Cal wastes no time, defeats Mercyhurst
CALIFORNIA – California scored 13 seconds into the game and never relinquished the lead as the Vulcans cruised to a 31-21 victory over Mercyhurst in a PSAC West Division game Saturday on Senior Day at Adamson Stadium.
Cal quarterback James Harris threw a 75-yard touchdown pass wide receiver Luke Smorey on the first offensive play of the game and the Vulcans rolled to their third consecutive win. Cal is 5-2 in the PSAC West and 7-3 overall.
Harris had another big day for Cal, completing 13 of 16 passes for 316 yards and two touchdowns. He became the third quarterback in school history with 7,000 career passing yards (7,050) and also became the fifth player with at least 50 career touchdown passes (51). Harris threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Garry Brown that gave the Vulcans a 24-7 lead late in the third quarter.
Cal led 17-0 at halftime, getting a 24-yard field goal by William Brazill in the first quarter and 10-yard scoring run by tailback John Franklin in the second quarter. Franklin finished with 72 yards on 17 carries and scored on a five-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.
Mercyhurst (2-5, 5-5) had 30 first downs but did much of its damage in the second half. The Lakers’ Brandon Brown-Dukes rushed for a game-high 116 yards on 28 carries.
Cal blocked two Mercyhurst field goals, including a 23-yarder in the second quarter that ended a 20-play drive that lasted more than nine minutes.