It all started ominously enough as QB Mike Mattei threw into triple coverage on the third play of the game which resulted in East Stroudsburg 's first interception of the day. The Warriors responded with a six-minute drive, but the usually reliable Taylor Groff's 35-yard field goal attempt hooked wide left. The Golden Rams' next possession also lasted only three plays and ended when Rondell White lost a fumble. The Warriors moved to the Rams' 16-yard line before Shawn Krautzel got his second interception of the season.
Mattei finally turned on the offense with a 16-yard pass to Sean Beahan and a 37-yard strike to Jim Kelly which was further aided by a roughing call. This time, White capped the West Chester drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. However, East Stroudsburg immediately answered with an 84-yard touchdown drive that consumed five minutes. It was during this drive that East Stroudsburg QB Matt Soltes showed how dangerous he can be. Eric Edwers almost sacked the QB, but Soltes managed to spin around and not only get rid of the ball, but find an open receiver to pick up a first down.
The Golden Rams broke out a gadget play for the first time this season. On the first play from scrimmage, an inside reverse handoff turned into a flea flicker and Mattei found a wide open Beahan for a 73-yard touchdown pass. The interesting part about it was that the lateral back to Mattei included the running back's glove. The one-play drive lasted all of twelve seconds. East Stroudsburg responded with another five minute drive, but Groff's field goal attempt was again wide left.
West Chester's next possession was also a brief one, due to another interception on the third play of the drive. East Stroudsburg drove to the six-yard line where West Chester's defense stood for three plays. It looked like the Rams held the Warriors to another field goal attempt, but a pass interference penalty gave the East Stroudsburg a new set of downs. On third down, Thomas Tippet punched it in to tie the game at 14. Similar to last week, a Hail Mary attempt at the end of the half was picked off by the opponent. At half time, although the score was even, the statistics were not. East Stroudsburg held the ball for 23 minutes and most of the other offensive categories were heavily skewed in their favor as well.
The West Chester defense was inspired to start the second half as they forced a three-and-out, but East Stroudsburg did the same. East Stroudsburg steadily moved the ball downfield until penalties put them in a third-and-23. On that play, the pass was dropped, but the Rams were called for pass interference and the Warriors got a new set of downs. Four plays later, Soltes avoided a heavy rush from Krautzel and lobbed it up to where only Jordan Hallman could catch it for the 9-yard touchdown. West Chester appeared to be responding, but two minutes into the drive, White lost his second fumble of the game. So instead, the Warriors used 47 rushing yards from Kendrick Williams and a 24-yard Soltes to Dusty Reed touchdown pass to extend their lead to 28-14.
Kelly, who sparkled in his last three games, struggled on this drive, picking up a facemask penalty which negated his six-yard reception, and dropping two passes. After the two teams traded punts, the Golden Rams appeared to be moving until the drive stalled at their own 44. Rich Bruno boomed a 52-yard punt which was fumbled and recovered by Edwers at the five. White took it in on the next play and the score was suddenly 28-21.
The Ram defense forced a punt and with less than five minutes left, West Chester had the ball on their own 23. Mattei was masterful as he completed five passes for 58 yards including a 5-yard touchdown pass to Erick Brundidge to knot the game at 28 with 70 seconds left. But Soltes was equal to the task as he guided the Warriors 68 yards on five completed passes for the game winning touchdown.
Notes - After rushing for 200 yards against California last week and 203 yards against East Stroudsburg in last year's 37-26 win, White was held to 51 yards on 15 carries and two fumbles...Beahan had the best game of his college career, hauling in five catches for 129 yards including the 73-yard touchdown on the flea flicker. His other four receptions all resulted in first downs, including three critical ones on West Chester's two fourth-quarter touchdown drives...Ronell Williams had another monster game, registering 17 total tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss...There were a few instances when a pass resulted in shared possession and each time, regardless of whether West Chester was on offense or defense, the Warriors wrestled to gain possession...East Stroudsburg's offensive game plan was short, low passes (so no yards after the catch) to ensure possession and move the chains. This set up several longer stop-and-go and deeper routes later in the game that Soltes executed very well...Nickel players Mike Labor and Mike Lonergan were in street clothes due to injury. Their backup, Drew Persa, left the game with an injury and did not return and his backup Mike Culbreath was hobbled late in the game...WR LaRonn Lee did not dress...WR Tim Keyser played sparingly and did not figure in statistically...ESU QB Soltes finished 30-37 (81%) for 366 yards and 3 TD's...The game will be rebroadcast on Wednesday at 8:00 pm on the Comcast Network (TCN)
West Chester Athletic Site - Late TD Pass Lifts East Stroudsburg Over West Chester, 35-28
East Stroudsburg Athletic Site - Freshmen Soltes, Wilson Stun West Chester with 33-Yard TD Pass, Warriors Triumph 35-28
Daily Local News - Reversal of fortunes for West Chester
Lehigh Valley Live - East Stroudsburg University football team knocks off West Chester 35-28
Morning Call - Wilson makes up for blunder, helps ESU stun West Chester
Pocono Record - ESU's Wilson caps wild win over West Chester
Bert Garbutt - Photo Collage
D2football - PSAC Columnist - PSAC Week Six Headlines
