Cal muddles past Edinboro
Katie Roupe / Observer-Reporter The Vulcan's Dewey McDonald recovers a fumble and runs the ball for a touchdown during the second quarter of the game against Edinboro on Saturday, September 21.
California’s Aaron Terry intercepts a pass intended for Edinboro’s Marcus Johnson during the first quarter Saturday.
California quarterback Cody Schroeder completed 14 of 34 passes for 188 yards in a rain-drenched win over Edinboro Saturday.
CALIFORNIA – It was difficult to determine what was worse, the weather or the way California University’s football team played in Saturday’s PSAC opener against Edinboro.
During a steady rain, that turned into downpours at various points in the game, the Cal offense sloshed through a miserable day and depended on an interception return for a touchdown by safety Dewey McDonald and two field goals to carve out a 20-7 victory over the Fighting Scots at Adamson Stadium.
The win moves Cal to 3-0 while Edinboro falls to 1-2.
“I’ll win ugly any time I have a chance to,” said Cal head coach Mike Kellar. “It’s better than losing.”
Edinboro was without three starters, including the Fighting Scots’ best offensive player in quarterback Cody Harris. Edinboro head coach Scott Browning confirmed Harris, who was a second-team All-PSAC member the past two seasons, was hurt and out indefinitely.
But Cal was preparing for Harris right up until game time.
“We didn’t know their quarterback was not playing,” said Kellar. “We heard some rumors, saw some things on (social media), but we didn’t believe it.”
Cal had all of its offensive starters but struggled to run and pass the football until late in the game. The Vulcans had 130 rushing yards but it took 50 carries to get there. Jeff Knox finished with 92 yards on 21 attempts, but much of that came at the end of the game, and Ringgold High School graduate Derrick Fiore had 68 yards on 22 tries and a late touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Cody Schroeder completed just 14 of 34 passes for 188 yards and no touchdowns. He didn’t throw an interception.
“We heard a couple days ago that it was going to be bad weather,” said Kellar. “But it was raining for their guys, too. I saw some of those passes coming to the sideline, and it was like trying to catch a greased watermelon.”
McDonald’s interception was the key point in the game, turning a 3-2 Cal lead into an eight-point bulge with 8:47 until halftime. Browning put freshman Matt Bodamer, the PIAA’s career leading passer, in at quarterback in the second quarter and his first pass was intercepted by McDonald and returned for a touchdown.
“When I first caught it, I checked the sidelines,” said McDonald, a transfer from Fairmont State. “But then I saw the guys waving me on, so I cut it back, and they escorted me to the end zone.”
McDonald’s was one of four interceptions by Cal, and the defense produced three fumbles, recovering one. Aaron Terry had two interceptions and Tyrone Taylor one. Those turnovers and three sacks helped Cal keep Edinboro to only 202 total yards.
“When Dewey got the pick, I thought, ‘Good, we’ll have a short field,'” Kellar said. “The way we were struggling on offense, I was glad he went in for the score.”
Not only did the Vulcans offense find it hard to gain ground – Cal finished with 318 total yards, but 80 came in one second half drive – they also gave Edinboro two safeties. The first came one minute into the game when long-snapper Mike Baublitz sent the snap over punter Andrew Cerett’s head and into the end zone. Cerett chased it down and kicked it out of the end zone for a safety.
The second safety came with 5:28 to play. Cerett dropped the snap and was tackled in the end zone. Fortunately for Cal, Edinboro would only be able to manage a field goal of 29 yards by T.J, Hardy to open the second half that cut Cal’s lead to 10-5.
“I felt at halftime we could win this game, because they couldn’t score on us,” Kellar said. “Then, they went down and (got a field goal) on their first drive.”
Cody Nuzzo hit field goals of 25 and 33 yards for Cal and Fiore’s one-yard run in the fourth quarter made it 20-5.
“There is enough blame to go around,” Kellar said of the mistakes and poor plays. “We’re going back to the drawing board.”
Linebacker B.J. Stevens had 1 1/2 sacks to raise his total to five on the season for Cal. Senior linebacker Maurice Dickson had the other. Stevens finished with a game-high 11 tackles. … Cal wide receiver Garry Brown drew a personal foul penalty in the fourth quarter and was ejected from the game. He will not be able to play next week at Indiana. … Trey Johnson and Kowan Scott each had five receptions for Cal.