9/11/26
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College football is set to mark several historic firsts in the program's history, as the Falcons are scheduled to host the Griffins from Seton Hill University on Saturday, September 12^th, at PenFed Field at Scranton Memorial Stadium.
 
The Falcons
The Falcons (0-1) enter the game after a lackluster debut to start 2026, falling 20-12 on the road at Monroe University last Friday night. Lackawanna's offense was uneven, lacking the ability to control the line of scrimmage and leaving the defense on the field for too long, letting Monroe eventually take advantage and lengthen their lead late. After Rashon Giddens (Norristown, PA) returned a blocked field goal for 58 yards for the first score of the game early in the second quarter, Monroe scored on the next drive on a 56-yard touchdown pass to go ahead, 7-6, taking that lead into halftime. The Falcons had a chance to get in front late in the half, but a holding penalty negated a touchdown, and then the Falcons threw an interception in the end zone to kill their drive. In the second half, neither team could get anything going in the third quarter, but Monroe began a drive midway through the quarter that went four minutes into the fourth, finishing it off with a touchdown run to lengthen their lead 13-6. The Mustangs picked off the Falcons later in the quarter, cashing in the turnover and field position to get up 20-6 late in the fourth. Lackawanna QB David Naniewicz (Scott Twp., PA) threw a pretty pass down the left sideline to Keaon Jenkins (Wayne, NJ) on a 56-yard pass to get the Falcons to the one-yard line, and Jalen Fletcher (Bethlehem, PA) ran it in on the next play for his first touchdown of the year to bring the score to 20-12 with just under a minute to go, but the Falcons failed to recover the onside kick and the Mustangs ran the clock out for the win.
 
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.
 
What the Lackawanna team will look like is still up in the air, as there are plenty of questions about the Falcons entering the season. There are many pieces to try to replace, including last year's top passer, top rusher, top receiver, and the top tackler.
 
The season's success will truly hinge on the offensive line, and the Falcons have confidence in their ability to control the trenches, as long as they stay healthy. Left guard Crayton Laws (Trenton, NJ) returns to the Falcons, a starter from a year ago, and the Falcons also return Elijah Husser (Newark, DE), a massive anchor on the right side of the line who left Lackawanna after the 2024 season only to return ahead of 2026. Combined with some of the young talent the Falcons have up front, there is an expectation that Lackawanna can control line of scrimmage.
 
Quarterback Laivon Balthazar (Perth Amboy, NJ) returns after playing sparingly as the second-string quarterback last year. Balthazar went 9-for-15 for 81 yards and an interception against Monroe. He split time with Naniewicz, who subbed on in the third quarter and went 6-for-12 for 83 yards and a pick. Both QBs will expect to see time.
 
Fletcher was the second-leading rusher a year ago, picking up 366 yards on 66 carries in ten games. He had 34 yards rushing on 15 carries and a score against Monroe last week. He'll split time with Daniel McConomy (Middletown, DE) in the backfield. McConomy is a transfer from University of Delaware, and ran three times for seven yards against Monroe. He was also a kick returner for the Falcons last week.
 
Jenkins, along with Khi'Lee Patterson (Fox Chapel, PA) and Jamal Jefferson, Jr. (Euclid, OH), will figure to be the top targets for the Falcons. Jenkins had five catches for 103 yards against Monroe last week, while Patterson had five catches for 39 yards. Jefferson, who had 29 catches for 342 yards last season, had one catch last week.
 
Defensively, a ton of questions persisted coming into the season for Lackawanna, as the Falcons lost several of their top tacklers from last season, but their second-best tackler, linebacker Brodie Daugherty (Manheim, PA), does return, and he had an outstanding game against Monroe, racking up ten total tackles, seven solos, and a TFL against the Mustangs. Giddens, a hybrid backer that can play both DB and LB, had nine tackles, five solos, and two TFLs against Monroe, on top of his fumble return touchdown.
 
Up front on defense, Dyjeere Weekes (Scranton, PA) had four tackles from his nose tackle spot, while defensive end Savion Travis-Dukes (Trenton, NJ) had four total tackles and two TFLs in his first collegiate-start. At the back, Jaerone Parker (Pittsburgh, PA) had seven total tackles in his first collegiate-start, while Kean University transfer Jahmeil Brown (Perth Amboy, NJ) had three tackles for the Falcons at safety.
 
