Saturday, April 17
Lewisburg, Pa.
2 p.m.
Bucknell University
2-2
10
vs
33
Holy Cross
3-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Holy Cross
17
0
7
9
33
Bucknell
0
7
3
0
10
Photo by: Jon Lambert
Bucknell Football Falls to Holy Cross in PL Championship Game
4/17/2021 5:30:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Holy Cross topped the Bucknell football team, 33-10, in the first-ever Patriot League Championship Game on Saturday at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
Â
The Crusaders (3-0, 1-0 PL North) seized the momentum early by scoring 17 unanswered points in the first quarter and kept the Bison (2-2, 2-0 PL South) off balance for large chunks of the game by intercepting five passes. With its victory, Holy Cross defended its 2019 Patriot League title and secured the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Football Championship.
Defensive back John Smith was selected as the Patriot League Championship Game MVP after recording four tackles, one tackle for a loss, two pass breakups and one interception return of 58 yards. Smith's interception halted a promising Bucknell drive one yard short of the red zone and set up a touchdown that extended the Crusaders' lead to 31-10 early in the fourth quarter.Â
Holy Cross quarterback Matthew Sluka, the Patriot League Rookie of the Year, proved a dual threat, running for 61 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries and completing eight of 11 passes for 78 yards and one touchdown. His efforts helped his team keep many drives alive; overall, the Crusaders went 6-of-13 on their third-down conversions and 2-of-3 on their fourth-down bids.
Â
For the Bison, Dominic Lyles caught nine passes for 97 yards, highlighted by a 32 yarder that set up a touchdown. In his last game for Bucknell, four-time All-Patriot League selection Simeon Page made a game-high 10 tackles (seven solo) and claimed sole possession of the school record in career sacks (26.5).
Â
Holy Cross scored on its first drive of the game, marching 85 yards in 10 plays. Early in the drive, Sluka kept the drive alive by scampering for 27 yards on a 3rd and 16 at his team's nine-yard line. Later, Sluka found Jalen Coker for a 34-yard gain. Sluka capped the drive with a six-yard touchdown run.
Â
The Crusaders got the ball right back after Jacob Dobbs picked off a pass deep in the Bison end. Despite starting at Bucknell's 15-yard line, Holy Cross was forced to settle for a 26-yard field goal after advancing only six yards on three plays.
Â
With six seconds remaining in the first quarter, the Crusaders extended their lead to 17-0; that time, a six-yard passing touchdown completed a 12-play, 51-yard drive. For the second time after a scoring drive, they got the ball right back thanks to an interception on Bucknell's first play following the kickoff. Â On that drive, which started in the second quarter, the Bison defense came up with a crucial three and out.
Â
Bucknell got on the board with 4:20 remaining in the first half, capitalizing on a fumble recovered by Brent Jackson during a Holy Cross punt return. On the second play following the turnover, Lyles hauled in a 32-yard pass from Logan Bitikofer; Lyles's diving catch gave Bucknell the ball at the Crusaders' three-yard line, and Bitikofer found a seam and scampered into the end zone.
Â
Holy Cross went three and out on its next drive, giving the Bison one last opportunity to chip away at their deficit before halftime. They advanced as far as the Holy Cross 44, with Bitikofer connecting with Lyles for a 17-yard gain and Jared Cooper rushing for 18 yards on three carries. The Crusaders ultimately held fast, with Benton Whitley halting the drive as time expired with a sack on fourth down. Â
Â
Bucknell cut Holy Cross's advantage to 17-10 with a field goal on its opening drive of the second half. The Bison covered 64 yards in 14 plays, with Bitikofer completing first-down passes to Brandon Sanders and Lyles. Bucknell nearly found the end zone on a trick play; after Bitikofer pitched the ball to wide receiver John McGuire, the open Bison in the end zone couldn't come up with McGuire's rising pass. Ultimately, Ethan Torres booted a 28-yard field goal.
