QB DaOne Owens lights up California for unbeaten No 10 SRU football in PSAC opener
CALIFORNIA, Pa. — DaOne Owens threw for two touchdowns and rushed for two more in leading No. 10 Slippery Rock to a 41-26 PSAC West football victory over California (Pa.) Saturday at Cal’s Adamson Stadium.
The host Vulcans (2-2, 0-1) scored on their first three possessions, taking a 13-0 lead with 13 minutes left in the first half. Rock running back JayJay Jordan managed just 39 yards in the first two quarters.
But Owens struck back with a vengeance.
“If I’m needed to pick us up and make a play to get the crew going, I’m ready,” the SRU quarterback said. “We definitely needed to make a play at that point.”
Owens made that play, scampering 45 yards down the left sideline on a third-and-2 play to put The Rock on the board with 8:53 left in the half.
California’s next possession ended when linebacker Teddy Gregory Jr. stepped in front of an Eric Gibson pass and returned the ball 51 yards to the Vulcans’ 14-yard line. Owens found tight end Vincent Berardi alone in the end zone on the next play, and SRU (4-0, 1-0) had a 14-13 lead with 4:19 still on the clock.
Gregory’s interception came moments after he cost his team two personal foul penalties while scuffling with a California player out of bounds. The teams combined for 22 flags and 251 yards in penalties.
“My emotions got the best of me there,” Gregory said. “This is a great rivalry, and you have to keep yourself in check. I was happy I could make up for it.
“Our coaches always say, ‘Do your job and production will follow.’ I saw their running back come open in the flat and just jumped the route.”
Less than three minutes after the Berardi touchdown, Owens rambled 50 yards on a keeper off the right side for a 21-13 Rock advantage.
“That was the play that turned the game, I think,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said. “Scoring before the end of the half like that was big.
“Teams will have to start thinking, if you load the box to stop JayJay, our quarterback can hurt you. Our receivers had 1-on-1 coverage all day, and we took advantage of it.”
California found itself trailing by eight at intermission despite running 52 offensive plays to SRU’s 22 in the first two quarters. The Vulcans had to settle for short Harry Radcliffe field goals after driving inside The Rock 10 twice.
“We have to do a better job in the red zone,” California coach Gary Dunn said. “Give Slippery Rock credit for keeping us out of the end zone. That helped change the game.
“I thought we dominated the first half, but they hit us with some explosive plays for touchdowns. That’s what they do. That team is awfully good.”
The Vulcans put together an 80-yard drive, capped by a 20-yard Bobby Boyd Jr. TD run, to pull within 21-19 late in the third quarter. A conversion pass, attempting to tie the game, failed.
The Rock put the game away after that, scoring on their next three possessions. Jordan — limited to 66 yards on the day — scored on a 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter. He has now scored a touchdown in 10 straight games. Just before Jordan’s score, John Sabo hauled in a 31-yard circus catch down to the 2-yard line, getting a foot down before being knocked out of bounds.
Lutz challenged the original call of an incomplete pass and won.
Owens found Hamilton Gates for a 36-yard scoring pass, and a 22-yard Luke McCoy run completed the onslaught with 6:01 left in the contest.
Owens passed for 245 yards and rushed for 116.
JuJu Johnson, recently moved to the defensive side of the ball, found himself starting after Freeport graduate Ben Lane was ejected for a targeting call early in the second quarter. Johnson intercepted a deep pass in the second half and had eight tackles.
“This was an impressive comeback,” Lutz said. “Our comeback against Minnesota-Duluth in the opener gave us the feeling we could rally today. This is a big one on the road.”
“Relentless and resilient,” Gregory said, smiling. “That’s what this was about.”
SRU returns 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, to play its first home game since August, hosting Gannon.
Slippery Rock 0 21 0 20 — 41
California 10 3 6 7 — 26
First Quarter
C — Tavin Willis 30 pass from Eric Gibson (Harry Radcliffe kick), 10:37
C — Radcliffe 22 field goal, 4:57
Second Quarter
C — Radcliffe 27 field goal, 13:00
SRU — DaOne Owens 45 run (Connor Macek kick), 8:53
SRU — Vincent Berardi 14 pass from Owens (Macek kick), 4:19
SRU — Owens 53 run (Macek kick), 1:47
Third Quarter
C — Bobby Boiyd Jr. 20 run (pass failed), 2:01
Fourth Quarter
SRU — JayJay Jordan 2 run (kick blocked), 14:29
SRU — Hamilton Gates 36 pass from Owens (Macek kick), 123:07
SRU — Luke McCoy 22 run (Mcek kick), 6:01
C — Kenny Lewis IV 5 pass from Sam Stoner (Radcliffe kick), 1:13
Individual Statistics
Passing: SRU, DaOne Owens 14-325-245-2. Cal, Eric Gibson 21-44-236-2, Sam Stoner 5-9-51-0.
Rushing: SRU, DaOne Owens 9-116, JayJay Jordan 17-66, Luke McCoy 2-35, Jahmil Perryman 1-28. Cal, Bobby Boyd Jr. 16-85, Jay Pearson 9-38, Sam Stoner 3-13, Eric Gibson 6-11.
Receiving: SRU, John Sabo 4-80, Hamilton Gates 4-67, JayJay Jordan 3-58, Vincent Berardi 2-32. Cal, Lloyd Penn 7-84, Kenny Lewsis IV 7-77, Tavin Willis 5-85, Keondre DeShields 3-21.
