West Chester used a dink and dunk passing game and persitent rushing effort to run up and down the field to the tune of 397 yards and 37 minutes in time of possession. Unfortunately, it resulted in just two Tommy Pajic field goals sandwiched around a botched Bloomsburg snap for a safety and a total of eight points.
Jayden Trace and Jamir Reyes limit the Bloomsburg play (Photo Chuck Greco)Meanwhile on the other side of the ball, the Golden Ram defense had their best performance of the season, squelching the Bloomsburg rushing offense to just 67 yards (with 13 of those coming in overtime). The Huskies had three plays - a 23-yard first quarter pass, a 43-yard fourth-quarter pass, and a 34-yard completion - that accounted for almost half of their offense in the game, but unfortunately two of those plays accounted for 15 points as well.
Tommy Pajic is 7 of 9 on field goals this season (Photo Chuck Greco)So with 90 seconds left and trailing 15-8, the Golden Rams offense was facing 75 yards to score a touchdown. With this heightened sense of urgency, quarterback Colin O'Sullivan (27 of 41, 318 yards, 1 TD) picked his way down the field, hitting Isaiah Wright (37 yards rushing, 1 catch for 6 yards), Blake Thomas (4 catches, 101 yards), Reese Clark (8 catches, 88 yards), and ultimately Dylan McKenzie (8 catches, 97 yards) to get into the end zone. Rylan Zuk's PAT tied the game at 15.
Seamus McCain and Elijah Motley join on a tackle for loss (Photo Chuck Greco)With 15 seconds left, the Huskies fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Golden Rams recovered at the Bloomsburg 41. But Pajic's 55-yard field goal attempt fell well short and the game went to overtime. While the Golden Ram defense forced a third down, Bloomsburg eventually scored the game-winning touchdown. West Chester's overtime possession was set back with a nine-yard sack on first down, and would never get back to the original line of scrimmage.
Blake Thomas hauls in a successful tip drill (Photo Chuck Greco)The Golden Rams were aggressive on offense early in the game, going for it on fourth down five times (twice successful) in the first three quarters. But late in the game, they seemed to turtle. With just 15 seconds left in regulation, after navigating 75 yards in just 1:15 to score a touchdown, the Bloomsburg defense was reeling. But rather than attempting a game-winning two-point conversion, West Chester fell back on a game-tying PAT and likely overtime. Then after the Huskies fumbled the ensuing kickoff, the Golden Rams had the ball at the Bloomsburg 41 with eight seconds and a timeout, and just got done completing four passes to four different receivers. But rather than attempting a pass that could have gained more yards to make a field goal more likely, West Chester got a two-yard running play to force a 55-yard field goal attempt. And midway through the fourth quarter with West Chester holding an 8-7 lead and facing a third-and-19, the Golden Rams surrendered and ran a draw for no yards, setting up a 37 yard punt, 11 yard return, and a short 46 yards for Bloomsburg to score the go ahead touchdown.
Colin O'Sullivan placed this pass perfectly to Reese Clark (Photo Chuck Greco)As much as West Chester's special teams have improved this season, today wasn't a good day. Two of Pajic's kickoffs sailed out of bounds. After WCU forced a three-and-out on Bloomsburg's first possession, on the ensuing punt, Jayden Trace blocked a Bloomsburg player into Adrien Mosley which caused a muff the Huskies recovered and turned into their first score. And Jack Corrigan's four punts averaged 34 yards in the air, except one bounced and rolled for a total of 51 yards.
Jamir Reyes sacks the Husky quarterback (Photo Chuck Greco)Other observations:
Dylan McKenzie streaks to the end zone on this 38-yard catch (Photo Chuck Greco)- Mic Johnson, West Chester's leading rusher this season, did not have a carry and only appeared on one offensive play, making a two-yard catch.
- Bryan Anderson had a tremendous leaping interception midway through the third quarter which led to Pajic's go ahead 22-yard field goal.
- Bloomsburg took advantage of the absence of starting cornerback Andrew Garwo who was not dressed for the game. He joined the list of unavailable players that included defensive tackle Jack Fry, fullback Mitch Ragni, and defensive lineman Debrick Johnson. Late in the first quarter, quarterback Tyler Douglas took a shot and left the game and and center Connor Tuk exited the contest on the same drive.
- Anthony Aviles, who replaced Tuk at center, got his name in the box score when he caught a deflected pass and advanced it a yard.
- In limited playing time, Solo Bambara registered a 16-yard strip sack which forced a Bloomsbug punt.
- Jamir Reyes, Seamus McCain, and Miles Goodwin were each credited with six tackles.
West Chester Athletic Site - Bloomsburg Tops West Chester Football in OT, 22-15
Bloomsburg Athletic Site - Wolfe's Overtime Touchdown, Dominant Defensive Effort Lift Bloomsburg Past West Chester, 22-15
Chuck Bitner - Photo Album - Bloomsburg
Golden Rams Review - Photo Album - Bloomsburg