Â
Bucknell then attempted an onside kick, which was recovered by the Crusaders. Three plays later, Peter Oliver found a seam and raced for a 37-yard touchdown; that score put Holy Cross back up by two possessions, at 24-10.
Sluka's 15-yard touchdown followed Smith's interception return, which halted a promising Bison drive set up by a Gavin Pringle interception. The final score was brought to 33-10 by a safety just over a minute later.
Holy Cross led in rushing yards (192-22), total offense (289-217) and time of possession (31:57-28:03) while Bucknell held the advantage in passing yards (195-97). The Crusaders extended their winning streak over the Bison at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium to six games.
Bitikofer completed 23 of 45 passes for 195 yards. Cooper and Coleman Bennett tied for the team lead with 34 rushing yards while Sanders added 46 yards on six catches.
Brandon Benson tied Page for the game high with 10 tackles (nine solo). Page paced all players with 2.5 tackles for a loss and was one of four Bison to record a sack, joining Grayson Cherubino, Conner Romango and Nnamdi Unachukwu.
For Holy Cross, Oliver totaled a game-best 67 rushing yards. Dobbs made nine tackles while Whitley totaled two tackles for a loss.
Â
The Crusaders (3-0, 1-0 PL North) seized the momentum early by scoring 17 unanswered points in the first quarter and kept the Bison (2-2, 2-0 PL South) off balance for large chunks of the game by intercepting five passes. With its victory, Holy Cross defended its 2019 Patriot League title and secured the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Football Championship.
Defensive back John Smith was selected as the Patriot League Championship Game MVP after recording four tackles, one tackle for a loss, two pass breakups and one interception return of 58 yards. Smith's interception halted a promising Bucknell drive one yard short of the red zone and set up a touchdown that extended the Crusaders' lead to 31-10 early in the fourth quarter.Â
Holy Cross quarterback Matthew Sluka, the Patriot League Rookie of the Year, proved a dual threat, running for 61 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries and completing eight of 11 passes for 78 yards and one touchdown. His efforts helped his team keep many drives alive; overall, the Crusaders went 6-of-13 on their third-down conversions and 2-of-3 on their fourth-down bids.
Â
For the Bison, Dominic Lyles caught nine passes for 97 yards, highlighted by a 32 yarder that set up a touchdown. In his last game for Bucknell, four-time All-Patriot League selection Simeon Page made a game-high 10 tackles (seven solo) and claimed sole possession of the school record in career sacks (26.5).
Â
Holy Cross scored on its first drive of the game, marching 85 yards in 10 plays. Early in the drive, Sluka kept the drive alive by scampering for 27 yards on a 3rd and 16 at his team's nine-yard line. Later, Sluka found Jalen Coker for a 34-yard gain. Sluka capped the drive with a six-yard touchdown run.
Â
The Crusaders got the ball right back after Jacob Dobbs picked off a pass deep in the Bison end. Despite starting at Bucknell's 15-yard line, Holy Cross was forced to settle for a 26-yard field goal after advancing only six yards on three plays.
Â
With six seconds remaining in the first quarter, the Crusaders extended their lead to 17-0; that time, a six-yard passing touchdown completed a 12-play, 51-yard drive. For the second time after a scoring drive, they got the ball right back thanks to an interception on Bucknell's first play following the kickoff. Â On that drive, which started in the second quarter, the Bison defense came up with a crucial three and out.
Â
Bucknell got on the board with 4:20 remaining in the first half, capitalizing on a fumble recovered by Brent Jackson during a Holy Cross punt return. On the second play following the turnover, Lyles hauled in a 32-yard pass from Logan Bitikofer; Lyles's diving catch gave Bucknell the ball at the Crusaders' three-yard line, and Bitikofer found a seam and scampered into the end zone.
