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CALIFORNIA, Pa. – Seventh-ranked California (Pa.) earned a share of its third Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship with a 47-36 victory over No. 17 West Chester Saturday afternoon at Adamson Stadium.
With the win, Cal (10-1) solidifies its top ranking in Super Regional One. West Chester (8-3), ranked third in the region entering Saturday’s game, must now wait until Sunday afternoon when the NCAA Division II field of 24 is announced for the postseason tournament.
The Golden Rams will await word from the NCAA regional ranking committee to see if two losses to the top-ranked team in the region and a Division I FCS loss is enough to gain its fifth straight trip to the NCAA playoffs.
In the first PSAC championship game since 1987, West Chester benefitted from a 75-yard fumble return for a touchdown and a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown in an attempt to stay with the talented Vulcans. However, the hosts were too much for the Rams in the second half.
Cal QB Kevin McCabe threw for a single-game school record 443 yards, completing 25 of 34 passes and four touchdowns to lead the way. Marcel Pestano caught 11 passes for 170 yards and three TDs.
The Vulcans, leading 20-16 at halftime, scored twice in the first five minutes of the second half to open up a 30-16 advantage. From there, the two offensive-minded schools traded scores with West Chester scoring three touchdowns and Cal two TDs and a field goal.
Cal ran up 640 yards of total offense while West Chester countered with 440 of its own. A total of 11 touchdowns were scored in the contest.
Rams senior wide receiver Mike Washington finished the day with seven catches for 117 yards and a TD. He now has 1,045 yards receiving on the year and becomes just the third player in college football history at all levels to have caught for over 1,000 yards in all four seasons. Washington has 4,560 career receiving yards and 56 receiving touchdowns during his illustrious career. He is now third all-time in Division II history in reception yards.
Ryan Paulson finished with six catches for 93 yards and a score, and Steve Miller had four catches for 88 yards. West Chester quarterback Joe Wright finished 22 of 42 for 345 yards and two TDs against one interception.
Andrew Sheehan scooped up a Cal fumble with six minutes left in the first quarter and raced 75 yards for his first career TD that put West Chester on top 6-0 after the extra point was wide.
In the fourth quarter, Dan DePalma returned a Cal punt 76 yards for a score that put the Golden Rams back in the game (40-36) with 10:17 left to play. However, Pestano caught a 14-yard pass from McCabe for a score with 4:08 left to seal the win.
“We just couldn’t get a stop at the end when we needed to,” West Chester head coach Bill Zwaan said. “(Cal) is good. They are good. McCabe is good. Pestano is good.”
West Chester falls to 6-8 all-time in the “State” game. The loss ends the Rams’ seven-game win streak on the season.
NOTES: West Chester made its 14th appearance in the PSAC Championship Game Saturday … the Golden Rams are 6-8 in the “State” game … Sr. WR Mike Washington went over 1,000 yards for the fourth time in his career … he becomes just the third player at any level to reach 1,000 yards receiving in each of his four years in college … Washington also moved into third place all-time in Division II history with 4,560 career reception yards … he caught a TD pass in the 35th game of his career 48 appearances … Washington also became just the second WCU player to register 200 career receptions with his seven catches on the day … Sr. PK Alex Walsh converted 3 of 5 extra points … he now has made 169 career PATs and stands one shy of the PSAC mark of 170 set by East Stroudsburg’s Mark Brubaker … Jr. QB Joe Wright now has 25 TD passes on the season, moving into a tie for sixth on the school’s single-season charts … Walsh now has 2,824 yards passing on the year, moving him into seventh on that single-season chart at WCU … Walsh threw for more than 300 yards in a game for the fourth time this season.