11/6/26
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College football gets back to work with another PSAC opponent this coming weekend, as the Falcons travel to take on the Shepherd University Rams in West Virginia on Saturday, November 7^th. Kickoff is set for 12:00pm ET at Ram Stadium in Shepherdstown, WV. This will be a first-ever match-up between the Falcons and the Rams.
 
Game Details
Who: Lackawanna College Falcons (0-9) at Shepherd University Rams (6-3)
When: Saturday, November 7^th; 12:00pm ET
Where: Ram Stadium, Shepherd University; Shepherdstown, WV
 
Video | Live Stats | Tickets | LC Game Notes| Shepherd Game Notes
 
Saturday's contest will have a video livestream available via Shepherd's Athletic Network on the PSAC Sports Digital Network. Matt Crawford will have the play-by-play, and Travis Smith will provide the color commentary.
 
Live stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/shepherd/football/
Live stats coverage is available and will be updated as the game goes on.
 
The Falcons
Lackawanna College (0-9) led early in the third quarter against Millersville, the first time all season that the Falcons held a second half lead, but the visiting Marauders scored 14 points in the third period to go up by two scores, and the Falcons twice couldn't rally in the fourth quarter to tie or take the lead, falling 31-28 at home to Millersville. Lackawanna gave up 341 yards of offense, but the Falcons still had a chance in the fourth quarter, trailing by three, to get their first positive result of the season. However, an interception in the end zone killed a drive, and another drive stalled late on a fourth-down stop for Millersville. You can read the full recap HERE.
 
On the season, Lackawanna is averaging 8.9 points per game, while giving up 43.3 per contest this year. Opponents are averaging 407.6 yards per game in offense, including 209.2 on the ground and 198.4 through the air, while the Falcons are averaging 224.4 yards of total offense per game, posting 97.3 per game on the ground and 127.1 per game through the air. The Falcons are 27.3% on third downs, while their opponents are 47.8%. Lackawanna has thrown 17 interceptions and has lost five fumbles, while the opposition has four interceptions and three fumbles this year.
 
Quarterbacks David Naniewicz (Scott Twp., PA) and Laivon Balthazar (Perth Amboy, NJ) have both seen time this year, with Naniewicz starting the last eight games. Naniewicz, a first-year player, is 102-for-200 for 852 yards, four touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He's also run 52 times, gaining 141 yards but losing 140 on the year, getting sacked 18 times this season, including twice against Millersville. Naniewicz threw for a season-high 224 yards against Clarion, throwing two touchdowns and four interceptions in the loss on September 19^th. He went 14-for-26 for 168 yards and one touchdown against Millersville last weekend, but also threw two interceptions. Balthazar, a second-year player, started against Monroe and has seen time in six games this season, going 32-for-52 for 292 yards in his action, with four interceptions. He has 53 net yards rushing on 36 attempts this year, getting sacked eight times this season. He threw for a season-high 81 yards against Monroe to open the year on September 4^th, and he was 6-for-9 for 40 yards and two interceptions off the bench against Kutztown (10/10). Balthazar has not played in the last two games for the Falcons.
 
Third-year back Jalen Fletcher (Bethlehem, PA) has 457 yards on 141 carries and has scored four touchdowns. He ran for a season-best 108 yards against Clarion on September 19^th. Fletch ran for 42 yards on eight carries, while setting a season-high with five catches for 29 yards out of the backfield against Shippensburg. He had a season-high 27 rushes for 88 yards and a score, while catching four balls for 38 yards against Millersville last weekend. Fletcher has had at least three catches in eight of the nine games this season, and is first on the Falcons with 30 grabs for 170 yards. Third-year back Stephen Henry (Maplewood, NJ) is second on the team with 169 yards rushing on 31 carries, averaging 5.5 yards per carry this season. Henry has seen action in eight games, but was in early against Shippensburg, toting the rock seven times for a season-high 77 yards. He had three carries for just eight yards last week against Millersville, and also had a catch for 26 yards. Second-year back Daniel McConomy (Middletown, DE) has 35 carries for 90 yards this season, posting 64 yards and catching a pair of balls against Seton Hill (9/12). He had five carries for just eight yards against the rugged Kutztown defense in October. He also has eight catches for 15 yards coming out of the backfield this season. He has not played the last three weeks for the Falcons, due to injury.
 
