Worth the wait
Cal beats Charleston in marathon game delayed by weather
CALIFORNIA – There were six touchdowns in the first 19 minutes of Thursday’s football game between PennWest California and Charleston.
If it seemed like it took a long time for that amount of points to be put on the scoreboard, that’s because they were scored over the span of more than four hours.
Two separate weather delays for rain and lightning made for a long night and at the end of it, California emerged with a 49-24 victory at Adamson Stadium.
There were 195 minutes of delays between the two stoppages.
The game started at 6 p.m. and ended at 12:02 a.m.
“The great thing is we had (a lightning delay) during preseason camp,” Vulcans coach Gary Dunn said. “I told the guys that it would happen in one of our first couple games, so we’re going to prepare for it. I told them to relax and turn some music on. I didn’t want them banging their heads against the wall. Just talk and hang out. We made two Walmart runs to get them snacks.”
It’s not the longest amount of time it has taken California to finish a football game. The Vulcans once played a game at Mercyhurst that was suspended on a Saturday and had to be resumed the next day, but Thursday’s game was certainly a marathon.
“It’s definitely the longest game I’ve been a part of,” Dunn said. “We played a two-day game (at Mercyhurst) where it felt like we were playing baseball, but this is the longest game. To have a six-hour game and still have fans here and one guy in the band stayed. The rest of the band left, but he stayed, so I think I’m going to have to buy him a steak dinner.”
When the players were actually on the field, Cal quarterback Eric Gibson Jr. shined in his debut.
He passed for 213 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for a 10-yard touchdown. Gibson, a senior, is a transfer from Northern Colorado, where he started 11 games last season.
“Eric played well tonight,” Dunn said. “He had one bad throw that he didn’t read right and threw an interception on post (on third down play), but it was just as good as a punt. I think he’ll continue to get better.”
Charleston’s opening drive of the game ended with a 23-yard field goal to make it 3-0 less than five minutes in.
Then, the field and grandstands were cleared because of impending thunderstorms.
That delay lasted 75 minutes.
It’s the second consecutive week Charleston (0-2) had a game impacted by weather. The Golden Eagles lost 38-10 to Grand Valley State last week and suffered a similar fate Thursday.
After the first delay, California scored three touchdowns in the span of two minutes.
The first play from scrimmage was a 70-yard run by Bobbie Boyd Jr., which set up an 8-yard touchdown pass from Gibson to Amire Spencer.
The ensuing kickoff was fumbled by Charleston and recovered by Cal’s Lloyd Penn at the Golden Eagles’ 24-yard line.
The Vulcans quickly converted the turnover into points when Gibson found Kenny Lewis IV for a 24-yard score.
Cal’s defense got involved for the third touchdown.
Charleston quarterback Matt Frye tried to flick a pass to the sidelines, but it went right into the hands of Vulcans defensive back Nevan Hopkins, who returned it 41 yards to make it 21-3.
The Golden Eagles scored twice in quick succession before the thunder and lightning returned.
Jaylen Butera had a six-yard touchdown run with 4:56 remaining in the first quarter and Jamal Wallace ripped off a 15-yard touchdown run 40 seconds into the second quarter.
Cal had the ball at its own 40 when play was halted with 13:34 remaining until halftime.
Torrential rains fell and lightning pierced the sky causing a delay that lasted two hours.
Like the first time, Cal struck quickly after play resumed when Gibson connected with Lewis IV for the second time, a 32-yard touchdown, which made it 28-17.
Boyd found Penn for a 7-yard touchdown and rushed for a 10-yard score to increase the lead to 42-17.
“It was great the way our kids responded tonight,” Dunn said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a Saturday practice or at midnight against Charleston, we’re going to line up and be ready to play.”
Charleston got a touchdown before halftime on a 16-yard pass from Frye to Devin Hobbs.
After a scoreless third quarter, California got a 6-yard touchdown run from Boyd that was set up by a fumble recovery by Hopkins, which closed the scoring.