Greg
Knauss missed a 46-yard field goal in the first quarter for Lock Haven. IUP
also got to the Bald Eagle 22 before a bad snap in shotgun formation ended that
drive, and Weidl was intercepted by John Scullin at the Lock Haven 24.
The Bald Eagles then shocked the home crowd by driving 86 yards on nine plays,
with Walker covering 66 yards on the ground, before the touchdown pass from
Kristiniak to Burkley gave Lock Haven the halftime lead.
But IUP scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter, with the long Howard
punt return giving the Indians the lead for good with 7:47 remaining in the
period. The ensuing kickoff fell untouched at the Lock Haven 24, and LeRon
McCoy recovered for IUP, leading four plays later to the Weidl-to-Ocasio
touchdown for a 17-7 advantage.
The touchdown reception was the 14th of the season for Ocasio, the second most
in a single season in IUP history.
Burkley fumbled after a reception at midfield, and Trent Jones picked up the
ball for IUP, but he fumbled as well. But Howard recovered the Jones miscue
and raced untouched down the sideline for a 42-yard touchdown to make it 24-7.
Howard finished his big game with an interception at the IUP 44, and the Indians
marched 56 yards for their final score of the game, the touchdown pass from
Weidl to Thomas with 10:37 left in the contest.
IUP committed three turnovers of its own and gained only 225 yards of total
offense. Derrik Metz led all tacklers with 12 for Lock Haven while Dave Deneen
had nine tackles and an interception for the Indians.
IUP hits the road next week for a contest at Shippensburg while Lock Haven
returns home for a game against Slippery Rock.