District College Football Recap for Saturday, October 27th

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, October 28, 2012 | 2:07 PM

The PSAC race took an interesting turn with the 13th ranked Vulcans going down to defeat, Mercyhurst and IUP picked up wins, setting up a 3-way battle to go to the PSAC title game in a couple of weeks.

Waynesburg remains unbeaten, the Yellow Jackets will have a week to rest up before the battle with W & J for the PAC title.

Here are recaps of all the games:

Slippery Rock 28 – California 26
The Rock survived two blocked punts and a pair of fumbles late to hand the 13th ranked Vulcans a loss in back to back seasons. The win was the third straight for SRU and scrambles the PSAC West Division race going into the final week.

Cal, IUP and Mercyhurst all sit at 5-1 in divisional play, the Vulcans and Lakers meet next week. If Cal and IUP win, the Vulcans will go to the PSAC title game, the Crimson Hawks travel to Gannon next week. If Mercyhurst and IUP win, then the Crimson Hawks go to the title game for the first time since it's return three years ago.
 

Cody Schroeder started again at quarterback for Cal, in place of the injured Peter Lalich, he threw for 224 yards and a td but was picked off by Anthony Saunders with 39 seconds to play and the Vulcans driving for a game-winning field goal attempt.
 

The game started out with a Vulcan 18 play drive, but Cal could only post a Cody Nuzzo 42 yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead. SRU followed with an 8 play drive, Nigel Barksdale on a qb keeper scoring the touchdown to put the Rock up 7-3 after one.
 

Special teams have helped the Vulcans all season, Rontez Miles blocked a James McCombie punt, Cal got the ball at the Rock 8 yard line, the defense held and Nuzzo hit the right upright with a 25 yard attempt, leaving Cal empty after a great opportunity. But two plays later, Barksdale fumbled and Miles scooped it up, going 31 yards for a touchdown and a 10-7 Cal lead.
 

It was the Rock's turn to drive and come up empty, Barksdale led the Green and White to the Cal 12, but fumbled for the second time, the Vulcans came up with the football and the Rock left empty-handed. SRU forced a punt and got the ball back with 5:38 remaining in the half. Barksdale led an 18 play drive, hitting A Bridgeforth for a 4 yard touchdown with 11 seconds left, giving the Rock a 14-10 lead at the break.
 

Slippery Rock extended the lead on the opening drive of the third, Brett Crenshaw scored from 2 out to put SRU up 21-10. Nuzzo kicked a 21 yard field goal, but the Rock answered with a touchdown, Crenshaw with a 4 yard run, set up by a 49 yard completion to John Schademan, giving the Rock a 28-13 lead after three.
 

Cal drove 14 plays, and capped it off with a touchdown, on 4th and goal from the 2, Schroeder hit Mike Williams for the touchdown, to cut it to 28-20. A bad punt snap set up Cal for what could be the tying score, taking over at the Rock 20, but the Vulcans could not get a first down or any points as they went 4 and out, giving the Rock back the football at the 14. Ja'Wan Bryant blocked a McCombie punt, Jeff Knox recovered for a touchdown and the Vulcans were set up to tie the game. Schroeder could not hit a receiver on the two-point attempt with 7:06 left and the Rock lead at 2.
 

SRU was able to take over 5 minutes off the clock before punting to the Cal 29. Schroeder hit Mike Willams on a 4th and 2 to give the Vulcans a first down, a personal foul on the Rock took the ball to the Rock 38 yard line. Schroeder hit Cody Cook for 17 yards to the 21, then the Saunders interception ended the game for the Vulcans.
 

Barksdale led the Rock in rushing with 119 yards on 26 carries, leading rusher Akeem Satterfield did not play for SRU, the quarterback threw for 283 yards on 15-22 and a score. The Rock is now 5-4 overall and 4-2 in the PSAC West. The defense held Cal down to just 89 yards rushing.
 

