FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Junior Chris Temple (Malvern, Pa. /Great Valley) scored four touchdowns and the IUP defense forced six turnovers as the Crimson Hawks dominated all aspects in a 62-13 rout of Fairmont State in the opening round of the NCAA Division II playoffs on Saturday.
 
Temple ran for 147 yards and those four touchdowns on 20 carries – all in the first half – to help give IUP (10-1) a 42-0 lead heading to the locker room.
 
Four of Fairmont State's six turnovers occurred in the opening half, with IUP forcing two on the Falcons opening two possessions. FSU advanced the ball inside the Crimson Hawks' 10-yard line on the opening possession, but senior safety Steve Franco (Tyrone, Pa. /Tyrone ) forced and recovered a fumble to halt momentum.
 
Six plays later, Temple scored from 58 yards out, and the rout was on.
 
Junior corner Jay Watkins (Chester, Pa. /Hyde School) intercepted a pass on the Falcons next play, and sophomore quarterback Mike Pietropola (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro) made FSU pay with a nine-yard touchdown run just five plays later.
 
In addition to the four first half turnovers, the IUP defense forced Fairmont into seven straight three-and-outs as the Falcons mustered just 116 yards in the first half. 70 of those yards came on their opening possession.
 
Temple added a pair of one-yard runs to make it a 28-0 ball game with 5:25 left in the second quarter. IUP's ensuing kickoff was pushed down by a swirling wind, landing short of Fairmont's returner, and the Crimson Hawks pounced on the ball at the FSU 36. On the very next play, Pietropola's pass cut through that wind and landed in the arms of junior wide out Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central), as the two connected for a 36-yard touchdown.
 
Temple added one more score before the break, punching one in from five yards out with 45 seconds left.
 
IUP slowed the pace down in the second half, continuously bleeding the play clock down to under five seconds before snapping the ball. The Crimson Hawks added three more scores – a two-yard run by junior Drew Harris (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East), an 82-yard interception return by Franco, and a five-yard run by freshman Malik Anderson (Ellicott City, Md./Howard).
 
Franco's touchdown, the second pick-six of his career, came with Fairmont driving at the start of the fourth quarter. Catching the ball in the middle of the field at his own 18, he raced up the right sideline untouched for the score.
 
Fairmont added two late scores to avoid the playoff shutout, but the Falcons season ended with a 10-2 overall record.
 
Pietropola finished the day 10-of-15 for 134 yards and a touchdown through the air, adding 51 rushing yards and a score of six carries. Harris had 54 yards on the ground while freshmen Samir Bullock (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) and Anderson added 51 and 35, respectively.
 
Pegues caught six passes for 83 yards and a touchdown, tacking on 31 rushing yards on two carries.
 
Defensively, senior linebacker Kevin Clarke (West Mifflin, Pa. /West Mifflin) had a team-high nine tackles. Franco added two tackles and a pass breakup to his interception return, forced fumble and recovery. Ackeno Robertson (Philadelphia, Pa. /Parkway Northwest) and Nick Dubowski (Erie, Pa. /Cathedral Prep) were also credited with forced fumbles, while Malik Allen (Dover, Pa./Dover), Nick Amendola (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin), and Dyllon Scott (Reading, Pa./Exeter Twp.) were credited with recoveries. Watkins broke up two more passes to go along with his interception.
 
Up next
IUP's win sets up a rivalry rematch in the second round, as the Crimson Hawks will battle California (Pa.) – the region's top seed – next Saturday at Adamson Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
 
Stewart breaks a record
IUP senior kicker Ryan Stewart (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) set a new program record with his second extra point today. It was his 65th of the year, breaking the previous mark of 64 held by Mike Geary in 1993. Stewart is now 71-of-74 on the season.
 
IUP sets a new scoring record
The Crimson Hawks' 62 points today set a new program record for scoring in a playoff game. The previous mark came in a 56-7 IUP victory over Virginia Union in 1991.
 
Temple moves up in the IUP record books
Temple moved into second place all-time with 35 career rushing touchdowns. He's now 13 behind all-time leader Michael Mann's 48 from 1990-93.