Left guard Rob Stoner has 45 career starts at Edinboro./Photo by Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News

In a continuing series of Q&As with local players who are playing area college football, Duane Rankin caught up with Edinboro senior left guard Rob Stoner to talk about several topics.

A General McLane graduate, Stoner has returned from a season-ending back injury in the 2010 opener to start every game this season. The 6-foot, 2-inch, 295-pound graduate student leads the Scots in career starts with 45.

A 2009 first-team All-PSAC West selection, Stoner will try to help the Scots (7-2, 4-2) end a six-game losing skid against No. 22-ranked California (Pa.) in Saturday’s PSAC West finale at Adamson Stadium. The Vulcans (7-2, 5-1) last lost to Edinboro in 2004.

Talking to Stoner this week at Edinboro, Rankin and him talked about last week’s Senior Day, being a veteran on the offensive line and facing Cal.

How has this season been for you coming back from the injury? “It’s been great. We’ve had our ups and downs as every team does, but overall, it’s a great group of guys. Every day, I come out and have fun and I think the team overall has fun, too. Couldn’t be happier.”

What was Senior Day like for you? (Last week, Edinboro had its Senior Day. The Scots won, 42-7, against Lock Haven) “It was different. Having mom and dad out there. Talking to them a little bit and told them I thought it was weird. It’s kind of winding down here with my career. It was a different feeling. Mixed emotions. It’s been great, but I’m going to miss it. It was something different.”

Read the rest of this entry »

David Bostic is Edinboro's leading receiver./Photo by Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News

In spring ball before the 2011 season, David Bostic fully embraced the idea of being a receiver – and it’s paid dividends for himself and Edinboro.

Leading the Scots (7-2, 4-2 PSAC West) in catches (39), receiving yards (613) and touchdown catches (seven), Bostic is coming off a career game last week against Lock Haven.

The senior receiver set a single-season school record for receptions (13), receiving yards (255) and tied the school record for receiving touchdowns (three) in Edinboro’s 42-7 win against the winless Bald Eagles (0-8, 0-5).

“Whenever you can break a record at Edinboro, that’s a great thing,” Edinboro junior cornerback Branden Williams said. “A lot of the times he got the ball early and then broke a lot of tackles and broke out. He did an awesome job.”

With two games left in the regular season, the 5-foot, 10-inch, 187-pound Bostic is five catches shy of breaking the school’s all-time record for career receptions. Gary Nolen (2007-10) is first with 149 catches.

The Tavares, Fla., native came to Edinboro as a tailback, but was switched to receiver in his junior season in 2010. That year, he was the team’s second-leaidng receiver with 34 catches for 373 yards and two touchdowns.

The following spring, Bostic began liking the idea of playing receiver.

“I started understanding the defense and understanding the coverages,” Bostic said. “I told (Edinboro coach Scott Browning) before we went home for summer that I’m a receiver.”

So when Browning came to Bostic and his high school teammate, sophomore tailback D’Andrea Vaughn, about switching positions, they were steadfast on staying put.

“They both came in my office, sat down, looked me square in the eyes and said, ‘Coach, this is where we really belong,’” Browning said. “‘That’s where we feel the most comfortable at. That’s where we can be the most productive.’ Sometimes you got to just sit back and listen.”

First-year Lock Haven head coach John Allen/LHU

Seeing is believing.

It’s easy to judge a team by its record, especially when it’s winless like Lock Haven (0-8, 0-6 PSAC West) is.

Add the fact Lock Haven lost its 40th consecutive game today at Edinboro by 35 points, 42-7, and it’s even easier to think the Bald Eagles are a joke of a program.

The Eagles have the NCAA’s longest active losing skid regardless of division and set a PSAC record for most consecutive losses.

However, I can say with conviction after watching Lock Haven play today in person that it’s not nearly as bad as all losing suggests.

First off, the Eagles have a very good tailback in sophomore Brandon Brader, who rushed for a career-high 168 yards against Edinboro, which by the way has a defense ranked second in the nation in total defense.

The guy runs hard, always keeps his legs going, has some shake in his game as well and is a player a team can build around.

Read the rest of this entry »

Junior cornerback Branden Williams had an interception and six tackles today for Edinboro./ETN file photo.

Branden Williams has been a little bored this season.

Despite Williams having a season-ending ankle injury in the 2010 opener, opposing teams haven’t thrown his way much this season.

Darn it.

“I guess it’s kind of a compliment, but at the same time I’d like for them to throw it to me,” Williams said earlier this week.

Lock Haven obliged and paid the price today.

Williams got his third interception of the season in helping the Scots beat the Bald Eagles, 42-7, at Sox Harrison Stadium.

A junior, Williams also had six solo tackles with one being for a loss and drew a holding call on the Lock Haven offense to take away a big play from the Eagles.

“Get the rust off a little bit,” Williams said after the game.

Williams had a chance for a second interception today, but uncharacteristically dropped the ball.

“I think that was my first time ever dropping anything at Edinboro,” he said. “That was kind of a surprise to me.”

Junior reserve nickel back Maleek Toran, far left, is part of a talented Edinboro secondary featuring cornerbacks Branden Williams (22) and James Jackson (11)./ETN file photo

In a continuing series of Q&As with local players who are playing area college football, Duane Rankin caught up with Edinboro junior nickel back Maleek Toran to talk about several topics.

