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Box Score
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Photo Gallery
CALIFORNIA (Sept. 24) – After a scoreless first quarter on Saturday afternoon, the No. 17 Vulcans scored 27-unanswered points en route to claiming a 40-13 Family Day win over Clarion in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action at Adamson Stadium.
With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania football team improves to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in league play. The Vulcans have now won their last seven and nine of their last 12 PSAC West-opening games. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles remain winless this season at 0-4 with a 0-1 mark in divisional action.
Redshirt junior quarterback
Peter Lalich (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) posted his second-straight 300-yard game, finishing with 350 passing yards on 23-of-32 attempts with three touchdowns and one interception. In the second quarter on Saturday, he completed 10-of-12 passes for 155 yards with a pair of scores. Lalich is the first Cal U quarterback to pass for 300 yards in back-to-back games since
Josh Portis in the 2009 NCAA Playoffs (West Liberty, Northwest Missouri State).
Wide receiver
Thomas Mayo (Reston, Va./South Lakes), who entered the weekend ranked second in NCAA Division II in receiving yards, finished with 164 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions against the Golden Eagles. The 6-2 senior has now recorded three-consecutive 100-yard games and has scored five touchdowns in the last three weeks.
With the game still scoreless midway through the second quarter, Lalich connected with senior wide receiver
Chedrick Cherry (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) for a 16-yard touchdown to cap a 10-play, 95-yard drive. On the ensuing Clarion possession, senior defensive lineman
Steve Santia (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) forced, recovered and returned a fumble 35 yards for a touchdown to stretch the lead to 14-0 with 4:23 left before halftime. After a three-and-out by the Golden Eagles, the Vulcans extended their first-half lead to 21-0 in the closing minutes of the second quarter when Lalich found Mayo for a 56-yard score with 1:10 remaining.
In the third quarter, both teams scored a rushing touchdown with freshman
Jeff Knox, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa./DeMatha Catholic (Md.)) adding to the Cal U lead with a 1-yard touchdown plunge. The Vulcans stretched their lead to 34-6 early in the fourth quarter with another 1-yard score by Knox. Freshman defensive back
Stephon Burnam (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) made his first career interception on the ensuing Clarion drive and Cal U converted the turnover into points when Lalich connected with Mayo for a 68-yard touchdown.
Sophomore linebacker
Brian Justice (Cape Coral, Fla. /Cape Coral) led the defensive effort with 11 tackles (seven solo) and 2.5 tackles for loss (TFL). After playing only one game as a redshirt freshman last year, he leads the Vulcans with 37 stops (19 solo) and has posted double-digit tackles in a game twice this season.
Redshirt freshman linebacker
Spencer Lynn (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) finished with eight tackles (two solo) and defensive linemen Santia and
Thomas Mulabah (Sterling, Va./Parkview) each made seven stops. Santia collected 2.0 TFL and sophomore defensive lineman
Darnell Harding (McKeesport, Pa. / McKeesport) added five tackles with 2.5 TFL and 2.0 sacks against Clarion.
Cal U returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 1, when it travels to face Lock Haven with kickoff at Hubert Jack Stadium set for 7:30 p.m. The Vulcans have won the last seven meetings against the Bald Eagles, including a 58-0 win at Adamson Stadium last year.
Notes:
Junior
Lamont Smith (Penn Hills, Pa./Central Catholic) finished with 155 rushing yards on 17 attempts, marking his eighth 100-yard game of his career and second of the season … The Vulcans amassed 526 yards of total offense and 28 first downs and limited the Golden Eagles to 271 yards of total offense … Both teams registered four sacks and combined to convert only 7-of-25 on third downs ... The fumble return for a touchdown by Santia was the first for the Vulcans since
Josh Kemp on Sept. 30, 2006
