Game Report - Bloomsburg 23 - West Chester 21

West Chester (0-4, 0-1) mounted a massive fourth quarter rally only to follow it with yet another fourth quarter collapse in falling to the Bloomsburg Huskies (3-1, 1-0) to remain winless on the season.

Robby Longo had a team-high six catches for 95 yards (Photo Chuck Greco)

The Huskies took a 14-0 lead into the final quarter and maintained a ten-point lead midway through the period. But with just four minutes remaining, the Golden Rams closed to 17-14 and forced a Bloomsburg three-and-out. Despite a Cooper Jordan interception, the WCU defense denied another first down and returned the ball to the offense with less than 90 seconds left. That's when things got wild. Jordan ran for a 43-yard touchdown to give West Chester a 21-17 lead with just a minute left to play. But Bloomsburg responded with a 63-yard touchdown drive of their own in just 36 seconds to regain the lead 23-21. Unfortunately, The Golden Rams weren't able to tap any further magic in the final 24 seconds and the score went final.

Kaleb Brown upends the Bloomsburg ball carrier (Photo Chuck Greco)

The two sides of the ball played this game completely differently for West Chester. The Golden Ram defense surrendered a touchdown on Bloomsburg's opening drive of 80 yards. But on the Huskies' second possession, West Chester allowed a lot of yards but no points as they made stops on third-and-goal and fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line. The defensive improvement continued in the first half as Bloomsburg was forced to punt on their next two possessions. The second half was quite similar. An opening long drive touchdown for Bloomsburg was followed by two three-and-outs. Unfortunately, the cycle repeated and the Huskies used four consecutive completions to traverse the 63 yards in their final possession for the game-winning score.

The Golden Ram defense makes a goal line stand (Photo Chuck Greco)

The offense was signicantly different, not scoring a point and not moving the ball particularly well for three quarters. Then in the final stanza, West Chester scored touchdowns on back-to-back possessions and despite an interception, punched it into the end zone again to take a 21-17 lead. West Chester's first touchdown came on a 18-yard pass to D'Shaun Seals. Their second scoring drive went 71 yards, overcame a 15-yard penalty and a sack, and used three completions for 67 yards to Robby Longo to set up Jordan's one-yard "tush push" score. The final touchdown was a 43-yard run by Jordan who left most of the Husky defense grasping at air.

Bill Martelon and Cole Evans open a hole (Photo Chuck Greco)

Other observations:

• The West Chester defense opened with a four-man front with Debrick Johnson getting the start. In the secondary, Kaleb Brown started in place of the injured Zaire McLaurin. On offense at tight end, Mike Darcy replaced the injured Thatcher Miller who was not dressed and right knee was in a brace.
• Left tackle Patrick Methlie was not dressed for the game and was replaced by Cam McQueen on the offensive line. On the first play of the second quarter, left guard Caelan Krasley go rolled up on and left the game on a cart. As a result, McQueen shufted to left tackle and Cole Evans played left guard.
• Daniel Hicks joined Connor Noble, Shane Mosley and Methlie as captains for the game.
• Center Dylan Nichols received his second and the team's sixth unsportsmanlike penalty of the season.
• For the third time in four games, the defense failed to register a sack. They rank last in the PSAC with just two sacks this season.
• Although Zack Liberatore averaged only 38 yards on his two punts, he dropped one at the Bloomsburg 16 and the other at their 9-yard line.
• It was West Chester's best offensive output of the season as they rolled up 426 yards. While Jordan ran for 81 yards with 43 coming on the TD run, Juke Peaker tallied 50 yards on 11 carries and 25 yards on three catches. Longo (6 catches, 95 yards) and Seals (9 catches, 61 yards) were the primary passing targets.
• Defensively, linebacker Connor Noble once again led the way with seven tackles including a tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Cornerback Abdul Stewart had two pass breakups including one in the end zone.

