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LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (Oct. 1) – Senior wide receiver Thomas Mayo (Reston, Va./South Lakes) posted three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) and junior running back Lamont Smith (Penn Hills, Pa./Central Catholic) added a pair of scores on Saturday night, as the No. 16 California University of Pennsylvania football team posted a 54-13 victory at Lock Haven in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.

With the win, the Vulcans improve to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in divisional play. Cal U has now won the last eight meetings against the Bald Eagles, scoring 50-plus points in three of the last four meetings. Meanwhile, Lock Haven falls to 0-4 this season with a 0-2 mark in league action.

Redshirt junior quarterback Peter Lalich (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) nearly posted his third-straight 300-yard game, finishing with 292 passing yards and three touchdowns. He completed 20-of-28 attempts with no interceptions at Lock Haven. Over the last four games, the 6-5 quarterback has passed for almost 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns while completing over 67 percent of his passes.

Mayo, who entered the weekend as the NCAA Division II leader in receiving yards, finished with 65 yards and two touchdowns (20, 22) on four receptions. He also added a five-yard touchdown run on a reverse in the first quarter.

Smith posted his third-consecutive 100-yard game (ninth career) on Saturday night, rushing for 135 yards and two scores (28, 21) on 16 carries.

The Vulcans' defense limited the Bald Eagles to only 171 yards of total offense with less than 100 yards both passing and rushing. Lock Haven converted just 2-of-11 attempts on third down and managed only 10 first downs without penalties.

Lock Haven took advantage of a fumble on a punt return by scoring a touchdown with 11:51 left in the first quarter. Senior defensive lineman Thomas Mulabah (Sterling, Va./Parkview) blocked the ensuing PAT kick and junior defensive back Robby Green (New Orleans, La./John Curtis Christian) returned the loose ball the length of the field for two points, 6-2.

After turning the ball over on downs on their next possession, the Vulcans scored touchdowns on their next five possessions before halftime. Mayo gave Cal U a 9-6 lead with 3:14 left in the first quarter with a touchdown run before Smith scampered 28 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter. Freshman Jeff Knox, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa./DeMatha Catholic (Md.)) followed with a 2-yard touchdown run with 5:34 left before halftime and the Vulcans scored barely a minute later when Lalich connected with Mayo for a 20-yard score. After a touchdown by the Bald Eagles, the Vulcans closed the half with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Lalich to Mayo as time expired in the second quarter, 37-13.

On the first drive of the second half, Smith capped a four-play drive with a 21-yard touchdown run to increase the lead to 44-13. Late in the third quarter, Lalich found senior wide receiver Chedrick Cherry (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) in the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown. The Vulcans added their final score in the game when redshirt freshman kicker Cody Nuzzo (Bradford, Pa./Bradford) made a 24-yard field goal with 6:44 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Linebackers Brian Justice (Cape Coral, Fla./Cape Coral) and Spencer Lynn (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) each registered a team-high seven tackles at Lock Haven. In his first career start, sophomore Darnell Harding (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) posted three stops (all solo) – all tackles for loss (TFL) – with 1.0 sack.

The Vulcans continue divisional play on Saturday, Oct. 8, when they host Gannon at Adamson Stadium for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. Cal U has won all three of the meetings against Gannon since the Golden Knights joined the PSAC prior to the 2008 season.

Notes:
Cherry posted his fifth career 100-yard game, finishing with a season-high 113 yards on seven receptions – both game highs … The Bald Eagles have now lost 36-consecutive games with their last win coming in the final game of the 2007 season … The Vulcans finished the game with 557 yards of total offense, marking their second-straight game with 500-plus yards … Cal U and Slippery Rock are the only teams in the PSAC West with a 2-0 mark in divisional play