Akeem Satterfield played his final college game in his hometown last Saturday as Slippery Rock lost at Mercyhurst, 38-23./Photo by Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News

Mercyhurst’s 38-23 PSAC West win against Slippery Rock was more than just a homecoming win for the Lakers.

It was Akeem Satterfield’s his final college game in his hometown.

An Erie native, Satterfield ran for 90 yards for the Rock in the loss. Satterfield, who played for Cathedral Prep, is one of four players from Erie playing for Slippery Rock this season.

“It’s bittersweet. man,” Satterfield said. “Bittersweet. Played a good game, but we didn’t win. So that’s just it. Wish it would have turned out the other way, but it didn’t.”

To add insult to injury, no pun intended, Satterfield also hurt his shoulder in the first half, but returned to the game.

“Oh man, I had a real bad stinger,” he said. “I couldn’t feel anything. I thought my shoulder was dislocated, but it was just a stinger.”

This season, Satterfield is eighth in the PSAC in rushing with 361 yards and two touchdowns. He is sixth in career touchdowns at Slippery Rock with 33, eighth in scoring with 198 points and 10th all-time in rushing with 2,575 yards.

The Rock also have three players out of Strong Vincent High in junior receiver Bobby Joyce, senior defensive back Marquis Knight and sophomore defensive back Kevin Green, a transfer from Edinboro.

In Saturday’s loss, Joyce had two catches for 25 yards and Knight had eight total tackles. According to the participation chart, Green didn’t play.

Riding a two-game winning streak, Mercyhurst takes on Slippery Rock in an PSAC West game Saturday at 1 p.m. at Tullio Field.

The Lakers (2-1, 1-0) lost 28-21 to the Rock (2-1, 1-0) last season.

Chad Noce/SRU

In a continuing series of Q&As with local players who are playing area college football, Duane Rankin caught up with Slippery Rock senior tight end Chad Noce to talk about several topics.

Noce and the No. 24-ranked Rock (8-2, 6-1 PSAC West) are preparing for Saturday’s PSAC title game at Kutztown against the No. 8 Golden Bears (9-1, 6-1 PSAC East). Noce, who played defense his year at Slippery Rock in 2008, is known for his run blocking ability at tight end.

A McDowell High graduate, Noce has just two career catches for 10 yards. Both grabs came last season against Gannon, which ironically upset the Rock last week, 33-27, in Erie. With the Rock trying to rebound from that loss, Rankin caught up with Noce to talk about their playoff hopes and the chance to win a championship.

You’re coming off a tough loss, but can make amends in the PSAC championship game. How are you guys feeling right now heading into that game? We’re feeling good. We know we made a mistake. I feel like we overlooked Gannon a little bit. I feel like we were looking toward the next week. We had the Gannon game. We knew we were in the PSAC championship already so I think that played a little part in that loss. Underestimating them a little bit, we’re feeling good. We should be ready to go.”

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If Akeem Satterfield and Slippery Rock lose Saturday, they will have three loses and most likely won't make the playoffs./Photo by Jack Hanrahan/Erie Times-News

This is the deal.

The winner of Saturday’s PSAC title game between Slippery Rock (8-2) and Kutztown (9-1) will likely make the NCAA Division II playoffs.

The loser? Uh oh.

In the past three years since the PSAC reinstated the championship game, the winner and loser has made it to the playoffs, but the odds of the loser getting in this time aren’t high.

Now both coaches – Slippery Rock’s George Mihalik and Kutztown’s Raymond Monica – are both griping about the loser not getting in.

Focus should solely be on winning, but I see their point and so does the PSAC.

Commissioner Steve Murray said he’ll look into the game if the loser doesn’t make the playoffs, but doesn’t plan on making a knee jerk reaction and cancel the game.

Still, looks like Murray better find some magnifying glasses.

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Junior tailback Akeem Satterfield rushed for a team-high 52 yards for Slippery Rock in its 24-23 win today at No. 25-ranked Edinboro. Satterfield is a Cathedral Prep graduate./Photo by Jack Hanrahan of the Erie Times-News.

Area talents Ryan Skelton and Jayson Nickson shined in Slippery Rock’s 24-23 win at No. 25-ranked Edinboro today. Skelton, a senior linebacker at Edinboro who starred at General McLane High, had game-high 11 tackles  with 9 being solo stops.

Skelton had a sack, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble, fumble recovery and a blocked field goal that James Jackson returned for a 62-yard touchdown.

Can you say PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week?

Nickson, a senior strong safety at Slippery Rock who starred at Mercyhurst Prep, had seven tackles and pass break up.

As for Akeem Satterfield, the Slippery Rock junior tailback started the game with a 29-yard run, but finished with just 52 yards and no touchdowns on 15 carries.

An Cathedral Prep graduate, Satterfield also fumbled twice, but he lead the Rock in rushing today.

Rock junior tailback Akeem Satterfield is one of several Erie players who will factor into the outcome of Saturday's Indiana (Pa.)-Slippery Rock game./ETN file photo.

Saturday’s 7 p.m. Indiana (Pa.)-Slippery Rock game at Mihalik-Thompson Field in Slippery Rock will feature key players from Erie.

For the Rock (2-1), junior tailback Akeem Satterfield, a Cathedral Prep graduate, has 286 yards rushing and five touchdowns this season.

Senior safety Jayson Nickson, an Mercyhurst Prep graduate, has eight total tackles and an interception return for a touchdown. Chad Noce, a senior tight end out of McDowell High, has played in every game this season, but doesn’t have a catch.

Bobby Joyce, a Strong Vincent graduate, is being redshirted. He’ll be a redshirt junior in 2012.

For IUP (1-1), senior safety Andre Henderson, a Strong Vincent graduate, has nine total tackles and senior receiver Javon Rowan, a Cathedral Prep graduate, has one catch for 16 yards and five punt returns for 29 yards.

The Crimson Hawks have two more players from Erie in true freshmen Mario Sanders, a Cathedral Prep graduate, and Jacob Breakstone, a McDowell graduate.

Sanders, a defensive back, and Breakstone, an offensive lineman, haven’t played this season.