Golden Bears’ defense sinks Shipp
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SHIPPENSBURG — Fifth-ranked Kutztown took advantage of good field position in the first half to build a 21-point lead as the Golden Bears improved to 7-0 for the fourth time in program history with a 31-2 PSAC East victory Saturday afternoon.
Already ranked third in NCAA Division II in scoring defense at 8.5 points allowed per game, the Golden Bears lowered that number by allowing just a third-quarter safety.
Shippensburg (1-3, 2-5) started four drives within 10 yards of midfield or in Kutztown territory but time and time again the KU defense stepped up to keep the Raiders off the board.
Kutztown (4-0,7-0) surrendered just 18 yards on Shippensburg’s game-opening possession before driving 64 yards on eight plays in slightly less than four minutes to take a 7-0 lead on Jaedyn Stewart’s 6-yard touchdown run.
The one-score lead stood into the second quarter before touchdowns on back-to-back drives opened its advantage to 21-0.
Stewart found the end zone for a second time from 4 yards out to make it 14-0 with 3:14 left in the first half. After the KU defense forced a turnover on downs, quarterback Judd Novak (Manheim Central) connected with a pair of his receivers to get the Bears back on the board in quick succession.
Kurtis Ravenel Jr. brought in an 11-yard reception before Mekhi Gibson hauled in a 46-yard TD pass from Novak for a 21-0 Kutztown lead.
Shippensburg, which totaled just 81 yards in the first half, never ran a play in the Kutztown red zone. The Raiders’ only points came when a snap sailed over the head of punter Nate Millard (Daniel Boone) and out the back of the end zone for a safety that made it 21-2 with 2:47 to play in the third.
The Raiders had a chance to cut into the lead when Mike Fayemi intercepted Novak at the KU 44-yard line. On the very next play, however, Shippensburg quarterback Vincent Micucci was picked off by CJ Brown.
Brown’s interception along with a 22-yard pass from Novak to Tyreek Husser helped set up a 38-yard field goal from Will Smith that increased the Golden Bears’ lead to 24-2.
Kutztown allowed exactly two points in a game for the first time in 39 years, dating back to a 29-2 victory over Mansfield in 1985. It’s just the fifth time in 108 seasons of KU football that an opponent’s only points in a game came via safety (1901, 1936, 1958).