BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – Bloomsburg football fell to Kutztown, 24-3, Saturday afternoon after a rainy and cold start to the day. The Huskies fell to 1-5 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East action, while the Golden Bears improved to 4-2 and 3-0 in conference play.
 
Both offenses were limited in moving the ball, but Kutztown took advantage of a few critical short fields to put points on the board.
 
After both teams were forced to punt on their first drives, Kutztown blocked the Huskies' and recovered the ball on the Bloom-18. The Huskies' defense put up a solid defensive stand and did not allow the Golden Bears to gain a yard. After a one-yard gain on the first play, Ryan D'Ambra (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood) wrapped up Jordan Davis in the backfield for a one-yard loss back to the original line of scrimmage. A pass to Davis fell incomplete, and Kutztown was forced to attempt a 35-yard field goal. Dawson Evitts' kick was good, and Kutztown took a 3-0 lead.
 
Kutztown had their longest scoring drive of the first half as they went 60 yards on eight plays, and Jaedyn Stewart got into the endzone on a nine-yard run to put the Golden Bears up 10-0 with 8:51 to play in the second quarter.
 
With 1:58 to play in the half, the Huskies punted to the Kutztown 14-yard line, but Antaun Lloyd returned it for 71 yards after finally getting tripped up by Kevin Carrigan (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South) at the Bloomsburg 15-yard line. The Golden Bears took advantage of the short field, and Judd Novak connected on a pair of long passes – 16 yards to Kurtis Ravenel Jr. and nine yards to Mekhi Gibson to get into the endzone and take a 17-0 lead after the PAT attempt.
 
Bloomsburg moved the ball downfield on their last possession of the half and got a first down with 15 seconds to go as Jerry Griffen-Batchler (Norristown, Pa./Germantown Academy) caught a 10-yard pass down to the Kutztown 37-yard line. After Oyame Adoga broke up a deep pass to Griffen-Batchler, the Huskies were forced to try for a 55-yard field goal with five seconds on the clock. Bloomsburg's try was short, and Kutztown carried its 17-0 lead into the break.
 
Bloomsburg received the opening kickoff, and after the kick went out of bounds, the Huskies started on the BLOOM-35. Kaleb Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) rushed for eight yards to get down to the 43-yard line before Ben Ries (Bloomsbury, N.J./Phillipsburg) took a designed quarterback run down to the KUTZ-43 for a 14-yard run. Ries then hit Owen Anderson (Cogan Station, Pa./Jersey Shore Area) for a nine-yard gain and Nas Jones (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport Area) for six yards to get to the Kutztown 28-yard line. Ries ran down to KUTZ-20 before he lost two yards on a run to set up a 4th-and-4 from the KUTZ-22. Carrigan's 40-yard FG was good, and the Huskies' cut the Kutztown lead to 17-3.
 
Neither team got into the endzone again until the Golden Bears scored on a four-yard run to cap their longest drive of the game, a 64-yard, seven-play drive that used 4:10 of the game clock.
 
The Huskies turned it over on downs on their final drive, and Kutztown ran out the clock for the 24-3 win.
 
Ries threw for 102 yards on 14-for-22 passing. Griffen-Batchler caught seven passes for 58 yards, and Anderson had five catches for 27 yards. Monaco ran for 74 yards on 18 carries, and Ries picked up 32 yards on the ground on nine carries.
 
D'Ambra led the Huskies with eight tackles, including 2.0 TFL (9 yards) and 1.0 sacks (8 yards). Quentin Gaskill (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) broke up a pair of passes, and Brady Thompson (Green Lane, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) and Tom Goetz (Wenonah, N.J./Gateway Regional) each had a pair of quarterback hurries.
 
The Huskies return to action next Saturday when they host Lock Haven for Homecoming and Parents' and Supporters Weekend. The Huskies will celebrate the 2023 Hall of Fame Class before the game and honor Brian Clarke's jersey number and the 2013 PSAC Championship Football Team during the game. Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m.