TIM WEIGHT/For the Express
Lock Haven quarterback Jackson Ostrowsky (11) prepares to run the ball against Bloomsburg earlier this season. The Bald Eagles won 35-32.
After beating Shippensburg convincingly last week, 42-21, Lock Haven heads to Gannon today for its season finale and will look to earn its fifth win of the year.
Lock Haven (4-6) could make history with its fifth win by recording the program’s first back-to-back seasons with five wins since 1981-82.
Jackson Ostrowsky continued his outstanding campaign with a 329-yard passing performance last week in the rout over Shippensburg while KJ Howard had a big game on the ground wtih 107 rushing yards.
Lock Haven trailed 14-0 after the first quarter but exploded for 35 second-quarter points to set the tone and cruised from there for the victory.
Ostrowsky went 25 for 38 and had five touchdown passes in the win. The Bald Eagle quarterback can eclipse 3,000 passing yards for the season if he throws for 75 yards. He also has 25 passing touchdowns this season and is averaging nearly 300 yards per game to propel the offense.
While he got off to a somewhat slow start this year, Howard has picked it up rushing-wise the last few weeks and sits at 428 yards this year and averages 5.0 yards per carry. Damir Green is a nice backup running back as well as he has 341 rushing yards and averages 4.1 per carry.
Gannon enters Saturday’s game with a 3-6 record and defeated Clarion last week, 34-28. The Knights won two of their last three games, having beaten Edinboro, 25-21, with a 35-7 loss to Indiana (Pa.) sandwiched between the two victories.
Jayden Whitaker was key for Gannon last week in defeating Clarion as he went 27 for 36 for 366 passing yards with two touchdowns. Donell Mason and Braeden Soboleski were two targets that Whitaker continued to go to as both had seven receptions for 121 and 87 yards, respectively. Mike Watkins also had six catches for 83 yards.
Whitaker has 1,805 passing yards this year, but has just nine passing touchdowns with five interceptions. Gannon has struggled as well establishing a running game this year. Whitaker has just 229 yards to lead the team but has eight rushing touchdowns. David Morgan Jr. has rushed for 175 yards.
Defensively, Charles Calhoun has led Gannon’s defense with 4 1/2 sacks and 9 1/2 tackles for loss. Hayden McDonald has a team-high 79 tackles this year for Gannon.