Trending
SHIPPENSBURG -- The Lock Haven football team opened the 2026 season with a 24-16 road victory over Shippensburg on Saturday afternoon, using timely offense, three takeaways and a late defensive stand to secure the win.
In his Bald Eagle debut, redshirt freshman quarterback Carson Nagle, a Bald Eagle Area graduate, led the Bald Eagles offensively, completing 12 of 22 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Ezequiel Johnson added 71 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Mekhi Watson hauled in five receptions for 70 yards and a score.
Lock Haven finished a perfect 3 for 3 in the redzone and converted five of 13 third-down opportunities. The Bald Eagles scored on each of their three red-zone possessions, while Shippensburg converted three of four trips inside the 20-yard line.
Shippensburg struck first with a 37-yard field goal with 26 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. The Raiders extended their advantage to 9-0 early in the second quarter but the extra-point attempt was unsuccessful.
Lock Haven answered late in the first half after Nagle found Watson for a 26-yard touchdown reception with 1:53 remaining before halftime to cut the deficit to 9-7.
The Bald Eagles took control in the third quarter.
Bauer drilled a 29-yard field goal with 10:33 left in the quarter to give Lock Haven its first lead of the afternoon, 10-9. Later in the quarter, Nagle capped a nine-play, 49-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Rasu Wearing-Poindexter, pushing the Lock Haven lead to 17-9 with 4:19 remaining in the third.
Johnson provided an important insurance score early in the fourth quarter. He finished an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run. Shippensburg made a late push, scoring on a 7-yard touchdown pass with 1:32 remaining, however, Lock Haven's defense delivered the decisive stop in the final minute to preserve the 24-16 victory.
The Bald Eagles forced three Shippensburg fumbles. LucRichard Rameau, JahCure Maxam and Brayden Crisswell forced the takeaways. Rameau and Raheem Reid both finished with four solo tackles.
Lock Haven totaled 264 yards of offense, including 185 passing yards and 79 rushing yards. The Bald Eagles also held the ball for key stretches and converted 38 percent of their third-down chances, compared with Shippensburg's 35 percent mark on 6-of-17 conversions.
With the season-opening road win, Lock Haven begins the year 1-0. Saturday's victory also marks the seventh consecutive season-opening victory for Lock Haven.