Green Terror Tame Eagles in Second Half
HUNTINGDON, Pa. - Juniata traded the lead with the McDaniel Green Terror through the third quarter before falling 35-19 on Saturday afternoon in the 2022 home opener.
Juniata started the contest with possession and advanced 25 yards before being forced to punt by McDaniel. The Green Terror opened the scoring on their first drive with a 27-yard field goal. Juniata advanced to the McDaniel 16 on their second drive featuring a 35-yard Hunter Wolfley rush before missing a 33-yard field goal attempt. Juniata forced a swift McDaniel turnover to send the game to the second quarter of play with the Green Terror ahead by three.
Juniata's first drive of the second quarter saw the Eagles take the lead for the first time of the day on a 14-yard Noah Wright pass to Dylan Sweger. The Eagles failed to convert the extra point following a five-yard false start penalty. McDaniel answered back for a touchdown in seven plays with a converted extra point for a 10-6 advantage. The Green Terror lead lasted moments as Wright met Austin Nash on the opening play of the next drive for a 70-yard touchdown, and a converted Alex Mullin extra point attempt gave a 13-10 lead. McDaniel answered yet again for a touchdown on the fourth consecutive drive of the game in just six plays to take a 16-13 lead into halftime.
McDaniel opened the third quarter and again found the end zone on a 52-yard, 12-play drive. Juniata was forced into a punt on their next drive, but a fumble recovery from Dontey Rogan on the next McDaniel play put Juniata in the red zone for their final touchdown of the day. Wright found Julian Jackson for nine yards to draw within a field goal heading into the fourth quarter with a 22-19 deficit.
Juniata opened the fourth, making it to the McDaniel 19 before failing to draw even on a field-goal attempt. The next drive from each team saw turnovers before McDaniel found the end zone on consecutive drives, including a 49-yard passing touchdown and a 1-yard rushing touchdown to wrap up scoring.
Wright sported 184 passing yards in the game with a 52% completion rate, three touchdowns, and one interception. Wolfley was the leading rusher with 131 yards on 23 attempts. Receiving touchdowns were split between Nash, Jackson, and Sweger with one apiece. Nash also led the Eagles in receiving yards with 114.
Jake Matchock led the way defensively for the Eagles as the senior sported 14 total tackles and an interception. Nigel Robertson and Seth Bernstein tallied a sack and nine total tackles apiece. Bernstein forced the most yards lost on tackles, with nine yards lost on two tackles.
The Eagles will be on the road next Saturday, September 17, as they travel to Baltimore to face #10 Johns Hopkins.