Nov 10, 2024 By Joe Tuscano 2 min read

CALIFORNIA — It was the perfect warmup for next week’s PSAC State Game.

California played well in all facets of the game on its way to a 28-14 victory over Edinboro Saturday afternoon in the PSAC West finale for both teams. Cal will await the arrival of Kutztown next Saturday in the championship.

The Vulcans beat Kutztown in the second week of last season and beat them the last time the two teams met in the State Game in 2016.

“I thought we played well,” said Cal head coach Gary Dunn. “We left some things out there but I think we played well. I was extremely concerned coming off the bye week, and had as much time off as we did. I was worried we’d come out rusty. I was really proud of the offense.”

Davis Black completed 12 of 20 passes for 183 yards, and threw two touchdown passes to D’Avay Johnson. Eric Williams hurt Edinboro with six receptions for 120 yards.

“I have a very tight connection with Davis,” Williams said. “In the summer, we put in the extra hours. The passing game is more effective, especially with all the other guys around me.”

Black also ran for a short touchdown in the third quarter that put Cal up 21-7.

Edinboro still tried, cutting the lead to 21-14 before the Vulcans’ Eric McKan III broke off a 20-yard scoring run to ice the game.

“Every time Edinboro scored, we came back and scored,” said Dunn.

The first half was the ‘Davis Black Show.’

Cal’s quarterback accounted for 183 of the Vulcans’ 195 yards.

The Vulcans’ defense held Edinboro to 87 total yards (51 rushing). Edinboro fumbled three times, losing one and was intercepted once. Cal did not have a turnover.

“We started really well in the first half,” said free safety Keith Charney, who led the Vulcans with eight tackles. “We just had to pick it up in the second half. Our front four is pretty elite. They can play with anyone.”

Quarterbacks Isaac Bernard and Bo Swartz were sacked six times total. Josh Miller, Cal’s outside linebacker, had five tackles and 1.5 sacks.

“The big play hurt us today,” said Edinboro head coach John Nulph. “I think Cal did a really good job with their chunk plays. We just couldn’t generate any big plays on offense. In the first half, we had a lot of third-and-shorts and couldn’t capitalize on them.”