Oct 22, 2022 3 min read

CALIFORNIA – What happens when one of the poorest running teams in the PSAC runs into the teeth of the sixth-best run defense in NCAA Division II?

Bad things man. Bad things.

Especially when that team with the great run defense has a quarterback in Noah Grover who can pick apart a secondary with ease.

Slippery Rock used that defense and Grover’s arm to mash Califoria University 42-24 on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon at Adamson Stadium.

The loss put Cal’s record in the PSAC at 3-2 and overall mark at 4-4. Slippery Rock kept its slim hopes alive of catching Indiana by moving to 4-1 in the conference and 7-1 overall.

“It just didn’t go our way today,” said California head coach Gary Dunn. “Give them credit. They made the plays and we didn’t.”

When the game was still in question, Slippery Rock held Cal to 27 yards rushing on 20 attempts. The Rock stopped the Vulcans on 8 of 10 third down conversions in the first half and 12 of 18 for the game.

“We know Cal is a good team. They stop the run well and they blitz you everywhere,” said Slippery Rock head coach Shawn Lutz. “To be successful on offense, we have to throw the football.”

Slippery Rock came into the game allowing an average of only 67.3 yards rushing per game. The Rock gave up 92 yards on 37 carries, an average of 2.5 yards per carry.

In the first half, when The Rock took a 28-10 lead, Grover completed 14 of 20 passes for 265 yards and four touchdowns. Those touchdown passes accounted for 199 of the 265 passing yards.

Grover hit Russell Cohen from 10 yards and Kyle Sheets from 85 yards away in the first quarter. He found Bryce Profitt for a 45-yard score and Max Maciejewski, a Ringgold garduate, for a 59-yard TD in the second quarter. He leads all Division II tight ends with 5 touchdowns.

Grover finished with 17 completions of 27 attempts for 297 yards.

The most important touchdown came on The Rock’s first possession of the second half and it happened on the ground. Jawon Hall returned the kickoff 54 yards to the Cal 39-yard line. Six plays later, Chris D’Or scored on a 1-yard run to give Slippery Rock a 35-10 lead.

“I thought we had a good plan when we came out for the second half,” said Dunn. “For them to get the big kickoff and then score sort of broke us.”

“We wanted to start fast in the second half,” said Lutz. “That return made a big difference. It gave us good field position and they had to play catch up. In my opinion, they were one dimensional most of the day. They have to throw the ball every single play.”

Cal senior quarterback Noah Mitchell, the PSAC Athlete of the Year last season, completed 30 of 44 passes for 302 yards, two touchdown and two imterceptions.

The two touchdowns were passes to JaQuae Jackson, the first from 5 yards out and the second from 11.

Davonte Williams ran for 80 yards on 17 carries and scored Cal’s first touchdown on aa 4-yard run.

HASH MARKS – Anthony Beitko kicked a 30-yard field goal for Cal’s first score. … Sheets had 4 catches for 115 yards and Maciejewski had 3 receptions for 68 yards. …. Cam Tarrant caught nine passes for 79 yards. … The Rock sacked Mitchell three times and Cal got to Grover twice. … Cal linebackers Noah Dillow and Gabe Milller combined for 13 tackles.