Warriors Best Eagles in Season Finale
HUNTINGDON, PA- The Juniata College football team closed out their season against the Lycoming College Warriors on Saturday, falling short on a 24-16 scoreline.
Despite a lost fumble on a pass completion, the Eagles started the match strong, holding the Warriors to a field goal on their first defensive drive. A roughing the kicker penalty on the Warriors extended the Eagles following drive, which was boosted by a 23-yard rush from Ethan Eisenberg and a 22-yard reception from Jordan Horm on consecutive plays. This put the Eagles on the three-yard line, and two plays later, Ivan Foreman rushed it in to put the Eagles up 6-3.
The Eagles defense was rolling, as they forced the Warriors into a three and out and a turnover on downs in their next two drives. Alex Mullin converted a 37-yard field goal early in the second quarter, putting the Eagles up 9-3. Right after the field goal, the Eagles defense continued their strong play with an interception by Stephen Griffin, giving the Eagles good field position with the extra possession. Eisenberg then completed a 42-yard catch and run with Carter Marr and a 12-yard pass to Nick Rice, giving the Eagles a 1st & goal at the one-yard line. Unfortunately, a Lycoming defender made a nice play as Eisenberg tried to rush it in on the next play, resulting in a fumble that gave the Warriors the ball and kept the score at 9-3. On that drive, the Warriors went 97 yards in 9 plays and took their first lead of the day with a six-yard passing touchdown, 10-9. Such was the score at the halftime break.
At halftime, the program honored their 13 seniors, who have each played a key role in the development of the program on and off the field.
In the third quarter, the Eagles defense came out strong forcing a quick punt, putting the offense back on the field. In 16 plays and 90 yards, the Eagles trotted down the field and scored again. With notable 12 and 19-yard completions to Marr, Eisenberg went to the sidelines on the final play of the drive, as Joey Menke took the snap and threw a jump pass to Akari Daniels in the endzone to put the Eagles up 16-10 after the successful PAT by Mullin.
Halfway through the third quarter, the Warriors went back on the field, and despite reaching a 3rd & 15, Lycoming found a gap in the Eagles defense for a 37-yard completion, taking them down to the one. Lycoming took a 17-16 lead just one play later with a rushing touchdown as the teams went into the fourth quarter.
The Juniata drive, which carried over from the third quarter into the fourth, was flowing well, especially after a 14-yard completion from Eisenberg to Brysen Delaney on 4th & 7. Reaching the Lycoming 29-yard line though, the Eagles faced a 4th & 10, and Eisenberg was stopped two yards short of the line to gain. On the following drive, Lycoming took six more minutes off the clock and added seven more points to their total after a 12-play, 79-yard drive. Down 24-16, the Eagles had only one more drive in the game. Again, this drive was flowing well, with key 4th & 5 and 4th & 7 conversions to keep the offense on the field. On a 4th & 10 though, Eisenberg's pass was intercepted. With just over two minutes left, the Warriors were able to convert enough first downs to run the clock to zero, the score reading Lycoming 24, Juniata 16.
Eisenberg threw for 297 yards passing on the day, with Marr accounting for an even 100 of them. Foreman led in the ground game with 90 yards and the touchdown, Daniels adding the other Eagles score. Dillon Wakefield and Ethan Shank led on defense with 16 and 14 total tackles, respectively.
Wakefield finishes the season with 107 tackles on the year, while Shank wraps up his career fourth all-time in Eagle history in career tackles. Wyatt Buell was called upon once to punt and drew a penalty to keep the drive alive, so he wrapped up his career second all-time in career punting yardage.
The Eagles finish the season 2-8 overall, and 0-6 in conference play.