Kutztown overcomes early deficit to beat Lock Haven, 38-13 - Kutztown University Athletics (2024)

Jeff Unger

• Box Score

Game Recap: Football | 09.18.10 | by Rob Knox, Sports Information Director

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Kevin Morton (Abington, PA/Abington)tied a career high by throwing four touchdown passes and the Kutztown University defense registered seven sacks as the Golden Bears rallied from an early 13-point deficit to defeat Lock Haven University, 38-13, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) football crossover contest at Hubert Jack Stadium Saturday night.

Kutztown (3-0 overall) is off to its best start since 2001. The Golden Bears have opened the season by scoring 30 or more points in three consecutive games for the first time since 1991. The defeat for Lock Haven (0-3) was its 24th straight. Also, Kutztown is the only PSAC East school without a defeat.

Morton was 14-for-26 for 197 yards. He also threw four touchdown passes last year against Millersville. Morton has thrown at least one touchdown pass in eight straight games. During that span, he has thrown at least two TDs in six of Kutztown's last seven games. Going back to last year's regular season finale against Indiana, the Golden Bears have scored 146 points. The Golden Bears have scored 30 or more points in four straight games going back to last season.

Defensively, the Golden Bears settled in after the Bald Eagles stunned KU with 13 points to begin the game. Joel Irwin (Coatesville, PA/Bishop Shanahan) had 10.5 tackles to lead Kutztown. For the third week in a row, Kevin Bolinsky (Ashland, PA/North Schuykill) had another huge performance, finishing with 7.5 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles. He has recorded at least 1.5 sacks in every game this season. Bolinsky has 5.5 sacks in three games for the Golden Bears.

In addition to finishing with 5.5 tackles, senior Khalief Evans (Philadelphia, PA/Imhotep Charter) blocked a field goal attempt in the third quarter with Kutztown nursing a 21-13 lead. Senior Kendell Coleman (Philadelphia, PA/Martin Luther King)opened the second half by returning the kickoff 35 yards.

The Golden Bears took control of the contest by scoring two touchdowns in the final 2 minutes, 18 seconds of the second quarter to turn a 13-0 deficit into a 14-13 intermission advantage. Kutztown expanded its advantage in the third quarter by scoring 21 points.

Chris McCormick (West Chester/West Chester East), playing his first game of 2010, got the Golden Bears on the board when he caught a 26-yard touchdown pass with 2:18 remaining in the second quarter. Josh Smith (West Lawn, PA/Wilson) caught the first of his two touchdowns with 12 seconds remaining before intermission, a 2-yard fade pattern that gave the Golden Bears the lead for good, 14-13.

Kutztown generated 345 yards of total offense. Smith caught a 4-yard score on the Golden Bears' opening drive of the second half that gave KU a 21-13 edge. Following Evans' blocked field goal, Kutztown drove 90 yards in four plays capped by a Josh Mastromatto (Fort Washington, PA/Upper Dublin)27-yard touchdown catch that gave KU a 28-13 bulge with 4:15 remaining.

The highlights of the drive were Erik Frazier (Philadelphia, PA/Germantown) Jr.'s 41-yard reception and Morton's 21-yard scramble. Frazier caught five passes for 99 yards to lead the Golden Bears.

Coleman, who led the Golden Bears with 56 rushing yards on 11 carries, finished the third quarter scoring when he dashed in from 5 yards out with 46 seconds remaining that expanded KU's edge to 35-13. Morton's 24-yard run was the key play of that drive. Senior Matt Dineen (Wilmington, De/Concord)ended the scoring for KU when he made his 36th career field goal, a 35-yarder early in the fourth quarter.

Lock Haven dominated time of possession by holding the ball for 39:29. All six of Kutztown's scoring drives against Lock Haven were five plays or less. Meanwhile, LHU started the game with a 19-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Ian Smith (Spring Grove, PA/Spring Grove) catching a 10-yard touchdown pass. That drive lasted 11:12. The Bald Eagles' lead swelled to 13-0 following a 1-yard Burkett run with 8:46 left in the second quarter.

Jarryd Burkett completed 12 of his first 13 passes for the Bald Eagles. He finished the game 21-for-28 passing for 185 yards. Jay Hartman caught seven passes for 85 yards to lead Lock Haven. Ryan Good had seven tackles for the Bald Eagles.

Kutztown returns to action next Saturday when it visits Cheyney University in the PSAC Eastern Division opener at O'Shields-Stevenson Stadium at 1 p.m. Cheyney lost to Edinboro, 27-21 Saturday afternoon. Cheyney's last victory over Kutztown was a 31-19 decision in 1993.