The Vulcans will likely fall deep into the bottom of the top 25 in the AFCA poll with just 2 games remaining, now at 7-2 overall. With only 6 teams making the NCAA playoff field from Super Region 1, and 4 teams from the PSAC in the top 25 entering the week, a chance for a 8th straight NCAA berth could be slipping away.
 

Grove City 26 – Geneva 8
Shane Kaclik ran for 166 yards and 2 touchdowns and the Wolverine defense shut down the high powered Geneva attack, keeping the PAC touchdown leader Rocco Colavecchia off the board in the win at Robert E. Thorn Field.

Grove City took an early 3-0 lead on a Kurt Devlin 40 yard field goal. The Wolverines added on just 2 plays into the second with a Kaclik 1 yard run. The Geneva offense did not get out of it's own territory in the first quarter and drove to the Grove City 19 before committing a personal foul penalty. Colavecchia got the start at quarterback, Zack Hayward missed the game, taking away a big part of the GT's offense.
 

Grove City scored late in the half, Geneva thought they had the ball a play earlier when Brian Pell was intercepted by Thomas Benyo at the Geneva 32 but the Golden Tornadoes were offsides, the free play gave the Wolverines back the ball and Pell made them pay, hitting Anthony Ritchie for a 38 yard touchdown and a 16-0 lead at the half.
 

Geneva made a break to set up a score, Jake Delmonico stepped in front of a Pell pass and returned it to the Wolverine 38, 9 plays later Dylan Jones scored on 4th and goal at the 3, Colavecchia added the two-point run and the Lawrence County connection cut the GC lead to 16-8.
 

Kaclik scored on a yard run early in the 4th to make it 23-8, Devin added a 34 yard field goal with 4:24 remaining. Colavecchia led the GT's down the field in the final minutes, but could convert on four plays inside the 10 yard line in the final minute.
 

Grove City is now 4-4 overall and 3-3 in the PAC. Pell was 13-21 for 177 yards, Ritchie caught 6 passes for 111 yards.
 

Colavecchia was held to 15 carries for 56 yards, he was 16-32 for just 82 yards. Geneva is now 2-6 overall and 2-4 in the PAC.

Gannon 13 – Lock Haven 7
The streak continues for the Bald Eagles. Lock Haven has now dropped 51 consecutive games, the longest streak in D-II history and the longest current streak on any level of NCAA football.
 

Gannon saw their 7 game losing streak come to an end with the win. Alex Papson, the former NA star, put the Golden Knights on the board with a 3 yard run on the opening drive. George Christas gave Lock Haven their only points with a 41 yard interception return. Matt Szczupakowski added a 2nd quarter field goal, Lock Haven had 2 chances to score, but Noah Heimer missed a 41 yard field goal and Tyrai Anderson picked off a pass on the final play of the half and returned it 63 yards, but was stopped at the Gannon 23.
 

The Bald Eagles had another chance, Brandon Brader took the first play from scrimmage in the 3rd and ran 72 yards to the 1 yard line, but fumbled on the next play, giving the ball back to Gannon. Szczupakowski hit a 43 yard field goal to make it 13-7 after three. Heimer hit the upright with a field goal attempt in the early stages of the 4th, the Bald Eagles got only one more possession the remainder of the game and did enter into Gannon territory.
 

Jansen Jones did not hit the scoreboard for Gannon but had a huge day, running for 183 yards on 29 carries. Gannon is now 2-7 on the season and 1-5 in the PSAC West. Brader carried 15 times for 86 yards, the Bald Eagles are now 0-9 and head to Slippery Rock next week. 
 

IUP 45 – Clarion 0
Mike Box threw for 2 touchdowns and ran for another as the 16th ranked Crimson Hawks posted their 3rd shutout of the season and put themselves in line for a possible PSAC West title with Cal's loss to Slippery Rock.

Box hit Anthony Merriwether for the first score of the game, a 23 yard td pass, Box ran 22 yards for a td in the 2nd, a field goal gave IUP a 17-0 lead at the break.
 

