NCAA Division II Football

Mansfield 14              California 7

Poohbear McNeal sets new single season rushing record – Travis Motley set new career touchdown mark as Mansfield wins seven games for the first time since 1946.

Mansfield – Freshman Earnest “Poohbear” McNeal ran for 201 yards and junior Joe Bennett caught two touchdown passes to lead Mansfield to a 14-7 win over California University of Pennsylvania (3-5) in a PSAC cross-over contest at Karl Van Norman Field Saturday afternoon.

Mansfield improved to 7-1 on the season, the program’s most wins in a season since going 8-0-1 in 1946.

Every win is a big win for us,” said head coach Chris Woods. “But today’s game had a lot of meaning to this team after the way we played last Saturday. We were challenged to play a good California game and we meet that challenge.”

Mansfield opened the scoring by capping off a three-play, 60-yard drive when Joe Bennett made an over the shoulder, finger tip catch on a 44-yard strike from senior quarterback Travis Motley with 2:44 remaining in the first quarter.

Bennett caught another touchdown pass from Motley just over two minutes later – this one for seven yards to give Mansfield a 14-0 lead.

California took the second half kickoff and marched 51-yards with quarterback John Aitken’s scoring on a two-yard run to cut the score to 14-7.

As well as the offense played in the first half, it was the play of the defense in the last five minutes that decided the outcome of the game.

California threatened to tie the score twice late in the game. 

California had a first and goal at the Mansfield four-yard line with less than four minutes to play, but the Mansfield defense forced them to turn the ball over on downs.

California recovered a Mansfield fumble at the 44 on the next series, but Daricus Haynes intercepted a pass to end the threat.

McNeal – the leading rusher in NCAA Division II -- rushed for 201 yards to break the MU single season rushing mark of 1,411 yards set by Lee Brannon in 1999. McNeal now has 1,443. McNeal also set a school record by rushing for 200 or more yards for the fourth time this season.

“Anytime you rush for that many yards you have to give the credit to the offensive line,” said McNeal. “Those are they guys that open the holes and those are the guys that deserve the credit. But the real story today is Travis Motley. The key to greatness is longevity and Travis has been doing this for the past four years. He is a great quarterback and it’s going to be a long time before anyone threatens his records.”

Mansfield quarterback Travis Motley set a new school record for career touchdown passes with 57 breaking the mark of 56 set by Bill Bair (1989-92).

Joe Bennett had four catches for 70 yards while Motley was 9-of-20 for 129 yards. His brother Dan had two catches for 45 yards.

“As well as we played on offense in the first half it was the defense that came up with the big plays in the final five minutes that won the game,” said coach Woods.

Senior linebacker Dan Holland had a game high 18 tackles, including 14 solo. Haynes and Joe Frick each added 10 stops. Andre’ Turner played one of his best games of the season with nine tackles, two for a loss, recovered a fumble and had a sack.

Wes Clemons rushed for 179-yards to lead California.

Mansfield improves to 7-1 and to remain in second place in the PSAC East with a 2-1 mark. They host Cheyney this Saturday.

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