Nov 24, 2024 By Joe Tuscano 3 min read

CALIFORNIA — In his boyhood home, the swing set in the backyard served as a makeshift goal post for Anthony Beitko. He would launch kick after kick over the swing set, saving the day for his fictitious team.

On a cold, windy Saturday afternoon, Beitko finally got his chance to play the hero for California.

The senior placekicker for the Vulcans sent a 29-yard field goal through the uprights as time expired to give California a 30-27 win over East Stroudsburg in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs at Adamson Stadium.

The victory sends the Vulcans to the next round, against Ashland, 48-40 winners against Charleston.

“I did that when I was 6 or 7 years old,” said Beitko. “My dad and I would go out and I would kick it over the swing set. I’d never had a game winner, so I had to make them up on my own. I used to tell (head coach Gary) Dunn to put a little pressure on me and he said no. Every kick is the same, he said, so don’t worry.”

But a little bit of nerves did creep into Beitko’s stomach.

“I asked (coach) Sean Kennedy to go find Harry Radcliffe,” said Beitko of the Vulcans’ backup kicker. “If there was one person I wanted to talk to, it was Harry because he was really good at calming me down. He kept telling me to watch the ball. I did that and good things happen when I do that.”

Beitko’s heroics came at the expense of Ty Quintos, the East Stroudsburg kicker. Quintos missed a 29-yard field goal before Cal’s game-winning drive and an extra-point attempt in the third quarter.

Beitko’s three field goals and one extra point put him second in school history with points for a kicker at 301.

“I’m proud of our guys. We have a motto here and it’s play 60 minutes,” said Dunn. “Our guys battled and made the plays we needed at the end of the game.”

Cal quarterback Davis Black tied the game 27-27 when he went over from one yard out. ESU had just taken a 27-19 on a TD pass by Sean McTaggart. Quintois missed the extra point.

“This is a great football team and they are a great football team,” said ESU head coach Jim Terwilliger. “It came down to who would make the least amount of mistakes.”

Showing off a strong offense, East Stroudsburg used its big guns to take a 21-13 lead over Cal at halftime.

East Stroudsburg running back Tyriq Lewis burst off left tackle for a 44-yard touchdown and 7-0 lead.

Cal marched right back, reaching the 27-yard line before stalling. Anthony Beitko nailed a 44-yard field goal to cut the East Stroudsburg lead to 7-3.

Cal took the lead on the first play of the second quarter when Bobby Boyd found a hole and scored from the 15-yard line to give the Vulcans a 10-7 lead.

East Stroudsburg went on a 75-yard march on 11 plays, with Tahir Mills going the final three yards to give the Warriors a 14-10 lead.

Cal moved down the field, using a fast tempo, but stalled at the 3-yard line on a quarterback keeper and that brought Beitko on for a 20-yard field goal to leave ESSU with a 14-13 lead.

That lead grew to eight, 21-13, when Beau Heyser caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from McTaggart.

Cal, already hurting on defense, lost two starters, defensive back Amory Thompson and outside linebacker Josh Miller, to injury in the first half.