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WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Sean McCartney went 20-for-26 for 290 yards and three touchdowns while Rondell White had 277 all-purpose yards and three TDs as host West Chester upset No. 12 New Haven, 45-14, Saturday afternoon in a non-conference football opener at John A. Farrell Stadium.
West Chester racked up 515 total yards of offense on nationally ranked New Haven, jumping out to a 31-7 lead by halftime. West Chester led 17-7 in the second quarter when Shawn Krautzel intercepted a pass at the New Haven 46-yard line. McCartney then hit Erick Brundidge on a long TD strike down the near sideline with 2:05 left before the break.
On the Chargers' ensuing drive, the Golden Rams' Byron Cooper blocked a punt that was returned to the New Haven 3-yard line. White carried the ball over the goal line with 58 seconds left in the half to push West Chester's lead to 31-7.
White finished the game with 96 yards rushing on 28 carries and two scores while adding 94 yards receiving on six catches and another TD. He also returned two kickoffs for a combined 87 yards. Brundidge caught four passes for 79 yards and his one TD.
White scored the first touchdown of the game on a 10-yard run with 11:35 left in the first quarter. West Chester won the toss, elected to receive and marched down the field in eight plays. White put the Rams in excellent scoring position with a 49-yard return of the opening kickoff that gave the hosts the ball at the New Haven 40-yard line.
Shawn Leo pushed the score to 10-0 with eight seconds left in the first quarter with a 25-yard field goal. West Chester wasted an excellent scoring opportunity on their second possession when McCartney was stopped on a QB sneak on 4th-and-goal from inside the 1-yard line.
UNH quarterback, Ronnie Nelson, dove over the goal line from 1-yard out midway through the second to bring the visitors as close as they would get at 10-7.
White caught a 13-yard pass from McCartney with 3:27 left in the second quarter that opened the flood gates for the hosts. The Golden Rams scored three touchdowns in the final four minutes of the half to break the game open.
Following a scoreless third quarter, McCartney found LaRonn Lee wide open in the back of the end zone with 11:24 left to play to make it a 38-7 score. Eddie Elliott scampered 50 yards for West Chester's final score with 1:52 to go that pushed the advantage to 45-7.
UNH tacked on a touchdown in the final minute when Henry Adegunle caught a 24-yard pass from Nelson with 32 seconds left.
West Chester amassed 225 yards rushing and 290 yards passing.
Mike Labor led the defensive effort with 10 tackles. Krautzel finished with eight stops and the interception. Blaise Schieler and Ronell Williams were each credited with seven tackles.
West Chester travels to Gannon University next Saturday for a 12 p.m. kickoff against the Golden Knights.
