LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Eli Cunningham (Leola, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) accounted for two of Kutztown's five rushing touchdowns as the No. 4 Golden Bears moved to 6-0 on the season with a 34-7 victory at Hubert Jack Stadium Saturday evening.
 
Kutztown scored on its first four possessions and never looked back in its 17th consecutive triumph over the Bald Eagles.
 
Lock Haven (2-4, 1-2 PSAC East) tried to catch the Golden Bears off guard with a short kick to start the game, but the Bears were ready and went to work from near midfield.
 
A 30-yard catch from Trevor Amorim (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh) pushed KU (6-0, 3-0 PSAC East) into the red zone and quarterback Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) ran it in from eight yards out on fourth down to put the visitors ahead 6-0 less than five minutes in.
 
Lock Haven's offense ran just three plays against Kutztown's elite defense before the ball was back in the hands of Novak and Co. The redshirt junior took the top off the Bald Eagle defense on the first play of the drive when Noah Kracyla (Townsend, Del./Middletown) made a spectacular catch for 46 yards to the Haven 19.
 
Steven Burkhardt (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester City) bullied his way inside the 5-yard line for a 15-yard gain and Luke Maxwell (Estell Manor, N.J./Delsea Regional) punched it in from a yard out a few plays later to give KU a 13-0 lead with 5:36 left in the opening quarter.
 
Cunningham stepped up in the absence of Jaedyn Stewart (Newfield, N.J./Delsea Regional) who missed his second straight game. The redshirt freshman out of Lancaster Catholic carved through the Lock Haven defense for gains of 14 and 21 yards before finishing the 10-play, 90-yard drive with a 15-yard TD run that extended Kutztown's lead to 20-0 midway through the second.
 
Following another three-and-out forced by the KU defense, Kracyla returned a punt 35 yards into LHU territory. The Golden Bears moved 40 yards in just over two minutes, and Burkhardt powered his way into the end zone from two yards out as the advantage swelled to 27-0.
 
KU was poised to put more points on the board after getting the ball back with 75 seconds left in the half. Rich Paczewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) started the drive with a 31-yard reception from Novak and the Bears moved inside the LHU 10 but could not convert a short field goal attempt.
 
Lock Haven held the ball for more than 11 minutes of a scoreless third quarter, aided in part by two drive-extending penalties. Kutztown's defense again stood tall, denying the Bald Eagles four times inside the 5-yard line to force a turnover on downs.
 
More penalty trouble befell the Bears early in the fourth. KU appeared to turn LHU away from inside the five again but were flagged for pass interference on fourth down. Joey Quinter (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) made a pair of big tackles on first and second down to keep the Bald Eagles at the 2-yard line before Damir Green finally broke through on third down to put LHU on the board with 10:43 to go. The points were the first allowed by the KU defense in 119:47, spanning parts of three games.
 
Another onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, and Kutztown quickly restored its 27-point lead with a 4-play, 49-yard drive finished off by Cunningham's second TD run of the night. Kracyla sparked the drive with two catches for 39 yards.
 
Kutztown outgained the Bald Eagles 376-252 despite Lock Haven's nine-minute advantage in time of possession (34:30-25:30).
 
Novak completed 15-of-19 passes for 220 yards and rushed four times for 31 yards and a TD. Cunningham rushed for a team-high 64 yards on six attempts and Burkhardt carried 12 times for 47 yards. Kutztown ran for 156 yards and 5.6 yards per carry but saw its string of 200-yard rushing games halted at six.
 
Kracyla led the receivers with three catches for 85 yards, while Paczewski (42) and Amorim (40) each topped 40 yards.
 
Mike Fayemi (Philadelphia, Pa./South Philadelphia) led the defense with seven tackles (all solo). Brandon Hile (Winfield, Pa./Selinsgrove) added five and Brandon Strausser (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) four, including one for loss. Mikey Gray (York, Pa./William Penn) and Lawron Short (West Chester, Pa./Great Valley) had a sack apiece, and Lee Coleman (Salem, N.J./Salem) broke up three passes.
 
Kutztown will host Millersville for Homecoming next Saturday, Oct. 18. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.
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