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CALIFORNIA (Aug. 30) – Senior defensive back Rontez Miles (Braddock, Pa./Woodland Hills) broke up a potential touchdown as time expired on Thursday night to help lift the No. 11 California University of Pennsylvania football team to a 30-22 victory over No. 17 Hillsdale at Adamson Stadium.

The win was the first victory under head coach Mike Kellar and marked the Vulcans first home victory in a season-opener since 2008. Meanwhile, the defending-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Champion Chargers fall to 0-1 to start the year.

Senior quarterback Peter Lalich (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) passed for 275 yards and four touchdowns on Thursday, while completing 24-of-31 attempts with one interception. Last year, Lalich set the single-season school passing record with 3,725 yards and also tossed 31 touchdowns.

Junior wide receivers Trey Johnson (Rochester, Pa./Rochester) and Mike Williams (Hershey, Pa./Milton Hershey) both finished with two touchdowns against the Chargers. Williams posted 80 yards on a career-high six receptions, while Johnson set career highs with both six catches and 49 yards.

Trailing 7-0 midway through the first, Lalich connected with Williams for a 39-yard touchdown before Hillsdale reclaimed the lead on the next possession with 2:45 left in the quarter, 14-7. Cal U countered with a seven-play, 76-yard drive that was capped with a six-yard touchdown pass from Lalich to Johnson with 14:51 left in the first half.

The Chargers looked to answer on the next drive before sophomore Terrell Roberson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) blocked a 25-yard field goal. Cal U later forced a turnover on downs that led to a four-play scoring drive, including a five-yard scoring pass from Lalich to Williams with only 28 seconds left in the half.

After forcing a fumble on Hillsdale's initial drive of the second half, Lalich found Johnson for a seven-yard touchdown with 12:05 remaining in the third. The Vulcans added to the lead with a 25-yard field goal by sophomore Cody Nuzzo (Bradford, Pa./Bradford) early in the fourth quarter. After the teams traded possessions, the Chargers mounted a 99-yard touchdown drive to trim the deficit to 30-22 with 3:56 left.

Near midfield on the ensuing possession, Cal U turned the ball over on downs when Knox was stopped on a fourth-and-one. The Chargers moved inside the 10-yard line and threw two-straight incomplete passes before advancing to the one-yard line. Miles then tipped a fourth-down pass in the end zone as time expired, preserving the season-opening win.

Miles paced the defensive effort with 11 tackles (six solo), two pass break-ups and one forced fumble. Sophomore defensive back Jeff Knox, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa./DeMatha Catholic (Md.)) registered nine stops (three solo), one pass break-up and one fumble recovery in his first career start. Senior linebacker James Carr (La Habra, Calif./Sonora) and junior defensive lineman Darnell Harding (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) each added seven tackles in the victory.

The Vulcans return to action on Sept. 8 when they travel to face No. 12 and defending-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Champion Kutztown at 6 p.m. Cal U last opened a season against two-straight nationally-ranked opponents in 2008.

Notes:
Cal U posted its first win over a nationally-ranked team since Sept. 2010 (No. 11 Saginaw Valley) … Kellar now boast a 3-0 career record as a head coach in season-openers … A total of nine Vulcans (six defense) made their first career starts on Thursday … Hillsdale running back Joe Glendening, a Harlon Hill semifinalist last year, finished with 136 rushing yards on 23 carries with a long of 44 yards