Juniata Upsets Ursinus 28-7, Improves to 4-2 Overall

By: Jennifer Jones
Director of Sports Information
jonesj@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: JD Cavrich Photography

COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Juniata College football upset Ursinus College 28-7 Saturday afternoon at the Bears homecoming game.  The Eagles are now 4-2 overall this season and are tied for fourth place in the Centennial Conference with a 3-2 record after handing Ursinus (5-1, 4-1 Centennial) its first loss of the season.

"This was a very good team win," said head coach Tim Launtz.  "Anytime you're going to go play an undefeated team, at their place, and it's homecoming, and you come away with a win, that's quite an achievement."

Junior Ward Udinski (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) earned a career-high 421 total yards. The 6-2, quarterback threw for three touchdowns and carried a career-long 49-yard touchdown run.  He has six rushing and 14 passing touchdowns this season.  Udinski came into the game ranked top 20 nationally for points responsible for.

"[He's] a very good football player and just an outstanding teammate," said Launtz.  "He deserves the success he gets because he works very hard. He goes out there and he gives his all for his teammates."

Also setting career-high marks was freshman DaVon Mitchell (Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley).  The wideout caught a career-high five passes for a career-best 112 yards.  His longest was a 50-yarder from Udinski just 3:16 into the game that put Juniata up 6-0.

Defensively, the Eagles second line was led by senior Kevin Gorman (Waverly, N.Y./Waverly Central) and junior Ethan Wilt (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area).  The pair tied for a team-high eight tackles.  Wilt grabbed his second career interception in the win and ran it back for a career-long 16 yards.

Senior Brandon Felus (Columbia, Pa./Columbia) continued his dominance at the line of scrimmage.  The defensive lineman grabbed seven tackles, four for a loss of 18 yards, and two sacks.  He came into the game ranked second in the league in sacks and now has 25.5 for his career.

"Defensively, we couldn't ask any more from our defense," added Launtz.  "They just shut down one drive after another. Everyone that was out there on the field defensively today just played outstanding."

Juniata returns home on Saturday, Oct. 26 to face Muhlenberg College in its homecoming game.  The Eagles are currently tied with Muhlenberg for fourth place in the league. 

"Well, it's the next game so it's the biggest game for us," Launtz said of how the team will approach next week.  "The key for us is to take the approach that we did this week. That was to be passionate about the play and realize it's about never giving up."

Juniata has yet to beat the Mules since the teams began competing in 1929.  This will be first time in program history that Juniata has faced Muhlenberg in its homecoming game.  The Eagles are 2-1 at home this season, 1-1 against Centennial opponents.

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