Complete Box Score

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Two seniors stole the show on Saturday for the Mercyhurst College football team.

The Lakers, behind wide receiver Trevor Kennedy and linebacker Ian Wild, won the PSAC West opener in convincing fashion over Lock Haven, 42-3 on Saturday afternoon at Hubert Jack Stadium. The Lakers improved to 3-1 on the season, while Lock Haven dropped to 0-3.

Kennedy scored two more touchdowns on Saturday, giving him nine total for the season. He returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown with 41 seconds left in the second quarter, and then caught a Travis Rearick pass from 45 yards out early in the fourth quarter. Kennedy finished the day with only four catches for 75 yards, but for the third consecutive week, had more than 200 all-purpose yards on the day, finishing with 214. He set a personal-best last week against C.W. Post with 265 all-purpose yards.

Wild again anchored the Laker defense, which allowed just 163 yards of total offense to the Bald Eagles all day. It marks the second consecutive week that the Laker defense has allowed less than 200 total yards. The senior linebacker finished the day with a career-high 14 tackles, including 10 solo stops. He also set a personal-best with four tackles for a loss and four sacks on the day, one shy of the school record held by Jim Zank, who recorded five against Alfred on November 18, 1985.

Lock Haven, who came in with a 34-game losing streak, held the high-powered Laker offense scoreless until Rearick found redshirt sophomore tight end R.J. Miller from seven yards out with 6:39 left in the first half. That score gave the Lakers a 7-0 lead. Lock Haven's Noah Heimer would kick a 23-yard field goal with 55 seconds left in the first half, making it a four-point game. But, on the ensuing kickoff, Kennedy's 90-yard return to paydirt put the Lakers ahead 14-3 as the two teams headed to the locker room. Kennedy's kickoff was the fourth-longest in school history and the third kick that he has taken to the house. The senior had two punt return touchdowns last season.

Again, the Lakers would be held in check offensively, until sophomore fullback Jeff Groene caught his second touchdown of the season, a six-yard strike from Rearick with 3:11 left in the third quarter, putting the Lakers ahead 21-3.

Mercyhurst would double its points in the fourth quarter, led by sophomore running back Allen Jones II, who picked up his first two career touchdowns. The transfer from Youngstown State scored his first career rushing touchdown on a 29-yard scamper into the endzone with 12:31 left. On the Bald Eagles' first play after the score, freshman defensive back Colin Kimball intercepted his first career pass, and three plays later, the Rearick-to-Kennedy connection struck from 45 yards out with 10:48 left.

Jones would tack on his second touchdown, from 14 yards out, with 2:29 left, putting the icing on the cake.

Mercyhurst outgained Lock Haven 398-163 on Saturday, but most of the damage, unless the previous three games, was done on the ground. Six ball carriers combined for a season-high 240 yards on the ground on just 34 carries, a 7.1 average. Jones led the ground attack with a career-best 85 yards on just eight carries. True freshman Richie Sanders Jr. had 68 yards on 12 carries, while Ricky Mathews finished with 45 yards on nine totes.

Rearick, who came into the game as the conference leader in passing yards per game, averaging just over 356 yards per contest, was relatively quiet, with the ground game clicking. Rearick threw just 16 passes on the day, completing 10 for just 122 yards, but did have three more touchdowns. Sophomore Anthony Vendemia quarterbacked the last Mercyhurst drive, and completed 3-of-5 passes for 36 yards.

Kennedy again led the receiving corps, finishing as the only Laker with more than two receptions. But, his return game enabled him to eclipse 200 all-purpose yards on the day for the third straight game. He returned two kickoffs for 117 yards and also had a punt return for 22 yards.

Defensively, the story was Wild. The Pittsburgh native finished the day with a career-high 14 tackles and set a personal-best with four sacks and four tackles for a loss. Entering Saturday's game, Wild had 3.5 career sacks in three-plus seasons. It marks the third consecutive week that Wild has hit double-figures in tackles, and now has 45 stops through four games.

Sophomore Dustin Galich also had a strong day on defense, finishing with five tackles, three-and-a-half tackles for a loss, and a sack. Senior linebacker Nick Jackson and freshman defensive back Colin Kimball each picked off their first career pass.

For Lock Haven, Brandon Brader was held under 100 yards rushing for the first time this season. He had 25 carries for 71 yards (2.8 average). The Lakers limited the Bald Eagles to 39 yards rushing on 36 carries on the day. Quarterback Jarryd Burkett completed 12-of-23 passes for 121 yards, but was sacked five times and threw two interceptions.

Raymond Mosby led Lock Haven with seven total stops and a forced fumble.

Next up for the Lakers will be a showdown with crosstown-rival next Saturday, October 1 at Tullio Field during Homecoming Weekend festivities. Mercyhurst is 9-4-1 lifetime against the Golden Knights, but are looking to atone for a 14-10 setback at the hands of their rivals a year ago. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. from Tullio Field.

Laker Notes

Senior linebacker Ian Wild set career-highs in tackles (14), tackles for a loss (4), and sacks (4). He entered the game with just 3.5 sacks in his three-plus year career. He has 45 stops in four games this season and now has 259 for his career, leapfrogging Dave Scarsella (1981-84), Charlie Gleisner (2006-09), Ike Morrison (1999-02), and Garrett Patty (1997-01) on Saturday to move into 13th place on the all-time list.

Senior quarterback Travis Rearick threw for 122 yards on Saturday, remaining in sixth-place on the all-time list with 3,488 passing yards. He is 18 yards away from passing Brian Rostek (1984-87) and 43 yards away from moving ahead of Jeff Nowling (2003-06). 

Rearick had 141 total offensive yards on Saturday moving past Nowling for sixth on the all-time list. Rearick has 3,628 yards of total offense in his career.

Senior wide receiver Trevor Kennedy had four catches for 75 yards on Saturday. He remained in fourth-place on the all-time list with 1,907 career receiving yards, but is now just four yards shy of Jeff Thiel (2001-04) to move into third.

Kennedy's 214 all-purpose yards give him 2,770 for his career. He surpassed Brian Haberstock (1987-90) on Saturday to move into sixth place all-time, and is just four yards shy of Justin Siemon (1997-00) for fifth-place. Kennedy has had three consecutive games this season of more than 200 all-purpose yards.

Kennedy's 90-yard kickoff return was the fourth-longest in school history. Brian Haberstock holds the school-record with a 100-yard return against Brockport State in 1988.

Sophomore Allen Jones II had a career-high 85 yards rushing on Saturday and scored his first two career rushing touchdowns.

Senior linebacker Nick Jackson and freshman defensive back Colin Kimball recorded their first career touchdowns on Saturday. Mercyhurst has seven interceptions on defense this season, by seven different players.

Mercyhurst had 13 tackles for a loss and five sacks on Saturday against the Bald Eagles. Entering the game, the Lakers eight tackles for a loss and three sacks through three games.

Senior defensive back Bryant Kimball had three tackles on Saturday, giving him 209 for his career. He moved past Doug Brinkley (1994-98) for 23rd on the all-time list.