Bloomsburg Rallies for Win over California

BLOOMSBURG- Jesse Cooper's (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.) five-yard return of a muffed punt in the fourth period proved to be the turning point in Bloomsburg University's 24-19 win over California (PA) University on Saturday in a battle of nationally ranked teams.

With the Vulcans (1-1) at their own 22-yard and in punt formation, the snap to punter Jace Amore was high. While trying to recover, the Huskies'(1-1)Cooper knocked the ball loose, then picked it up and ran in for a score to put Bloomsburg in front, 17-13 with 8:31 to play in the game.

Later in the period, Bloomsburg added to its lead with the aid of a fumbled punt return deep in Huskies' territory. The Vulcan's Marc Huddleston dropped a punt at the Bloomsburg 15-yard with Brahin Bilal (Philadelphia/Lincoln) recovering. Two plays later, quarterback Dan Latorre (Elysburg/Southern Columbia) hit Bilal in the corner of the endzone with a nine-yard scoring pass to make it 24-13 with 4:03 to play.

California came back quickly and cut the lead to 24-19 when Huddleston caught a 22-yard scoring pass from Joe Ruggiero with 3:15 left with the two-point conversion failing.

Bloomsburg, however, picked up two downs to run out the clock to earn the victory.

The only scoring in the opening half of the game came from the foot of Bloomsburg's Jon Koenig (Pine Grove/Pine Grove) who connected on a 23-yard field goal attempt with 4:55 left in the second period. Cal missed on a 26-yard attempt just before halftime.

In the third period, Cal went in front 13-3 with a pair of touchdown runs from Brandon Lombardy. The first was a 15-yard run with the second scoring from 20-yards out.

Bloomsburg scored its first touchdown of the season in the fourth period when Jamar Brittingham (Levittown/Neshaminy) capped an eight-play, 80-yard drive with a five-yard run with 11:34 left in the game to make the score 13-10.

Brittingham, last year's PSAC Eastern Division Player of the Year, finished with 24 carries for 106 yards and a score in his first action of the season. Bilal led the receivers with four catches for 55 yards and a touchdown and also made three tackles on special teams. Rob Biernat (Bristol/Conwell Egan) led the defense with eight tackles.

Cal was led by Lombardy with 105 yards rushing and two scores, while Huddleston had seven catches for 69 yards and a score.

Bloomsburg visits Edinboro next week.