Daniel Hicks gets held while attempting to make a tackle (Photo Chuck Greco)

Cooper Jordan runs away from the Bloom defense for a score (Photo Chuck Greco)

Sortable Box Score   

West Chester Athletic Site - Football Falls at Bloomsburg on Late TD Drive, 23-21

Bloomsburg Athletic Site - Football Wins Thriller over West Chester, 23-21, Saturday

WCU Football Family - Photo Album - Bloomsburg

Chuck Bitner - Photo Album - Bloomsburg

Golden Rams Review - Photo Album - Bloomsburg

Game Replay

Game Preview - Bloomsburg

The Golden Rams (0-3, 0-0) open PSAC East play at long-time rival Bloomsburg (2-1, 0-0) on Saturday. Kickoff at Danny Hale Field at Redman Stadium is scheduled for 2:00pm.

Series History:
West Chester leads the overall series 53-28 and these two schools historical have played big games. The two schools have met twice in playoffs - in 2008 and again in 2013 - with both postseason games played in Bloomsburg. The Huskies took the 2008 contest while the Golden Rams won in 2013 en route to the NCAA Division II semi-finals. There was the homecoming debacle in 2011 when West Chester took a 35-0 second quarter lead only to see the Huskies rattle off 55 straight points and steal a 55-42 win. The past six games have been decided by a total of 16 points.

Former Bloomsburg All-American linebacker Frank Sheptock entered his fourth season as head coach at his alma with a record of 12-24.

Last 10 Meetings:

Year	H/A	W/L	Score	Year	H/A	W/L	Score
2013	Away	Win	40-38	2018	Away	Win	17-14
2014	Away	Loss	41-10	2019	Home	Win	20-17
2015	Home	Win	33-22	2021	Home	Win	21-20
2016	Away	Win	27-7	2022	Away	Loss	21-16
2017	Home	Loss	20-19	2023	Home	Win	24-21 OT

Last Meeting:

09/30/2023 West Chester 24 - Blooomsburg 21 OT

Connor Noble registered a game-high 11 tackles, including a sack on the final play of the game to preserve a West Chester 24-21 overtime victory. Golden Ram kicker Sean Henry missed the potential game-winning 30-yard field as time expired in regulation, but redeemed himself by converting a 34-yarder in the extra session.

D'Shaun Seals had a big game with 6 catches for 61 yards and a 60-yard punt return for touchdown. Cooper Jordan threw for 100 yards and ran for 66 yards and a score.

Scouting the Opponent:

Offensively, true freshman running back Jake Williams (44 carries, 230 yards, 1 TD) is fifth in the PSAC in rushing while redshirt freshman Riley Parker (14 carries, 87 yards, 5 TD's) is second in the conference in scoring. Graduate student Ben Ries (23 of 40, 342 yards, 2 TD's, 4 int's) has started the first three games at quarterback, but junior KJ Riley (16 of 21, 278 yards, 2 TD's, 0 int's) brought the Huskies back from a 12-6 halftime deficit to a 32-27 win over Edinboro last week, so it would be surprising not to see Riley running things on Saturday. Wide receivers Gabe Brower (14 catches, 219 yards, 1 TD) and Jerry Griffen-Batchler (11 catches, 203 yards, 2 TD's) are the primary targets, although tight end Matthew Bowes (4 catches, 106 yards) also has to be covered.

Defensive tackle Giovanni Cancro (13 TKL, 1.5 TFL, 1 PBU) and linebacker Tom Goetz (13 TKL, 1.5 sacks) were both All-PSAC East selections after last season. Linebackers Ryan D'Ambra (25 tackles, 1.0 sack) and Brady Thompson (26 tackles, 3.5 TFL) are among the conference leaders in tackles. Up front, the Huskies are getting significant contributions from defensive end John Aston (11 tackles, 1.5 sacks). In the secondary, Cole Turner (17 TKL, 1 int, 3 PBU), Nate Capers (17 TKL, 2 PBU) and Ryan Woertz (10 TKL, 2 PBU) lead the way.

Analysis:

This game appears to be another major challenge for the Golden Ram defense which is last in the PSAC in yards allowed. The Huskies are second in the PSAC in rushing (187 yards/game) and in third-down conversion rate (45.7%) which gives them an advantage in time of possession. And the Bloomsburg passing game may be equally difficult if they stay with the more effective Riley. Meanwhile, all of West Chester's running backs combined have fewer carries than their quarterback, and only two teams in the PSAC have thrown more interceptions than the Golden Rams, so points may be at a premium for the visitors. West Chester does have an advantage in the kicking game as Bloomsburg is 0 for 1 in field goals, 9 of 11 in PAT's, had a punt blocked for a touchdown and have yet to have a kickoff for a touchback. Can the Golden Ram defense contain Bloomsburg and the West Chester offense limit turnovers enough for special teams to matter?

