McElroy, Kapp have TD catches as Kutztown U opens season with shutout victory

Mason McElroy and Jerry Kapp each caught touchdown passes and 20th-ranked Kutztown University dominated both sides of the ball in a 19-0 shutout of Assumption University in a season-opener Saturday at Andre Reed Stadium.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Donny Blaine came on in relief of an ailing Eric Nickel to complete 11-of-13 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown.

Kapp, a redshirt sophomore from Boyertown, caught four passes for 74 yards, including a 15-yard pass from Blaine to make it 16-0 late in third quarter.

McElroy, a senior from Wilson, had the Bears’ first touchdown, a 7-yard pass from Nickel for a 9-0 lead 27 seconds before halftime. McElroy finished with two receptions; he also returned a punt for 9 yards.

Kutztown limited the Greyhounds to 139 total yards for its first season-opening shutout since 2010.

Gov. Mifflin grad Kam Wolfe played linebacker and shared the team lead with five tackles, including a sack.

Nickel threw for 97 yards on 10-of-16 passing and ran for 49 yards before departing with an injury.

The victory was Kutztown’s third straight over Assumption in the mini non-conference season-opening rivalry that has evolved since 2015.

The series is now even at three wins apiece, with KU having outscored the Greyhounds 105-44 in the last three meetings.

The Golden Bears’ last shutout in a season-opener also came over a Northeast-10 opponent, Saint Anselm, 41-0 in 2010.

Kutztown hits the road next week at nationally-ranked IUP.

The Golden Bears hold a 12-game road winning streak that dates to 2017; the Crimson Hawks will be playing their first game of the season.