District college football roundup: Clutch defensive play leads Slippery Rock to playoff win
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Brayden Long threw for 270 yards and a touchdown and Michael Henwood made a game-saving defensive play to lead Slippery Rock to a 14-7 victory over New Haven (8-3) in first round of the NCAA Division II tournament Saturday.
With Slippery Rock (10-1) leading 14-7 late in the third quarter, New Haven’s Daelen Menard hit receiver Logan Schmidt for what looked to be a 60-yard touchdown. Henwood ran Schmidt down and punched the ball out at the 1-yard line, sending it out of the end zone for a touchback.
Carson Heckathorn caught a 19-yard touchdown pass, Kylon Wilson scored on a 4-yard run and Logan Ramper caught six passes for 123 yards for SRU, which will visit top-seeded Kutztown next Saturday.
Cal (Pa.) 30, East Stroudsburg 27 — Anthony Beitko kicked a 29-yard field goal as time expired to lift Cal (Pa.) (9-2) over East Stroudsburg (10-2) in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. Davis Black threw for 239 yards and ran for two touchdowns for the Vulcans, who will face Ashland (Ohio) in the second round next Saturday. Sean McTaggart threw for 218 yards and two touchdowns for East Stroudsburg, which led 27-19 heading into the fourth quarter.
Division I FCS
Mercyhurst 21, St. Francis (Pa.) 20 — Adam Urena hit Cameron Barmore with a 29-yard touchdown pass with 42 seconds left in the fourth quarter, followed by a successful 2-point conversion pass from Urena to Ryan Welch, as Mercyhurst (4-7) defeated St. Francis (Pa.) (4-7). Urena threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns to Barmore, who caught eight passes for 129 yards. Nick Whitfield Jr. threw for 245 yards and two touchdowms for St. Francis, which led at halftime, 13-3.