Box Score

WEST CHESTER, PA – Harvie Tuck (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown as the IUP football team closed out the 2011 season with a 34-7 victory over West Chester in Pennsylvania State athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover action Saturday afternoon.

It didn't take long for IUP to strike, as Pat Smith (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) hooked up with Pat Brewer (Coatesville/Coatesville) for a 14-yard touchdown on the Crimson Hawks first drive of the game. Smith was 3-of-3 on the drive, completing passes of 28 yards to Javon Rowan (Erie/Cathedral Prep) and 14 yards to Ben Simmen (Oakdale/West Allegheny) en route to the score.

The Golden Rams would respond, however, as Sean McCartney took to the air to move West Chester down the field. McCartney found LaRonn Lee for 33 yards down to the IUP 11 yard line, and went back to Lee just two plays later for seven yards and a Golden Rams touchdown. Shawn Leo would add the extra point to knot the game at 7-7 with seven minutes to play in the first.

The Crimson Hawks would jump back on top on their very next drive, as Tuck and Johnson pounded away at the West Chester rushing defense. Tuck had an 11-yard rush for a first down, while Johnson had a 19-yard scamper for a touchdown to give IUP a 14-7 lead with 3:07 to play in the first.

That score would remain until midway through the second, when quarterback Mike Box (Lawrenceville, GA/Collins Hill) was called on to replace Smith, who was injured after getting sacked. Box got off to a hot start, hitting Terrill Barnes (Gettysburg/Gettysburg) for 20 yards and Rowan for four more to get the Crimson Hawks into field goal range. Brett Ullman (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) knocked home the 42-yarder to give IUP a 17-7 lead with just over seven to play in the half.

The IUP defense would not be on the field for very long, however, as Johnny Franco (Altoona/Tyrone) hauled in his team-leading fifth interception of the season and returned it 19 yards down to the West Chester six yard line. Three plays later, Box would find Simmen for a four-yard touchdown to put the Crimson Hawks on top 24-7.

The Golden Rams looked to respond on their next drive, but the IUP defense wasn't done. Just two plays into the drive, Andre Henderson (Erie/Strong Vincent) picked off McCartney and returned it to the West Chester 42 yard line. From there, the two-headed monster of Tuck and Johnson went to work. Tuck had three runs for a combined 18 yards, while Johnson added carries of four and five yards to set up a 31-yard field goal by Ullman with just 21 seconds left in the first half.

After West Chester was forced to punt on their first drive of the second half, the IUP offense went back to work. Box found Simmen for 13 yards and a first down, and Dom Maggio (Pittsburgh/Central Catholic) for a 16-yard gain to put the ball in West Chester territory. After a defensive pass interference and 13-yard run by Johnson moved the ball to the Golden Rams' two yard line, Tuck punched it in to give IUP a 34-7 lead with 4:26 left in the third quarter.

Despite West Chester's ability to move the ball late in the game, the IUP defense would not break, forcing two turnover-on-downs and a fumble that ended the Golden Rams' comeback attempt.

With his 134 yards on the ground, Tuck reached over 1,000 rushing yards for the second consecutive season and moved into fifth place on the IUP all-time rushing chart. Smith was 5-of-6 through the air for 90 yards and a score, while Box was 9-of-13 for 73 yards and a touchdown. Brewer led the IUP receiving corp with three catches for 48 yards and a score.

Matt Carroll was the Golden Rams' leading rusher Saturday, carrying it five times for 30 yards. McCartney was 10-of-19 for 151 yards and a touchdown but did have two interceptions.

Franco was all over for the field for the Crimson Hawks, finishing with a team-high seven tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery. Jerrell McFadden added six tackles for IUP, while Kole Kraut (York/Dallastown ) recorded four tackles.

Ronell Williams led the way defensively for West Chester, recording a game-high 12 tackles. Eric Edwers added 10 stops for the Golden Rams, while Anthony McCloskey recorded nine tackles.

With the win, the Crimson Hawks finished the season with a record of 7-3, 5-2 in the PSAC West.