Long rallies West Chester

LOCK HAVEN » The scoreboard didn’t show how unimpressive West Chester played in the first half of its PSAC East opener on Saturday at Lock Haven. But the Golden Rams – and new quarterback A.J. Long – made some adjustments the rest of the way en route to a 35-14 victory at Lock Haven’s Hubert Jack Stadium.

A Syracuse transfer who was filling in for injured starter Paul Dooley (ankle), Long was electric during WCU’s initial road win this season. The sophomore was especially dangerous improvising with his legs on passing situations.

Long’s throwing accuracy, however, is still a work in progress, but the Bethlehem native ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns.

“A.J. was much better in the second half,” said West Ches-

head coach Bill Zwaan. “He is still learning our offense. He is still figuring out where we like to go with the football. As he gets more comfortable, it will be a little easier for him.”

Now 3-1 overall, WCU scored five of the game’s first six TDs, but Zwaan wasn’t overly thrilled. Playing at home for the first time this year, the Bald Eagles fall to 0-4.

“It was Lock Haven’s Homecoming, so they came out with a lot of intensity. We came out slow, took them lightly, and we can’t do that,” linebacker Nydair Rouse acknowledged.

“They are not all great wins,” Zwaan added. “Sometimes you have to gut some things out and that’s what we did.

“We definitely played better in the second half, but we made a ton of mistakes. This was probably our most mistake-filled game.”

There is also another troubling issue: the injury bug. It’s bothered WCU most of the season, but is now approaching epidemic proportions, especially on offense. The Rams were without two of their top three quarterbacks on Saturday, and attrition up front makes for a makeshift offensive line.

“Our depth is being tested, for sure,” Zwaan said. “We need to have all of these injuries to stop, and we need to get some

guys back, if we want to have a chance.”

It didn’t prevent Long from rolling up a whopping 379 yards of offense, including 198 through the air, and a pair of TD throws to freshman Dan Neuhaus (Bishop Shanahan).

“I just needed to calm down,” Long said. “Not starting a game in three years, I was nervous. I was kind of pressing early, trying to make the big play instead of taking what the defense was giving me.

“Once I got my nerves under control, it was better.”

The defense was a bit loose, especially in the first half. The Eagles – who scored just 13 points in the first three games this season – actually outgained WCU in total offense through 30 minutes.

But the intermission seemed to do wonders for the Rams. Moments after surrendering his second interception of the day, Long raced 25 yards on a keeper up the middle to make it 28-7. And then Anthony Brown forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, which was recovered by WCU’s Jaishan Thornton, and Long promptly connected with Neuhaus for a scoring toss of sevenyards.

“I am not happy with the way I threw it – I can throw a lot better,” Long pointed out. “But it was a stepping stone. I am not going to complain because we won.

“I predicate myself on the idea that whatever the offense needs, I am going

to get it done. If they need me to run it for whatever I ran for today, I can do that. If we need 300 passing, I can do that too.”

Special teams had a rough outing at Slippery Rock two weeks ago, but the unit came up big in the early going after a 13-play LHU drive stalled. Rouse blocked a 48-yard Eagles’ field goal attempt and teammate Shaquille James scooped it up and went 61 yards the other way to open the scoring.

“I attacked to try to make my mark and make a play,” said Rouse, who flew off the edge. “Then Shaq did a good job scoring.”

Long then set up a short run – his first TD at WCU – with several big plays that covered 63 of 74 yards during a seven-play march to make it 14-0 heading into the second quarter. Long later hit Neuhaus, who took his first career catch 44-yards for the score. Long was injured on the play, but quickly returned.

“We were a little nervous when he was on the turf,” Zwaan later admitted.

The Rams will play host to Kutztown next weekend. The Golden Bears handed WCU it’s only PSAc East setback a year ago.

“We have some things to clean up and we are playing a good football team next week,” Zwaan said.

NOTES: The sudden injury situation at quarterback severely tested WCU’s depth. With this year’s (Dooley) and last year’s (Pat Moriarty; back) starters out with injuries, the Rams elevated redshirt

freshman Mike Alley to backup Long. A lefty, Alley has never thrown a college pass and he ended up not playing. He was the team’s fourth string a week ago … Senior OT starter Vince Lostracco missed his second straight outing with a high ankle sprain, but his replacement, junior Jake Duncan, limped off with a right knee injury in the first half ... West Chester linebacker Tyler Morrissey registered a game-high 16 tackles.