Cal routs Edinboro, to play for PSAC title
CALIFORNIA – If the California University football team was going to clinch the PSAC West Division title, Vulcans coach Gary Dunn knew his defense would need to stop one of the best quarterbacks in NCAA Division II.
Dunn and his defensive coordinator, Mike Craig, emphatically checked that box Saturday afternoon at Adamson Stadium as the Vulcans (9-0, 7-0) hammered title contender Edinboro, 52-7, clinching the PSAC West and earning a spot in the State Game that will be played at California next week against Eastern Division champion Kutztown. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
Edinboro (5-2, 8-2) quarterback Jake Sisson entered the contest second in Division II in passing yards (3,193) and touchdowns (37). He did not fare well against the Vulcans’ defense. Sisson’s afternoon ended because of injury in the middle part of the fourth quarter. He was limited to 145 passing yards on 18 completions in 46 attempts. Though he was sacked only once, the Vulcans’ defensive front forced hurried throws and hit Sisson all day.
“That’s what we are built on – we try to put pressure on the quarterback,” Dunn said. “We want the other quarterback to have to make quick decisions.”
California held the high-powered Fighting Scots to 213 total yards, about 260 below their average.
“We did a great job of scheming things all week and we went out and executed on the field,” Dunn said. “Coach Craig and the kids did a phenomenal job.”
Aaron Terry and Jordan Bowman collected interceptions for the Vulcans. Terry’s interception short-circuited an Edinboro march at the California 24-yard line in the middle of the first quarter. The Vulcans missed out on points from the interception after Will Brazill missed a 47 yard field-goal attempt. But Bowman’s interception off a deflection later in the half was the momentum-swinger that sent the Vulcans on their way.
Bowman corralled a deflected pass near midfield in the middle of the second quarter. He found a convoy of blockers and made it to the Edinboro 2. From there, John Franklin plowed into the end zone, giving the Vulcans a 14-7 lead that they would simply build upon all afternoon.
“They ran a slant, the corner came up made a great play on the ball, it was tipped up and I went and got it,” Bowman said. “And my guys, they escorted me down the sidelines. I’m not sure why I didn’t get in.”
While the Vulcans’ defense dominated, the offense shrugged off a slow start and eventually wore down the Fighting Scots, rolling up 415 yards total offense.
Quarterback Michael Keir and wide receiver Garry Brown did much of the damage. Keir finished with 20 completions in 28 attempts for 254 yards and four scores. Brown had two of those touchdowns to go along with 149 receiving yards.
Brown displayed his immense athleticism early in the third quarter when he outjumped two Edinboro defenders and snagged a Keir lob pass from 33 yards, pushing the Vulcans’ lead to 28-7.
“I went up with one of them and we both came down with the ball, I was just able to come away with it,” Brown said with a smile.
Brown’s other two touchdowns included a 59-yard catch and run midway through the fourth quarter and a 53-yard punt return to end the scoring with eight minutes remaining.
Tight end Paul Butler was Keir’s third scoring target as he pulled in a five-yard pass in the end zone midway through the third quarter, giving the Vulcans a 35-7 advantage.
Brazill added a 22-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to increase the Vulcans’ lead to 31 points.
The Vulcans’ first drive was set up by a short Edinboro punt that gave them the ball at their own 40. From there, California drove 60 yards for the game’s opening score. Keir found Tom Greene in the end zone from seven yards for a 7-0 lead.
Edinboro’s defense made its presence felt early in the second quarter when safety Aaron Rogers intercepted Keir at the Vulcans’ 44. Four plays later, Sisson scored on a quarterback draw to tie the score at 7-7. He also completed three passes for 40 yards on the march.
“Give credit to Edinboro, they did a good job with personnel match ups to give us problems early,” Dunn added. “It took us a while before we got going.”
David Ballew III appeared to inject life into the Fighting Scots again when he intercepted a Keir pass at the Edinboro 15 late in the half. But a facemask penalty against Edinboro nullified the interception, giving the Vulcans’ end-of-half drive new life. Using that reprieve, California made it 21-7 courtesy of Franklin’s second short scoring run.