Massey Ratings is expecting a 24-23 West Chester win while Versus Sports simulates a 27-19 Bloomsburg victory.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video  

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Hits the Road Again for PSAC East Opener at Bloomsburg

PSAC Site - 2024 PSAC Football Week 4 Notes

Bloomsburg Athletic Site - Game Notes Week 4: Bloomsburg vs West Chester

D2football - PSAC Columnist - PSAC Week Four Preview

Game Report - Seton Hill 27 - West Chester 24

The Golden Rams (0-3) remain winless on the season as they fell for the first time ever to the Seton Hill Griffins (2-2) by a score of 27-24.

Just a series of observations:

• Thatcher Miller replaced Nate Desmond as a captain for the game, joining Connor Noble, Shane Mosley, and Patrick Methlie for the coin toss.
• On the second play of the game, Miller made a short catch and got injured on the play. He attempted to return to the game, but was unable to continue and was later seen on the sideline in street clothes with ice on his knee. Converted offensive lineman Luke Vereb saw time at tight end as a result.
• With the Golden Ram defense putting so much effort into stopping the Seton Hill running game, they weren't credited with a quarterback hurry let alone a sack. And then on the Griffins' final possession, when WCU finally applied pressure, Charley Mininger was called for a questionable roughing the quarterback call. Seton Hill also converted a fourth-and-five on their final touchdown drive.

Charley Mininger puts a stop to the Griffin running back (Photo Chuck Greco)

• The efforts to stop the Seton Hill run were not very successful. The Griffins amassed 185 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, although the longest run was only 19 yards. The Seton Hill running back was often met at or near the line of scrimmage, but his push led to a 5 yards/carry average.

Daniel Hicks registers a tackle for loss (Photo Chuck Greco)

• Defensive back Matt Marshall had his best game as a Golden Ram. Besides making a great leaping interception along the Seton Hill sideline, he registered a tackle for loss and had a game-high 11 tackles.
• The third quarter was all West Chester. In the first possession of the second half, Seton Hill failed to punt the ball on fourth down deep in their own territory. The Golden Ram offense covered the 15 yards in a minute to tie the game at 14. Then the game was halted for about an hour due to lightning. Overall in the period, West Chester held the Griffins to net 33 yards while the offense racked up 17 points.
• Leading 21-14 late in the third quarter with the ball on their own 18-yard line, the Golden Ram offense went three-and-out. Zack Liberatore lofted a 43-yard punt which Seton Hill was unable to handle and Kaleb Brown recovered the fumble. With another series of downs now at the Seton Hill 33-yard line, the WCU offense failed to net any yards. Fortunately, Sean Henry nailed a 50-yard field goal to put West Chester up 24-14 heading into the fourth quarter.

Kaleb Brown recovers a Seton Hill fumbled punt (Photo Chuck Greco)

Sean Henry converted a 50-yard field goal (Photo Chuck Greco)

• The West Chester offense lives and dies with quarterback Cooper Jordan. While he threw for 267 yards and a touchdown, he also tossed four interceptions and was sacked three times for 36 yards. While he ran for 97 yards and a touchdown, with West Chester up 24-21, three minutes left in the game, facing a third-and-nine, Jordan scrambled but slid too early and only gained eight yards forcing the Golden Rams to punt. Seton Hill would score the winning touchdown on the ensuing possession.

Cooper Jordan avoids tackles en route to the end zone (Photo Chuck Greco)

• Although none of West Chester's five turnovers led directly to Seton Hill points, they did take likely points off the board for the Golden Rams. Four were in the red zone of which two were in the end zone.
• Dayshawn Jacobs was again dressed but relegated to the sidelines. Jayden Williams and Juke Peaker combined for 42 yards on 19 carries which is an average of 2.2 yards/carry.

Jayden Williams reaches across the goal line for a touchdown (Photo Chuck Greco)

• D'Shaun Seals continues to sparkle. He had his second consecutive 100-yard receiving game by making nine catches for 171 yards including an 84-yard touchdown catch, making a double move before the catch and avoiding being pushed out of bounds after the catch.

