Mehki Williams
Sports Editor
The ESU Warriors football team continue their winning streak with a dominant win against Seton Hill on Saturday. With a final score of 55 to 21, the Warriors cap off a 34-point victory on family weekend at Eiler-Martin Stadium.
“Honestly it has always been about us and how we come to play the game,” Daryn Blackwell said after the game. “We as a team just need to continue to take one step at a time and try to keep being the best version of us we can be”.
The Warriors set the tone from the start of the game displaying tremendous energy on both offense and defense. In the win, Charlie McKee threw for 168 yards on 11-17 pass completions and two touchdowns. The quarterback created history on Saturday with a 69-yd rushing touchdown in the first half.
Tyriq Lewis scored a 57-yd touchdown on a drive that started with a fumble by Seton Hill, giving the Warriors a 7-0 lead. The emphasis from the start of the game was to attack Seton Hill’s defense by running the ball.
ESU rushed for a total of 345 yards on 44 carries. The Griffins’ defense was under constant pressure from Lewis, who recorded 144 yards on the day.
McKee found his receivers extremely well in the first half. He connected to Evan Roche on his first receiving touchdown on the collegiate level to push the lead by seven. Dawson Stuart saw the field for the first time in two years due to injury reeling in a receiving touchdown of his own to end the first quarter 21-7.
In this anticipated game, Seton Hill kept fighting back. On the first drive of the second quarter, Hayden Teska found Mark Bails Jr. for a 57-yard touchdown.
The Warriors defense held the Griffins from making impactful plays down the field. Seton Hill was only able to gain seven rushing yards on three carries. The Warriors had possession with 1:52 left on the clock when CJ Lavarin made a magnificent interception.
Seton Hill was dominated in the first half by the Warriors. On the play that followed Tahir Mills’ 19-yard rushing gain, John Siggins scored a 13-yard receiving touchdown. McKee ended the first half with a dazzling 10-yard rushing touchdown, his second of the game. ESU finished the half leading 42-14.
In the second half, ESU’s defense paved the way not allowing the Griffin’s to score the entire third quarter. The second half was played with Sean McTaggart starting at quarterback. The lead was increased to 49-14 after Lewis reached the end zone after McTaggart’s 7-yard touchdown pass.
Only giving up 21 points highlights the Warriors tenacious defense. Teska threw his third interception in the second half which led to TJ Harris returning it 35 yards to the end zone making the game seem unreachable at 55-14.
The Griffins would score their third touchdown in the game in the fourth quarter. ESU dominates Seton Hill in a 55-14 victory advancing to 3-0 on the season.
ESU Warriors will be on the road to take on Lock Haven next Saturday at 1:00 P.M.
Email Mehki at:
mwillia@live.esu.edu