INDIANA, PA – The 2014 IUP season came to an end on Saturday as the Crimson Hawks fell to 17th-ranked West Chester 28-17 at Frank Cignetti Field @ George P. Miller Stadium. It was the final home game for 14 IUP seniors and graduate students, with the Crimson Hawks ending their season with a 6-5 overall record.
 
The game was the first career start for redshirt freshman quarterback Eddie Stockett (Dravosburg, Pa. /McKeesport), who finished 3-of-9 for 48 yards, with a 32-yard touchdown toss to tight end Brock DeCiccio. That touchdown was the Crimson Hawks' second score of the day and it gave them a 10-9 lead with 6:47 to go in the second quarter.
 
West Chester and IUP traded scores in the first half, with the Golden Rams getting on the board with a seven-yard run by Brandon Monk just two minutes into the game. IUP came right back, using six runs on an eight-play drive, which resulted in a season-long 46-yard field goal by Brett Ullman (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) to make it 6-3.
 
The Golden Rams kicked a field goal on their ensuing possession before IUP took that 10-9 lead on the Stockett-to-DeCicco hookup. That 32-yard pass play came at the end of an 11-play, 81-yard drive that lasted 5:33. Chris Temple (Malvern, Pa. /Great Valley), Darian Bradley (Midland, Pa./Beaver) and Luigi Lista-Brinza (McKees Rocks, Pa. /Central Catholic) combined for the first 10 carries and 49 yards on the drive.
 
Those three helped IUP run for 202 yards on the day, with 93 coming from Temple.
 
West Chester responded with a 64-yard touchdown drive, and kicker Rich Bruno missed his third extra point of the first half, as the Golden Rams took a 15-10 lead into the break.
 
Two quick, back-to-back touchdowns by West Chester in the middle of the third quarter extended its lead to 28-10, with the second coming on an untouched, 80-yard punt return by Monk up the center of the field.
 
Chase Haslett (Clayton, Mo./Clayton), who replaced Stockett under center in the second half, did his best to try and bring the Crimson Hawks back as he led a 12-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a 14-yard touchdown pass to DeCicco at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Ullman's extra point cut West Chester's lead to 28-17 with 14:17 left to go in the game.
 
The final three drives would not end well for IUP, with a turnover on downs, a fumble and an interception, ending the Crimson Hawks comeback attempt.
 
Haslett finished 14-of-19 for 147 yards, one touchdown and one interception, in his lone half of action. DeCicco and receiver Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central) were the main targets on the day, with DeCicco catching six passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns. Pegues had five receptions for 51 yards and totaled 159 all-purpose yards on the day as he had three kickoff returns for 108 yards.
 
Defensively for the Crimson Hawks, Takhi Turner (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Twp.), Alexander Berdahl (Ashburn, Va./Bishop O'Connell), and Jemal Averette (Upper Marlboro, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel) each finished with eight tackles. Berdahl also had a sack on the day.
 
Monk finished with 79 rushing yards and quarterback Sean McCartney went 17-of-26 for 299 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Golden Rams receiver Mike Doty caught four passes for 68 yards and a score.
 
The Crimson Hawks totaled 397 yards and had a 30:50 time of possession with 21 first downs on the afternoon. West Chester finished with 431 yards of total offense.
 
Prior to the game, 14 seniors and graduate students were honored before their final game at IUP, including Berdahl, DeCicco, Ullman, Jerell McFadden (Manassas, Va./Osbourn), Salath Williams (Harrisburg, Pa. /Bishop McDevitt), Drew Carswell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Sto-Rox), Ali Muhammad (Kingston, Pa. /Wyoming Valley West), Dorian Lane (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Woodland Hills), Matthew Sasson (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Fox Chapel), Shane Meisner (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield ), Bruce Atkins (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills), Bryce Gilbert (Brookfield, Wis./Central), Jorge Vicioso (Passaic, N.J./Passaic) and Trey Campman (Clearfield, Pa. /Clearfield).