Bloomsburg Falls to West Chester in Football

WEST CHESTER —The Bloomsburg University football team saw its post-season hopes dashed in a 35-24 loss to West Chester on Saturday night.

The Huskies also saw its streak of consecutive PSAC East titles snapped at four with the loss, while West Chester (8-2, 6-0 PSAC East) wins its first PSAC East title since 1999.

Bloomsburg (6-3, 3-2 PSAC East) got on the board first on Jamar Brittingham's 11-yard scoring run with 5:26 to play in the first period. The run capped an 11-play, 61-yard drive for the Huskies.

West Chester answered on its next possession when Omar Harris caught a three-yard scoring pass from Bob Fidora to tie the game a 7-7.

The Huskies regained the lead at 14-7 when quarterback Jack Lydic connected with Steve Burke on a five-yard scoring pass with 8:38 to play in the first half. The pass capped an 85-yard, eight play scoring drive for Bloomsburg.

In the third period, the Golden Rams tied the game for the second time when Matt Chambers caught a 14-yard pass from Fidora on the opening drive of the half.

Bloomsburg went up 17-14 when kicker Garrett Bloom hit on a 35-yard field goal with 7:54 to play in the third period.

West Chester came back and took its first lead of the game on its next series. Tailback Osagie Osunde scored from one-yard out to cap a 76-yard scoring drive that consumed nearly six minutes of time.

The Huskies, though, answered right back and on the first play of the fourth went back in front 24-21 when Burke caught a 39-yard scoring strike from Lydic.

However, like two heavyweights going at each other, the Golden Rams came back once more on its next series and marched 62-yards in seven plays. Fidora capped the drive with a three-yard pass to Brandon Simmons with 11:30 to play in the game.

West Chester got some insurance points later in the period when Cory DeForrest caught a 26-yard pass that bounced off one of his teammates for a score with 4:52 to go in the game.

The Huskies final drive ended at the West Chester 20-yard line with just over three minutes to play on an incomplete fourth down pass ending the Huskies hopes.

Brittingham led the Huskies rushing attack with 153 yards and one score, while Mike Ceroli gained 120. Lydic finished 12-22 for 133 yards and two scores with Burke catching six passes for 87 yards and two scores.

Fidora finished 16 of 26 for 252 yards and four touchdowns for the Golden Rams. Osunde picked up 149 yards on the ground and had one touchdown.

Bloomsburg will play its final game of 2004 at Millersville on Saturday at 1 p.m.