D'Shaun Seals leaves Seton Hill defenders behind (Photo Chuck Greco)

• The West Chester defense started with Abdul Stewart and Matt Marshall at the corners with Zaire McLaurin covering the slot. When McLaurin left the game with an apparent hand injury late in the second quarter, on the very next play, Seton Hill threw at his replacement for a 74-yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead. On the next defensive series, Stewart shifted to the slot with Victor Pena taking the corner.
• After West Chester took its first lead in the contest midway through the third quarter, cornerback Abdul Stewart was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Then midway through the fourth period with WCU clinging to a 24-21 lead, he was cited again and thus ejected from the game which caused further shuffling of the Golden Ram secondary. Beyond having an adverse impact to this game, it was the fifth unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called on West Chester through the first three games of the season, so there's a growing question of discipline on this team.

Sortable Box Score   

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Can’t Overcome Turnovers in 27-24 Loss to Seton Hill

Seton Hill Athletic Site - Griffins Rally for 27-24 Win Over West Chester

D2football - PSAC Columnist - PSAC Week Three Recap

Golden Rams Review - Photo Album - Seton Hill

Game Replay

Game Preview - Seton Hill

In their final game before division play commences, the Golden Rams (0-2) travel to Greensburg, PA to take on the Seton Hill Griffins (1-2) on Saturday. Kickoff at Offutt Field is set for noon.

Series History:
West Chester owns a 4-0 lead in the series. The Golden Rams won handily in both 2014 and 2018 in Greensburg, and held on in a shootout in 2015 in West Chester. In their last meeting, the Golden Rams' defense dominated in a shutout victory in Farrell Stadium.

Last Meeting:

09/21/2019 West Chester 29 - Seton Hill 0

The Golden Rams had a dominating defensive performance by holding the Griffins to just 19 rushing yards on 23 attempts and 93 total passing yards. Of Seton Hill's eight first downs, three came as a result of a WCU penalty. The West Chester defense registered three sacks, an interception, and scored the game's first points on a safety. The West Chester offense was more methodical than explosive - they held the ball for almost 35 minutes, converting on 9 of 21 third downs and four of five fourth downs.

Scouting the Opponent:

Running back Ky'Ron Craggette (71 carries, 314 yards, 3 TD's) was first team All-PSAC West last season and is currently second in the conference in rushing, averaging 105 yards/game. Angelo State transfer Jake Cruz (44 of 91, 566 yards, 3 TD's, 2 int) is in his second full season at quarterback for the Griffins, although his top receiver from 2023, Mark Bails Jr., has since transferred to FCS Southern Utah University where he currently leads the Thunderbirds in receiving. Besides Craggette (10 catches, 74 yards), top pass catchers for the Griffins are tight end Ethan Fame (10 catches, 159 yards, 2 TD's), 6'5" Todd Phillips (5 catches, 155 yards, 1 TD), and receiver Cody Rubrecht (5 catches, 77 yards).

Ben Weaver (11 tackles, 2.5 TFL's) was second team All-PSAC West last year and is recognized as one of best defensive ends in NCAA Division II. Chadron State transfer linebacker Ritchie McCormack (22 tackles, 3.0 sacks) is the Griffins' best defender so far this season. David Awuah (20 tackles, 1 int) and Demetri Whitehead (15 tackles, 1 int, 2 PBU) are part of their five-man secondary. Whitehead led the entire PSAC in interceptions in 2023.

Punter Jack Wagner was named second team All-PSAC West last season and has pinned seven of 18 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line this season. Seton Hill's all-conference return specialist from last season has transferred to Division III Marietta College where he's getting an opportunity to play running back.

Analysis:

The Golden Rams are likely looking forward to playing a game against a questionable defense, since Seton Hill ranks last in the PSAC in points allowed with 30 per game. However, the Griffins are looking at this game the same way, as West Chester allows 29 points per game. With the passing games for both teams being similar in competency, the primary question is if the WCU defense, which ranks second to last in rushing yards allowed, can slow one of the best running backs in the conference? Last week, Seton Hill fought back from a 14-3 deficit entering the fourth quarter to score two touchdowns including the game winner with just nine seconds left in the game to defeat Bloomsburg 15-14, so know that the Griffins play until the clock shows triple zeros.

