The Slippery Rock University football team defeated Lock Haven at home this past Saturday, 66-7 to clinch the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West title.
With the win, SRU recorded its 28th straight victory against the Bald Eagles and improved to an undefeated 8-0 overall on the year, with a 5-0 record in divisional play. The Rock will host the PSAC East champion at home on Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. for the conference championship.
The Rock took control for the majority of the contest, shutting out the Bald Eagles 59-0 through the first three quarters. Lock Haven scored its only touchdown in the fourth quarter, with receiver Artie Poindexter hauling in a five-yard pass from quarterback Carson Nagle.
DaOne Owens had an efficient game for Slippery Rock, completing 17 of 26 passes for 267 yards. Owens also threw two touchdown passes, connecting with Telly Palmer and John Sabo.
Qalil Goode and Palmer each finished with 70 receiving yards to lead The Rock, while Sabo followed with 45 yards of his own.
The Rock’s run game was just as effective against Lock Haven, with Owens scoring twice on the ground. JayJay Jordan, Luke McCoy and Brad Hoffman also each recorded a rushing touchdown.
Jordan added to his big day with two punt return touchdowns in the first half, helping The Rock build its commanding lead.
Jordan’s performance was one for the record books, as he broke three SRU single-season records. Through just eight games, Jordan has scored 23 touchdowns and accumulated 138 points on the season. He surpassed the previous touchdown record of 21, shared by LaMonte Coleman in 1994 and Henry Litwin in 2019, along with Litwin’s single-season points record of 128, set in 2019.
On the defensive side, Slippery Rock held the PSAC’s leading passing offense to just 133 passing yards. Overall, SRU outgained Lock Haven 517-193 in total offensive yardage.
The Rock’s defense stood strong throughout the game, holding the Bald Eagles to just two drives that advanced past midfield. Brett Kwoka led Slippery Rock with 1.5 sacks, while Luke Gerovac and Elijah Halley followed with one sack apiece.
With the win, Slippery Rock has started the season 8-0 for the third time since 2019. It is also the fifth time in program history that The Rock has remained undefeated through eight games. The victory marks the fifth straight homecoming game SRU has won.
The scary-good Slippery Rock team will travel to Clarion on Halloween to play its final regular-season road game against the Golden Eagles. Regardless of the outcome of the remaining regular-season games, SRU has secured its spot as the PSAC West representative and will host the conference championship game on Nov. 14.
