Full Game Video Replay  |  Postgame Reaction

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The sixth-ranked Slippery Rock University football team scored the first 57 points of the game and cruised to a 57-7 victory over Lock Haven University Saturday night from Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
The Rock improved to 3-0 on the season after picking up their 23rd consecutive victory in a night game and their 27th straight win over Lock Haven. The Bald Eagles dropped to 1-2 on the year with the loss and remain winless against SRU dating back to 1980.
 
Slippery Rock controlled the game from the opening minutes, scoring on its first offensive play from scrimmage and jumping out to a 30-0 lead at halftime. The Rock would extend the lead to 57-0 before Lock Haven scored its first points in a stretch of eight quarters with a 95-yard touchdown run from DeAndre Wakefield with 5:34 to play, erasing SRU's shutout hopes in the fourth quarter for the second straight week.
 
Wakefield's 95-yard scamper late in the game accounted for more than half of Lock Haven's total offense for the night as the Bald Eagles finished with just 87 yards on their other 56 offensive plays. Slippery Rock finished the night with a 575-182 advantage in total offense after throwing for 384 yards and rushing for 191 yards. LHU finished with 130 rushing yards and 52 passing yards on just nine completions.
 
The Rock got points from nine different players in the game, including touchdowns from eight different players and a 42-yard field goal from DJ Opsatnik.
 
Andrew Koester completed 16-of-25 passes for 331 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions while also rushing for seven yards and one touchdown. Koester improved to 4-1 as the SRU starting quarterback, threw for more than 300 yards for the second time in three games this season and rushed for a TD for the third straight game. Noah Grover played most of the second half and looked solid in relief, completing 6-of-9 passes for 53 yards with one touchdown.
 
Henry Litwin caught four passes for 130 yards and one touchdown, which was a 72-yard TD strike from Koester. Jermaine Wynn Jr. caught five passes for 48 yards and finished with a team-high 142 all-purpose yards with 52 punt return yards and 22 kickoff return yards in addition to a 20-yard rush on a screen pass behind the line of scrimmage.
 
Tyler Settle caught three passes for 47 yards and his first career touchdown. Kyle Sheets also caught his first career touchdown pass and Cinque Sweeting grabbed two passes for 37 yards and one score.
 
On the ground, Tim Smith rushed for 67 yards and one touchdown to lead a committee approach on the night. Chris Mohra rushed for 47 yards and his first career touchdown and Chris D'Or rushed for 31 yards and one score while adding 37 receiving yards.
 
The Rock defense finished the night allowing just 3.2 yards per play and came up with 10.0 tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble. Tim Vernick led the team with eight tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss. Isaiah Manning added six stops and 1.5 tackles for loss. Matt Wilwohl chipped in five tackles and Nick Johnson and Garrett de Bien both came up with one sack.
 
Lock Haven was paced by Wakefield with 106 rushing yards and one touchdown on 11 carries. Ethan Persa completed 5-of-15 passes for 28 yards. Jordan Heisey completed 4-of-9 passes for 24 yards.
 
Slippery Rock will open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division play next Saturday with a road trip to Greensburg, Pennsylvania for a 6 p.m. game at Seton Hill's Offutt Field.
 

GAME NOTES: Slippery Rock won its 23rd straight night game and has not lost a game that started at 4 p.m. or later since Sept. 29, 2012 … SRU won its 27th straight game in the series with Lock Haven and improved to 34-0-1 in its last 35 games against LHU … Lock Haven has not beaten SRU since 1980 … Shawn Lutz improved to 42-11 as the SRU head coach … The Rock improved to 40-4 in their last 44 home games dating back to the start of the 2013 season … SRU scored more points this week than in the first two weeks combined (45) … The Rock have allowed just seven points in each of the last two weeks and seen shutouts erased with fourth quarter touchdowns … SRU allowed less than 100 passing yards for the second time in three games this season and is allowing just 97.3 passing yards per game this season … The Rock defense is allowing just 11.7 points per game through three weeks … Andrew Koester improved to 4-1 as the SRU starting QB … Henry Litwin went over 100 yards receiving for the 13th time in his career … Litwin increased his SRU career receiving TD record to 31 … he now needs 41 catches for 684 yards to set the SRU career records for receptions and yardage … SRU will open defense of its back-to-back PSAC West titles next week … The Rock have won 16 straight PSAC Western Division games dating back to late in the 2017 season.



To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official athletic communication accounts on Twitter (@Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).