Bloomsburg Football Falls to West Chester

WEST CHESTER -- The Bloomsburg University football team lost to West Chester, 44-28, on Saturday. The loss drops the Huskies 2-3, 0-1 in the PSAC East, while West Chester improves to 4-1, 1-0 in the PSAC East.

The Golden Rams got four touchdowns from wide receiver Mike Washington, three through the air, and one rushing.

Washington opened the scoring by catching a 38-yard scoring pass from Bill Zwaan with 7:18 left in the first period. Bloomsburg's first score came when quarterback Dan Latorre (Elysburg/Southern Columbia) and Brahin Bilal (Philadelphia/Lincoln) connected on a 17-yard touchdown throw.with 3:23 left in the first.

The Golden Rams moved in front 14-7 on the last play of the first period when Osagie Osunde caught at 19-yard scoring pass from Zwaan. The Huskies tied the score at 14-all when Bilal caught his second touchdown pass of the day, this one a 77-yard bomb with 10:24 left in the period.

Then, just before halftime, the Golden Rams moved 61 yards, converting three times on third down, and getting a five-yard touchdown throw from Zwaan to Washington for a 21-14 lead at the break.

Bloomsburg did have two scoring chances in the third period come up short. On one drive the Huskies moved to the West Chester 14-yard line, but a field goal attempt from Jon Koenig (Pine Grove/Pine Grove) missed. Then later, the Huskies moved to the West Chester 42-yard line, but Latorre was intercepted ending the threat. West Chester did convert a 30-yard field goal with less than a minute to play third leaving Bloomsburg with a 10-point deficit at 24-14.

West Chester made it 31-14 early in the fourth when Osunde scored on a one-yard run. The drive was set-up by Latorre's second interception of the day giving the Golden Rams the ball at the BU 27-yard yard line.

Bloomsburg cut the lead back to 10 when Latorre his Kyle Ream (Elliotsburg/West Perry) with a 31-yard scoring pass with 10:47 left to play. However, the Golden Rams needed just three plays to score with Washington catching a 71-yard scoring pass from Zwaan for a 38-21 advantage.

The Huskies added a 10-yard scoring pass to Bilal from Latorre with 5:52 left to make it a 38-28 game. Bloomsburg's on-side kick attempt was recovered by West Chester which the Golden Rams converted into the game's final score, a 22-yard run by Washington.

Bloomsburg was led by Latorre who rushed five times for a career-high 81 yards, while also completing 12 of 26 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns. Bilal caught five passes for 145 yards and three scores.

Osunde gained 134 yards on 24 carries, while Washington caught four passes for 134 yards and three scores. Zwaan finished 14-24 for 278 yards and four TDs.

Bloomsburg travels to Kutztown next week for a 6:05 p.m. start.