Second-year wideout Khi'Lee Patterson (Fox Chapel, PA) is second behind Fletcher with 27 catches for 187 yards this year, averaging 20.8 yards per game. Khi'Lee has a pair of games with five catches this season, posting five grabs for 39 yards against both Monroe (9/4) and ESU (9/26). He grabbed four balls for 28 yards last weekend against Millersville. Third-year receiver Keaon Jenkins (Wayne, NJ) has 18 catches this season, leading the team with 281 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Jenkins had 103 yards on five catches against Monroe (9/4), and he had four catches for 50 yards and a one-handed touchdown against Clarion (9/19). He made two catches, including a 24-yard touchdown, for 31 yards against Shippensburg on October 24^th. Jenkins had one catch, a 26-yard grab, against Millersville last weekend. Third-year receiver Jamal Jefferson, Jr. (Euclid, OH) is third on the team with 22 grabs for 223 yards and a touchdown this year. Jefferson had a season-best five catches for 77 yards and his touchdown against Clarion (9/19). Jefferson made a pair of catches for 19 yards against Millersville last weekend.
 
Defensively, linebacker Rashon Giddens (Norristown, PA) has 44 total stops, on 27 solo tackles and 17 assists, and he is tied for third on the team with 4.0 TFLs and a sack, while also recovering a pair of fumbles, including one on a blocked kick that he returned for a touchdown against Monroe (9/4). He did not play against Clarion and East Stroudsburg, but had three total tackles and 0.5 TFLs against Bloomsburg (10/3), then followed that up with seven total stops, including five solo tackles, against Kutztown (10/10). Giddens had a season-high seven solo tackles and nine total tackles in the loss to Shippensburg two weeks ago. He had seven total tackles against Millersville. First-year safety Steven Jenkins (Pittsburgh, PA) has 30 total tackles, including 17 solo stops, and 4.0 TFLs on the season. Jenkins had a season-best seven tackles against Shippensburg two weeks ago, all solo stops, and he had six more total tackles last weekend against Millersville, posting a pair of TFLs. Second-year defensive back Keyonte Davis (Washington, D.C.) has 28 total tackles, third on the team, with 14 solo stops and 14 assists, while posting five pass break-ups. Davis had a season-best six tackles against East Stroudsburg (9/26) and matched that with six total tackles against West Chester (10/17). He had four total tackles and two pass break-ups against Bloomsburg on October 3^rd, then had two tackles and another PBU against Kutztown (10/10). Third-year safety Billy Maloney (Scranton, PA) has 28 total tackles, 19 solos, this season. Maloney had a breakout performance against East Stroudsburg (9/26), posting four solo stops and six total tackles in the loss. He had five total tackles in the loss to Bloomsburg, and added three more stops against Kutztown. He posted three tackles against Shippensburg, but also ran seven times for 36 yards as a quarterback on the final drive of the game. He had a pair of stops against Millersville last weekend.
 
Second-year kicker Isiah Rodriguez (Old Forge, PA) is 4-for-6 on field goals this year, hitting a 26-yarder against Seton Hill and a 33-yarder against Bloomsburg before making a pair of field goals last weekend against Millersville. I-Rod kicked a 32-yarder and a 21-yarder for the Falcons. He has had one kick get blocked this season. Rodriguez is 6-for-7 on extra points. Second-year punter Samuel Magnotta (Roaring Brook Twp., PA) averages 35.8 yards per punt and has a long of 58 yards this season, with eight punts placed inside the opponents' 20-yard line this season.
 
Lackawanna is led by veteran leader Mark Ross, who was named as the next head football coach at Lackawanna College, the third in program history, in December 2025. Ross has been coaching since pursuing his master's degree at East Stroudsburg in the 1990's, going from coaching defensive ends with the Warriors to working at Ithaca for eleven seasons at the Division III level, becoming Defensive Coordinator for his final four seasons with the Bombers. Ross then moved on to Misericordia University, where he became a head coach for the brand-new program in 2011. He spent nine seasons as the head coach at Misericordia, winning eight games and getting the Cougars to a postseason bowl for the first time in history in 2018. When the COVID-19 pandemic took out the 2020 season, Ross left Misericordia to be the defensive coordinator at Bloomsburg for three seasons in the PSAC. After that, he went to Cornell to serve as Director of Football Operations for a year with the Big Red, and then eventually made his way to Lackawanna.
 
