November 16th, 2024 5:10pm
CALIFORNIA, Pa. – The No. 3-ranked Kutztown University Golden Bears won its second consecutive PSAC Football Championship with a 21-14 victory over No. 17 California on Saturday afternoon. Kutztown’s victory marks its third PSAC Football Championship in the last four seasons as the team improves to an unbeaten 11-0 overall record in 2024.
KU scored on its opening drive of the game, set up by Sincere Thomas returning the opening kickoff 43 yards for great field position. The Golden Bears marched down the field and capped off the drive with an eight-yard Judd Novak touchdown pass to Jaedyn Stewart to put Kutztown in front.
There would be no more scoring in the first half, but California put together a scoring drive on its first possession of the second half. Quarterback Davis Black launched a 37-yard deep ball to Eric Willis III down to the Kutztown 33 yard line, and a Bobby Boyd Jr. 11-yard scamper got the ball into the redzone. Black kept it himself and rumbled in from eight yards out to tie the game, 7-7.
Kutztown immediately answered and heavily featured Stewart on its next drive. Stewart carried the ball five times for 65 yards on the drive and got free for a 41-yard touchdown run to make it 14-7 Golden Bears with 6:54 left to go in the third quarter. KU would score again in the fourth quarter after a nine-play, 80-yard drive finished off by a Steven Burkhardt two yard TD plunge to give Kutztown a 21-7 lead.
It took until late in the fourth quarter for another score, a California took advantage of a 25 yard Deontae Williams punt return and a KU personal foul penalty to get it down in the redzone again. Black launched himself into the endzone after rolling out to the right for his second rushing TD of the game to make it 21-14 with just 1:52 left to play. The Vulcans could not recover the ensuing onside kick, though, allowing Kutztown to take three consecutive kneel downs to end the game and become 2024 PSAC Champions.
KU running back Jaedyn Stewart was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, totaling 115 rushing yards on 14 carries with a touchdown on the ground. He added two catches for 24 yards and a second TD receiving to complete his impressive day. Novak was an efficient 11-for-17 through the air for 149 yards and no interceptions, while Steve Burkhardt carried the ball 13 times for 60 yards to complement Stewart.
Both Kutztown and California now await the 2024 NCAA Division II Football Championship selection show to find out what the postseason has in store. The selection show is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m.