SLIPPERY ROCK — Take a deep breath and assess the damage.
Such was the mind-set of Slippery Rock University football coach Shawn Lutz following Saturday night’s 37-25 win over Mercyhurst at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
“I can’t remember us having so many injuries like this,” Lutz said. “We’re running on fumes right now.”
Besides playing without the school’s all-time rushing leader in Shamar Greene, SRU took the field Saturday without starting defensive end Cody Conway and linebackers Bob Vernick and Cody Allen. A third linebacker, Anthony Zappone, the Rock’s leading tackler this season, went down with a shoulder injury Saturday and played only one series in the second half.
The Rock (5-1, 2-1) ended the game with three healthy linebackers.
“Hey, it’s next man up,” freshman running back Dontez Rash said. “That has to be the mentality.”
Rash did his part, rushing for 102 yards and two touchdowns while filling in for Greene. The latter dislocated a shoulder a week ago and is out for at least a couple of games, pending the results from his MRI.
Defense and special teams pitched in for The Rock as well.
SRU took a 31-9 lead into halftime after a potential game-tying PAT by Mercyhurst was blocked by Marcus Martin and returned for two points by Kris Williams late in the first quarter.
Jake Chapla booted field goals of 44 and 51 yards for SRU in the second quarter. The latter kick was a yard short of the Rock record for distance.
Midway through the second period, Titus Howard blitzed from his corner position and sacked Lakers quarterback Doug Altavilla in the end zone for a safety. The play gave The Rock an 18-9 lead at the time.
“That played turned the momentum for is in the first half,” Lutz said. “They had moved the ball well on us and scored on their first two possessions before that.”
Mercyhurst coach Marty Schaetzle agreed.
“Slippery Rock did a good job in taking advantage of our youth up front,” Schaetzle said. “We just didn’t react well to those blitzes.
“We didn’t play aggressively enough in the first half.”
The Lakers (2-4, 1-2) did respond well in the third quarter. Altavilla used a short field — thanks to a 57-yard kickoff return and a Rock fumble at the SRU 33 — to throw a pair of touchdown passes and pull within 31-23.
But Don King III’s second touchdown pass of the day — a 38-yarder to Cornelius Raye — early in the final quarter extended SRU’s lead. And on third-and-2 from the Rock 4 with 5:11 left, Howard blitzed off the corner again and sacked Alativilla for a 7-yard loss.
That play denied Mercyhurst its last chance to get back in the game.
“Our goal is always to get a three-and-out,” defensive end Martin said. “When that doesn’t happen, we have to be bend, but don’t break. We did that late in the game.”
King threw for 310 yards while Raye had nine catches for 126 yards to lead the receivers.
“Their corners were playing back on us,” Raye said. “We take what the defense gives us. Our running game always sets up the pass and the pass sets up the run.
“We did well in both phases tonight.”
SRU took an intentional safety late in the game to account for the 37-25 final. The win extended Division II’s longest active home winning streak to 20 games.
Notes: Martin had two tackles for loss to break The Rock career record of 60, previously held by Matt Kinsinger. Martin has 61 now. “It takes playing with great players, staying healthy and getting extended seasons through playoffs that a lot of other great players here didn’t have,” Martin said of the record. “All of that put together makes something like this happen.” ... Erik Johnson paced The Rock with nine tackles. Howard had an interception, Johnson a fumble recovery. ... Seneca Valley graduate Corbin Kessler, a starter at safety for Mercyhurst as a true freshman, had eight tackles. ... SRU travels to Indiana (Pa.) for a 2 p.m. kickoff Saturday.
[naviga:h3]SRU 37, Mercyhurst 25[/naviga:h3]
Mercyhurst 6 3 14 2 — 25
Slippery Rock 16 15 0 6 — 37
M SRU
16 First Downs 23
32-112 Rushes-Yards 38-101
208 Passing Yards 310
19-30-1 Comp.-Att.-Int 29-38-0
320 Total Yards 411
4-1 Fumbles-Lost 2-1
11-71 Penalty Yards 9-96
First QuarterSRU — Dontez Rash 3 run (Jake Chapla kick), 10:30M — Pierce Bauer 3 pass from Doug Altavilla (kick blocked), 5:37SRU — Kris Williams return of blocked PAT, 5:37SRU — Marcus Johnson 17 pass from Don King III (Chapla kick), :42
Second QuarterM — Dylan Kondis 21 field goal, 11:59SRU — Titus Howard sacked Altavilla in end zone for safety, 6:57SRU — Chapla 44 field goal, 5:46SRU — Rash 4 run (Chapla kick), 3:12SRU — Chapla 51 field goal, 1:00
Third QuarterM — Danavian Clay 8 pass from Altavilla (Kondis kick), 12:03M — Bauer 10 pass from Altavilla (Kondis kick), 4:26
Fourth QuarterSRU — Cornelius Raye 38 pass from King III (kick failed), 12:54M — Derrick Fulmore stepped out of back of end zone for safety, :13
Individual StatisticsRushing: Mercyhurst, Richie Sanders 19-84, Drew Robinson 6-39, E’Andre Smith 2-5, Doug Altavilla 5-(-16). SRU, Dontez Rash 21-102, Isiah Neely 8-29, Dominic Dingle 2-13, Derrick Fulmore 1-(-21), Don King III 6-(-22).Passing: Mercyhurst, Doug Altavilla 19-30-208-1. SRU, Don King III 29-38-310-0.Receiving: Mercyhurst, Brad Novak 3-73, Richie Sanders 3-42, Danavian Clay 3-36, Pierce Bauer 3-16, Bryce Mostoller 2-10, Joe Carbone 1-14, Brian Matthews 1-10, Zach Smith 1-7, Drew Robinson 1-4, E’andre Smith 1-(-4). SRU, Cornelius Raye 9-126, Drew Scales 8-72, Leroy McClain 6-49, Marcus Johnson 4-47, Carnel Harley 2-16.
