Turnovers Doom Eagles at Ursinus

COLLEGEVILLE, Pa.-  The Juniata College football team amassed 585 yards of total offense, but it was not enough as their comeback effort came up short in a 35-28 loss at Ursinus, Saturday afternoon at Patterson Field.

Sophomore quarterback Austin Montgomery (Bedford, Pa./Bedford Area) threw for 343 yards, two touchdowns and also ran eight times for 86 yards and a touchdown. Senior running back Matt Lehr (Dover, Pa./York Catholic) had 17 carries for a season-high 110 yards while junior running back Calvin Bembry II (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) had eight carries for 86 yards and touchdown. Lehr contributed in the passing game as well, catching four passes for 64 yards and touchdown. Sophomore wideout Justin Helsel (Martinsburg, Pa./Central) caught eight passes for 117 yards and senior wideout AJ Brocato (Abingdon/Patterson Mills) had two catches for 77 yards and a touchdown.

Defensive back Mitchell Shober (Stevens, Pa./Cocalico) led the defense with eight tackles, running back Anton Morrow (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Spring) had five tackles and a fumble recovery while defensive lineman Kyle Bargo (Reedsville, Pa./Mifflin County) had five tackles, a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Linebacker Ben Gemballa (Apollo, Pa./Apollo Ridge) tallied 1.5 tackles for loss and defensive back John Maclay (Belleville, Pa./Mifflin County) had five tackles and an interception for the third straight game.

The Eagles opened the game at their own 31-yard line, but they went three and out. Ursinus took over at their own 35. The Bears used two short runs and an Eagle personal foul to get to the Juniata 47. A 10-yard pass followed by runs of three and four yards got them to the 30. On the next play, the Ursinus running back burst through the line and ran 26 yards for a touchdown. They missed the PAT so Juniata trailed 6-0 early on.

Juniata put together a sustained drive, starting at their own 32. Montgomery hit Jake Notestine (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) for six yards and then ran for nine. A holding penalty sent them back 10 yards, but Lehr ran for six and then 10 yards before Montgomery hit Helsel for a first down at the Ursinus 37. Three plays later facing third and 10, Montgomery again connected with Helsel, this time for 20 yards to move down to the Bears 17. An incompletion and a failed run made it third and 13. Montgomery dropped back and hit Lehr for a touchdown. The Eagles converted the extra point to take a 7-6 lead.

Ursinus started at their own 29 and opened their drive with a 10-yard run. Maclay got the ball back for the Eagles on the next play, intercepting a pass. Juniata took the ball and began to drive, but fumbled the ball back to the Bears at the Ursinus 40.

Neither team could score their next drive, with Ursinus getting to the Eagle 43 before having to punt. The Eagle offense got the ball back in the final forty seconds of the first quarter and faced second & three while the quarter ended. Montgomery rushed for a first down, but was intercepted on the next play.

The Bears took over at the Juniata 23 and wasted no time, driving 23 yards in a minute and half to score. The Bears converted the PAT and led 13-7. Juniata's next drive started on their own 34, and on the second play of the drive Montgomery hit Brocato for a 66-yard touchdown as the Eagles took a 14-13 lead.

Ursinus embarked on a 14 play, six-minute drive that ended when Morrow recovered a fumble at the Juniata 18 for the Eagles. Juniata went on an impressive drive of their own, going 74 yards on nine plays to the Ursinus six. Helsel ran for five yards before Ursinus forced him to fumble into the end zone and the Bears recovered for a touchback.

Neither team managed to score as Juniata took a slim 14-13 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The third quarter opened with the teams trading punts before Ursinus scored via a 64-yard run to go ahead 20-14.

Bembry took the stage on the next drive for the Eagles accounting for 53 of the 79 yards of the drive. He ran for gains of 3, 5, 45 before his nine yard run into the end zone (plus the PAT) gave the lead back to Juniata at 21-20.

The Eagles' defense stood strong, getting another stop and forcing a punt. Juniata began to drive, with a Lehr 40-yard scamper helping move the Eagles down into the red zone. Juniata wound up attempting a 25yard field goal, but pushed it wide left.

Ursinus took the ball and marched down the field, going 80 yards in eight plays and capping the drive with an 18-yard rush. They converted the two-point conversion to take a 28-21 lead. Juniata fumbled on their second play and Ursinus took the ball and three plays later was in the end zone again to push their lead to 35-21.

Juniata got the ball back at their own 33. Lehr broke off runs of five and nine yards. Montgomery completed passes to Notestine and Brocato, then Ursinus was hit with a pass interference penalty to get the Eagles to their 46. On the next play, Montgomery hit Lehr for 39 yards to get down to the Ursinus five. Montgomery ran it in on the next play to narrow the gap to 35-28 with 7:16 left in the game.

The Juniata defense almost forced a three and out, but on fourth and two the Eagles were called offside which gave Ursinus a fresh set of downs. Peyton Edwards (State College, Pa./State College Area) and Bargo combined for a crucial 13-yard tackle for loss which helped force a punt and get the ball back for Juniata.

Juniata got the ball at their own 27 with 3:26 left in the game. Montgomery hit Notestine for 44 and Helsel for 22 to get to the Ursinus 44. Lehr ran for a short gain before Montgomery hit Daulton Snyder (New Oxford, Pa./New Oxford) for eight yards and a first down at the 20. The Eagles called timeout, Montgomery tried to get it to Helsel but the pass fell incomplete. Following another another timeout, Lehr ran for a two yard gain and then another pass dropped incomplete. Facing fourth and eight from the Ursinus 10, Montgomery had his final pass picked off at the five. The Bears kneeled three times to end the game.

It was a battle on the ground as the teams combined for 500 rushing yards. Juniata supplemented their strong ground game with 343 yards in the air to Ursinus's 148.

The Eagles return home to face Muhlenberg, Saturday at 12:00