A Central Tech graduate, the 5-foot, 8-inch, 170-pound Toran is part of a very talented secondary that features cornerbacks Branden Williams and James Jackson. A reserve who excels on special teams, Toran will look to help Edinboro (6-2, 3-2 PSAC West) get past winless Lock Haven (0-7, 0-5) Saturday at Sox Harrison Stadium.

The Bald Eagles have the nation’s longest active losing skid at 39 consecutive defeats, which ties a PSAC record for consecutive losses. Talking to Toran this week at Edinboro, Rankin and him about facing Lock Haven, playing on special teams and the state of the athletic program at his high school alma mater, Central Tech.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sophomore Cody Harris threw two touchdowns and ran for another as Edinboro upended Clarion, 21-10, tonight at Sox Harrison Stadium.

No scoring at all in the second half, but here’s the deal.

With a 3-2 record in the PSAC West, Edinboro (6-2)  is two games behind Slippery Rock (7-1, 5-0) and a game back of IUP (5-2, 4-1) and Cal (6-2, 4-1).

The Scots have already lost to IUP and Slippery Rock, but do get a crack at Cal on Nov. 5. In between that, they face Lock Haven next week.

So for the Scots, it’s about trying to make the playoffs.

Read the rest of this entry »

Senior defensive end Keir Jeter, here with senior Ryan Skelton making the tackle against Gannon, has been a force for the Edinboro defense this season./ETN file photo.

It’s his final go at Edinboro. And Keir Jeter isn’t letting up.

The Edinboro senior was relentless all day in Edinboro’s 30-20 win against PSAC West rival Mercyhurst College today at Tullio Field.

“All my guys tell me, ‘Hey, we need something,’” Jeter said. “‘We need something’ so I just try to do my best whether it’s contain for someone else to make the play or just get in there and cause havoc.”

One of the best defensive players in the PSAC, the 6-foot, 3-inch, 237-pound defensive end out of Moon Township had team-high nine total tackles against the Lakers (3-4, 1-3).

He had six solo stops, four tackles for loss and two sacks for the Scots (5-2, 2-2).

“Whatever I can do to help us go forward, that’s what I need to do,” Jeter said.

Jeter came into the game fourth in the PSAC in tackles for loss with 10.5. He had 29 tackles, 4.5 sacks, tw0 forced fumbles, a blocked kick, interception and fumble recovery.

Jeter will look to help the Scots stay in the hunt for an PSAC West title as they play winless Lock Haven (0-6, 0-4) next week at Sox Harrison Stadium

Freelance writer Doug Williams wrote a story for ESPN.com about Lock Haven having the nation’s longest active losing skid regardless of division.

The Bald Eagles (0-6, 0-4) lost their 38th consecutive game today, 37-13, at Gannon. They haven’t won since 2007. Lock Haven had minus-15 yards rushing on 36 carries against the Knights (3-4, 2-2 PSAC West) today.

Next week, the Bald Eagles play Slippery Rock (6-1, 4-0), which stands atop the PSAC West after beating No. 14-ranked California (Pa.), 17-3, today.

Tapscott missed today's game with an injury./ETN file photo.

Gannon was without redshirt freshman Daniel Tapscott for today’s PSAC West game at No. 15-ranked California (Pa.). The Knights (2-4, 1-2) lost, 33-6, to the Vulcans (5-1, 3-0).

Tapscott was coming off a three-touchdown performance in last week’s 30-27 win at rival Mercyhurst College, but during that game, he took a hit on his right hand or arm.

After that game, Tapscott was asked about it, but brushed it off by saying he was alright.

Apparently he wasn’t.

In his place, redshirt freshman Ty Watson made his first career start and went 15-of-28 for 155 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions and was sacked six times by the Vulcans.

The crazy thing about this is Gannon, Edinboro and Mercyhurst all started new quarterbacks today.

Edinboro started true freshman Ty Stoldt in today’s 24-23 loss to Slippery Rock for sophomore Cody Harris, who was out from a concussion he sustained last week at Indiana (Pa.).

Mercyhurst started third-year sophomore Anthony Vendemia in today’s 35-28 overtime loss to IUP for senior Travis Rearick, who had a season-ending knee injury last week against Gannon.

Scott Browning has an overall record of 38-19 at Edinboro, but is only 14-13 at home./Photo by Rob Engelhardt of the Erie Times-News

Sox Harrison Stadium hasn’t been so kind to Scott Browning.

In his five seasons at Edinboro’s head coach, Browning, 52, has compiled a 38-19 record. Two of his teams have tied a school record for most wins in a season with nine. In 2009, he led the Scots to the NCAA Division II playoffs.

However, the Scots are 14-13 at home under Browning. In his first year, they lost four home games and last season, they were 2-3 at Sox Harrison Stadium.

On the flip side, Edinboro is a sparkling 24-6 on the road under Browning. In 2008, the Scots were a perfect 6-0 away from Sox Harrison Stadium and last season, they went 5-1 in road games.

A constant in this whole thing is California (Pa.) in the sense that Browning has yet to beat the Vulcans. Cal is the only PSAC team he hasn’t beaten.

Looking at this season’s schedule, Edinboro’s home games are against West Liberty (W.Va.), Merrimack, Cheyney, Slippery Rock (homecoming), Clarion and Lock Haven.

Last season, the Scots beat West Liberty, Cheyney, Clarion and Lock Haven, but lost to Slippery Rock. They didn’t play Merrimack.

And if history means anything, the Scots have a better chance of beating Cal at its place than at Sox Harrison Stadium. They play at Cal on Nov. 5.