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SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Kutztown University football team led by double-digits at halftime, gave up 34 points in the second half, nearly overcame a double-digit deficit in the final minutes after a Shippensburg University turnover with 17 seconds left, but it all came down to the final play in Saturday's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) showdown. A KU pass went out of the back corner of the end zone as Shippensburg came away with the 37-32 victory at Seth Grove Stadium.
 
The Golden Bears (5-5, 5-4 PSAC) led the Red Raiders (6-4, 5-4) 19-3 at halftime, but allowed 27 of the next 34 points to give Shippensburg a 30-26 lead early in the fourth quarter. Following a KU three-and-out, Shippensburg built even more momentum by holding the ball and driving 75 yards for a touchdown to take a 37-26 lead with 3:21 to play.
 
With its back against the wall, Kutztown used the air attack to move its way down the field. KU had four plays go for 10 or more yards, and gained another 15 yards off a Shippensburg facemask to put it within the 10-yard line. Quarterback Chad Barton (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) connected with junior captain Kodi Reed (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) for a seven-yard touchdown pass with 2:01 to play to cut the score to 37-32. KU went for two, but the Barton pass went out of the back of the end zone.
 
Down five with one timeout, Kutztown could not allow Shippensburg to gain a first down, or the game would be over. Shippensburg rushed twice for three combined yards before KU took a timeout with 1:09 to play. KU made the crucial stop on third down as Shippensburg called timeout with 22 seconds left before its ensuing punt on fourth down.
 
In an unexpected turn of events, the snap to the Shippensburg punter hit one of the three Red Raiders shielding the punter. The ball was dove on 18 yards behind the line of scrimmage by the Shippensburg punter as KU took over at the 29-yard line with 17 seconds to play.
 
Barton connected with Kellen Williams (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) for 21 yards on first down, and got out of bounds to stop the clock. KU had two incomplete passes, and after the clock initially ran out as Shippensburg fans cheered, the officials added 1.7 seconds for one final play. Barton scrambled, kept the play alive along the KU sideline, tossed a pass to the back right corner of the end zone for Anthony Kelly (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville Area), but the pass was too high, ending the potential comeback.
 
Kutztown held the ball for just 3:45 of the final 15:00 of the fourth quarter, as Shippensburg converted 10 first downs and totaled 185 yards in the final quarter.
 
Barton threw for 340 yards and four touchdowns on 24-for-45 passing. He connected with eight different receivers as Reed and Williams combined for 12 catches and 214 yards and three scores.
 
Reed's day was capped with his touchdown late in the fourth quarter. He had six catches for a career-high 133 yards and two touchdowns. He now has 18 career touchdowns for seventh all-time. It was a much-needed effort from Reed, who hauled in his first touchdown since the season-opener and first 100-yard outing since last year.
 
Williams, a local Chambersburg native, had six catches for 81 yards and a score. On Kutztown's first offensive play of the game, Barton used a play-action to allow Williams to break free over the top, but the ensuing pass sailed just over Williams hands with the wind at KU's back.
 
Continuing to drive with the wind at its back, freshman kicker Alec Rosenfeld (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) drove home a season-long 46-yard field goal to give KU a 3-0 lead with 4:10 left in the first quarter. It was one of two field goals for the freshman kicker, who is now 11-for-12 on the year.
 
On Kutztown's next possession, Barton scrambled out of the pocket and fired a deep pass down the middle of the field. Reed and a Shippensburg defender both raced to the ball, but as the Shippensburg defender dove past the pass, Reed hauled in the catch, turned, and raced 30 yards into the end zone for a 70-yard touchdown. KU led 9-0 following a blocked extra point with 14 seconds left in the quarter.
 
The teams traded 32-yard field goals on the next two drives to give KU a 12-3 lead midway through the second quarter.
 
The next four plays following the kickoff featured three turnovers, two of which fell in favor of the Golden Bears. The KU defense recovered a fumble on a first-down run by the Red Raiders, and following a KU fumble on a sack, the Shippensburg quarterback threw an interception to Kutztown's Jalen Nieves (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) to cap the exciting run on plays.
 
Kutztown took advantage of a Shippensburg personal foul call on a long third-down to continue its eventual touchdown drive. Barton connected with Williams for 24 yards across the middle for a KU touchdown and a 19-3 lead.
 
Kutztown led 19-3 at halftime, but Shippensburg answered on its first drive of the second half with a 52-yard drive. Following a blocked extra point by Kutztown's Tyrone Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic), Kutztown led 19-9.
 
Anthony Castillo (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) caught his first career pass on Saturday on a 4-yard TD pass for Castillo's first career touchdown in the Maroon and Gold. Shippensburg answered with three unanswered touchdowns to take the 11-point lead.
 
Shippensburg quarterback Chris Lawshe threw for 251 yards and ran for 102 yards on 13 carries. He was 29-of-36 through the air with three touchdowns. His top target was senior Trevor Harman, who had 13 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown.
 
Defensively, Kutztown had three players notch double-digit tackles. Sam Dougan (Secane, Pa./Ridley) finished with a game-high 12, English Peay (Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington) tallied 11, and Nieves brought down 10 tackles. Ronny Tomasetti (Dickson City, Pa./Mid-Valley) notched a sack in the setback.
 
The Golden Bears have their final chance to secure a winning season on Saturday, Nov. 15 on the road at Clarion University. Game time is set for 12 p.m.