Kutztown U clinches third straight East Division title
2025 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Fourth-ranked Kutztown University maintained its perch atop the PSAC East by securing its third straight division title and fifth in the last six seasons with a 49-6 victory over East Stroudsburg at Andre Reed Stadium Saturday.
The Golden Bears (6-0, 9-0) wrap up their regular season next Saturday on the road at Bloomsburg. Kutztown owns a win over second-place Shepherd (5-1).
Noah Kracyla and Jaedyn Stewart made immediate impacts upon their return to the lineup for the Golden Bears. Kracyla caught six passes for 141 yards and a touchdown and Stewart rushed for 73 yards and two scores.
Steven Burkhardt registered his third 100+ yard rushing game of the season with 114 yards, Judd Novak threw for 255 yards and a TD and Jhaisir Harden added a 44-yard Pick-6 as KU topped 40 points for the third week in a row and seventh time in nine games; it held its opponent under 10 points for the sixth time this season.
Kutztown, which entered the game ranked second in NCAA Division II in scoring defense (7.4 points) and total defense (222.5 yards per game), forced punts by ESU (4-2, 6-3) on six of its first seven drives.
A 28-point second quarter broke the game open in KU’s favor.
Kutztown won its 11th straight game over the Warriors dating back to 2014.
The Golden Bears totaled a season-high 534 yards of offense, rushing for 242 and throwing for 292. Novak completed 13-of-17 passes for 255 yards and a TD. The redshirt junior from Manheim has a 16-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio and hasn’t thrown a pick in 13 consecutive games and 246 attempts dating back to Oct. 26, 2024.
The win was the 99th for head coach Jim Clements at KU. Clements improved to 99-29 in his 11th season with the Bears. He’s 165-53 in 19 seasons overall between Delaware Valley and Kutztown.
The Golden Bears will host the PSAC Championship Game Saturday, Nov. 15.
