- Video Replay
- Photo Gallery
- Senior Day Photo Gallery
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University football team completed its first perfect Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) regular season in program history on Saturday, as the Golden Bears (7-3, 7-0 PSAC East) defeated Cheyney 32-6 on a sunny afternoon at Andre Reed Stadium.
KU now turns its attention to next Saturday, Nov. 12's PSAC Championship game at No. 6 California (Pa.) (9-0), who defeated No. 24 Edinboro 52-7 on Saturday afternoon to clinch the PSAC West and complete an undefeated regular season. The Maroon and Gold are aiming for their second PSAC title in their third-ever Championship game appearance. Kickoff time is 12 p.m.
Prior to kickoff on Saturday, Kutztown honored the 19 members of the KU football senior class of 2016, and many of them made an impact in their final game at Andre Reed Stadium.
Following a defensive stop on Cheyney's first possession of the afternoon, it took Kutztown just three plays to go 87 yards for the opening score. Senior
James Wah Jr. (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) exploded down the sideline for a career-long 74-yard rush to put the Golden Bears up 6-0 just 4:15 in.
It was then two seniors on the KU defense combining to extend the first quarter lead to 12-0, as a
Ronny Tomasetti (Dickson City, Pa./Mid-Valley) sack in the endzone forced a fumble and there to recover it was fellow classmate
Dean Gregory (Shavertown, Pa./Crestwood) with 3:46 showing on the clock.
Sophomore
Craig Reynolds (Willow Grove, Pa./Abington) moved into a tie for third place for single-season rushing touchdowns when a three-yard run 1:18 into the second quarter gave him 14 for the year and made the score 19-0.
On the ensuing possession, senior
Lance Deane Jr. (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) picked off Cheyney quarterback Dominick Trautz for his first interception of the year. The next play resulted in history.
Already the program's career receiving touchdowns leader,
Kellen Williams (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) became the program's all-time leader in receptions with a nine-yard catch, giving him 203 for his career.
With the score remaining 19-0 going into the half, an interception return to inside the five and penalty to extend the drive finally allowed Cheyney to finally crack the KU defense. A three-yard touchdown run 6:36 out of the break momentarily made the score 19-6, but a 43-yard kick return by
Abdul-Hassan Neblett (Newark, N.J./Paramus Catholic) gave the Golden Bears great field position, which it needed just one play to capitalize on.
Again it was Wah Jr. busting loose, this time from 46 yards out to reestablish a three-score lead – 26-6. An interception by
Ahkee Cox-Cowan (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) gave Kutztown the ball back, and just three plays later, thanks in large part to a 49-yard reception by Williams, it was Wah Jr. punching it in once again. This time it was from four yards out for his career-best third touchdown to complete the scoring with 2:31 left in the third.
Wah Jr. finished with 175 yards on 16 carries and the career-high three touchdowns for an average of 10.9 yards per carry. He also had a 25-yard reception and 14-yard kick return for 214 all-purpose yards.
Reynolds added 51 yards on 14 carries to move into fourth place in program history for rushing yards in a single-season, as he now has 1,156 through 10 games.
Williams caught two passes for 58 yards to end the afternoon seven yards shy of tying the program's all-time receiving yards record of 2,857.
Zack Delp (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) and
Tajier Jefferson (East Orange, N.J./Queen of Peace) led the KU defense with seven tackles each, with Delp adding two tackles for loss and a sack. Tomasetti had six tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks.