EAST STROUDSBURG – Trailing 10-7 at halftime, the East Stroudsburg University football team's offense caught fire and its defense made plays when it mattered in a 37-30 win over California (PA) on Saturday afternoon at Eiler-Martin Stadium.
With the win, the Warriors (9-2) record its most wins since 2008, post a 6-0 home record for the first time since 2002, and hope to hear its name called on the NCAA DII Football Selection Show on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. live on NCAA.com. The Vulcans (7-3) close the regular season with the loss.
Tied at 27-27 with just over six minutes remaining,
Charlie McKee connected on an 80-yard touchdown play to give the Warriors the lead for good. Both squads added late field goals, as the Warriors recovered the ensuing on-side kick with 10 seconds remaining and kneeled the final ticks of the clock away.
Notables
- ESU QB Charlie McKee took over quarterback duties in the second half and the Warrior offense flourished, as the Oceanside, N.Y. native completed 7-11 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns, while also finding the end zone on a four-yard rushing touchdown.
- McKee found John Siggins for a 31-yard touchdown and an 11-yard touchdown in the second half. With the game tied at 27-27 with 6:06 remaining, McKee dialed up the long ball to Evan Roche for an 80-yard touchdown to give ESU the lead for good.
- Both rushing defenses were dominant as ESU and Cal were held to 2.4 yards per carry. Tahir Mills opened the scoring for the Red and Black with a six-yard touchdown, while Tyriq Lewis led the Warriors with 65 yards on the ground.
- The Warrior offense compiled 295 yards of its 399 total offensive yards (74%) in the second half to keep pace with the high-power Cal offense that produced 430 yards. Cal QB Davis Black completed 31-46 passes for 364 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. His favorite targets were D'Avay Johnson (8 receptions for 136 yards) and Eric Willis III (9 rec.,84 yards, 1 TD)
- The ESU defense bent but didn't break, producing four turnovers with three interceptions and a fumble recovery. On his senior day, Daryn Blackwell recovered a fumble and posted his first career interception after a deflection from Deshawn McCarthy. Khalil Scott also registered his first career interception, while Shavar Hussett nabbed his third interception this season and his second over the past two weeks.
- After being named PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week on Monday, Sergei Felizor was a tackling machine once again, totaling 14 tackles. Noah Hambrick added 12, while Blackwell made seven stops. Felizor becomes the first Warrior since 2010 to record 100-plus tackles in back-to-back seasons, now with 102 in 11 games this season.
- Deshawn McCarthy broke up a couple of passes and brought down Davis Black for his 31st career sack. He now stands alone at third all-time in program history. McCarthy is just two sacks away from tying Joe Ruedt (1999) and Des Hussey (1991) for the program record.
- ESU improves to 6-0 at home for the third time in program history (2002, 1965). ESU is undefeated at Eiler-Martin Stadium for the first time since 2002 and marks the 19th season that ESU has a perfect record in the Poconos. Home undefeated seasons include 2002 (6-0), 1992 (5-0), 1982 (5-0), 1979 (4-0), 1976 (5-0), 1968 (4-0), 1966 (3-0), 1965 (6-0), 1964 (4-0) 1962 (4-0), 1960 (4-0), 1956 (4-0), 1942 (3-0), 1934 (2-0-1), 1933 (3-0), 1932 (2-0-1), 1927 (5-0) and its inaugural season in 1926 (4-0).
- Prior to the contest, ESU was honored seniors Devin Bartholomew, Daryn Blackwell, Paul Carreras, Rourke Colligan, Jahmere Crumpton, Nick Davanzo, Sergei Felizor, Shavar Hussett, Adrian Lambert, Elias Marte, Deshawn McCarthy, Jonathan Post and Aaron Tobias for their contributions to the football program and East Stroudsburg University. Photos to come soon.
- With the win, ESU snaps a five-game losing streak to the Vulcans, dating back to 2007. It's ESU's first win against Cal since 2006. The Vulcans lead the all-time series. 5-4-1.
