BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – For the second straight week, No. 21 Kutztown fell in a game that came down to the final minutes as No. 12 Bloomsburg outlasted the Golden Bears 44-37 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division opener for both teams.
 
Senior quarterback Kevin Morton (Abington, PA/Abington) became Kutztown's all-time leader in passing yardage, setting his second career record this season, but left the game due to injury in the second half and did not return. 
 
He went 16-of-21 for 182 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.  The shortened day gave him 9,184 career yards, passing the record Andy Breault's record of 9,096 yards. 
 
Josh Luckenbaugh (York, Pa./Dallastown) finished the game in relief and went 16-of-24 for 194 yards and two scores with one interception.
 
Shahaid Smith (Ridley, PA/Ridley) and Kodi Reed (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) both topped 100 yards receiving and Curtis Wortham (Philadelphia, PA/Father Judge) surpassed the century mark on the ground.  Smith had 12 catches, the most for a Golden Bear since Elfren Quiles hauled in a dozen passes in October 2007, and 113 yards.  Reed, meanwhile, had a team-high 119 yards on eight catches and two touchdowns. 
 
Wortham was carrying the load with Josh Mastromatto (Fort Washington, PA/Upper Dublin) out this week and came through with 21 rushes for 102 yards. 
 
Several defensive players also had big games.  Filling in for an injured Alex DiNolfi (Norristown, PA/Norristown), Greg Carroll (Unionville, PA/Unionville) had a game-high 17 tackles, the most for a KU player since Brian Bingnear had 17.5 in 2007.  Zach Greenwald (Gibbstown, N.J./Paulsboro) forced three of the Huskies' seven fumbles in the game and had 10 tackles. 
 
The game was marred by turnovers as the two squads combined for 10 total turnovers, including eight combined fumbles lost. 
 
KU struck first taking the opening kickoff and going 75 in 10 plays in less than three minutes.  Morton connected with Smith three times on the driving before finishing it off himself with a six-yard run for a 7-0 Kutztown lead. 
 
Bloomsburg capitalized on a short field later in the first as Eddie Mateo's 10-yard touchdown run polished off a 48-yard drive as the teams went to the second quarter tied at 7-7.
 
A Tim Kelly touchdown pass to Ryan Maggs early in the second put the Huskies on top, but the extra point failed for a 13-7 lead with 12:20 left in the half. 
 
The Golden Bears struck back on their next possession to take the lead.  Morton hit Brett Fox (Laureldale, Pa./Muhlenburg) for the receiver's only catch of the game, a 22-yard touchdown pass.  Wortham had 39 of the 67 yards on the drive as KU went ahead 14-13 with 9:50 on the clock in the second quarter.
 
The back and forth continued as Kelly and Franklyn Quiteh hooked up for a 65-yard touchdown and a 20-14 led for BU.
 
After the teams traded punts, KU went 73 yards on just six plays for a touchdown.  Morton was a perfect 5-of-5 in the offensive series, culminating with an 18-yard strike to Reed and a 21-20 lead just 3:16 before the intermission.
 
On the last possession of the half, Bloomsburg got close enough for Dan Fisher to kick a 42-yard field goal to give the Huskies the halftime lead, 23-21.
 
Ryan Dickerson hauled in a 33-yard catch on the first possession of the second half to set up a two-yard touchdown by Quiteh to stretch the Bloomsburg lead to 30-21.
 
KU was forced to punt on its next series, but Dickerson fumbled the return and Adam Goeringer (Dallas, Pa./Dallas) recovered for Kutztown at the 23 yard line.  After a four-yard run by Wortham, Luckenbaugh found Reed for a 19-yard score to pull the Golden Bears to within two, 30-28.
 
Late in the quarter, Kutztown fumbled deep in its own territory and Tony David recovered in the end zone to give the Huskies a 37-28 lead entering the final quarter of play.
 
Midway through the fourth, Quiteh broke away for a 47-yard touchdown scamper and Bloomsburg appeared to be in control 44-28.
 
Kutztown, however, was not finished.  Luckenbaugh regained his rhythm and went 5-of-6 on the next drive, starting with a 24-yard pass to Reed and ending with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Kelly (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville Area) that brought KU within 44-34 with 6:23 to go in the game.
 
Bloomsburg stayed with a ground game that had served the Huskies well all afternoon, but Eric Condron (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) stripped the ball from Mateo and Adam Goeringer (Dallas, Pa./Dallas) recovered to give Kutztown the ball in Bloomsburg territory.  A 26-yard field goal by Jack Ruggieri (West Grove, PA/Avon Grove) made it 44-37 with 3:42 remaining.
 
The Huskies marched deep into Golden Bear territory, but Greenwald forced a fumble and Cody Waltimyer (York, Pa./York Suburban) recovered at the KU one yard line to give Kutztown a last chance with 2:17 to play.
 
Luckenbaugh completed three passes and rushed for eight yards before Terrell Oglesby intercepted a pass to ice the game for BU.
 
Quiteh had 152 of Bloomsburg's 309 rushing yards and scored twice.  Mateo tallied 85 yards on the ground.  Kelly completed 16-of-28 passes for 246 yards and two scores.  Kyle Fisher caught six passes for 71 yards.
 
Jarrett Pidgeon had 13 tackles to lead Bloomsburg, while Larry Webster notched 1.5 sacks. 
 
KU's passing game continued to click, with Morton and Luckenbaugh combining for 376 yards and four touchdowns, the fourth straight game of 300-plus yards and at least four touchdowns, dating back to last year.
 
Kutztown returns home for Family Day against West Chester on September 22 at 1:05 p.m.