Seton Hill head coach and alumnus Daniel Day is in his sixth season with a record of 16-30. He led the Griffins to a 6-5 season in 2023 which was their best finish since joining the PSAC in 2012. Both Versus Sports and Massey Ratings expect a touchdown victory for West Chester.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video  

West Chester Athletic Site - Football Heads West In Search of First Win of the Season Saturday

PSAC Site - 2024 PSAC Football Week 3 Notes

Game Report - California 38 - West Chester 28

In a game that was not nearly as close as the final score, the Golden Rams dropped a 38-28 decision to the visiting California Vulcans (1-1) to start the season 0-2 for the first time since 2015.

The opening possession for each team set the tone for the eventual outcome. California took the opening kickoff and received little resistance in marching 75 yards in almost five minutes for a touchdown. Conversely, the Golden Rams parlayed a first-and-five position into a fourth-and-eight punting situation.

Zaire McLaurin drags down the Cal QB for a sack (Photo Chuck Greco)

While the West Chester defense held the Vulcans to a field goal on thier next possession, California held the ball for an additional seven minutes. Midway through the second quarter, trailing 10-0, West Chester took advantage of a Cal 13-yard punt to give the Golden Rams the ball at the Cal 44. Cooper Jordan connected with D'Shaun Seals on a 40-yard pass and then Jayden Williams scored a touchdown on a four-yard run to make the score 10-7.

D'Shaun Seals had 8 catches for 112 yards in the game (Photo Chuck Greco)

After Cal scored a touchdown late in the half, the Golden Rams had a final possession, but on the first play, Jordan threw deep down the middle into double coverage and was picked off. The Vulcans quickly converted the WCU miscue into another touchdown, and the teams made their way to halftime with Cal up 24-7. Exhibiting their dominance on both sides of the ball at halftime, Cal at least doubled West Chester in first downs (12-5), total yards (270-128), and time of possession (20-10).

After Cal extended their lead to 31-7 in the second half, the Golden Rams' offense finally found their footing. West Chester scored touchdowns on their final three possessions, with each drive lasting at least 11 plays, four minutes and 74 yards. Jordan (20 of 34, 269 yards, 2 TD, 1 int) connected on touchdown passses to tight end Thatcher Miller and receiver Zack Gillen. Seals had a huge game nabbing eight catches for 112 yards. Juke Peaker had 22 yards on the ground while Williams had 21 yards and two scores.

Even though the Cal DB gave Zack Gillen a hard hit, Gillen held on for the TD (Photo Chuck Greco)

Defensively, Shane Mosley had a game-high ten tackles and Connor Noble made nine stops. Abdul Stewart had four pass breakups, including one in the end zone, to go with two tackles. Zaire McLaurin and Seamus McCain each had third-down solo sacks which forced both of Cal's punts. On a Cal screen play on second-and-goal in the fourth quarter, Luke Trunell forced a fumble that was recovered by Nate Desmond.

Luke Trunell and Nate Desmond force a Cal fumble (Phot Chuck Greco)

But in general, the defense struggled mightily. Cal had seven plays of 20+ yards including a 60-yard touchdown run by their quarterback. Contributing to Cal's time of possession advantage was them converting on two fourth down attempts, including a fourth-and-14.

Jayden Williams score two touchdowns on six carries (Photo Chuck Greco)

Notes:

• Last week's leading rusher Dayshawn Jacobs was in uniform on the sideline but did not play.
• On WCU's final possession, Jordan tried twice to get a pass over the middle to Gillen only to have the the ball punched away. When the two did connect, Gillen held on despite taking a crushing blow from the Vulcan defensive back.
• Although not targeted, receiver Collin Callahan saw a lot of time.

Sortable Box Score    Coaches Box Score

West Chester Athletic Site - Cal Downs West Chester, 38-28

Daily Local News - Offensive uptick not enough to rescue West Chester

California Athletic Site - California posts win at West Chester

WCU Football Family - Photo Album - California

Golden Rams Review - Photo Album - California

Game Replay

Game Preview - California

The Golden Rams (0-1) host the California Vulcans (0-1) on Saturday in John A. Farrell Stadium. Kickoff for this PSAC crossover game is set for noon.