Â
Holy Cross went three and out on its next drive, giving the Bison one last opportunity to chip away at their deficit before halftime. They advanced as far as the Holy Cross 44, with Bitikofer connecting with Lyles for a 17-yard gain and Jared Cooper rushing for 18 yards on three carries. The Crusaders ultimately held fast, with Benton Whitley halting the drive as time expired with a sack on fourth down. Â
Â
Bucknell cut Holy Cross's advantage to 17-10 with a field goal on its opening drive of the second half. The Bison covered 64 yards in 14 plays, with Bitikofer completing first-down passes to Brandon Sanders and Lyles. Bucknell nearly found the end zone on a trick play; after Bitikofer pitched the ball to wide receiver John McGuire, the open Bison in the end zone couldn't come up with McGuire's rising pass. Ultimately, Ethan Torres booted a 28-yard field goal.
Â
Bucknell then attempted an onside kick, which was recovered by the Crusaders. Three plays later, Peter Oliver found a seam and raced for a 37-yard touchdown; that score put Holy Cross back up by two possessions, at 24-10.
Sluka's 15-yard touchdown followed Smith's interception return, which halted a promising Bison drive set up by a Gavin Pringle interception. The final score was brought to 33-10 by a safety just over a minute later.
Holy Cross led in rushing yards (192-22), total offense (289-217) and time of possession (31:57-28:03) while Bucknell held the advantage in passing yards (195-97). The Crusaders extended their winning streak over the Bison at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium to six games.
Bitikofer completed 23 of 45 passes for 195 yards. Cooper and Coleman Bennett tied for the team lead with 34 rushing yards while Sanders added 46 yards on six catches.
Brandon Benson tied Page for the game high with 10 tackles (nine solo). Page paced all players with 2.5 tackles for a loss and was one of four Bison to record a sack, joining Grayson Cherubino, Conner Romango and Nnamdi Unachukwu.
For Holy Cross, Oliver totaled a game-best 67 rushing yards. Dobbs made nine tackles while Whitley totaled two tackles for a loss.
Team Stats
HC
BUCKNELL
Total Yards
289
217
Pass Yards
97
195
Rushing Yards
192
22
Penalty Yards
76
25
1st Downs
14
20
3rd Downs
6
5
4th Downs
2
1
TOP
31:57
28:03
1st Quarter
HC 7, BUCKNELL 0
HC - Sluka, Matthew 6 yd run (Ng, Derek kick), 10 plays, 85 yards, TOP 4:31
HC 10, BUCKNELL 0
HC - Ng, Derek 26 yd field goal 4 plays, 6 yards, TOP 2:08
HC 17, BUCKNELL 0
HC - Shipman, Byron 6 yd pass from Sluka, Matthew (Ng, Derek kick) 12 plays, 51 yards, TOP 6:25
2nd Quarter
HC 17, BUCKNELL 7
BUCKNELL - Bitikofer, L. 3 yd run (Torres, Ethan kick), 3 plays, 35 yards, TOP 0:24
3rd Quarter
HC 17, BUCKNELL 10
BUCKNELL - Torres, Ethan 28 yd field goal 14 plays, 64 yards, TOP 5:49
HC 24, BUCKNELL 10
HC - Oliver, Peter 37 yd run (Ng, Derek kick), 3 plays, 45 yards, TOP 0:56
4th Quarter
HC 31, BUCKNELL 10
HC - Sluka, Matthew 15 yd run (Ng, Derek kick), 5 plays, 20 yards, TOP 2:45
HC 33, BUCKNELL 10
HC - TEAM 10 yd safety
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
23
TD
0
YDS
195
INT
5
CMP
0
TD
0
YDS
0
INT
0
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
S
/ FootballQB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
RB
/ Football
S
/ Football
WR
/ FootballWR
/ Football
LB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
S
/ Football
WR
/ Football
P/K
/ Football
DL
/ Football(Coaches Camera) Salem Men's Water Polo Vs. Gannon (9/21/25)
Monday, September 22
Salem Men's Water Polo Vs. Gannon (9/21/25)
Monday, September 22
(Coaches Camera) Bucknell Men's Water Polo Vs. Wagner (9/21/25)
Monday, September 22
Bucknell Men's Water Polo Vs. Wagner (9/21/25)
Monday, September 22