December 6th, 2025 3:30pm
From Kutztown sports information:
KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- Third-ranked Kutztown University is headed back to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Football Championship for the second time in the last three seasons after pulling away from 24th-ranked Frostburg State in the second half for a 51-29 victory on Saturday afternoon at Andre Reed Stadium.
The Golden Bears added to their school record for wins in a season by improving to 14-0, claimed their second Super Region 1 title (2023) and surpassed 50 points for the third game in a row --the first time that's happened in the program's 109-season history.
Kutztown never trailed in its first-ever meeting with Frostburg State (11-3), but had to fend off a confident Bobcats side that reached the quarterfinal round by knocking off No. 2 seed Johnson C. Smith and California (Pa.) on the road in just its sixth full season as a member of Division II after transitioning from Division III in 2019.
Despite the challenge from Frostburg, KU enjoyed another productive day on offense to the tune of 216 rushing yards and 367 yards of total offense. Tight end/fullback hybrid Luke Maxwell (Estell Manor, N.J./Delsea Regional) scored three touchdowns on a pair of 1-yard runs and a 5-yard pass. Harlon Hill Trophy finalist Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) threw for three TDs and ran for another, while the defense locked it down in the second half and finished the day with two forced turnovers and five sacks.
Steven Burkhardt (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester City) carried the ball three times for 33 yards on the opening drive and Novak trotted into the end zone from four yards out to put the Maroon and Gold ahead 7-0 just five plays into the contest.
The Mountain East Conference champion Bobcats answered quickly, getting a 69-yard screen pass down to the KU 3-yard line from Jordan Brooks to KJ Smothers on their second play from scrimmage before Smothers pushed across the goal line of 4th-and-goal from the one four plays later. Kyree Butler (Ambler, Pa./Upper Dublin) blocked the extra point to keep the Bears in front, 7-6.
Kutztown and Frostburg traded TDs again before the opening 15 minutes expired. Jaedyn Stewart (Newfield, N.J./Delsea Regional) capped an 8-play, 75-yard drive with a 5-yard TD run to make it 14-6 with 3:18 remaining before Smothers scored on another goal line plunge to close the gap to one, 14-13, with 1:53 to go.
A strip sack from Lawron Short (West Chester, Pa./Great Valley) early in the second quarter was recovered by Brayden Pohlman (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Mainland Regional) at the FSU 32-yard line. The first of two turnovers by the Bobcats set up Maxwell's first TD of the afternoon on a 1-yard run.
KU maintained its 21-13 edge late into the half until LJ Smith (Newark, Del./Salesianum) blocked Sam Dominguez's punt deep in Frostburg territory. Quintin Pfautz (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata) recovered and returned the ball to the Bobcats' 17.
The Golden Bears needed just three plays to cash in. Trevor Amorim (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh) took a reverse 11 yards to the 1-yard line and Maxwell bulldozed his way into the end zone for a 28-13 lead with 3:36 remaining.
Frostburg State tried to steal momentum back when tight end Amirr Coles came down with a deflected pass from backup quarterback Myles Fulton just inside the back of the end zone for a 24-yard TD with one second remaining in the first half to trail 28-20 at the break.
The Bobcats pulled within 28-23 on a 38-yard field goal by Harrison Fritz on their opening drive of the second half before Kutztown pulled away with touchdowns on its next three possessions.
Amorim made an outstanding catch on a beautifully thrown ball by Novak for a 10-yard TD reception to make it 35-23 with 5:42 to play in the third. Gino Campagna (San Diego, Calif./Saint Augustine) caught his second career TD pass from Novak on a play action rollout in the final minute of the quarter to push the advantage to 42-23.
Zach Perta (Swoyersville, Pa./Holy Redeemer) intercepted Fulton on Frostburg's next play from scrimmage and Maxwell registered his third TD of the game on a 5-yard pass from Novak to open the fourth and put the game out of reach, 49-23.
The Bobcats scored on a 65-yard pass from Fulton to Austin Paul-Umstead with 1:51 to play but Amir Anderson (Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) picked off Fulton's pass on the two-point try and returned it 98 yards to put the Golden Bears over 50 points in a game for the fourth time this season. Kutztown's four 50-point performances this season are the second-most in a season in program history, trailing only the 2012 team, which hit the 50-point mark five times. The Golden Bears have gone over 50 points in each of their three playoff wins, outscoring their opponents a combined 159-48.
Kutztown, which has already set a program record for points in a season, surged past the 600-point mark (618) for the season. Jim Clements' team is averaging 44.1 points per game and yielding just 11.6 per game. The Bears have outscored their opponents 618-163 overall.
Stewart ran for a game-high 74 yards on 16 attempts, while Burkhardt averaged an impressive 11 yards per carry with six totes for 66 yards. Novak added 48 on the ground and was 11-of-16 for 151 yards and three TDs through the air.
Freddie Retter (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) continued his standout postseason with 2.5 sacks and a season-high six tackles (three solo). The Quakertown, Pa., native, has multiple sacks in each of KU's three playoff victories and is up to 10.5 on the season. Short also provided two sacks, including the forced fumble. Eden Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Governor Mifflin) had 0.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss. Mike Fayemi (Philadelphia, Pa./South Philadelphia) had a team-high seven tackles and Tyrell Ford (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East) broke up a pair of passes.
Kutztown now awaits word on how the NCAA Division II Football Committee will seed the final four teams ahead of next Saturday's semifinal games later tonight. No. 3 seed Newberry knocked off No. 1 seed Albany State (Ga.) to win the Super Region 2 title, 31-24. Top seed Ferris State defeated Minnesota State, 52-29, to claim Super Region 3 and top seed Harding held off UT Permian Basin, 34-28, to win Super Region 4. Kutztown, Ferris State and Harding are the three remaining unbeaten teams in DII.
Check out KUBears.com and @KUGoldenBears on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest details regading Kutztown's semifinal game.