West Chester University Football (2-2, 1-0 PSAC) downed Lock Haven University (0-4, 0-1 PSAC) 37-7 during Family Day inside of Farrell Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 17. WCU’s attack was led by quarterback Andrew Derr, who proved to be the ultimate dual threat as he passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more.
Derr finished the victory with 294 passing yards on 21-of-36, and the turnover issues that had plagued him over the last two contests ceased to exist. Derr successfully dabbled in the ground-game, as he racked up 50 rushing yards to pair with his two TD’s. Derr’s dominance was accompanied by the Quad’s last Male Athlete of the Week, Jarel Elder, who asserted his will in virtually every facet of the game.
Elder accrued 169 all-purpose yards, as he finished with 87 rushing, another 59 in kickoff returns and 23 yards receiving. Elder did not record a touchdown in the win, but wide receiver Jordan Banks did, as he snagged down five receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns.
Jordan’s receptions-to-yard ratio illustrates how proficient he is in catching the long-ball, and the continuity he and Derr have established so far this season has given the Golden Rams’ offense a very unique wrinkle.
WCU’s receiving corps is a strong and balanced crop of talent, with many targets for the meticulously-attacking Derr to hone in on. Tyler Karpinski had eight receptions for 75 yards, and Eerin Young was the recipient of three passes for 61 yards and one touchdown. This equal distribution keeps defenses off-kilter, and makes it harder to brace themselves for Derr’s aerial assaults.
West Chester has been accustomed to hitting second half strides this season, and they did not deviate from that against Lock Haven. WCU cranked out 345 yards of total offense in the third and fourth quarters on Saturday, just a smidgen under their second half average of 362. For the third consecutive game, WCU racked up 500 yards of total offense.
While West Chester’s offense will garner the most attention for their efficient and precise attack, their defense is deserving of reverence as well. WCU put Lock Haven in a defensive stranglehold, as the Bald Eagles managed to muster up 242 of total offense, which paled in comparison to the 503 West Chester accumulated.
Lock Haven’s rushing attack was often negated by WCU’s defensive ferocity, as the Bald Eagles lost 20 yards in the ground-game.
LU also turned the ball over twice and muffed the ball five times, although the Golden Rams were only able to recover one of those fumbles. Steven Denby and Kyle Keyser both recorded six tackles each, and Josh Ganzelli had 1.5 sacks. Kevin Malone also played an integral part for West Chester on D, as he completed the game with four tackles, WCU’s lone fumble recovery and registered two of the Golden Rams’ nine pass breakups. Lock Haven did not get on the scoreboard until the final frame, when the outcome was basically cemented.
One thing West Chester won’t be hap- py with are the penalties. They were as- sessed with ten for 105 yards, which will doom them against stiffer competition. WCU must be more disciplined going forward, as forfeiting field position on offense and defense can be a huge hindrance.
West Chester will embark on a journey to Kutztown University on Saturday, Oct. 1 in hopes of upending the Golden Bears inside of Andre Reed Stadium. Kickoff is at 6:05 p.m. and WCU’s athletic website will offer an audio streaming service for the showdown, so gear up to cheer on the Golden Rams as they look to string together a win streak.
Will “B.J.” Boyer is a third-year student majoring in communication studies with a minor in journalism. He can be reached at WB806695@wcupa.edu.