Golden Ram Football Club: Game Report - West Chester 20

"Had 'em all the way!", said no one in the stadium. In a game that wasn't over until after the clock struck 0:00, the #24 Golden Rams hung on for a 20-19 win over the visiting California Vulcans. West Chester will now wait until 5:00 tomorrow for the NCAA selection show to learn if they've qualified for the tournament.

Besides the final score, most of the statistics in the box score will reveal a fairly even ball game, but the contest was filled with several key plays. After Andrew Chegia put West Chester ahead 3-0 late in the first quarter on a 29-yard field goal, he subsequently pinned the Vulcans on their own six on the ensuing kickoff. But the West Chester defense couldn't capitalize. Three consecutive plays - a third and seven pass play that went for 12 yards, a 13-yard run in which several Golden Ram defenders were carried, and a 42-yard pass play - flipped the field position. After a pass interference penalty in the end zone gave California the ball on the one-yard line, the Vulcans quickly broke the huddle, snapped the ball and leaped into the end zone. On the PAT attempt, California declined a West Chester offsides penalty, and missed the subsequent kick.

Lex Rosario sets a block for Phil Poquie (Photo Ron Hockman)

West Chester was able to move the ball into California territory, but failed to convert a fourth down. On the Vulcan's next play from scrimmage, Nyeem Jones had a pick six, but it was negated by another West Chester offsides penalty. California took advantage of the second opportunity on offense, working a couple of first downs before completing a 44-yard catch-and-run score. With West Chester trailing 13-3 and three minutes remaining in the half, quarterback Paul Dooley and the offense responded.

Tyrone Barge pressures the Cal QB (Photo Ron Hockman)

Dooley completed six passes to four different receivers, the final one being a 12-yard strike to tight end Dan Neuhaus in the end zone. Chegia's PAT narrowed the deficit to 13-10, but California still had 22 seconds left and all three timeouts. However, West Chester was offsides on the kickoff and the Vulcans elected to have West Chester re-kick. After a successful kickoff, and having only nine seconds left on the clock, the Vulcans took a knee and everyone went to intermission. It's ironic that West Chester had three offsides calls in the first half, and two of then actually benefited the Golden Rams, although the one that favored the Vulcans was much more significant.

Everyone watches Dan Neuhaus haul in this touchdown (Photo Ron Hockman)

To start the second half, West Chester elected to take the ball, and California also gave the Golden Rams the wind in the third quarter. The message was clear: if West Chester were to win the game, they'd have to do it in the third quarter. Phil Poquie, who had muffed a punt in the first quarter, returned the opening kickoff to midfield. Dooley and the offense wasted little time, navigating the 50 yards in five minutes, culminating in, what else, a Neuhaus touchdown catch over the middle. Key on the drive was a fourth-down completion to Gabe Schappell to keep the drive alive.

Nyeem Jones flips the Cal receiver (Photo Ron Hockman)

Trailing 17-13, California laughed at the wind in their face and moved swiftly into West Chester territory. But West Chester safety Jarey Elder landed on a Cal fumble to stall the drive. In the fourth quarter, the West Chester offense became noticeably more deliberate in an effort to drain the clock. The opening possession stalled after five minutes, and George Lambritsios' 39-yard punt was downed at the one by Trael Seegers. After the Golden Ram defense forced a three-and-out, Dooley and the offense, including a key fourth-down conversion by Lex Rosario, consumed another five minutes off the clock. Obviously another touchdown would have sealed the victory, but West Chester had to settle for another Chegia 29-yard field goal which was still significant.

Trael Seegars downs a punt on the one (Photo Ron Hockman)

Down 20-13, the Vulcans started on their own 16-yard line, but converted two fourth down plays including a fourth-and-ten, to navigate down to the West Chester 15-yard line with time left for one play. In one of the most bizarre plays in recent memory, California caught the ball in the end zone, but the receiver had stepped out of bounds prior to making the catch, a penalty marker was thrown, and the official ruled incomplete and never ruled touchdown. With no time left on the clock, there was an officials conference and the final ruling was a pass interference penalty on West Chester and a California touchdown. Everyone's still scratching their head how that happened. Trailing by one, with nothing left to play for, and everyone in the stadium freezing, the Vulcans elected to go for the two-point conversion but the pass fell incomplete for the final score of 20-19.

The offensive line gives Ja'den McKenzie a big hole (Photo Ron Hockman)

It was an all around team win. While the defense allowed three second-half fourth-down conversions, committed three pass interference penalties, and gave up touchdown drives of 94, 72 and 84 yards, they executed on the final play of the game. Defensive end Ch'aim Smith had ten tackles, a sack, and two quarterback hurries and linebacker Jackson Taylor also notched ten stops. Cornerback Sterlen Barr had three pass breakups to go with four tackles and Elder had two pass breakups to go with his three tackles and fumble recovery. The offense did not turn over the ball. Schappell, who had only four catches since September, had five receptions for 44 yards. The Vulcans were only allowing 55 yards of rushing per game, but West Chester managed a clock consuming 112 yards thanks in large part to Dooley's 61 yards on the ground. Lambritsios' punt to the one-yard line led directly to points and Chegia was perfect on his scoring attempts.

There was much rejoicing (Photo Ron Hockman)