Box hit Terrill Barnes for a 54 yard touchdown, the defense stopped Clarion twice inside the 10 yard line in the 3rd and pulled away with a 3 yard td run by Harvie Tuck and a td pass from backup Pat Smith to Pat Brewer for 39 yards. De'Antwan Williams went 43 yard for the final score.
 

Box was 9-10 for 179 yards and the two scores. Tuck ran 25 times for 97 yards. IUP is now 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the PSAC West.
 

Clarion was led by QB Ben Fiscus, who's return home to Indiana was not so good, Fiscus went to Indiana High and threw for just 181 yards on 12-29, he was shut down on the ground with minus 16 yards rushing. Clarion is 4-4 overall and 2-4 in divisional play.

Mercyhurst 24 – Edinboro 21
Lakers head coach Marty Schaetzle rolled the dice and it came up 7-11 for Mercyhurst as the Lakers pull out the win at Sox Harrison Stadium and keep their hopes of a PSAC West crown alive.
 

Schaetzle inserted backup QB Alec Swartz into the game in the 4th quarter, he led the Lakers on a 76 yard drive for the victory, hitting Paris Bruner for a 75 yard catch and run, setting up Brandon Brown-Dukes 1 yard td to give Mercyhurst the lead. After the Lakers D held, Swartz hit a 15 yard completion to move the sticks and allow Mercyhurst to run out the clock for the win.
 

Mercyhurst jumped out to a 14-0 1st quarter lead, Brown-Dukes scored on a yard run, after a Fighting Scots fumble, Anthony Vendemia hit Leon Gallop for a 10 yard touchdown late in the quarter. The 2nd quarter belonged to Edinboro, Branden Williams picked up a blocked punt for a touchdown and Cody Harris scored on a quarterback sneak to knot the game at 14 at the half.
 

Harris hit Kevin Sonnie for a 7 yard touchdown in the third, ending a 16 play drive. Steven Wakefield hit a 32 yard field goal with 13:03 left to set up the game winning drive. Bruner led the way for Mercyhurst with 6 catches for 187 yards, the Lakers are now 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the PSAC West.
 

Cody Harris was held to just 88 yards passing, the Fighting Scots posted only 246 yards as a team. Edinboro falls to 3-5 overall and 2-4 in the West, the Fighting Scots have dropped 3 straight.

Waynesburg 42 – Westminster 16
The wet weather didn't bother the Yellow Jackets as Carter Hill tossed 4 first half touchdown passes as Waynesburg jumped out to a 35-0 lead and did not look back for the win.

The 23rd ranked Yellow Jackets are now 9-0 overall and 7-0 in the PAC and have the bye week next week before a showdown in 2 weeks with W & J at home for the PAC title, a NCAA playoff berth and an undefeated regular season on the line.
 

Dominic Moore opened the scoring in the first on a yard run, a short punt gave the Yellow Jackets back the ball and Hill hit Christian Jackson for a 34 yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead after 1.
 

Hill connected with Jackson again for 69 yards, that was set up by a Ronnie Skinner fumble recovery, Dak Britt was intercepted on the first play following the touchdown, Hill hit Moses for a 2 yard score , Westminster was forced to punt and the pair struck again for a 14 yard touchdown, this time set up by a Bertrand Ngampa 46 yard run. Britt scored on a 7 yard td run and Zack Baker kicked a field goal on the final play of the half to cut the lead to 35-10 at the break.
 

Ngampa scored on a 6 yard run in the third, Britt on a 12 yard run early in the 4th to round out the scoring. Hill was 18-26 for 242 yards, Jackson caught 6 passes for 141 yards. Ngampa ran 16 times for 109 yards.
 

Britt was 14-36 for just 122 yards, he was held to 34 yards rushing. Westminster falls to 4-3 overall and 3-3 in the PAC.

Thomas More 38 – Saint Vincent 8
The Saints led 31-0 at the half and cruised to keep the Bearcats winless on the season. Adam Rauch scored 3 touchdowns, with 92 yards on the ground in the win. Jensen Gebhardt tossed a td pass to Bobby Leonard, the Saints also blocked a punt for a touchdown. Thomas More is now 5-3 overall and 5-2 in the PAC.