The Rams
Shepherd (6-3) had stumbled in recent weeks, dropping back-to-back games against Bloomsburg and East Stroudsburg before beating Shippensburg last weekend. The Rams were receiving votes in the national polls just a few weeks ago, and had battled previous #3 Kutztown in a 28-18 loss on the road, but suffered a stunning loss at home to Bloomsburg on October 17th, then dropped a 31-7 decision on the road at ESU the next weekend. The Rams blew an 18-point lead against Shippensburg, but rallied for the miraculous win on an 80-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds to go. The three losses for the Rams this season have been to teams with a combined record of 23-4.
 
The Rams average 27.9 points per game this season, while giving up 22.2 to the opposition. Shepherd averages 327 yards per game of offense, rushing for 133 yards on the ground per game and throwing for 194 yards through the air. The opponents average 315.4 yards per game this season, with 132.6 on the ground and 182.8 through the air. Shepherd converts on 38% of its third-down attempts, and is 5-for-9 on fourth down this season. Opponents convert at a 42.8% clip on third downs, but are 6-for-17 on fourth down. The Rams have forced 16 turnovers, including eleven interceptions, while committing eleven turnovers of their own.
 
Grad student Michael Hardyway is the main quarterback, starting in all nine games this year for the Rams. Hardyway has thrown for 1,688 yards and 18 touchdowns, completing 63.7% of his passes on the year. Hardyway has at least one touchdown in every game this season. He threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns in the win against Shippensburg.
 
The rushing attack is headed by a pair of backs, starting with redshirt first-year Ian Mauldin, who has 467 yards on 83 carries in seven games this year. Mauldin has eight touchdown runs and averages 5.6 yards per rush. he ran for 135 yards and a touchdown against West Chester. Mauldin had 12 carries for 37 yards and two scores against Shippensburg. The other back is sophomore Jabril Daniels, who has 424 yards on 75 carries in eight games, posting three touchdowns and averaging 5.7 yards per rush. Daniels had a season-high 113 yards rushing and a score against Shippensburg.
 
A pair of former Falcons lead the wide receiving corps. Senior Carrington Nickens-Yzer leads the Rams with 36 catches for 511 yards and five touchdowns. Carrington had ten catches for 136 yards against Gannon this year, and set a season-high with 156 yards receiving and two scores against Shippensburg this past weekend. The other former Falcon is senior Daryl Harper, who has 32 catches for 459 yards and a team-best seven touchdowns. harper had a strong start to the season, posting seven TDs in the first five weeks, but has slowed down recently, with just one catch against Shippensburg. Sophomore Derrell Pierson has 30 catches for 324 yards and three scores. Pierson had five catches for 34 yards against Shippensburg.
 
Sophomore defensive back D'Myo Hunter leads the Rams with 60 total tackles, including 40 solo stops, and he has a team-high five tackles-for-loss and two interceptions. Hunter also handles punt returns, with a PR touchdown so far this season. He had eight tackles against Shippensburg. Sophomore DB Tyrin Chinn-Thompson is second on the team with 50 tackles, including 31 solo stops, and 3.5 TFLs. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Malachi Barnes is third on the team with 46 total tackles.
 
The kicker is junior Max Barba, who is 1-for-2 on field goals this season and 32-for-34 on XPs.
 
The Rams are coached by longtime Shepherd football staple Ernie McCook, now in his 27th year with the program and his eighth as the head coach. McCook is 71-25 in his time in charge at Shepherd, earning a pair of national semi-final appearances with two 13-2 finishes. The Rams have never had a losing season with McCook at the helm. His QB in 2021, Tyler Bagent, was the Harlon Hill Trophy winner, throwing for 5,000 yards and 53 TDs. Bagent was named an All-American in 2022, setting an NCAA career-leader record with 159 touchdown passes. Before taking over as head coach, McCook was the offensive coordinator for nine years, and then ten years before that as the offensive line coach. McCook coached at Frostburg State before joining Shepherd.
 
Next
Lackawanna College football will finish its regular season and its first year against PSAC competition with a road contest on Saturday, November 14^th, when the Falcons travel out to Lock Haven University to take on the Bald Eagles in a first-time match-up. Kick is set for 12:00pm ET at Hubert Jack Stadium in Lock Haven.