The Lakers (9-2) and the Huskies (9-2) will both await word now on the NCAA Division II playoffs which start next week. The pairings for each of the four regions will be announced on Sunday on ESPN News between 3 and 3:30 p.m.
Mercyhurst scored on its second possession of the game with Rearick hitting Terrence Coon with a 61-yard scoring pass to make it 7-0. Bloomsburg answered with a field goal on its ensuing possession when Daniel Fisher (Liverpool, Central Dauphin)connected on a 26-yard field goal to cap a 61-yard drive. The big play in the drive was a 49-yard completion from Huskies quarterback Pat Carey (Loyalsock, Loyalsock Twp.) to Cory Stiger (Williamsport, Loyalsock Twp.)putting the ball at the Lakers 21-yard line. However, Stiger came down hard on his shoulder when making the catch and did not return.
The Lakers extended their lead to 14-3 when Rearick hit Matt Mohr with a 28-yard scoring pass capping a 49-yard scoring drive. A key play in the drive was a pass interference call on the Huskies on a third and 13 play that kept the drive alive for Mercyhurst.
Bloomsburg closed the gap to 14-10 later in the first taking advantage of a special team’s mistake by Mercyhurst. On a BU punt, the Lakers Trevor Kennedy mishandled the ball with Dave Onorato (Hummelstown, Bishop McDevitt) recovering at the Mercyhurst 35-yard line. Two plays later Franklyn Quiteh (Tobyhanna, Pocono Mountain West), Division II’s leading rusher, scored on a 32-yard run with 1:49 to go in the first.
The home team though answered right back marching 81-yards in six plays with Rearick throwing his third TD pass of the game,a four yard strike to Ryan Bartizal making it 21-10. Later in the period the Lakers used their own special teams to score when Kennedy returned a punt 78-yards for a score to make it 28-10 with 8:02 to go before halftime.
The Huskies came right back and narrowed the gap back to 11 points when Carey hit Kyle Fisher (Denver, Cocalico) with a 36-yard scoring pass to make it 28-17 with just over three minutes left to play in the half. Mercyhurst’s Rearick, though, came right back and hit Kennedy with an 81-yard scoring pass on third and eight from the Lakers’ 19-yard line that sent the home team to the lockeroom with a 35-17 lead.
In the second half Bloomsburg started with the ball, but Carey was intercepted on a second and 10 play by Kevin Williams who returned the ball 28 yards for a score to make it 42-17. On BU’s next drive, Quiteh had to leave the game with a leg injury after a short two-yard gain and did not return.
After the team’s twice traded punts, Bloomsburg made it a 42-24 game when Carey led a 50-yard scoring drive going the final five yards himself to cut the deficit for the Huskies.
Bloomsburg made it 42-30 early in the fourth period when, following a blocked punt, Carey hit Kyle Fisher with a 76-yard scoring strike with 11:02 left in the game.
On the next possession for Mercyhurst, Rearick directed a 70-yard scoring drive with Gerald Henderson scoring from one-yard out for a 49-30 lead. Bloomsburg did not quit and came back with a quick scoring driver with Carey hitting Tyler Guise (Mechanicsburg, Cumberland Valley) with 23-yard scoring pass cutting the margin to 49-37 with 6:24 left in the game.
But again the Lakers answered a score with one of their own. Garrett Kensy capped the win for Mercyhurst hitting Kennedy with a 17-yard scoring pass.
Overall Rearick was 20-30 for 345 yards with four touchdowns and one interception, while Kennedy finished 11 catches for 163 yards and two receiving touchdowns along with the one punt return for a score.
For Bloomsburg, Carey was 22-37 for a career-high 311 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Quiteh rushed 16 times for 104 yards and one score before leaving the game early in the third period, while Kyle Fisher caught six passes for 151 yards and two scores.
Notes: The 56 points allowed by the Huskies were the second most given up a Danny Hale-coached team at Bloomsburg (63 to Delta State in 2000 the most allowed). ..The loss snapped a nine-game winning streak for the Huskies…Quarterback Pat Carey has now thrown at least two touchdown passes in 10 straight games.
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