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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (Oct. 24) – The No. 24 Vulcans clinched at least a share of their fifth-consecutive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West title and secured their second-straight appearance in the PSAC Championship with a dominating 44-7 victory over rival Slippery Rock at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium on Saturday.

With one week left in the regular season, the California University of Pennsylvania football team holds a one-game lead in the PSAC West standings and holds the head-to-head tiebreakers against Clarion and Edinboro. Overall, the Vulcans improve to 7-2 this season. Meanwhile, Slippery Rock suffered its third-straight loss to fall to 5-4 overall with a 2-4 record in league play. The Vulcans have now won six of the last seven meetings against the Rock.

With the results around the PSAC this weekend, the Vulcans will likely face Shippensburg in the PSAC Championship in two weeks, Saturday, Nov. 7. The Red Raiders upset No. 3 Bloomsburg, 27-24, in the final minute today and now hold the tiebreaker over the Huskies entering the final week of the regular season. Shippensburg will play Cheyney, who is on a 26-game losing streak, next week.

The Vulcans broke a 7-7 tie and seized control of the game by scoring 17-straight points in the second quarter, highlighted by a blocked punt return for a touchdown by sophomore Chedrick Cherry (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller/South Florida). In the victory, the Cal U defense limited Slippery Rock to only 68 rushing yards, recorded five sacks and made three interceptions.

Graduate student quarterback Josh Portis (Woodland Hills, Calif./William H. Taft/Maryland) completed 16-of-28 attempts for 219 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The third-quarter interception by Portis snapped a streak 157-consecutive pass attempts without an interception, a streak that spanned 26 quarters and parts of seven games. The 6-4 quarterback also rushed for 44 yards on five attempts.

Senior wide receiver AJ Jackson (Lehigh Acres, Fla./Lehigh/Sequoias) led all players with 163 yards on a career-high 10 receptions. He also caught a 10-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. The 6-6 wide receiver has scored a touchdown in seven games this year and surpassed the 100-yard mark in four of the last six games.

The Vulcans took the momentum early in the game when graduate student linebacker Dontey Brown (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport/Penn State) recovered a fumble on The Rock's first possession. After failing to score on a fourth-down attempt near the goal line, Cal U needed only two plays on its next drive before junior running back Windell Brown (Duquesne, Pa./Duquesne) scampered up the middle 20 yards for a touchdown, 7-0.

Early in the second quarter, The Rock evened the score at 7-7 with a seven-yard run by quarterback Rocco Colavecchia. Cal U countered with a 36-yard field goal by junior kicker Marc Domonkos (Johnstown, Pa./Bishop McCort/Lock Haven) with 11:35 left before halftime. After the Vulcans' defense forced a three-and-out, graduate student Dominque Curry (Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington/Cheyney) blocked the ensuing punt and Cherry returned the loose ball 19 yards for a touchdown, 17-7.

On the first play after the blocked punt, sophomore linebacker Brett Diamond (Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) intercepted a Colavecchia pass near midfield. Using the good field possession, Cal U increased its lead to 24-7 before halftime on a touchdown pass from Portis to Jackson.

The Vulcans added to their lead on their first possession of the second half, as senior running back Brandon Anderson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) scored on a 1-yard touchdown plunge. In the fourth quarter, Cal U benefited from good field position after an interception by junior linebacker Anthony Roberts (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg/Iowa Central). Working from their 45-yard line, the Vulcans capped a seven-play drive with a 13-yard reverse by junior wide receiver Terrance Moore (Key West, Fla./Key West/Mesa), 38-7, with 6:29 left in the game.

After a 68-yard interception return by junior defensive back Kyle Crane (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport/Lock Haven), junior fullback Shawn Johnson (Yorktown, Va./Grafton) added an insurance score with his first career touchdown run.

Defensively, Dontey Brown led Cal U with nine tackles (six solo) with 1.5 tackles for loss (TFL) and one fumble recovery. Sophomore defensive back Erik Harris (Nex Oxford, Pa./New Oxford) finished with five stops (four solo) with 2.0 TFL and 1.0 sack, while three other Vulcans added four tackles.

The Vulcans conclude their regular season on Saturday, Oct. 31, when they host Mercyhurst for Senior Day. The game, which will air tape delayed on FSN Pittsburgh (Sunday, Nov. 1 - 4:30 p.m.), at Adamson Stadium is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. Last year, Cal U sealed an outright PSAC West title with a 17-6 win at Mercyhurst in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Notes:
Senior defensive lineman Willie Walker (Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa) made 1.5 TFL against The Rock and now ranks second in school history with 29.5 career TFL, trailing only the mark of 31.0 TFL set by Jim Luckas (1999-2001)  … Windell Brown led the team in rushing for the fourth-straight week since returning from injury, finishing with 69 yards and one touchdown on 12 attempts … The Vulcans held a 416-217 advantage in total offense despite converting only three-of-nine third downs.