 
The Griffins
Seton Hill (0-2) has had a tough start to its season, dropping a pair of close games to solid teams. In their opening contest at home against East Stroudsburg, the Griffins fell behind 17-0, but rallied to within 20-17 late in the third quarter. However, ESU put together a 17-play, 97-yard drive that took up nearly eleven minutes of time in the fourth quarter to go ahead 27-17. SHU threw an interception, then kicked a field goal on their final possession to get within a score, but failed to recover the onside kick, and ESU got the win. The next weekend, after storms forced a location change and put the Griffins on the road at West Liberty, Seton Hill overcame a 21-10 deficit at halftime, using a 73-yard fumble return TD and a 76-yard touchdown run to go ahead, 24-21, heading into the fourth quarter. But, two fourth quarter turnovers hampered the Griffins' chances to lengthen their lead, and the second turnover gave West Liberty the ball at the SHU 39, where they'd drive for the game-winning score with 3:40 to play. Seton Hill had two cracks to try to get a score, but the Griffins punted on one drive and threw an interception on the other, letting West Liberty escape with the win.
 
In two games this year, the Griffins are averaging 22 points per game and giving up 27.5, while posting 292 yards of offense per contest. The defense has given up 336 yards per game this year, including 248 yards per game on the ground. Seton Hill is just 7-for-24 on third downs (29.2%), while their opponents are converting at 39.3% so far this season. The Griffins have five turnovers against, but have picked off a pair of passes and recovered two fumbles this year.
 
Boden St. Marie is the quarterback, going 28-for-58 for 351 yards, two TDs, and two INTs on the year. He completed 14 passes in both of the first two games this year. St. Marie does have some speed, and will occasionally be the designed runner, but his real danger is when the play breaks down and he begins to create.
 
Da'Shaun Williams is the main tailback, running for 147 yards on 18 carries this season. Williams had the 76-yard touchdown run against West Liberty, and his 108 yards against the Hilltoppers was the first time the sophomore has topped 100 yards in a game in his career with Seton Hill. Ahmad Ward, who did not play against West Liberty, had nine carries for 52 yards against ESU.
 
Williams leads the potential receivers with six catches so far this season, while Ryan Keith has 65 yards on two grabs, one being a touchdown, this season. Cody Rubrect has three grabs for 55 yards, and the other touchdown grab went to Isaac Ashley, who has two catches for 31 yards this season.
 
In two games, Linebacker Lucas Simone has been very productive, amassing 24 total tackles and two TFLs. He had 18 total tackles in the loss to ESU to open the season. Fellow linebacker Keith Borque is second on the team with 20 total tackles, including nine solo stops and a team-high 3.5 TFLs. De'Mario Manning has 16 total tackles and the interception return for touchdown that came against West Liberty.
 
The head coach is Kevin May, entering his second season in charge and his eighth season with the program. May was the defensive coordinator for six years before taking over the program prior to the 2025 season. Last year, May earned a signature win with the Griffins, knocking off #6 California (PA) for the program's first-ever win over a top-ten program. May has coached two PSAC West Defensive AOTYs, one All-American, and two finalists for the Cliff Harris Award. Before his time at Seton Hill, May was a part of the staff at Texas A&M Kingsville, where he coached linebackers for three seasons and then the special teams and safeties in his final year. May has also spent time as a graduate assistant with the University of Wyoming, as well as a defensive assistant at Occidental College, where he went to school and played football, starting for four years at safety and outside linebacker for OC.
 
Game Details
Seton Hill University (0-2) at Lackawanna College (0-1)
Saturday 9/12, 1:00pm ET; PenFed Field at Memorial Stadium (63 Mike Munchak Way, Scranton, PA 18508)
 
Live Video: https://www.lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE
Live Stats: https://www.lackawannafalcons.com/sidearmstats/football
Tickets: https://www.lackawannafalcons.com/tickets
Game Notes: Football Game Notes vs. Seton Hill
 
Saturday's game is being broadcast live on WQMY-TV, locally in Northeast PA, with a simulcast available on the WQMY Facebook Page and the Fox 56 Wolf TV YouTube channel. The game will also be simulcast on the Lackawanna College Athletics Network and the PSAC Digital Network. Bob Ide will have the play-by-play action, with Tom Ferguson and Josh Pardini providing the color commentary.
 
Tickets are available for purchase ahead of time at the link above, but will also be sold at the gates. Digital or card payments only, no cash for tickets.
 
Saturday's home opener will also be Lackawanna College's "Hometown Heroes and Salute To Service Day," where veterans groups and first-responders will be recognized and honored before the game, which is kicking off the day after the 25^th Anniversary of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. The pre-game ceremony will include recognition, as well as a presenting of the Color Guard, and a live rendition of the national anthem.
 
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Lackawanna College remains at home for its next contest, when Clarion University makes the trip east to take on the Falcons on Saturday, September 19^th. Kickoff is set for 1:00pm ET at PenFed Field at Memorial Stadium in Scranton.