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Game Stats, Play by Play

BLOOMSBURG—Tailback Mike Ceroli (Medford, NJ/Lenape) rushed for a career-high 169 yards and scored once to lead Bloomsburg University to a 38-14 win over Slippery Rock University Saturday afternoon.

Bloomsburg (3-1) also got another big game from quarterback Andrew Herrmann (Brookside, NJ/Mendham) who completed 14 of 23 passes for 214 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

The Huskies never trailed in the game and took a 7-0 lead in the first period with the help of Slippery Rock (2-2) turnover on a punt deep inside the Rock's territory at the 20-yard line.

Three plays later Herrmann hit Rocco Forgione (Peckville/Valley View) with an eight-yard scoring pass. Forgione finished the day with nine catches on the day for 144 yards, his second straight game with over 140 yards receiving.

Bloomsburg went up 14-0 early in the second period when Jamison McLaughlin (Petersburg, VA/Petersburg) scored on a nine-yard run capping a four-play, 66-yard drive.

The Bloomsburg defense then set up a score right before halftime when the Rock's quarterback Jeff Valentino was sacked at his own 30-yard line and fumbled. The Huskies' Zach Miers (Alpha, NJ/Phillipsburg) then picked up the ball and ran to the Rock's nine-yard line with 21 seconds to play. On the next play Herrmann hit Tierell Johnson (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin) with scoring pass to make it 21-0 at the break.

The Rock closed the gap on the first drive of the second half marching 80 yards in 10 plays with Valentino completing an eight-yard fourth down pass to Brandon Richardson in the back of the end zone to make it 21-7. The Huskies answered right back on its next drive with a 21 yard field goal from Tim Oliver (Mountaintop/Crestwood).

After the Bloomsburg defense held on the Rock's next drive and was forced to punt, the Huskies' BeJey Thomas (Bloomsburg/Bloomsburg) fielded the punt at his own 27 yard line, broke right, and then went untouched down the sidelines for a 67-yards touchdown to make it 31-7. It was the Bloomsburg's first punt return for touchdown since Nov. 15th, 1997.

The Rock closed to within 31-14 with the help of a 10-yard scoring pass from Valentino to Ryan McKavish with 14:11 left to play.

Bloomsburg then put the game out of reach on Ceroli's 59-yard run for a touchdown with 8:13 to play in the game.

The game was filled with penalties as the Huskies were flagged 13 times for 164 yards and the Rock seven times for 82 yards.

Leading the Huskies defensively were linebackers Shawn Butler (Newton/Council Rock) and Eric Steffen (Catawissa/Southern Columbia) who finished with 13 and 12 tackles respectively.

Valentino, who finished 13 of 28 for 222 yards and two scores, led Slippery Rock offensively, while McKavish caught nine passes for 153 yards and one score.