Welcome to www.Collegefootballfan.com

"Get off the couch and go to a game!"

The Goal - See 'em all!

 #9 Bloomsburg  Huskies hold off late West Chester threat, 30-27

Bloomsburg, PA. - CFF went to Bloomsburg for the first time expecting to see phenom JR RB Jamar Brittingham add to his career total of  57  TDS, and we saw him carry one over from the three to get the Huskies their final points of the game.  We came away more impressed, however, by the play of BU Frosh QB Dan Latorre, who ran for one TD and threw for two more to lead D-2's #9 Bloomsburg Huskies (5-1) to a 30-14 lead before West Chester (3-3) came up with two late scores to threaten a comeback late in the game.  Brittingham picked up a quiet 108 yards on 30 carries as the WCSU defense keyed on him to stop the BU offense.  However, Latorre came up with big plays for 273 yards on 10 of 16 passing plays including TD passes of 57 and 70 yards.  Latorre's poise was very impressive as he ran the clock well.  It was the first game of the year where we recall not seeing a delay of game penalty.  Impressive, especially for a freshman QB.

     We admit that we showed up a little late for this one.  Neither GGA Rich Williams nor myself had been to Robert B. Redman Stadium before.  We got directions at a local pub where we were told to "go up the hill, take a left at the first light until you get to the highest point in Bloomsburg."  Though we made it to the parking lot before game time, we were surprised to find ourselves on one unexpected, long ticket line on Homecoming weekend.  The BU students showed up in strong numbers among the attendance of 6,136.  As we searched for a second way into the stadium and ended up back on the only ticket line into Bobby B., we got a glimpse of D-2's #1 Field Hockey team in the nation in action as the Lady Huskies triumphed over Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  Someone at the BU ticket office eventually woke up and got the line moving quicker by sending ticket agents down the line to sell the $3 seats to the capacity crowd.  As we entered the stadium and headed to the visitors' side, since the home bleachers were packed, the Huskies had taken a 3-0 lead on a 39-yard FG by Jon Koenig, a redshirt-FR. We meandered along the track toward the visiting stands which were near capacity as well.  People were already setting up blankets on the grassy hill to take up space and to watch from there.  We walked up the hill behind the bleachers and noticed a folding chair and a table behind the backstop at the adjacent baseball field at the top of the hill.  We brought the sturdy table out along the baseball fence up behind the visiting bleachers.  The front legs sunk into the moist turf.  We improvised.  There were a few loose bricks lying alongside the baseball field fence.  We put one each under the front legs of the table and viola!, we had ourselves two of the best seats in the House that Redman built.  It wasn't long after that when the Huskies drew more blood as Latorre connected with a wide-open WR Brahin Bilal for his 57-yard scoring strike.  Either the defender fell and we never saw him, or coverage was just totally blown altogether.  With 5:07 left in our short first period, Koenig's placement put the Huskies up over the Rams, 10-0.  The Husky defense forced the Rams to punt on their next series, and the faithful Husky student body cheered.  GGA Rich Williams quipped, "It's a better atmosphere here than at Bucknell."  Rich has only had time to see Bucknell play twice in nearby Lewisburg this year, but he has plans to see other games at other venues with us and others later this season.   The period ended in favor of the #9 Huskies, 10-0. 

     West Chester was driving as the periods changed.  On a first-and-ten, an inside reverse was taken 19 yards to the five by WR Eric Rufenach whose loyal family donned purple and gold jerseys with this number at the game.   RB Osagie Osunde (11 rushes for 72 yards) went two more yards before losing one.  QB Bill Zwaan (21 0f 34 for 264) attempted a spot pass to the corner of the end zone, but his sidearm motion isn't effective for dropping his passes over defenders.  If was overthrown, and PK Alex Walsh converted a 20-yard FG to cut the score to 10-3 in favor of the Huskies.  Both teams exchanged punts.  QB Matt Burdalski replaced Zwaan on the Rams next series.  Though he completed one pass with his stronger arm for 15 yards, the Rams stuck with a ground game.  On a third and long, he was picked off by DB Tyler Trettin whose picture graced the cover of today's Homecoming program.  The INT was as good as a punt as BU started its drive from its own 30.  Burdalski never re-entered the game. It must be a tough position to be in when the other QB  is the Head Coach's son!   A costly interference call on Ram DB Anthony Gallup got the Huskies down to the WCSU 29.  BU continued to drive to the WC nine where Latorre called time-out with a third and one.  His own number was called as he faked a hand-off inside and bootlegged left to go untouched into the end zone for a nine-yard score.  With the point after by Koenig, BU was looking strong with a 17-3 lead.  The score remained the same going into the half.

     The Bloomsburg band performed at half-time for the Homecoming festivities.  Toward the end of the ceremony, the Homecoming King and Queen were announced.  It was the first time, it was announced over the PA system, that there was a tie between two Kings at BU and that there would be a wrestle-off!   We couldn't see if that really happened or not since the band and the HC Court on the opposite sideline blocked our view, but if there was a wrestle-off for Homecoming Queen, we would have given up our prime table seats and run across the field for that contest!  As noted earlier that this was our first trip to Bloomsburg for a game, and that we were told to go until we got "to the highest point in Bloomsburg", it's quite an impressive view from atop the Bloomsburg campus overlooking central Pennsylvania on an early, beautiful, fall afternoon.  From the surrounding athletic facilities, you can look out over valleys, rivers, bridges, towns, and other hills for some beautiful scenery, especially this time of year.

