No. 3/1 IUP Uses Quick Start to Claim 4th PSAC Football Title
Box Score
IUP Recap
WCU Recap
CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP
WEST CHESTER, Pa. --- The No. 3/1 IUP Crimson Hawks defeated West Chester, 24-7, in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Football Championship Game on a chilly Saturday afternoon at Farrell Stadium in West Chester, Pa.
The Crimson Hawks polished off an unblemished regular season with an 11-0 record and won their fourth PSAC title and first since 2012.
Quarterback Lenny Williams was tabbed the Most Valuable Player after throwing for 212 yards and 3 TD’s on 10-of-15 passing. Williams added in nine rushes for 42 yards.
The junior put IUP up, 7-0, after a methodical drive to open the contest. Williams and the IUP offense used 13 plays and 78 yards and chewed up six minutes. The drive concluded on a 15-yard pass to Dom McNeil.
The Crimson Hawks doubled their lead following a 7-yard TD reception from Chris Wuestner.
The Golden Rams (8-3) cut the deficit in half following a picture-perfect pass to Dan Neuhaus from Paul Dooley early in the second quarter, 14-7. The pass went for 36 yards.
Dooley finished the contest with 160 yards in the air. IUP’s defense pestered Dooley throughout the game while picking off three passes.
IUP made it 21-7 following a 40-yard reception from Kolbe Hughes with 6:40 remaining in the opening half.
Both defenses settled in and didn’t allow another touchdown the rest of the game.
IUP’s Dillon Sarka nailed a 20-yard field goal in the waning minutes of the fourth to cap off the scoring.
WCU’s Tyler Morrissey impressed with 20 total tackles, including 10 solo.
IUP’s Nick Amendola paced the defense with nine total tackles.
IUP and the rest of the nation will see its postseason fate on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 5 p.m. when the NCAA releases the DII Football Bracket. IUP entered the week at No. 1 in Super One Region rankings.
Football Championship Game MVP: Lenny Williams (QB), IUP
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Play-by-Play – Phil Schoener
Color – Emory Hunt
Sideline – Geoff Arnold
Pregame & Halftime – Colin Riccobon
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| PSAC Rankings |
| IUP |
|
WEST CHESTER |
| Offense |
|
Defense |
|
Offense |
|
Defense |
| 38.5 ppg – 4th |
Scoring |
15.4 ppg – 2nd |
|
38.6 ppg – 3rd |
Scoring |
22.4 ppg – 4th |
| 259.7 ypg – 2nd |
Rushing |
79.7 ypg –2nd |
|
208.2 ypg – 3rd |
Rushing |
113.3 ypg – 4th |
| 215.4 ypg – 10th |
Passing |
210.3 ypg – 6th |
|
235.3 – 7th |
Passing |
225.6 ypg – 9th |
| 475.1 ypg – 2nd |
Total |
290.2 ypg – 3rd |
|
443.5 ypg – 5th |
Total |
338.9 ypg – 4th |
| Time of Possession |
31:54 – 6th |
|
Time of Possession |
32:06 – 3rd |
| 3rd Down Conversions |
46.6 % – 4th (61 – 131) |
|
3rd Down Conversions |
48.8 % – 3rd (69 - 141) |
| Turnover Margin |
+13 – 1st |
|
Turnover Margin |
+3 – T8th |
PSAC Championship Game
This is the 38th PSAC Football Championship Game matching the top representative from the Eastern and Western Division. The game was annually played from 1960 through 1987 one week after the end of the regular season. At that time, there became additional Division II playoff opportunities and the league voted to eliminate the game as to not interfere with those opportunities. The PSAC reinstated the game in 2008, this time matching the Divisional representatives in the last game of the regular season.
School by School Breakdown of PSAC Football Champions (Including Co-Champions)
| West Chester – 18 |
California – 9 |
Mansfield - 2 |
| Bloomsburg – 17 |
Millersville – 8 |
Kutztown - 1 |
| IUP –17 |
Clarion – 6 |
Mercyhurst - 1 |
| East Stroudsburg – 12 |
Edinboro – 6 |
|
| Slippery Rock – 11 |
Lock Haven - 4 |
|
Championship Game Results
IUP
2012 defeated Shippensburg, 41-10
1987 defeated West Chester, 21-9
1986 defeated West Chester, 20-6
1985 lost to Bloomsburg, 31-9
1965 lost to East Stroudsburg, 26-10
1964 lost to East Stroudsburg, 27-14
|
West Chester
2015 lost to Slippery Rock 61-12
2008 lost to California, 47-36
1987 lost to IUP, 21-9
1986 lost to IUP, 20-6
1974 lost to Slippery Rock, 20-7
1973 lost to Slippery Rock, 28-14
1972 lost to Slippery Rock, 28-27
1971 defeated Edinboro, 35-14
1970 lost to Edinboro, 14-6
1969 defeated Clarion, 41-34
1967 defeated Clarion, 27-7
1966 lost to Clarion, 28-26
1963 defeated Slippery Rock, 36-7
1961 defeated Slippery Rock, 21-0
1960 defeated Lock Haven, 35-6
|
Since reinstating the game in 2008, there have been seven different champions. Until 2015 when Slippery Rock won at West Chester, the home team had won every game. The Western Division representative has won each of the last three seasons.
(West) 2008 California 47, West Chester 36
(East) 2009 Shippensburg 42, California 35
(West) 2010 Mercyhurst 56, Bloomsburg 37
(East) 2011 Kutztown 21, Slippery Rock 14
(West) 2012 IUP 41, Shippensburg 10
(East) 2013 Bloomsburg 42, Slippery Rock 38
(West) 2014 Slippery Rock 28, Bloomsburg 26
(West) 2015 Slippery Rock 61, West Chester 12
(West) 2016 California 49, Kutztown 7
CHAMPOINSHIP GAME PREVIEW
WEST CHESTER, Pa. --- The West Chester Golden Rams will host the No. 3/1 IUP Crimson Hawks Saturday, Nov. 11 for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship Game at 12:10 p.m. at Farrell Stadium in West Chester, Pa.
The Crimson Hawks are 10-0 and finished the PSAC slate with an unblemished 7-0 mark. IUP is No. 1 in the country in the D2Football.com Poll while sitting at No. 3 in the NCAA DII Coaches’ Poll. IUP’s offense has produced 38.5 points per game while the defense allows 15.4 per contest.
IUP’s Lenny Williams leads the league with a 67.7% pass completion rate and has tossed 23 touchdowns in 2017.
The Golden Rams enter the contest with an 8-2, 6-1 mark and have won three consecutive games. WCU has been challenged the last two weeks by East Stroudsburg and Millersville, however, WCU has come out on top, 31-26 and 27-24, respectively.
WCU has the third-highest scoring offense in the PSAC at a 38.6 clip while the defense is impressive and sits fourth, allowing 22.4 points per game.
The Golden Rams will rely on Jarel Elder, who is one of four 1,000-yard rushers in the league (1,012) and has rushed for 15 touchdowns. Defensively, George Shipp and Diquan Gilbert have combined for 14.5 sacks.
IUP seeks its first PSAC title since 2012.
The Crimson Hawks are No. 1 in the latest NCAA DII Super Region One rankings while WCU sits at No. 6. The top-seven teams earn at-large bids to the NCAA Playoffs.
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