EDINBORO, Pa. (Nov. 4) – The Vulcans forced three turnovers and recorded six sacks on Saturday afternoon while posting a 30-13 victory at Edinboro to close Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.
With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania football team improves to 8-2 overall and extends its winning streak to four games. The Vulcans also finish in a tie with Slippery Rock for second place in the divisional standings with a 5-2 mark. Meanwhile, the Fighting Scots fall to 6-4 this season behind a 4-3 record in league play.
The Vulcans limited the Fighting Scots to just 176 yards of total offense after Edinboro nearly broke the PSAC record last week with 826 yards against Seton Hill. Edinboro was able to convert just 2 of 15 on third down and were forced to turn the ball over on downs four times, including twice in the red zone. Cal U held Edinboro standout Walter Fletcher to 90 rushing yards and no touchdowns after he had posted over 1,000 yards and 14 scores over the last five weeks.
Senior linebacker
Luke Hrapchak (Fairmont, W.Va./Fairmont Senior) led the team with 11 tackles (four solo) and set a career high with 3.0 TFL. Fellow linebacker
DeVonte Suber (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) added eight stops (five solo), 2.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in the victory. Sophomore defensive back
Lamont McPhatter II (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) and senior defensive lineman
Justin Baker (Ashburn, Va./Briar Woods) both finished with seven stops and combined for 3.5 TFL at Edinboro.
The Fighting Scots scored a touchdown on their opening drive of the game to take a 6-0 lead with 10:21 left in the first quarter, as the PAT attempt was blocked. Cal U later countered with a 1-yard touchdown run by junior running back
Jalen Bell (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville South) with 2:41 remaining in the quarter. On the play prior to the touchdown, senior quarterback
Michael Keir (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) connected with senior wide receiver
Luke Smorey (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) for a 40-yard completion – the longest play of the game. Edinboro attempted a fake punt on its next possession after being held to a three-and-out. The Vulcans were able to tackle the punter behind the line of scrimmage and took over possession at the Edinboro 21-yard line.
Cal U stretched its lead to 10-6 on the second play of the second quarter with a 33-yard field goal by senior kicker
Will Brazill (Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill). The Fighting Scots responded with a 12-play touchdown drive to take a 13-10 lead with 10:25 left in the first half. Midway through the second quarter, the Vulcans picked up three third downs on a drive that was capped with a 2-yard touchdown run by Bell with 1:25 remaining before the break. Cal U forced another three-and-out and was able advance into Edinboro territory in the final seconds of the second quarter. On the final play of the first half, Keir was intercepted at the 24-yard line before the Fighting Scots used multiple laterals to advance the turnover 80 yards before entering the break trailing 17-13.
On the opening drive of the third quarter, senior defensive back
Todd Coles, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) forced a fumble and Suber recovered the loose ball, returning it 23 yards to the Edinboro 3-yard line. Keir found Smorey for a touchdown on the initial play of the ensuing drive to stretch the lead to 24-13 with 12:34 left in the quarter. The Vulcans stretched the lead to 30-13 later in the quarter behind two more field goals by Brazill after the defense forced the Fighting Scots into a pair of third-and-outs.
Edinboro threatened to cut into the deficit early in the fourth quarter with a first-and-goal at the 2-yard line. However, the Vulcans eventually forced a turnover on downs following a sack by Suber. The Fighting Scots started their next drive at the Cal U 25-yard line following a lengthy punt return. Edinboro would advance to the 1-yard line before the Cal U defense again forced a turnover on downs, as the Fighting Scots fumbled twice at the 1-yard line, including on fourth-and goal.
Cal U closes out the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 11, when it travels to face East Stroudsburg at 12 p.m.
Notes:
Keir posted 222 passing yards with one touchdown and one interception on 17-of-32 attempts … Smorey registered the fourth 100-yard game of his career, finishing with a career-high 124 receiving yards and one touchdown on seven catches … Brazill made three field goals for the third time this season … Bell led the team with 43 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 17 attempts … The Vulcans scored on all six of their trips inside the red zone … Cal U finished with nearly a seven-minute advantage in time of possession … With the exception of its two scoring drives, Edinboro accounted for just 40 yards of total offense on 12 drives … The Vulcans have now posted at least one blocked kick in eight-straight games and now hold the outright lead in NCAA Division II with nine blocked kicks this season … All 10 teams featured in the latest NCAA Super Region One rankings won on Saturday