Saint Vincent was held to 8 first downs and 106 yards of offense for the game, the Bearcats used 3 quarterbacks on the afternoon. The Bearcats are 0-8 for the season and have dropped 9 in a row, dating back to last season.
 

Bethany 26 – Thiel 13
QB Matt Grimard ran for 2 scores and threw for 1 in the road win at Greenville. Grimard was 26-40 for 293 yards in the tough conditions, former Western Beaver star Eric Blinn also had a big day, catching 8 passes for 182 yards for the Bison.
 

Andrew Smith gave Thiel the lead on the opening drive with a 1 yard run, that held up until the final minute of the 2nd when Grimard scored on a 14 yard run, the extra point was no good, Thiel led 7-6 at the break.
 

Bethany took over the game in the 4th, Grimard scored from 1 yard out, capping a 12 play drive to put the Bison up 12-7. After Thiel went 3 and out and both teams traded interceptions, Grimard hit Blinn for a 43 yard touchdown, Phil Acrie added an 11 yard td run and Smith hit Zane Garza for a 17 yard touchdown to end the scoring.
 

Both teams are 2-6 overall and 2-4 in the PAC.
 

West Liberty 41 – Seton Hill 29
Andrew Jackson threw for 439 yards and 4 touchdowns but it was not enough as the losing streak for Seton Hill continued as the Griffins fall to 0-9 on the season and have dropped 11 straight games.
The Hilltoppers returned 2 interceptions for touchdowns and got 119 yards from Isiah Moody to go to 5-4 overall and 4-3 in the final year of the WVIAC.

Marquis Bradley opened the scoring with a 45 yard Pick 6 for West Liberty, following a WL field goal, Jackson hit Mike Allen for a 6 yard touchdown early in the 2nd. Dylan Lagarde hit Jesse Rose with a 2 yard touchdown, Josh Cavalier booted a field goal for the Griffins, who trailed 17-10 at the half.
 

LD Crow tossed a 15 yard pass to Brandon Schroeder for West Liberty, Jackson answered with a 75 yard td pass to Niko Hall-Brown. Jeff Hoak added his 2nd field goal and Moody scored on a 2 yard run to put West Liberty up 34-16 at the end of three. Jackson hit D.J. Carter for a 12 yard touchdown early in the 4th, but Tanner Stocker returned an interception 10 yards for a score and Jackson hit Trae Cook for 22 yards and a score in the final 90 seconds to round out the scoring.
 

Jackson was 34-53 on the day, he was picked 4 times. Hall-Brown had 11 catches for 223 yards.
 

Washington University 15 – Carnegie Mellon 3
The high powered CMU offense was held without a touchdown as the Bears win the UAA opener for both teams in St. Louis.
 

CMU led 3-0 at the half on a Connor Young 25 yard field goal with 25 seconds left before the halftime break. Alex Hallwachs kicked 3 3rd quarter field goals to give the Bears a 9-3 lead, Eric Daginella hit Ryan Lubatkin for a 43 yard touchdown with 5:39 remaining in regualation to stake the Beards to the win.
 

Rob Kalkstein was 16-30 for 128 yards for the Tartans, Tim Kitka had 6 more catches for 56 yards, he needs just 63 yards to set the CMU all time single season record. The Tartans are now 5-3 overall. The Bears go to 3-5 with the win.
 

Kenyon 20 – Allegheny 7
The Lords remain alive in the NCAC race with a 4-1 conference record, while the Gators fall out of the conference chase with the loss.

Allegheny led 7-0 as Andrew Nicklaus tossed a halfback pass to Derrick Emigh for a 72 yard touchdown late in the first quarter, but the Lords pulled away in the second. Brett Williams scored on a 28 yard run, Dan Shannon hit Carlo Gagliardo for a 11 yard td and Brandon January scored on a 9 yard run to put Kenyon up 20-7 at the break.
 

