CALIFORNIA, PA – The Vulcans picked off a pass attempt by Chase Haslett (Clayton, Mo./Clayton) with less than a minute remaining to end IUP's threat as the Crimson Hawks fell to 25th-ranked California (PA) 21-13 in the sixth annual Coal Bowl on Saturday afternoon at Adamson Stadium.
 
Haslett's pass attempt came on a fourth and eight play from the Cal 14-yard line, as he tried to find tight end Brock DeCicco (Jefferson Hills, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) in the end zone, but to no avail.
 
His pass was intercepted by Cal's Chaz Veal in the end zone to seal the eight-point win for the Vulcans, their fifth win in the six Coal Bowl's played between the two schools.
 
Haslett finished with a career-high 359 passing yards on 34-of-44 passing, tossing a touchdown but threw three interceptions and was sacked six times. The 34 completions tied the single game program record held by Rich Ingold (1985 vs. Lehigh) and Andrew Krewatch (2007 vs. Shepherd). The 359 yards are also the 10th highest total in school history. 
 
Wide receiver Drew Carswell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Sto-Rox) had a career day with 15 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown through the air, while DeCicco caught 11 passes for 111 yards, also career-highs. Those reception totals also land in the IUP record book, as Carswell's 15 tied Terry Skelley (1979 vs. Clarion) for most in a single game and DeCicco's 11 tied Len Pesotini (1975 vs. Lock Haven) and John McCutcheon (1974 vs. Cal) for the seventh-best mark in school single game history.
 
The Crimson Hawks got on the board first with a 20-yard field goal by Brett Ullman (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) on IUP's opening drive of the game.  The Vulcans came back with a 23-yard touchdown pass from James Harris to Luke Smorey on the ensuing drive to take a 7-3 lead.
 
The Vulcans took a 14-3 lead in the second quarter on a Terrell Roberson one-yard rushing touchdown midway through the quarter. The score was set-up by a 44-yard pass play from Harris to Garry Brown, taking it down to the IUP 12-yard line.
 
IUP had a chance to score before the end of the half, but a 12-play, 68-yard drive ended when Aaron Terry intercepted Haslett in the end zone with less than 20 seconds to play to end the threat.
 
The only score in the third quarter came from the Vulcans, who blocked a 37-yard field goal by Ullman and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown to take a 21-3 lead.
 
Ullman opened up the fourth quarter with a 25-yard field goal, capping an 11-play, 61-yard drive that cut Cal's lead to 21-6. The Crimson Hawks scored again on their next drive, as Haslett found Carswell on a fade to the left corner on third-and-four from the five-yard line to cut Cal's lead to eight with just under eight minutes to play.
 
Cal's next drive ended after nine plays as Ackeno Robertson (Philadelphia, Pa. /Parkway Northwest) broke up a third-and-10 pass intended for Kowan Scott, forcing a Vulcans punt on their own 28-yard line.
 
Haslett went to work, hooking up with DeCicco and Carswell four consecutive times to get the ball down to the Cal 27-yard line. A sack by Cal's Jeff Knox, Jr. forced an IUP timeout with 1:33 remaining, before another connection from Haslett to DeCicco on second down to the Vulcans' 14, setting up the key fourth-down play.
 
With the win, the Vulcans improved their record to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), taking the lead in the Western Division with an upset loss by Slippery Rock to Mercyhurst at Michigan Stadium. IUP falls to 5-2 overall and 4-2 in the conference, setting up a key showdown with rival Slippery Rock next week at Miller Stadium.
 
Luigi Lista-Brinza (McKees Rocks, Pa. /Central Catholic) ran for 97 yards on 16 carries, just the second time all year he's failed to run for 100 or more yards. Darian Bradley (Midland, Pa./Beaver) caught three passes out of the backfield for 15 yards, while Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central) caught two for 44 and Lista-Brinza had two receptions for 20 yards.
 
Defensively, linebacker Kevin Clarke (West Mifflin, Pa. /West Mifflin) had a team-high 12 tackles with a sack while corner Jerell McFadden (Manassas, Va./Osbourn) had eight tackles and Allen Wright (McKeesport, Pa. /McKeesport Area) had six. Defensive end Shane Meisner (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield ) added a sack on the day.
 
The Crimson Hawks finished with more total yards (359-298) more passing yards (359-238) and more rushing yards (111-60) on the day, but lost the turnover battle to the Vulcans 5-1. In addition to the three interceptions where two lost fumbles.
 
IUP also owned the ball for 34:46 and went 7-of-14 on third down, while the Vulcans went just 3-of-10.
 
The Crimson Hawks will now face Slippery Rock (5-2, 4-2) at home next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.