CALIFORNIA (Oct. 14) – Junior wide receiver
Omari Hopkins scored three touchdowns and redshirt freshman defensive back
Keith Charney made three interceptions, as the Vulcans rolled to a 41-14 victory over Seton Hill on Homecoming at Adamson Stadium on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.
RECORDS/SERIES
• The California (PA) football team improves to 5-1 overall and remains tied with Slippery Rock for first place in the league standings with a 4-0 record.
• Seton Hill falls to 2-5 this season behind a 1-3 mark in divisional action.
• The Vulcans have won all 11 meetings against the Griffins in the series, including six victories at Adamson Stadium.
• Cal has won 16 of its last 18 games on Homecoming with its only losses being in 2018 and 2022.
GAME ACTION
• The Vulcans raced out to a 7-0 lead with a 75-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback
Davis Black to sophomore wide receiver
Eric Willis III on the game's first play from scrimmage.
• Less than a minute later, junior defensive back
Dominic Solomon, Jr. registered a 53-yard interception return for a touchdown.
• Cal took a 20-0 lead on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Black to Hopkins at the 10:56-mark of the first quarter.
• Charney made his first interception of the game with 12:02 left in the second quarter and returned the interception 49 yards for a touchdown.
• On the next drive by the Griffins, Charney posted another interception on a fourth-and-four from the Cal 37-yard line.
• Cal added to the lead with a 32-yard touchdown catch by Hopkins from Black with 37 seconds left before halftime, 34-0.
• Seton Hill scored on the opening possession of the second half with a 60-yard touchdown pass.
• Charney recorded his third interception of the game with 5:30 left in the third quarter.
• Two players later, Black found Hopkins for a 22-yard touchdown at the 4:45-mark.
• The Griffins made an interception deep in Vulcans territory early in the fourth quarter and scored a 13-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal with 10:48 remaining.
STATS/NOTES
• Charney is the first Cal player with three interceptions in a game since Jared Dumm against Clarion in Week 4 of the 2005 season.
• He is one of four players in NCAA Division II this year to register three interceptions in a game.
• Charney is the first player in the PSAC to tally three interceptions in a game since the 2018 campaign.
• Hopkins set a season high with 132 receiving yards and three touchdowns on five catches.
• Willis finished with his third 100-yard game of the year, totaling 129 receiving yards and one touchdown on four catches.
• Black tied his season high of four passing touchdowns and posted 300 passing yards on 14-of-23 attempts with no interceptions.
• Senior linebacker
Matt Tobey and freshman defensive back
Khalil Taylor tied for the team lead with eight tackles.
• Taylor also registered 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack and one forced fumble in the victory.
• In addition to his three interceptions, Charney finished with six stops against the Griffins.
• Cal registered four interceptions for the first time since the 2019 season-opener at Saint Anselm.
• Sophomore linebacker
Ibrahim Sanogo was credited with 2.5 sacks in the victory.
• The teams were whistled for a combined 21 penalties that totaled over 175 yards.
• Head coach
Gary Dunn is now tied with Ted Nemeth (1950-61) and Jeff Petrucci (1981-92) for second all-time in school history with 54 career wins.
NEXT
• The Vulcans return to action on Saturday, Oct. 21, when they travel to face nationally-ranked Slippery Rock at 1 p.m. Cal and Slippery Rock are tied for first place in the PSAC West standings with three weeks of divisional play remaining.
