CALIFORNIA, Pa. -- Kutztown emerged from a crazy back-and-forth affair at California (Pa.) with a 35-28 win, Saturday, after Collin DiGalbo (Secane, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) found Jack Pilkerton (La Plata, Md./La Plata) for a 34-yard touchdown pass with 15 seconds remaining.

Cal U had tied the game at 28 just over two minutes earlier when Nelson Brown bulldozed his way off the left side and into the end zone, but the Bears' offense turned to its leaders down the stretch.

Nyiem Nevarez (Effort, Pa./Pleasant Valley) returned the ensuing kickoff 29 yards to set KU up with solid field position at its own 40. DiGalbo and Pilkerton connected for 18 yards and Diego Torres (York, Pa./West York) ate up 14 yards on another reception to set the Golden Bears (2-0) up with 3rd and 2 from the Cal U 37-yard line with under a minute remaining. DiGalbo took a designed run just past the first down marker on the very next play to move the chains.

That set up Pilkerton's heroics. The senior tight end came open across the middle on 2nd and 10 and DiGalbo hit him in stride. Pilkerton shed Vulcans' (1-1) defensive back Aaron Brown at the 20 and trotted in for the go-ahead score.

Noah Mitchell's last ditch heave from Cal U's 46 fell incomplete and Kutztown won its second nailbiter over the Vulcans in as many seasons.

The two teams traded scores throughout the second half after heading to the locker room all even at 14.

Cal U took its first lead of the day on a 7-yard Derrick Caraway touchdown catch with 2:33 left in the third, but the Bears responded with two scores 67 seconds apart early in the fourth to go up 28-21.

On 3rd and 19 from the KU 36, DiGalbo found Mason McElroy (Reading, Pa./Wilson) down the middle for a 64-yard scoring strike. Three plays later, Nigel Wilson (Bound Brook, N.J./Bound Brook) and Hez Trahan (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) got into the backfield and forced Mitchell to fumble. Chris Thomas (Norwood, Pa./Interboro) recovered at the Cal U 22.

After a delay of game penalty, DiGalbo led Jerry Kapp (Barto, Pa./Boyertown) perfectly to the right corner of the end zone for a 27-yard score and a 28-21 KU lead. The touchdown reception was the first of Kapp's career.

DiGalbo enjoyed his sixth career 300+ yard passing game, completed 24-of-42 attempts for 352 yards and four scores. For the second week in a row, the Secane native hooked up with Pilkerton for two touchdowns. Pilkerton paced the team in receiving yardage with 86 on four catches.

It was an afternoon of big plays. Kutztown's defense registered three sacks, nine tackles for loss and intercepted Mitchell three times. Shawn Turber-Ortiz (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy) supplied 14 of those tackles and a pick.

Thomas and Nick Palmer (Montville, N.J./Bergen Catholic) totaled eight tackles apiece, while Wilson and Trahan had sacks. Nevarez and Chase Stephensen (Lacey Township, N.J./Lacey Township) added interceptions.

It was Stephensen's pick midway through the first quarter at the Cal U 22 that set up Kutztown's first score, a 22-yard pass from DiGalbo to Pilkerton.

DiGalbo scored on a 1-yard run to push KU in front 14-7 with 7:37 to play in the first half, but the homestanding Vulcans tied it with 2:50 left on a Lamont McPhatter II 26-yard pick six.

With the victory, Kutztown improved to 26-6 in its last 32 games and 25-1 when scoring 35 points or more under head coach Jim Clements. The Golden Bears outgained Cal U 398-358.

Kutztown returns home next Saturday to host Gannon on Family Day at 12:05 p.m.