The game started out well enough. The Golden Rams scored touchdowns on their first two possessions by marching 75 and 91 yards. The first came on a 39-yard pass from Sean McCartney to Erick Brundidge while the second came on a two-yard run by Rondell White.
On Lock Haven’s next possession, the Bald Eagles moved the ball fairly well, but on a second and ten, linebacker Ronell Williams dropped back in coverage and gathered in his second interception in as many games on a great leaping catch.
West Chester, however, would return the favor. On the first play of the second quarter, the Golden Rams ran an inside reverse flea flicker. Tim Keyser got behind the fooled Lock Haven defense, but McCartney’s pass had too much loft on it and the underthrown ball got picked off. The Bald Eagles used a long pass play and a pass interference penalty to quickly get into the red zone, but the Golden Ram defense limited the damage to a field goal.
West Chester then went on another long drive, this one 75 yards in over five minutes, which also ended in a White two-yard touchdown run. Kicker Shawn Leo later nailed a 41-yard field goal and the Golden Rams took a 24-3 lead into the locker room. However, Lock Haven had already rolled up 175 yards on offense in the first 30 minutes.
After the homecoming king and queen were announced and a majority of the students poured out of the stadium, the Bald Eagles put on their best showing. They parlayed great field position supplied by a good kickoff return and 15-yard facemask penalty into an 8-play touchdown drive. The Lock Haven defense fed off that energy and forced the Golden Rams into a three-and-out. Everyone could feel the momentum shifting to the team with only two wins on the season. The Lock Haven offense kept it rolling as they methodically moved the ball into the red zone. But Shawn Krautzel came up with a tackle and a pass breakup followed by a Chris DiValentino tackle, forcing Lock Haven to settle for a field goal. However, West Chester’s lead was whittled down to 24-13.
McCartney used a completion to White and two to Keyser to quickly lead the Golden Rams down the field, but his pass into the end zone was picked off thwarting the scoring opportunity. This time, however, the West Chester defense maintained the intensity they showed at the end of the previous drive to force a three-and-out. The Golden Rams then went on 70-yard touchdown drive – the first 50 yards from White and the final 20 on a run by Brandon Monk.
Another West Chester defensive stand forced another apparent three-and-out, but from punt formation, Lock Haven unsuccessfully attempted a pass from their own 32. Leo tacked on a 29-yard field goal to end the scoring. So in the fourth quarter, the Golden Ram defense held Lock Haven without a first down and a total of eight yards on three possessions, while the offense tacked on ten more points, making that third quarter one to forget.
Notes – Although it seemed like White had more touches than usual, it was only two more than his average of 30 rushes and five receptions per game. However, the Golden Rams only ran 59 offensive plays which was 15 below their season average. And he did account for 281 of West Chester's 483 offensive yards…West Chester declined a fourth quarter Lock Haven holding penalty which preserved Shaquil Ryder’s first collegiate sack…West Chester had NO negative offensive plays while the Golden Ram defense registered nine tackles for loss including two each by Demrick Cook and Andrew Cohen…Kevin Malone saw action after missing the previous three games…Leo performed the kickoff duties...Lock Haven's 10 third quarter points were the first points the West Chester defense has yielded in that period this season.
West Chester Athletic Site - No. 15 West Chester Rides Rondell White To Victory Over Lock Haven, 34-13
The Express - Rams roll, play spoiler
Lock Haven Athletic Site - Football falls to undefeated & #15 West Chester on Homecoming
D2football - PSAC Columnist - PSAC Week 7 Headlines
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