Postgame Interview  |  Conway Proposal

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University football senior class made sure it would go out with a bang before the game against East Stroudsburg even started Saturday. Senior defensive end Cody Conway proposed to SRU alumna Alissa Kelty during the Senior Day celebration and The Rock fed off that energy and rolled to a 57-15 win, setting multiple school records along the way, in the season finale from Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
The victory gives Slippery Rock a 7-4 finish to the year and marks the eighth consecutive winning season for the program and the first under head coach Shawn Lutz. East Stroudsburg, coached by 1963 SRU alumnus Denny Douds, finishes the year at 4-7.
 
The Warriors struck first in the game when SRU fumbled a punt attempt at its own 25-yard line. The defense held and forced a field goal, which would be the theme of the opening half. The Rock later threw an interception inside their own 30-yard line, but again the defense held and forced a field goal.
 
All told, The Rock converted a pair of touchdowns and held ESU to three field goals in the opening 30 minutes to lead 14-9 at the break.
 
That margin would grow drastically early in the second half when The Rock scored 30 points in a span of 5:48 in the third quarter, putting the game out of reach.
 
Multiple school records were matched or broken in the game for the Slippery Rock offense, led by senior quarterback Don King III and wide receiver Marcus Johnson, who connected three times on TD passes during that 30-point run. King III completed 28-of-38 passes for new school records of 527 yards and seven touchdowns and Johnson caught 10 passes for a new school record 237 yards and tied the school record with four TD receptions.
 
The 527 passing yards topped the former school record of 502 that was set by John Linhart against Clarion in 1992. The seven TD passes broke Nigel Barksdale's record of six TD tosses against Northwood in 2013. Johnson's four TD catches tied the SRU record of Devin Goda, set against Lock Haven in 2011, and his 237 yards broke John Schademan's former record of 229 yards, set against Mercyhurst in 2013.
 
The 527 passing yards for the offense also established a new single-game record, topping the former mark of 502 yards from the 1992 game against Clarion.
 
The Rock finished the game with 568 yards of total offense and held East Stroudsburg to just 225 yards. SRU rushed for 41 yards and ESU threw for 197 yards and ran for 28 yards on 30 carries.
 
Drew Scales had an outstanding day in the receiving game with six catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 135 kickoff return yards and finished his final game at SRU with 220 all-purpose yards. Taishan Tucker caught four passes for 92 yards, Cornelius Raye caught three passes for 33 yards, Leroy McClain caught two balls for 18 yards and Andrew Bridgeforth caught a 38-yard TD pass. Dominic Dingle rushed for 43 yards to lead the ground game in his final appearance for The Rock.
 
Not to be overshadowed by the record breaking offensive effort, The Rock defense was dominant all day Saturday, allowing one big play, a 70-yard TD pass, and slamming the door the rest of the way.
 
Senior linebackers Anthony Zappone and Bob Vernick had big days to lead the way. Zappone finished with 12 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, an interception returned 63 yards for a touchdown and a tackle for loss that went for a safety. Vernick finished with 12 total tackles and one QB hurry.
 
Joe Phillips also had a big day in his final game, recording three solo sacks. Conway added five tackles, one tackle for loss and three QB hurries and Marcus Martin, Mike Kope and Tony Twillie II each had one tackle for loss.
 
East Stroudsburg struggled to get anything going on offense all day and used three quarterbacks in the game. Bruce Campbell had the best numbers, going 8-of-17 for 110 yards with one touchdown. The TD pass, a 70-yarder, went to Tim Wilson, who finished with three catches for 79 yards.
 
Saturday's game marked the end of the careers for 22 seniors on the Slippery Rock team, which will leave the program as the second-most decorated class in school history. The four-year members of the senior class posted a 37-12 overall record, a 22-1 mark in home games, won three PSAC West titles, two PSAC Championships and made three NCAA playoffs.
 
 
NOTES: SRU completed its eighth straight winning season … Shawn Lutz went 7-4 in his first year as SRU head coach … Don King III broke school records for passing yards (527) and passing TDs (7) in the game … Marcus Johnson broke the school record for single-game receiving yards (237) and tied the program record four touchdowns in a game (4) … King III finished his year 227-372 for 2,668 yards with 24 TDs … he ranks third in single-season history at SRU in completions (227), touchdowns (24) and yards (2,668), fourth in attempts (372) and second in passing yards per game (266.8) … His completions rank ninth in the career record book at SRU and his yards rank 10th … Johnson finished the year ranked second in single-season history  with 13 TD catches, sixth in yards with 898 and ninth in catches with 54 … Drew Scales finishes his career with the all-time program record for kick return yards with 1,851 … he ranks seventh all-time in receptions with 123 and 10th all-time in all-purpose yards with 3,670 … Marcus Martin increased his SRU record to 66.0 tackles for loss … he has one year left to play and is 11.0 shy of the NCAA Division II record … Cody Conway moved up to eighth all-time at SRU in career tackles for loss with 38.5 …. The SRU senior class was 37-12 over four years and 22-1 at home.