CALIFORNIA (Oct. 28) – The Vulcans scored a furious 18 points, including a pair of safeties, over the final nine-plus minutes on Saturday afternoon to claim a 31-21 win over Mercyhurst on a rainy Senior Day at Adamson Stadium in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action
With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania football team improves to 7-2 this season with a 4-2 mark in divisional play. The Vulcans are now in a three-way tie with Edinboro and Slippery Rock for second place in the PSAC West standings with one week of league play remaining. Meanwhile, the Lakers fall to 4-5 overall behind a 3-3 record in divisional action.
The Vulcans trailed 14-0 just three-plus minutes into the game and trailed 21-13 at halftime before holding the Lakers scoreless over the final two quarters. In the fourth quarter, Cal U recorded a pair of safeties to cut the deficit to 21-17 before senior quarterback
Michael Keir (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) scored on a seven-yard touchdown run with 1:26 left to play to give the Vulcans their first lead of the game. Senior defensive back
Todd Coles, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) then sealed the victory with a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown with 57 seconds remaining on Saturday.
Mercyhurst used only three plays on the game's opening drive to take a 7-0 lead on a 16-yard run with 13:47 left in the first quarter. The Lakers then recovered a fumble following a strip sack at the Cal U 20-yard line and capitalized on the turnover with a three-yard rushing touchdown. Cal U responded on the ensuing drive with a 32-yard field goal by senior
Will Brazill (Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill) to cut the deficit to 14-3 with 8:47 remaining in the quarter. The score was setup by a 50-yard completion from Keir to senior wide receiver
Tom Greene (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills). Mercyhurst looked to answer on its next possession by advancing to the Cal U 20-yard line before a 39-yard field goal attempt hit off the left upright.
The Vulcans lost a fumble in the final minute of the first quarter and the Lakers mounted a drive inside the Cal U five-yard line early in the second quarter. Cal U forced a turnover on downs after an incomplete pass from the two-yard line before the teams traded field position. Midway through the quarter, Keir connected with Greene for a 40-yard completion on the first play of a drive and Greene lost possession on a fumble. However, the Lakers were penalized for holding prior to the pass and the Vulcans retained possession. Cal U then trimmed the deficit to 14-10 when Keir found Greene later on the drive for a nine-yard touchdown with 6:09 left in the first half.
Greene finished with 104 receiving yards and one touchdown on five catches against the Lakers. He now has posted six 100-yard receiving games this year and has already set a career high with 55 receptions.
Mercyhurst responded on the next drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass on third-and-goal to take a 21-10 lead with 1:56 remaining in the second quarter. The Vulcans managed to cut into the deficit in the closing seconds of the first half with a 21-yard field goal by Brazill, 21-13.
Following a scoreless third quarter, Cal U looked to answer with a field goal on the initial play of the fourth quarter before the 36-yard attempt was ruled wide right. Junior defensive back
Brendan Edwards (Pittsburgh, Pa./Imani Christian Academy) halted the next drive by the Lakers with an interception at the Cal U 40-yard line, however, the Vulcans were forced to punt but were able to down the ball at the Mercyhurst 9-yard line. On the opening play of the drive, senior linebacker
Cameron Tarver (Columbus, Ohio/Central Crossing) was credited with a sack, as quarterback Doug Altavilla was penalized for intentional grounding in the end zone, which resulted in a safety with 9:42 left to play.
The Vulcans were able to start the next drive at the Mercyhurst 28-yard line following a 42-yard return by
DiAngelo Mitchell (Duquesne, Pa./West Mifflin) on the free kick. Cal U advanced to the four-yard line before turning the ball over on downs following an incomplete pass. The Vulcans held the Lakers to a three-and-out and Mercyhurst was forced to punt out of its own end zone. Freshman
Asheed Page-Jones (Braddock, Pa./Woodland Hills) then blocked the punt and the loose ball rolled out of the end zone for a safety to make it a 21-17 contest with 3:10 left to play.
Cal U started its drive at the Mercyhurst 36-yard line following the return by Mitchell. The offense picked up a pair of first downs on passes before Keir posted his third rushing touchdown of the year with 1:26 left to play. The Vulcans forced three-straight incompletions by the Lakers before Coles made his first career interception on fourth down and sealed the win by returning the interception for a touchdown, 31-21.
Senior linebacker
Luke Hrapchak (Fairmont, W.Va./Fairmont Senior) led the team with 10 tackles (four solo) and added 1.0 TFL, one forced fumble and two quarterback hurries. Fellow senior
Corey Bopp (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) and Tarver both finished with seven stops with Tarver setting a career high with 4.0 TFL.
The Cal U defense limited Mercyhurst to just 73 yards of total offense on 31 plays in a scoreless second half. The Vulcans allowed the Lakers to convert only a combined one-of-nine on third and fourth downs after halftime.
The Vulcans close out PSAC West play on Saturday, Nov. 4, when they travel to face Edinboro at 12 p.m.
Notes:
Cal U finished with a perfect home record in PSAC West play for the fourth-straight season … Keir posted 208 passing yards and accounted for two touchdowns (one rushing) on 24-of-43 attempts with no interceptions … Tarver became the first player with 4.0 TFL in a game since
Jawan Turner accomplished the feat in Week 4 of the 2014 season … Junior
Jalen Bell (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville South) set a career high with 92 rushing yards on 22 attempts … Senior
Luke Smorey (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) led all players with eight receptions and also completed a 38-yard pass in the second quarter … The Vulcans were penalized just two times for 11 yards in the victory … Cal U has now posted at least one blocked kick in seven-consecutive games … The teams combined for six fumbles (two lost) and two interceptions while battling rainy conditions throughout the contest
