KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Jaedyn Stewart (Newfield, N.J./Delsea Regional) ripped off touchdown runs of 62 and 39 yards on his way to a career-high 150 yards as the seventh-ranked Kutztown University football team outlasted two lightning delays to open its 2025 season with a 51-14 over Assumption at Andre Reed Stadium on Thursday night.
Stewart amassed 197 yards of total offense, adding 47 receiving yards on a pair of catches to his career night on the ground.
The Golden Bears (1-0) came into the new campaign looking for more explosive plays from their offense and it didn't take long for those to transpire. Stewart had carries of 11 and 17 yards, while
Luke Maxwell (Estell Manor, N.J./Delsea Regional) broke free for a 19-yard run before plunging in from the 1-yard line for a touchdown on his team's first possession of the season.
Kutztown's defense, which allowed a NCAA Division II low 10.2 points per game in 2024, forced a three-and-out from the Greyhounds (0-1) on their opening drive, allowing the offense to go right back to work.
Third-year starting quarterback
Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) connected with
Trevor Amorim (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh) for 28 yards to the Assumption 27, before threading the needle between double coverage for a 22-yard TD pass to
Lenniek Preston (Wilmington, Del./Conrad) two plays later for a 14-0 KU advantage.
Assumption answered in short order behind the play of All-Northeast 10 QB Jay Kastantin. The junior ran 46 yards on the final play of the first quarter and found receiver Keith Mancini for a 24-yard score on the first play of the second to pull the Greyhounds within 14-7.
Stewart thwarted any momentum the visitors hoped to gain, however, darting left at the line of scrimmage and breaking free for a 62-yard TD run that pushed Kutztown's lead back to two scores.
The Greyhounds took a safety when they sailed a snap over the head of their punter and out the back of the end zone for a 23-7 KU lead with 10:54 remaining in the first half. Kutztown increased its lead to 30-7 with 2:15 to go on Maxwell's second TD of the night, this one from two yards out. Passes of 12 and 35 yards from Novak to Stewart helped set up the score.
Kastantin and Mancini took advantage of a pass interference call against the Golden Bears in the end zone to connect for another score that made it 30-14 at the half.
A pair of late third quarter penalties drove Kutztown back to a 3rd-and-35 from the Assumption 39 before storms forced the first of two lengthy delays.
The teams returned to the turf around 10 p.m., and Kutztown immediately called on Stewart. The 2024 PSAC Championship Game MVP delivered again, getting to the edge and racing up the sideline for a 39-yard score to make it 37-14. It was the only play the teams could get in before lightning again sent players and fans scrambling for cover.
Following a stoppage of more than 90 minutes, KU tacked on two more touchdowns to complete the scoring.
Jaimen Bryant (Somerville, N.J./Somerville) hauled in a 48-yard TD pass from Novak with 12:50 to play and
Eli Cunningham (Leola, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) scampered 27 yards for his first career TD with 7:54 remaining.
Stewart averaged 15.0 yards per carry and the Golden Bears totaled 249 yards overall on the ground. It marked the redshirt junior's third career 100+ yard rushing effort.
Novak completed 11 passes to seven different targets on 20 attempts for 233 yards and two scores. Amorim led the team in receptions (3) and receiving yards (52).
Defensively, the Bears had six players finish with four or more tackles, led by
Austin Leyman's (Elmer, N.J./Woodstown) six (two solo).
Noah Kensey (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) added five tackles, a forced fumble and a pass breakup, while
Brayden Pohlman (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Mainland Regional) had a sack.
Kutztown's third straight victory over Assumption at Andre Reed Stadium brought the Golden Bears even in the all-time series, 5-5. The two teams have met in every season opener since 2015. Thursday night's game took five-and-a-half hours to complete with the pair of delays and didn't conclude until Friday morning at 12:20 a.m.
KU makes a trip west to Edinboro for a 1 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 13. The Fighting Scots are off this week after knocking off PSAC East preseason No. 2 East Stroudsburg on the road in Week 0.
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