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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The greatest year in the 95-season history of the Kutztown University football program concluded with a heartbreaking, 41-34 setback to 18th-ranked Shepherd University in a NCAA Division II Second Round playoff contest Saturday afternoon at chilly University Field before a bundled-up overflow crowd.

Years from now when members of the football team gather for reunions, look through scrapbooks and share stories; they will be proud of all of their accomplishments during an unforgettable season of highlights, records, rallies and magical moments. The Golden Bears' terrific and record-setting season ended with a 10-2 overall record.

Kutztown head football coach Raymond Monica hugged his seniors on the sideline after Shepherd recovered an on-side kick with 12 seconds remaining. Jared Haas (Linglestown, PA/Cental Dauphin) gave an emotional speech in the postgame huddle as tears streamed down his reddened face.

"I played with a great bunch of guys who made big plays all year long," Haas said. "I'll remember a lot of things we did on the field this year. However, I think I'll remember the extra-curricular things we did off the field. I had the privilege of playing with a great group of guys. This is the kind of stuff you'll always remember. I had a blast this season."

Although the Golden Bears fell short on the scoreboard, they had nothing to be ashamed of as they exceeded expectations, united a community, and made the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in program history.

"I am proud of what these guys did this year," Monica said. "My coaching staff did a great job of preparing week in and week out. We had the momentum after Jay (McKnight's) interception and they took it right back."

The difference in the contest was a 33 second sequence in the fourth quarter in which three touchdowns were scored. Unfortunately for Kutztown, the Rams (11-1) scored two touchdowns in a 15-second span to take the lead for good and advance to a national quarterfinal meeting at Mercyhurst College, a 28-14 winner over Bloomsburg, next Saturday.

The Rams' Keon Robinson and Maurice Perry answered McKnight's 50-yard interception return for a touchdown that gave KU a 27-19 advantage with 6 minutes, 49 seconds remaining.

Robinson returned a kickoff 97 yards and the Rams converted the ensuing two-point conversion to tie the score, 27-27 with 6:31 remaining. Perry gave the Rams the lead for good, 34-27, when he took an interception 32 yards for a touchdown with 6:16 left.

Overall, the frenetic fourth quarter featured seven touchdowns, three lead changes, and one tie.

Sophomore quarterback Kevin Morton (Abington, PA/Abington) fired four touchdown passes to establish a single-season mark in that category. Morton finished with 352 passing yards, the sixth time this year he finished with 300 or more yards in the air. Morton ended the year with 38 touchdown passes, one more than Andy Breault threw in 1991. Morton's final pass of 2010 was caught for an 8-yard score by Troy Foster (Chester, PA/Ridley) with 12 seconds remaining. That touchdown toss broke Breault's record.

Sophomore wide receiver Colby Tuell (Columbia, PA/Columbia) caught six passes for a career high 119 yards. His 70-yard catch in the fourth quarter was the key play of a drive that ended with Josh Smith (West Lawn, PA/Wilson) catching his second touchdown pass of the game, a 14-yarder that gave KU a 20-19 lead with 8:01 remaining. Smith had a game-high eight catches.

Defensively, Joel Irwin (Coatesville, PA/Bishop Shanahan) and Alex DiNolfi (Norristown, PA/Norristown) led Kutztown with eight tackles each. DiNolfi also forced a fumble and recovered one midway through the third quarter with the Golden Bears trailing, 13-7. Kutztown converted the gift into a touchdown when Erik Frazier (Philadelphia, PA/Germantown) hauled in a 16-yard catch from Morton with 4:08 remaining in the third quarter. It was KU's first lead of the contest.

Shepherd running back Tommy Addison ran for a game-high 172 yards. In addition to his kickoff return, Robinson finished with a game-high 11 tackles and Will Wheeler had two sacks for the Rams. Nate Hoyte scored a pair of touchdowns for the Rams.

The Golden Bears concluded their season with school records in wins (10), Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division wins (six), consecutive victories to start the season (nine), and points scored (466). Kutztown achieved its highest national ranking (13th) in school history this season.

Even though the Golden Bears ended up on the wrong side of the hyphen, they displayed their fighting spirit as they rallied from a 13-0 second quarter deficit, and continued attacking late in the game even as time melted away on the game clock. The offensive line gave Morton time and he kept firing.

The foundation has been laid for future success. The Golden Bears return many of their skill players next season including Morton, Smith, Frazier, Tuell, and Josh Mastromatto (Fort Washington, PA/Upper Dublin), who scored 14 touchdowns this season. Kutztown finished the season by scoring 30 or more points 10 times this season and led the PSAC in scoring offense.  

Kutztown was picked sixth in the PSAC East in the preseason coaches' poll. It was an amazing season by a group of players who were closer than brothers. Every player contributed something special to the Golden Bear recipe of success this season. The 2010 year was unlike any other in Kutztown football history and it was quite the thrill ride that ran out of time.