CALIFORNIA (Oct. 28) – The Vulcans scored 34 points in the second quarter and finished with 345 rushing yards on Saturday afternoon while posting a 58-19 victory over Mercyhurst on Senior Day at Adamson Stadium in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.
RECORDS/SERIES
• The California (PA) football team improves to 6-2 overall and remains tied for second place in the PSAC West standings with a 5-1 mark.
• The Lakers fall to 2-7 this season behind a 1-5 record in divisional play.
• The Vulcans have won eight-consecutive games against the Lakers and improve to 7-1 at Adamson Stadium in the all-time series.
GAME ACTION
• Mercyhurst raced out to a 13-0 lead with 1:41 left in the first quarter.
• The Vulcans cut the deficit to 13-7 just two plays later on a one-yard touchdown run by junior
Eric McKan III following an 82-yard carry by freshman
Bobbie Boyd, Jr.
• Cal tied the score on a 40-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback
Davis Black to sophomore wide receiver
Eric Willis III with 12:35 left in the second quarter.
• The Vulcans claimed their first lead of the game on a six-yard touchdown run by McKan with 3:41 remaining before halftime.
• Cal stretched the lead to 27-13 on the next play from scrimmage when senior linebacker
Matt Tobey registered a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown at the 3:21-mark of the second quarter.
• The Vulcans added to the lead on their next drive with a 32-yard touchdown reception by junior tight end
Jack Colecchi from Black.
• Junior defensive back
Dominic Solomon, Jr. halted a Mercyhurst drive inside the red zone and returned the turnover into Lakers territory in the closing seconds of the second quarter.
• Cal took a 41-13 lead into halftime following a 38-yard 'Hail Mary' touchdown pass from Black to freshman wide receiver
D'Avay Johnson on the final play of the second quarter.
• The Vulcans scored the lone points of the third quarter on a 26-yard field goal by junior
Anthony Beitko at the 5:43-mark.
• Cal capped a 90-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run by Boyd with 11:47 left in the fourth quarter.
• The Vulcans extended the lead to 58-13 on a five-yard touchdown run by redshirt freshman
Trey Freeman at the 2:13-mark of the quarter.
• Mercyhurst scored the final touchdown of the game on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds left.
STATS/NOTES
• Boyd set a season high with 213 rushing yards on just 15 attempts (14.2 yards per carry) with one touchdown.
• He is the first player to eclipse 200 rushing yards in a game since Nelson Brown in Week 11 of the 2018 season.
• McKan finished with 61 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.
• The Vulcans amassed 345 rushing yards on 47 attempts with four touchdowns.
• Cal last surpassed 300 rushing yards in a game in Week 4 last season against Edinboro.
• Black finished with 184 passing yards on 10-of-20 attempts with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
• Willis led the team with 68 receiving yards on four catches with one touchdown.
• Tobey led the team with a season-high 10 tackles (three solo) and posted his second career interception return for a touchdown.
• Junior defensive back
Jacob Seigle added seven stops (two solo) and junior linebacker
John Hutchinson finished with five tackles (four solo) and 1.0 sack.
• The Vulcans finished with 529 yards of total offense and scored touchdowns on six-consecutive drives in the first half.
• Mercyhurst managed only 103 yards of total offense over nine drives when Cal scored 58-unanswered points.
• The Vulcans posted a nearly 10-minute advantage in time of possession despite controlling the ball for only four-plus minutes in the first quarter.
NEXT
• Cal closes out PSAC West play on Saturday, Nov. 4, when it travels to face Gannon in Erie, Pennsylvania, at 12 p.m. The Vulcans and Golden Knights are currently tied for second in the divisional standings.
