Second Half Comeback Lifts No. 17 West Chester To 34-20 Victory Over East Stroudsburg

Box Score

WEST CHESTER, Pa. - Rondell White rushed for 179 yards, and Sean McCartney was 25-for-39 for 275 yards and three touchdowns, to lead No. 17 West Chester to a 34-20 PSAC East victory over visiting East Stroudsburg in front of a homecoming crowd at John A. Farrell Stadium Saturday.

West Chester (6-0, 3-0 PSAC East) scored 24 unanswered points in the second half, shutting out East Stroudsburg (4-2, 1-2) after halftime. The Golden Rams racked up 17 points in the third quarter while outscoring the Warriors by a 17-0 margin to take control of the game. Interceptions by linebackers Mike Labor and Ronell Williams helped West Chester erase a 20-10 deficit at the half and swing the pendulum of momentum the hosts' way. Labor finished with a team-high eight tackles, including a pair of sacks, to go along with his interception.

Shannon Mayer caught a career high seven passes for another career best 78 yards and his first college touchdown. That score capped a 6-play, 76-yard drive to open the second half and pulled West Chester within three at 20-17.
 
Labor then picked off a Nate Daniels pass on the Warriors' second play from scrimmage on their ensuing possession that gave the Rams the ball back at East Stroudsburg's 25-yard line. McCartney then lofted a TD strike to Jim Hurley on the very next play, and West Chester took its first lead in the game since early in the second quarter at 24-20.
 
Williams intercepted a pass from Daniels on East Stroudsburg's first play from scrimmage following Hurley's score and returned it 27 yards to the Warriors' 35-yard line. Daniels floated a ball over the middle that Steven Jones bobbled. The ball bounced around and fell into the trailing Williams' arms.
 
After West Chester forced ESU to punt with a three-and-out possession, McCartney took the Golden Rams on a 9-play, 72-yard scoring march that culminated in a 23-yard field goal by Shawn Leo with 3:49 left in the third quarter. West Chester then led, 27-20.
 
The Golden Rams tacked on another touchdown with 6:28 to play in the game when Shawn Driggins caught a 4-yard pass from McCartney wide open in the back of the end zone. It was Driggins' first career catch in 15 games and it went for a TD.
 
West Chester outgained East Stroudsburg 307-83 in the second half to spark the Rams' comeback. The Golden Rams' defense held a Warriors' offense, which averaged 542.6 yards per game, to 267 yards of total offense.
 
West Chester heads to Lock Haven next Saturday for a 12 p.m. kickoff against the Bald Eagles.

NOTES: West Chester improves to 6-0 on the year for the first time since 1974 when the Golden Rams opened 8-0 … West Chester has now won seven straight games, dating back to last season – it's longest winning streak since 2008 … West Chester's win on homecoming ended a personal four-year losing streak … the Golden Rams had not won their Homecoming game since 2008 … QB Sean McCartney was responsible for all four West Chester touchdowns … he threw three TDs and rushed for another himself … his three TD passes were all to different wide receivers, who hauled in their first career scoring passes … RB Rondell White rushed for more than 100 yards in a game for the fourth time this season and 14th time in his career … he did not score a TD in a game for the first time this season, ending a 13-game streak in which he had scored … White moved into 2nd place all-time at WCU in career all-purpose yards (5,993) … he will become just the second player in school history with more than 6,000 all-purpose yards in a career with his next seven yards … he also moved into 4th place all-time in career rushing attempts (617) … WR Jim Hurley caught his first career pass – a 25-yard TD catch … TE Shawn Driggins caught his first career pass – a 4-yard TD catch … Shannon Mayer's 7-yard TD reception in the third quarter was his first career TD reception.