Latorre and Ochs Leads Huskies Past Mercyhurst

BLOOMSBURG-- Quarterback Dan Latorre (Elysburg/Southern Columbia) threw one touchdown and ran for two more and defensive tackle Jon Ochs (Wind Gap/Nazareth) had three sacks in the game to lead the 11th-ranked Bloomsburg University Huskies to a 24-0 win over Mercyhurst College on Saturday. It was the first shutout for the Huskies since 2005.

After a scoreless first period, Bloomsburg got on the board when Latorre threw a short pass to Kenny Domzalski (Milford/Delaware Valley) who took it 43 yards for a touchdown.

The Huskies second score was set up by Ochs who sacked Laker quarterback Garrett Kensy and forced a fumble and recovered the ball on the play to give Bloomsburg the ball at its own 44-yard line. Three plays later Latorre ran two yards for a touchdown giving the Huskies a 14-0 lead at halftime.

In the second half, Ochs sacked Kensy for a seven-yard loss ending a Mercyhurst drive and giving Bloomsburg the ball at the Huskies 46 yard line. Eight plays later, Jon Koenig (Pine Grove/Pine Grove) hit a 38-yard field goal for a 17-0 lead.

Bloomsburg's final score came in the fourth period when Latorre faked a handoff and kept the ball for a 15-yard touchdown run.

Mercyhurst was driving late in the game to get on the board and avoid the shutout when Ochs sacked backup quarterback Cody Ladutko forcing another fumble that was eventually recovered by the Huskies ending the threat.

Latorre finished nine of 17 for 156 yards and a touchdown through the air and netted a loss of one yard on the ground with his two touchdowns. Ochs finished with six tackles, four of them for losses and three of them sacks for losses totaling 32 yards. As a team the Huskies gained 490 yards of offense to just 222 for Mercyhurst.

Bloomsburg, 3-0, will open PSAC East play next week hosting Kutztown at 1 p.m.