     On the first play of Q2, West Chester came out firing as Osunde exploded on a 59-yard run before getting taken down by CBs Jesse Cooper and Marcus Waddy at the Bloomsburg 5-yard line.  Zwaan lost nine yards on second down on a sack by LB Kyle Sosnovik, and then attempted another ill-fated spot pass thrown over his receiver's out-stretched arms.   West Chester settled for Alex Walsh's second FG from 31yards away.  His FG cut the BU lead to 17-6. It didn't take long for Bloomsburg to squelch an immediate comeback.  On the next play from scrimmage at their own 30, Latorre fired a pass caught over the shoulder by WR Ryan Schuck who shucked one defender and sped 70 yards for a long TD to widen the margin, 24-6.  After another squib kick by BU, WC spotted the ball at its own 43.  The Rams got things moving in the right direction until they stalled seemingly at the BU 13 with a fourth and one.  Shunning another FG, the Rams went for it all as Zwaan found a diving Mike Washington in the back of the end zone for six.  On a two-point conversion, WC lined up two receivers wide right and brought a man in motion from left to right.   Zwaan rolled right and threw back across the field to Rufenach running from right to left.  WC looked as if it might make this a game as it had moved the ball into scoring position on its first two possessions of the second half.   BU led, 24-14.  Things looked more favorable for the Rams as the Huskies came up empty on the next drive when Koenig's 40-yard FG attempt went wide left, but they went nowhere themselves.  BU started its next drive from its own 31.  They got down to the WC three on a 50-yard pass play from Latorre to Bilal. From there, Brittingham carried it in for his 58th career TD.  The PAT was no good, but BU had a seemingly comfortable 30-14 lead with 14:55 left in the game.  

     In Q4, the teams exchanged punts to start.  On WC's subsequent series, they had a fourth and twelve at the BU 40 where Zwaan found Washington for a 19-yard pick up and a first down to keep the drive alive.  On the next play, Zwaan's short pass to WR Cory Clark went 21 yards for a TD with 6:00 remaining.  WC attempted a double reverse on the two-point conversion, but Clark was stopped for a loss, and the score stood at 30-20 in favor of the home team.   BU punted on the subsequent drive from the Ram 41 where P Kyle Ream placed it on about the one-foot line where the Rams would start its next drive.  With 2:16 remaining, there seemed little chance for a Ram comeback.  Since CFF had about a ninety-minute drive home to see a Lenape Valley Pee Wee game at 7:30, we started to walk to the main exit as we watched the Ram passing attack come to life from the back of their end zone.  A defensive holding penalty got the Rams some breathing room at the eleven.  Three straight completions for first downs got the Rams to the BU 48 and allowed them to stop the clock on each play.  From there, Zwaan completed a pass to WR Mike Washington (6 catches for 110 yards, 2 TDs) who went the distance with 1:23 remaining.  The PAT by Walsh made it a three-point game, 30-27.  WCSU bunched five players to each side of the kicker for an onsides kick.  The ball bounced high to the kicker's left where a member of the BU "hands team" leapt high and brought it down on the Ram 47 to take control.  With no time-outs left for the Rams, the Huskies ran the clock out, and the score was history with the BU squad advancing its record to  5-1, including its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference  win of the year. The Rams fell to 3-3 overall and to 1-1 in PSAC play.  Next weekend, BU hosts Kutztown whom we saw last year in a loss to East Stroudsburg. Kutztown slammed hapless Mansfield this weekend, 51-7.  West Chester hosts Millersville, who fell to ESU last weekend, 30-19.  Bloomsburg's only loss thus far is to 1-AA James Madison of the powerful Atlantic 10 by a score of 14-3.  If they run the PSAC table to get a high seed in the D-2 play-offs, CFF will consider coming back to Bloomsburg to enjoy that one.  Three losses and a game remaining at East Stroudsburg will make it difficult for West Chester to make it back to the D-2 play-offs this year.   Next week, we go back to State College, PA to see the Nittany Lions host #4 Michigan.  It's the Lions last shot at a significant bowl bid this season if it can beat a team that has defeated them seven games in a row.  White-out revenge will be PSU incentive in this one!

Extra points:  It was the 151st win for Bloomsburg's HC Danny Hale in his 14th year at BU.  He won his first 40 at West Chester, his Alma Mater.

CFF had great sandwiches and beers before the game at  Russell's Restaurant on West Main Street in downtown Bloomsburg!

It was pointed out to us by a BU alum that the varsity baseball field we sat next to had no clay base paths down the first or third or first baselines.  At first glance, we just thought it was overgrowth during the off-season, but upon closer look, it did look strange. In addition to the Field Hockey game, Fall softball was being played on the adjacent field.

BU's latest claim to NFL Fame is last year's OT Jahri Evans was selected in the fourth round by the New Orleans Saints where he now blocks for former Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush and QB Drew Brees.  He was a two-time All-America at Bloomsburg, and is the first draftee since 1992 when OT Marc Jonnassen was taken in the fifth round by San Diego where he played for two years. The most familiar BU name to go on to the NFL is Bob Tucker, who spent 11 years with the NY Giants at TE starting in 1970. We remember that he was a good one.