The Gators drove into the Lords territory twice in the 3rd, but missed a field goal and Joe Dawida was intercepted at the Kenyon 5 yard line. Both teams drove in the 4th quarter, but Kenyon missed on 2 4th down plays in the red zone, Dawida was sacked at the Kenyon 31 and could not connect with Issac Gittens on the final play.
 

Allegheny falls to 4-4 overall and 3-2 in the conference, Kenyon got 137 yards on 25 carries from Williams, the Lords are 5-3 overall, bettering their win total from the last 4 seasons combined. The Lords are tied with Wabash, Wittenberg and Ohio Wesleyan for first place, and due to a quirk in the NCAC schedule play neither Wabash or Wittenberg this season.
 

Wagner 23 – Robert Morris 13
Otis Wright returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a score and the Seahawks never looked back as Wagner looks to stay in the NEC title race at 5-1.
 

David Lopez kicked 2 field goals to stake Wagner to a 13-0 halftime lead, Nick Doscher scored on a 1 yard run in the fourth to make it 20-0. Jeff Sinclair hit Dontae Jeter for a 39 yard td and connected with D.J. Hayes for 38 yards with 2:54 remaining, but could not get the two-pointer to cut the lead to a one possession game.
 

Domonique Williams ran for 112 yards on 23 carries for Wagner, now 5-3 overall. Doscher was 12-17 for 228 yards.
 

Sinclair threw for 238 yards, RMU could only manage 70 yards on the ground. The Colonials fall to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in the NEC.

Central Connecticut State 32 – Saint Francis 30
Rob Hollomon ran for 207 yards and scored three touchdowns as the Blue Devils gain the NEC victory, rallying from a 11 point first quarter deficit.

John Kelly opened the scoring to Dane Domonkos for a 3 yard touchdown, Keion Wade scored on a 11 yard run to put Saint Francis up 13-0. The Blue Devils blocked the extra point and returned it for a defensive conversion, turning the momentum of the game.
 

Hollomon scored on a 5 yard run in the second, Wade scored on a 2 yard run, but Hollomon broke a 45 yard run, the Red Flash led 20-15 at the break. Holloman had the only score of the third, a 45 yard run.
Josh Thiel kicked a 50 yard field goal in the first minute of the fourth, Nick SanGiatomo, who went most of the way in place of Andrew Clements, tossed a 73 yard td pass to Anthony Julbes, the Blue Devils added a field goal to make it 32-23 with 5 minutes to play. Kelly answered quickly with a 61 yard td pass to Franklyn Williams, but the Red Flash could not score again.
 

Wade ran for 129 yards on 26 carries, Kelly ran for 121 yards and threw for 166. The Red Flash fall to 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the conference. The Blue Devils are now 2-6 overall and 2-3 in the NEC.

Monmouth 28 – Duquesne 27
Julian Hayes scored the go-ahead touchdown with 9:40 to play and ran for 23 yards late in the contest to allow the Hawks to run out the clock and pick up the win at Rooney Field.

Monmouth led 7-0 on a Kwabena Asante 2 yard run in the first, Hayes scorred on a 10 yard run on the first play of the second to put the Hawks up 14-0. The Dukes came back, Sean Patterson hit David Thomas for a 9 yard touchdown, but Kyle Fraizer hit Neal Sterling with a 8 yard touchdown to put Monmouth up 21-7 at the break.
 

Patterson took over the game in the second half, hitting Gianni Carter for a 15 yard touchdown just 1:58 into the third, Charlie Leventry added a field goal and Patterson hit Sean Brady for a 6 yard touchdown early in the fourth for the 24-21 lead.
 

Hayes scored his touchdown, Duquesne could only manage another Leventry field goal the rest of the way and saw any hope of an NEC title go out the window with the loss.
 

Hayes ran 36 times for 158 yards, the Hawks are now 4-4 overall and 3-2 in the NEC.
 

Patterson threw for 259 yards, Brady had 7 catches for 110 yards. Larry McCoy carried 29 times for 116 yards, the Dukes fall to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in conference.