HTML BOX SCORE

CALIFORNIA, PA—A 24-yard touchdown run by Lawrence Elliott Jr. (Utica, NY/Thomas R. Proctor) with 2:40 to play lifted the Bloomsburg University football team to a 20-13, come-from-behind win over California (Pa) on Saturday afternoon. The Huskies trailed the Vulcans 13-0 late in the second quarter, but held the Vulcans scoreless over the final two plus quarters of the game.
 
The score was tied at 13-13 in the fourth period after the Huskies missed a 25-yard field goal. The Bloomsburg defense though forced a three and out on the Vulcans ensuing series giving the Huskies the ball at the Cal 45-yard line with 6:40 to play.
 
Bloomsburg moved the ball on the ground to the Cal 24-yard line where it faced a fourth and one. After a timeout, Elliott took the handoff and raced to the end zone for the go-ahead score.
 
On Cal's next drive the Huskies defense held on a fourth and four and took over on the downs at the Cal 35-yard line. Bloomsburg though could not pick up a first down and turned it over on downs to Cal at the Vulcan 35-yard line.
 
On the first play of the drive Cal's James Harris was sacked for a 12-yard loss back to the 23-yard line. But Harris' next pass was good for 39 yards and a first down. Harris then drove to the Bloomsburg 17-yard line where his fourth and sixth pass was incomplete giving the Huskies the ball on downs. One kneel down later the Huskies had their first win of the season.
 
California jumped out to a 7-0 lead late in the first period when John Franklin III scored on a three-yard run to cap a 91-yard drive.
 
The Vulcans tacked on two, second quarter field goals by William Brazil, one of 37 yards and the other of 33 yards to go up 13-0.
 
Bloomsburg finally got on the board late in the second period getting a 35-yard field goal from Tyler Smith (Gettysburg/Gettysburg) capping a 61-yard drive. The big play in the series was a 53-yard by Elliott, Jr.
 
The Huskies made it 13-6 on the first drive of the third period when Smith connected for the second time, this one from 38-yards out with 8:56 to go in the third.
 
On Cal's first drive of the second half the Bloomsburg defense got an interception from Tyrik Clary (Philadelphia/Northeast) to set up its first touchdown drive. Taking over at the Cal 41-yard line, the Huskies ran behind their veteran offensive line for nine straight plays with quarterback Tim Kelly (Camp Hill/Cedar Cliff) going the final yard to tie the game at 13-13.
 
From there the Huskies defense forced Cal into one punt and four times turning it over on downs in the final quarter and half.
 
Elliott, Jr. carried 26 times and finished with a career-high 166-yards on the ground and one score, while Joe Parsnik (Wilkes-Barre/Coughlin) rushed 22 times for 74 yards. Chad Hoffman (Drums/Hazleton) led the receivers with four catches for 38 yards. Defensively Garrett Pope (Northumberland/Shikellamy) had nine tackles, while Clary and Joe Wetty (Downingtown/Downingtown East) each added six.
 
For the Vulcans, James Harris was 17-33 for 263 yards with three interceptions.
 
Bloomsburg returns home for Parent's and Family Weekend game against Mercyhurst starting at 2 p.m. at Redman Stadium.
 
Notes: The Huskies have won six of the last eight meetings with the Vulcans. Seven points is the largest margin of victory for the Huskies in those six wins…Bloomsburg avoided a three-game losing streak for the first time since the end of the 2009 and start of 2010 season when it lost four straight games…The Huskies are now 49-10 since 2009 when having a rusher gain 100-yard or more yards in a game.