Bullets Wound Eagles in Gettysburg
GETTYSBURG, Pa.- The Juniata football team suffered a 33-17 loss at Gettysburg, Saturday afternoon at Shirk Field.
GETTYSBURG, Pa.-The Juniata football team suffered a 33-17 loss at Gettysburg, Saturday afternoon at Shirk Field.
The opening quarter was a rough one for the Eagles as they could not get much going on offense. The Bullets took advantage of each Eagle punt as their first drive went 44 yards in 11 plays that culminated in one-yard rushing touchdown. The other two drives for Gettysburg ended in field goals as Juniata trailed 13-0 after one.
Gettysburg opened the second quarter with an eight-play 88-yard drive that pushed their lead to 20.
The defenses took control of the game from there, as neither one allowed the offenses to do much for six minutes which resulted in several punts from both teams.
On second and nine from the Gettysburg 16, Adam Kipp (Mt. Wolf, Pa. / Northeastern) sacked the Bullet QB and knocked the ball out. Dan Drop Jr. (Hatfield, Pa. / North Penn HS) recovered the fumble at the Bullet 10. Ian Border (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon Area H.S.) took the ball 10 yards into the end zone for his first career TD which made it 20-7.
The defense got another stop as Juniata got the ball back with 1:44 left in the half.
Jason Jones (Port Matilda, Pa. / Bald Eagle Area) found Daulton Snyder (New Oxford, Pa. / New Oxford) for an 11-yard gain before he connected with Shaheed Ross (Philadelphia, Pa. / Delaware Valley Charter HS) for 37. Jones scrambled for 12 before back to back six-yard completions to Snyder to get down to the Gettysburg 22. The drive stalled from there so Sam Craig (Mullica Hill, N.J. / Kingsway Regional HS) kicked the ball through the uprights from a career-high 39 yards. Juniata went into the half trailing by 10, 20-10.
The Eagle defense opened the third by forcing a three and out, with a Hunter Price (Mill Creek, Pa. / Huntingdon Area HS) sack on third down leading the way.
Jones completed two passes to Snyder for a combined twelve yards, with a roughing the passer penalty helping move the ball to the Gettysburg 35. Lane Chalmers (Parker, Pa. / Allegheny-Clarion Valley HS) had runs of 19 and 10 yards to help get the ball to the one. Three players from third and goal from the five, Jones found Alex Stoner (Elizabethtown, Pa. / Lower Dauphin) for his first career reception which was a touchdown as JC narrowed the deficit to three.
The Bullets responded with a seven play 65-yard drive which culminated in another rushing TD as they pushed their lead back to 10.
The Eagles only mustard one first down on their next three drives as they struggled to get going. Gettysburg kicked a field goal with 10 and a half minutes left in the game to push their lead to 30.
JC had to punt again, so Gettysburg took over from their 29. On first down, Josh Parson (Port Royal, Pa. / Juniata H.S. (Kutztown)) forced a fumble that was recovered by Thayer Phillips (Cuddy, Pa. / South Fayette HS) at the Bullet 29. A 13-yard completion got Juniata down to the 11. Juniata called timeout with just under seven minutes left facing 4th and 11, but the proceeding pass fell incomplete.
Juniata did not get back into the red zone the rest of the game. Gettysburg tacked on another field goal inside the final two minutes to complete the score line.
Juniata heads into their bye week, before they return to action at Moravian, October 20th at 12:00.