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Complete
Box Score
INDIANA, PA – Thanks to a strong defensive
effort and several key special teams plays Edinboro posted a 20-10
win at Indiana(Pa.) on Saturday in a key Northeast Region matchup.
The Fighting Scots came into the contest ranked ninth in the
region while IUP was tenth. The victory boosts Edinboro’s
record to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the PSAC West, tied with
California(Pa.) for first place. The Indians are now 3-4 overall
and 2-1 in league play.
Edinboro not only kept alive its hopes for a
third straight PSAC West crown, but also remained alive for a
third consecutive NCAA Playoff bid with a solid showing at a
difficult venue. Edinboro won against IUP for the third straight
year, something that hadn’t happened to the Indians since
Slippery Rock won three straight vs. IUP from 1997-99. That was
also the last time IUP lost to the same opponent two straight
times at home. In addition, it marked the first time since 1978-80
that Edinboro had won three straight against IUP, and just the
third time since the program was started in 1926.
The game did not start off as if Edinboro would
be celebrating a second straight win at George P. Miller Stadium.
With a strong wind blowing from one end of the field to the other,
Edinboro had the wind in the first quarter but could manage just
one first down. Following a short 17-yard punt into the wind early
in the second period, IUP took over at the Edinboro 44. The
Indians drove to the Edinboro 12 before settling for a 31-yard
field goal by Brad Whitacre for a 3-0 lead with 10:56 left.
Edinboro finally got on the board following the
first of its four interceptions on the afternoon. Junior FS Damion
Malott (Akron, OH/Akron North) came up with his second
interception of the season at the Edinboro 35. Justin Bouch
(Brackenridge, PA/Highlands) proceeded to lead the Scots 65 yards
in just four plays. The senior quarterback completed just 9 of 20
passes for 90 yards, but he was 3-for-4 for 65 yards on the drive,
capping it with a 36-yard TD toss to Ryan Valasek (Natrona
Heights, PA/Highlands) with 4:37 left in the half. The TD pass
tied Bouch for third in career touchdown passes with 49.
The Scots had one more opportunity to score in
the half following the ensuing kickoff. Chris Avery’s (Berea,
OH/Berea) squib kick hit a member of the IUP front wall and was
recovered by James English (Mayfield Heights, OH/Mayfield) at the
Edinboro 49. Edinboro moved down to the IUP 22 with less than a
half minute left before Bouch’s interception in the end zone
ended the threat.
Edinboro took the second half kickoff and left
little doubt what its game plan was for the final thirty minutes.
The Fighting Scots drove 65 yards on 10 plays, all runs, with
Kelvin Collins (Glen Burnie, MD/Old Mill) the workhorse. The 6’0”,
230 lb. senior came off the bench to carry nine times for 41 yards
in the drive, including the final seven yards on a 3rd-and-goal
play for his fourth touchdown. Kody Robertson’s (Columbus,
OH/Hilliard Davidson) extra point gave Edinboro a 14-3 lead.
Special teams got into the scoring act on the
next series. A sack and a penalty left IUP punting from its own
18. Avery blocked the punt and recovered it in the end zone for a
touchdown. While Robertson'’ extra point hit the left
upright, the Scots were up 20-3 with 6:48 left in the third
period.
Avery came up with another big play later in
the quarter. The senior cornerback intercepted a pass at the
Edinboro 5 yard line to halt an IUP drive. It was his 19th career
interception, tying him with Steve Russell for the school record,
and his 32-yard return gave him 179 return yards on his six
interceptions this season, a new school record.
IUP would close to 20-10 on a 56-yard TD pass
from Andrew Krewatch to Anthony Cellitti with 6:51 left in the
game, but a conservative Edinboro offense which threw just two
passes in the second half came up with a first down to use up
valuable time. The defense then clinched it when Rodney Stevenson
(Bedford, OH/Warrensville Heights) came up with his first
interception as a Scot with under two minutes to play.
The Indians held a slim 294 to 264 yards
advantage in total offense, but IUP was held to 52 yards rushing
by an Edinboro defense which entered the game ranked second in
Division II in rushing defense at 52.3 ypg. Edinboro gained 174
yards on the ground, accounting for a time of possession advantage
of 36:15 to 23:45. That included 21:34 in the second half.
Collins led the ground attack with 74 yards on
19 carries. Bouch turned in a gutsy performance running the ball,
rushing for four first downs while carrying six times for a
career-high 56 yards.
ILB Ben Stroup (Columbus, OH/Hilliard Davidson)
paced the defensive effort with 11 tackles, including three for
losses and a sack. OLB Jim Soltis (Garrettsville, OH/Cardinal)
added 10 tackles with 3.5 for losses, while noseguard A.J. Cousins
(Chillicothe, OH/Chillicothe) had 8 stops. DT Chris Amico
(Webster, NY/West Irondequoit) accounted for 2 sacks in his 6
tackles.
Edinboro faces another key PSAC West test this
weekend, hosting Slippery Rock on Saturday, October 22 on Parents’
Weekend. The Rock is 3-4 overall, but 2-1 in PSAC West action.
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