2002 Warrior Football

Warriors beat Kutztown 34-7 to Win Share of PSAC Eastern Division Title

November 16, 2002

EAST STROUDSBURG - Tailback Greg Vaughn ran for a career-high 170 yards as East Stroudsburg downed Kutztown, 34-7, Saturday to gain a share of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division football championship.
ESU finished 5-1 in the conference to share the title with Bloomsburg, which completed its season last weekend. The Warriors wound up 8-2 overall, best at the school since 1992. Kutztown finished 4-7 overall and 2-4 in PSAC play.
The last time East Stroudsburg won the PSAC East title was in 1991.

Vaughn, a junior from Madison, N.J., carried 31 times which included an eight-yard touchdown run. His previous best had been 161 yards against Cheyney last season.

The Warriors piled up a season-high 308 yards rushing on 60 carries. Fullback Anthony Carfagno ran for 68 yards on four attempts while fullback A.J. Oliveri gained 31 yards on 12 tries with two touchdown plunges of one and three yards.
Quarterback Jeremy Palm was 13 for 21 passing for 85 yards. He connected with Carfagno on a 17-yard touchdown play.
ESU's Mark Brubaker kicked two field goals of 31 and 26 yards as the Warriors completed their home season undefeated at 5-0.

The Warriors, the conference leader in turnover margin at plus-11 entering the game, had six takeaways on three interceptions, two by linebacker Matt Rapa and one by halfback Nick Beisker, and three fumble recoveries. They gave up only two turnovers on the rainy day, one interception and one fumble.
They held Kutztown to 131 total yards, 59 rushing and 79 passing. There also was a major difference in time of possession with ESU holding a 44:40 to 15:20 edge.

Kutztown's lone points came on a Stephen Gammage's two-yard run in the second quarter. It followed a Pete Mendez block of a punt which gave the Golden Bears the ball on the Warriors' 16-yard line.

The Warriors dominated the first quarter, running 24 plays to Kutztown's three. They took the opening kickoff and went 54 yards on 12 plays, all on the ground. They used up seven minutes and 11 seconds with Oliveri taking it over the one on a fourth and goal play.

On its next possession, ESU moved 74 yards on only three plays starting with Carfagno's 60-yard run right up the middle. Vaughn went off the right side for the TD with 5:00 left in the quarter and Matt Huber added his second of four extra points to make the score, 14-0.

Later in the quarter, the Warriors moved to the Kutztown one-yard line, but Oliveri carrying from the one fumbled out of the end-zone for a touchback.

Brubaker kicked his 31-yard field goal early in the second quarter after a fumble recovery by linebacker Noel Nation gave ESU the ball on the Bears' 24-yard line.

Kutztown scored midway through the second quarter, but ESU immediately countered on a 73-yard drive in nine yards capped by Palm's payoff pass to Carfagno. Brubaker's 26-yard field goal opened the gap to 27-7 in the third quarter. It followed a fumble recovery by tackle Greg Thoman on the Bears' 14-yard line.\
Rapa's second interception near the end of the third quarter set up the Warriors' final touchdown which was scored by Oliveri on a three-yard run.