Series History:
Prior to this millennia, West Chester held a 4-0 advantage in the series. But from 2007 to 2009, the next four games went to California. This was the same three-year period that the Vulcans were winning the PSAC West and the NCAA Super Region 1. Included in this time frame were two meetings in 2008 when West Chester made their way out to California to open the season on a hot August day and then again for the PSAC championship game on a cold and windy November afternoon. However, the Golden Rams have won the past three matchups and West Chester now holds a 7-4 lead in the series. California's Gary Dunn entered his eighth season as head coach with a 49-18 record and made playoff appearances in both 2016 and 2017.

Last 10 Meetings:

Year	H/A	W/L	Score	Year	H/A	W/L	Score
1957	Home	Win	52-0	2008	Away	Loss	47-36
1994	Away	Win	60-14	2009	Home	Loss	30-23
1995	Home	Win	25-24	2012	Away	Win	37-34
2007	Home	Loss	30-14	2013	Home	Win	38-31
2008	Away	Loss	44-32	2019	Home	Win	20-19

Last Meeting:

11/16/2019 West Chester 20 - California 19

Entering the game, the Golden Rams needed a win to secure a spot in the NCAA Division II playoffs, however they played with no such urgency. Their first four possessions resulted in a mere three points and WCU trailed California late in the first half by a score of 13-3. But quarterback Paul Dooley connected on two touchdown passes to tight end Dan Neuhaus, and Andrew Chegia converted a 29-yard field goal to put West Chester up 20-13 with four minutes to play. The Vulcans were not done as they drive 84 yards, including converting two fourth downs, and scored a touchdown on the final play of regulation to bring the score to 20-19. Fortunately, California's PAT pass attempt fell incomplete and West Chester secured the one-point win and a trip to the postseason for the third consecutive year.

Scouting the Opponent:

The Vulcans finished 2023 with a 7-3 record with all three losses coming to playoff teams. From that team, they return: second Team All-PSAC West quarterback Davis Black (162 of 276, 2,525 yards, 19 TD's, 12 int, 5 rushing TD's), first team All-PSAC West receiver Eric Willis III (56 catches, 925 yards, 9 TD's), receiver Omari Hopkins (32 catches, 573 yards, 6 TD's) and running backs Eric McKan III (127 carries, 598 yards, 9 TD's) and Bobby Boyd, Jr. (94 carries, 582 yards, 3 TD's). Willis is considered one of the best receivers in the country.

There's just as much talent returning on the defensive side: first team All-PSAC West defensive back Keith Charney (30 tackles, 4 int, 6 PBU), second team All-PSAC West defensive back Dominic Solomon, Jr. (50 tackles, 2 int, 3 PBU), linebacker John Hutchinson (63 tackles, 5.0 sacks) and defensive lineman Julien Laventure (31 tackles, 6.5 TFL). Fortunately for Vulcan opponents, their best defender from 2023, linebacker Ibrahim Sanogo (40 tackles, 14.5 TFL, 8.0 sacks, 8 QB hurries), is now at the University at Albany.

On special teams, kicker Anthony Beitko (11 of 13 FG, 37 of 41 PAT) is a three-time All-PSAC West selection. Punter Clayton Rosensteel (34 punts, 38.6 avg, 5 I20 and 2 50+) returns this season. Willis averaged 9.2 yards per punt return and 15.9 yards per kick return.

Analysis:

Although California is currently 0-1, the Vulcans fell on the road to a nationally ranked opponent last week. In so doing, they outgained their opponent by almost 100 yards and held a 17 minute advantage in time of possession. California did turn the ball over three times with the final two leading to nine points and flipping their 19-14 lead to a 23-19 final score loss. Without significant improvement in the Golden Rams' offense, creating turnovers and converting them to points may be WCU's only option.

Versus Sports simulates a 33-22 Vulcan triumph while Massey Ratings favors California by a touchdown.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video   Game Program

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Football Looks to Bounce Back Against California (Pa.) Saturday at Home

PSAC Site - 2024 PSAC Football Week 2 Notes

D2football - PSAC Columnist - PSAC Week Two Preview