Cooper Jordan Photo by Scott Rowan via wcupagoldenrams.com
On Nov. 5, West Chester University’s football team took down Kutztown 28-9 in a PSAC clash, spoiling the Golden Bears senior year in the process.
The rivals faced off at Andre Reed Stadium in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. Cooper Jordan, freshman quarterback from Bishop Shanahan, opened up the scoring for the Golden Rams halfway through the first quarter with a ten-yard pass to D’Shaun Seals. Cooper would later add a rushing touchdown to give West Chester a 14-0 lead. He finished the day with only 30 yards passing but made up for it on the ground with 129 rushing yards on 20 attempts. From there, it was all Ja’Den McKenzie for the Golden Rams as the junior running back found the endzone twice including a seven-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the game away for West Chester.
It was a dominant all-around day for the Golden Rams as they scored a touchdown in every quarter in the route, despite losing the time of possession battle by over five minutes. As a team they finished with a total of 247 rushing yards on 49 attempts, establishing a run game that has been the focal point of the offense all season. West Chester is averaging 162.2 yards per game on the ground this year, compared to 116.1 from their opponents. With McKenzie and Cooper returning to the fold next season, look for this to be an emphasis for years to come.
Jackson Taylor had a big day for the West Chester defense as he finished the game with 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The middle linebacker was a part of a defensive unit that forced three fumbles on the day and made big stops when it mattered most to hold the Golden Bears offense to only nine points, all of which came in the second half.
With the win, West Chester improved to 6-4 on the campaign (4-3 in the PSAC), while Kutztown fell to 7-3 (5-2 in the PSAC). The Golden Rams clinched a winning season for the tenth year in a row, a remarkable feat in college football. Head coach Bill Zwaan’s coaching record improved to 156-71 at West Chester with the victory and 210-85 overall including his six-year stint at Widener University. He is currently in his 20th campaign at the helm and has one of the most impressive coaching resumes in West Chester history. During his tenure, the Golden Rams have won six PSAC East titles and were named Team of the Year nine times. West Chester has been dominant within the PSAC East with Zwaan leading the team, as they have compiled an in-conference record of 100-28 since 2003.
With the loss, Kutztown snapped their five-game winning streak, with their last defeat coming at the hands of Shepherd on Sept. 24. This was the first time this season that they have lost by double digits, as both of their prior losses have come by a combined 10 points.
Following this matchup, West Chester wrapped up their season with a 36-27 win over Clarion University while Kutztown defeated Slippery Rock 23-21.
For more information on all things Golden Rams including ticket sales, schedules, statistics and more, visit the West Chester athletics website.
Erick Klambara is a fourth year media and culture major with a minor in journalism. EK924666@wcupa.edu