EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) found
Noah Kracyla (Townsend, Del./Middletown) for a pair of touchdowns in the final 6:32 of regulation as No. 3 Kutztown overcame a two-score deficit to force overtime, but No. 24 East Stroudsburg prevailed in the extra session, 32-25, at Eiler-Martin Stadium Saturday afternoon.
The loss was Kutztown's first in 39 regular season games dating back to Sept. 16, 2023, ending college football's longest active streak. East Stroudsburg, meanwhile, ended an 11-game slide against the Golden Bears and earned the right to represent the Eastern Division in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship game Nov. 14 at Slippery Rock.
Kracyla caught a 17-yard pass from Novak for his first of three touchdowns to put the visitors up 7-0 with 6:19 left in the first quarter but East Stroudsburg (8-1, 5-0 PSAC East) utilized a strong special teams unit to control the field position battle and force the Golden Bears to chase the game most of the day. The ESU defense also played inspired, forcing five three-and-outs and a season-high seven punts by KU.
Ty Quintois converted six field goals, including three in the first half from 42, 42 and 21 yards. Along with a 54-yard TD pass from Matt Machalik to Elijah Ford, the Warriors answered Kutztown's opening score with 16 unanswered points.
Freshman kicker
Gavin Pereira (Spotswood, N.J./Spotswood) drilled his first career field goal attempt from 39 yards in the final seconds of the first half to draw Kutztown (8-1, 4-1 PSAC East) back within 16-10.
After Quintois hit a 31-yard field goal to make it 19-10 early in the third, Kutztown drove into the ESU red zone before the Warrior defense tightened and stopped
Rocco DeBiaso (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) for no gain on 4th-and-1 at the 10-yard line.
Quintois extended the ESU advantage to 22-10 on a 34-yard field goal with 13:31 to go in the fourth and Kutztown's chances took a further hit when Cam Jefferson intercepted Novak three plays later.
Still trailing by 12 with less than seven minutes remaining, Kutztown got a much-needed quick score when Novak found Kracyla for a 68-yard TD pass.
Quintois' sixth field goal made it 25-17 with 2:32 left but Kutztown executed a perfect two-minute drill to drive 88 yards in eight plays, capped by a 19-yard TD pass from Novak to Kracyla on 4th-and-5. Novak found tight end
Luke Maxwell (Estell Manor, N.J./Delsea Regional) out in the flat for the 2-point conversion to tie the game at 25 with 31 seconds left.
ESU attempted a 57-yard field goal on the final play of regulation, but it was short, sending Kutztown to its 15th overtime game all-time and first since 2024.
The Warriors got the ball first and worked down to the KU 2-yard line. On 1st-and-goal, the Golden Bears were poised to force ESU into a loss of yards but took a personal foul for a hit out of bounds. Matt Frame scored on the next play to put ESU back in front, 32-25.
Needing a touchdown to keep its unbeaten season and opportunity for a fourth straight PSAC Championship game appearance alive, Kutztown quickly got inside the 10 on runs from Novak and
Jaedyn Stewart (Newfield, N.J./Delsea Regional).
Two more penalties forced KU into a 4th-and-goal from the ESU 13 and Novak's pass to Kracyla was knocked away by Leyden Hertz near the right front pylon as the Warriors stormed the field in celebration.
Kracyla had a monster game with 12 catches for 209 yards and three TDs, all career-highs. The Townsend, Del., native recorded the fifth-most receiving yards in a game in program history and KU's first 200-yard receiving game since Kurtis Ravenel Jr. had 217 yards at Assumption, Sept. 2, 2023.
Stewart produced his second straight 100-yard rushing game and third in the last four games with 13 carries for 114 yards. Novak completed 20-of-40 passes for 271 yards, three TDs and an interception.
ESU used a committee approach to rush 40 times for 198 yards (5.0 ypc), becoming the first team to top 100 yards rushing against the Golden Bear defense this season. Deante Crawford led the way with nine carries for 72 yards. Ford posted five receptions for 140 yards and a TD, accounting for nearly all of Machalik's 183 passing yards.
Mike Fayemi (Philadelphia, Pa./South Philadelphia) had a game-high 10 tackles (seven solo) and
LJ Smith (Newark, Del./Salesianum) had eight (seven solo) to pace the KU defense.
Kutztown will wrap up its regular season home schedule next Saturday, Nov. 7, against Bloomsburg. Kickoff is at noon.
