Bloomsburg University Downs California(PA) in Battle of Ranked Teams
BLOOMSBURG- Red-shirt freshman Oscar Rivera's (Bethlehem/Bethlehem Liberty) 52-yard interception return for a touchdown lifted 18th-ranked Bloomsburg University (2-0) to a 24-17 win over fifth-ranked California (PA) University (1-1) on Saturday. The game was the first played in the newly renovated Redman Stadium and was played in a steady downpour.
Rivera's game-changing play came late in the third period with the Huskies clinging to a 17-14 lead. Vulcan's quarterback Kevin McCabe went back to pass, but Rivera stepped in front of the throw near mid-field and raced towards the end zone dragging McCabe with him for the final five yards. The return gave the Huskies a 24-14 lead, which they held on to for their second straight upset win of a higher-ranked team.
Bloomsburg started quickly in the game scoring on its opening possession with Stefan Adams (West Chester/Henderson) capping the 76-yard drive with a four-yard run. A big play in the drive was a 30-yard run by freshman Derrick Price (Burlington, NJ/Burlington) who gained a total of 72 yards on the drive on five carries.
In the second period the Huskies made it 14-0 when quarterback Dan Latorre (Elysburg/Southern Columbia) scrambled 49-yards for a score. The first half for Bloomsburg was a marked difference from a week ago when the Huskies trailed 15th-ranked Ashland, 35-14. This week the Huskies allowed just 76 yards of offense, while gaining 228 themselves.
California got on the board in the third period when McCabe hit Marcel Pestano with a 49-yard scoring pass to bring the Vulcans within seven points at 14-7 with 8:39 left in the third.
After the Huskies recovered a muffed punt from Cal, on the next play Latorre was intercepted by Patrick Swearinger. The Vulcans then needed just three plays to tie the game with the score coming from Windell Brown on a 38-yard run with 5:59 to play in the third.
On its ensuing drive the Huskies moved inside the Cal 20-yard line before the drive stalled. Jon Koenig (Pine Grove/Pine Grove) then hit a 35-yard field goal to put the Huskies in front 17-14.
It was on Cal's next drive that Rivera's game-changing play occurred. Later the Vulcans got back within a touchdown early in the fourth period when Derek Fiorenza connected on a 23-yard field goal to make it 24-17.
After Cal's defense forced a three and out for the Huskies, the Vulcans ate up over six minutes of clock, but had their drive stall at the Bloomsburg 33-yard line. McCabe threw three straight incompletions turning the ball over on downs with 1:48 to go.
Bloomsburg was able to run out the clock after Kenny Domzalski (Milford/Delaware Valley) picked up a first down with an 11-yard run with under a minute to go.
Overall, Price finished with 169 yards rushing on 26 carries as the Huskies totaled 325 yards on the ground. McCabe led Cal with 153 yards passes on 11 of 25 with one score and one interception.
Bloomsburg will host Mercyhurst next week at 1:30 p.m., while California will host Lake Erie College.
