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LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Redshirt sophomore Erik Benjamin (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) threw for a career-high 190 yards and tied a career-high with three touchdown passes as the Bloomsburg University football team took care of Lock Haven University, 33-7, on Saturday afternoon at Hubert Jack Stadium. The win was the second straight for the Huskies, who improved to 4-4 overall and 3-2 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division. The Bald Eagles, meanwhile, dropped to 1-7 overall and 1-3 in divisional play.

Junior Kieron Smethers (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro Area) also added his first career touchdown pass on a fake punt to give the Huskies four touchdown throws on the afternoon - the first time since a 56-10 win over Lock Haven on September 28, 2013, that Bloomsburg had four touchdown passes in a game.

Bloomsburg had its best offensive showing of the season on Saturday as it posted season-highs in points (33), total offensive yards (470), and passing yards (233) in the victory. Meanwhile, the defense limited the Bald Eagles to just 246 yards of total offense and only 10 first downs all afternoon. The Huskies also held a significant edge in the time of possession battle as they held the ball for more than 37 minutes - including nearly 12 minutes in the third quarter alone.

Redshirt junior Alex Gooden (Parkesburg, Pa./Octorara) led the Huskies' ground game with 94 yards on only 11 carries. Senior Hakeem Sillman (Philadelphia, Pa./Frankford) added 64 yards on 17 carries while redshirt sophomore Jack Gaugler (Mount Pleasant Mills, Pa./Selinsgrove) posted 25 yards on three totes. Redshirt freshman Okay Osameka (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) made his first collegiate appearance on the final drive in the fourth quarter and finished with 36 yards on only four carries. In an unusual Bloomsburg football performance, all four touchdowns scored by the Huskies on Saturday were through the air.

Benjamin finished 16-of-23 for 190 yards and three scores. Redshirt junior Michael Allen (Oley, Pa./Fleetwood) caught five passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns while junior Marshall Rizzuto (Port Matilda, Pa./Williston Northampton (Mass.)) had four catches for 42 yards and his first career touchdown. Redshirt senior Josh Salak (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) was on the receiving end of Smethers' 43-yard touchdown throw on a fake punt early in the third quarter to account for the other score.

Bloomsburg jumped out to a 7-0 advantage with 9:31 left in the first quarter when Benjamin found Allen on a 54-yard touchdown pass to cap off a five-play, 89-yard drive. The throw came after four consecutive runs - two by redshirt junior Qmac Quiteh (Tobyhanna, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) and two by Gooden. It marked the longest play from scrimmage for the Huskies this season. Redshirt freshman Jaco Sattamini (Delaware Water Gap, Pa./Stroudsburg) added the point after.

After a 42-yard punt return by Allen set up first-and-goal from the Lock Haven 10 on the Huskies' next possession, Bloomsburg's drive stalled but Sattamini extended the lead to 10-0 with a career-long 35-yard field goal with 5:43 left in the opening quarter.

The Huskies extended the lead to 16-0 with 10:50 left in the first half when the Benjamin-to-Allen connection hooked up again - this time from eight yards out - which capped off a three-play, 23-yard drive set up by a five-yard punt from Lock Haven's Austyn Carson. On Lock Haven's ensuing possession, the Bald Eagles got into the red zone before stalling at the Bloomsburg five-yard line which led to a field goal attempt for Carson. However, sophomore Kasean Patterson (Philadelphia, Pa./Lankenau), who earlier in the half recorded an interception, blocked the field goal to keep Lock Haven off the scoreboard. Bloomsburg drove the other way and Sattamini booted a 31-yard field goal to extend the lead to 19-0 as the team's headed to intermission.

On the opening drive of the third quarter, Bloomsburg, facing fourth-and-eight from the Lock Haven 43, brought Smethers out for what appeared to be a drive-ending punt. But, the Huskies had other ideas as Smethers hooked up with Salak on a 43-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 26-0 following the Sattamini point after. It was the first career pass for Smethers and the first career touchdown for Salak. Then, after Lock Haven had to punt the ball away, the Huskies drove down the field again and scored when Benjamin found Rizzuto in the endzone from 13 yards out to increase the advantage to 33-0 with 3:54 left in the third quarter. The score capped off a nine-play, 88-yard drive that took five minutes off the clock.

The Huskies, again, kept Lock Haven off the board on its next drive when sophomore Alexander Findura (Bloomsburg, Pa./Woodland (Ga.)) blocked a 35-yard field goal attempt by Carson - the second blocked field goal of the game for the Huskies. However, the Bald Eagles thwarted the shutout bid when Cameron Tobias hooked up with Jalen Jackson on a 32-yard touchdown pass with 3:53 left in regulation.

Bloomsburg's offense was split nearly right down the middle as the Huskies rushed for 237 yards and threw for 233 yards. Meanwhile, Lock Haven rushed for 156 yards but threw for only 90 yards on the afternoon. The big difference in the game came in the red zone as Bloomsburg was a perfect 4-of-4 on its trips while Lock Haven went 0-for-3.

Tobias was 7-of-12 for 76 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while Ethan Persa was 4-of-8 for 14 yards. On the ground, Chantz Swartz rushed for 114 yards on only seven carries but was aided by an 84-yard run early in the second quarter. Jackson was Lock Haven's leading receiver with three catches for 39 yards.

Defensively, senior Marquis Seamon (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) led the Huskies with seven tackles (all solo) and one tackle for a loss. Senior Chris Gary (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Wood) also had seven total tackles (one solo), two tackles for a loss, and half a sack. He now needs half a sack to tie Larry Webster's school record for most career sacks with 26 he set during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Entering the year, Webster was seventh in conference history with his sack total despite only playing two years. Salak and senior Nathaniel Webb (Oley, Pa./Oley Valley) added five stops apiece. Senior Jake Klinger (Berwick, Pa./Central Columbia) had one-and-a-half tackles for a loss and one-and-a-half sacks. Dontae Mason led the Bald Eagles with 12 total tackles and an interception.

The Huskies will return home for the final time in the 2018 season when they host Millersville University at Danny Hale Field at Redman Stadium. Kickoff, due to television coverage, has been pushed back to 3:06 p.m. It will serve as the Huskies' Think Pink game as well as Senior Day as senior members of the football team, cheerleaders, and band will be honored prior to opening kickoff.

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