- ESU seeks its fifth trip to the NCAA Tournament and its first since 2009. ESU reached the NCAA Playoffs in 1991, 2004, 2005 and 2009.
How It Happened
- The first half featured just 17 combined points. With both defenses standing strong, yards and points were at a premium. After an ESU punt to open the game, the Vulcans started its first possession in ESU territory at the 33-yard line after a personal foul penalty. It took eight plays for the Vulcans to go 33 yards, with Eric McKann III scampering in the end zone from four yards out, lifting Cal to a 7-0 lead.
- For just the second game this season, the Warriors did not put points on the scoreboard first but responded to Cal's touchdown. QB Sean McTaggart led a 10-play, 77-yard drive. He found Randy Fizer on a 42-yd connection on 2nd and 10 near midfield, setting up a Mills rushing touchdown from six yards out.
- The Vulcans and Warriors exchanged punts offensively before Blackwell was able to jump on a fumble to give the Warriors possession with 7:39 left in the opening half. ESU was forced to punt for the third and final time for the game. After taking possession on its own 10-yard line, the Vulcans milked the final four minutes of clock, with Anthony Beitko knocking in a 20-yd field goal to take a 10-7 lead into the Koehler Fieldhouse locker room.
- The Warrior defense forced a 3-and-out to start the second half strong. McKee took over quarterback duties and delivered. On 3rd and 11, he flipped the field with a signature a 32-yard acrobatic catch from DJ Thomson. After a six-yard rush from Lewis, McKee dialed up a 31-yard touchdown pass to Siggins to lift ESU to a 14-10 edge.
- On Cal's next drive, Hussett recorded his second interception in two games. Mills found a seam for 43 yards on a screen pass to put the Warriors inside the five-yard line. McKee found the end zone himself, increasing the lead to 21-10.
- The Vulcans countered with a touchdown drive, going 75-yards on seven plays to cut its deficit to 21-17 to close the third quarter. ESU did not letup on the gas, as Lewis was able to gain separation on the ground with 33 yards on the drive that started at midfield. McKee found Siggins for the second time, this time from 11-yards out to lift ESU's lead to 27-17. Cal blocked the ensuing PAT and brought the ball back 95 yards for two points, cutting the Warrior lead to a single possession at 27-19.
- The Warrior defense was up to the task, forcing punt that went just 21 yards. ESU fumbled on its next possession, as the Vulcans were able to tie the contest at 27-27 on its next drive after a 20-yd touchdown pass from Black to Eric Willis III.
- With just six minutes to go, the Vulcans recorded a sack fumble on ESU's second play of the drive, taking possession over on the ESU 31-yard line. Needing a stop defensively, the Warriors did just that. Cal converted a 4th-and-8 at the ESU 32-yard line, but on its next play, Black's pass was broken up by McCarthy, as Blackwell was able to secure his first career interception at the ESU 20-yard line.
- It took ESU one play and just 13 seconds to go 80 yards, with McKee rocketing an 80-yard touchdown pass to Roche with no defenders in sight. The pass is the longest for a Warrior quarterback this season. ESU converted the PAT to make it a seven-point lead late with 3:37 to play.
- ESU held possession at the Cal 33-yardline with 2:58 remaining with the goal of extending its lead to two possessions while wasting clock, and they did just that. Devin Bartholomew booted potentially his final field goal through the uprights at Eiler-Martin Stadium from 41-yards out to extend the lead to 37-27 with 30 seconds left in the contest.
- After a Warrior squib kick, the Vulcans made the contest a one-possession game with a 39-yard field goal with 10 seconds left on the clock. An onside kick was recovered by the Warriors, as Aaron Tobias took the final kneeldown on senior day for the final score of 37-30.
Up Next
- ESU will find out if it has earned one of the seven allotted spots in NCAA Super Region 1 portion of the NCAA Playoff bracket on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. live on NCAA.com.
