SLIPPERY ROCK — Kutztown continued to have Slippery Rock’s number — even though Slippery Rock had all the numbers.

The Rock possessed the football for nearly 38 minutes, generated 27 first downs to the Golden Bears’ 11, enjoyed a 502-203 advantage in total yardage ... and dropped a 28-16 decision to Kutztown in the Super Region One championship game on Saturday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

The win was Kutztown’s fourth straight against The Rock. The last team to defeat SRU four straight times was California (Pa.) from 2006-10.

“I can’t remember ever being a part of a game like this,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said. “We controlled play for the most part. It all starts with me. Maybe I should have tried the field goal a couple of times.

“We just didn’t get it done.”

In the red zone, in particular.

SRU (12-2) drove inside the Kutztown 10-yard on four different possessions in the second half, but managed no points. Kutztown (12-2) had a 21-14 lead at halftime, scoring touchdowns on each of its first three possessions.

Mekhi Gibson caught a 53-yard touchdown pass on a seam route right down the middle for the game’s first points. The Golden Bears took advantage of a 53-yard kickoff return to put together a 32-yard drive for their second score. They then drove 72 yards on 13 plays, taking more than seven minutes off the clock, to take a 21-7 lead late in the first half.

“They had one long drove against us the entire game,” SRU linebacker Kyle Kudla said. “That’s the frustrating part of it.”

Kutztown managed only two first downs in the second half. Just before halftime, Chris D’Or capped a 67-yard drive with a 20-yard run to pull The Rock with 21-14.

SRU spent the second half pounding on the door. Kutztown’s defense never opened it.

“”I’m so proud of my team,“ Kutztown coach Jim Clements said. ”We forced some turnovers. When you play Slippery Rock, you have to prevent them from getting explosive plays and we did that today.“

The Rock took the second-half-kickoff and drove to Kutztown’s 7-yard line before turning the ball over on downs. SRU reached the Golden Bears’ 4-yard line on its next possession, but Jalen DeVose recovered an Isaiah Edwards fumble to quell that threat.

Then the most explosive play of the game happened for Kutztown. On 4th-and-goal from the Golden Bears’ 5-yard line, Rock quarterback Brayden Long tried connecting with Kyle Sheets in the left corner of the end zone.

Defensive back Antuan Lloyd jumped the route, picked off the pass and raced 100 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown that gave his team a 28-14 lead with 11:01 to play.

“They ran that same play against us in the PSAC championship game, but it was on the other side of the field,” Lloyd said. “I recognized it and just wanted to get in position to break it up.

“When I got inside his (Sheets) shoulder, I was able to make the pick. I never thought about taking a knee. I knew I had that sideline.”

Long said he was looking for a penalty on that play.

“They held Kyle up,” the quarterback said. “I have to own the play, that mistake can’t happen, but I really believe the officials missed one there.”

Lutz agreed.

“That one play didn’t beat us. We had plenty of other chances today,” the coach said. “But, yeah, I thought they ran right through Kyle on that one.”

SRU drove deep into Kutztown territory on each of its final three possessions after that, turning the ball over on downs each time. The Rock didn’t punt all day.

The Rock ran 85 plays to Kutztown’s 43.

“This one hurts,” Long said. “Our seniors don’t deserve to go out like this. They deserved a championship.”

SRU had three turnovers to Kutztown’s one. In seven red zone possessions, The Rock scored twice. The Golden Bears were 2-for-2.

“I guess that was the difference today,” Lutz said. “I really don’t know what to say right now.”

“These guys will be back,” Kudla, a senior said. “Write it down now. They will be back.”

Notes: Andrew Vince led The Rock with seven tackles. Eddie Faulkner IV had a fumble recovery for SRU’s lone takeaway. ... SRU reached the NCAA quarterfinals for the third time in five years. ... Kutztown has won 12 straight games and is in the national semifinals for the first time. ... Long finished the season with 3,808 passing yards and 35 TD passes. Both figures are No. 2 on the program’s single-season list. ... Sheets finished his Rock career with 2,440 receiving yards, No. 4 all-time at SRU. His 29 career TD catches are No. 3 on the list. ... Kylon Wilson had 793 kickoff return yards this year, a Rock single-season record.

Kutztown 14 7 0 7 — 28

Slippery Rock 7 7 0 2 — 16

First Quarter

K — Mekhi Gibson 53 pass from Judd Novak (Dawson Evitts kick), 12:43

SRU — Khalid Dorsey 8 run (Mason Yohn kick), 8:11

K — Novak 3 run (Evitts kick), 4:05

Second Quarter

K — Darryl Davis-McNeil 16 pass from Novak (Evitts kick), 3:28

SRU — Chris D’Or 3 run (Yohn kick), :08

Fourth Quarter

K — Antaun Lloyd 100 interception return (Evitts kick), 11:01

SRU — Kutztown punt snap out of end zone for safety, 1:58

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Kutztown, Darryl Davis-McNeil 10-35, Judd Novak 8-29, Jaedyn Stewart 4-14, Steven Burkhardt 1-7. SRU, Chris D’Or 12-62, Khalid Dorsey 11-53, Isaiah Edwards 9-40, Brayden Long 8-16, Cohen Russell 2-9.

Passing: Kutztown, Judd Novak 11-16-127-0. SRU, Brayden Long 33-43-322-1.

Receiving: Kutztown, Mekhi Gibson 3-66, Kurtis Ravenel Jr. 3-36, Darryl Davis-McNeil 2-16, Luke Szabo 1-7, Steven Burkhardt 1-2, Tyreek Husser 1-0. SRU, Cohen Russell 11-83, Kam Kruzelyak 7-90, Chris D’Or 7-58, Kyle Sheets 3-28, Logan Ramper 2-39, Tony Grimes 2-16, Khalid Dorsey 1-8.