INDIANA,
Pa.
Shippensburg University sophomore quarterback Tony Gomez (Pottsville,
Pa./Pottsville) threw for a career-high 228 yards as the Red Raiders had no
problem cruising past Lock Haven University, 45-7, at Seth Grove Stadium
Saturday afternoon. The victory
was the seventh-straight for Ship over the Bald Eagles at home.
Shippensburg
(6-1, 2-1 PSAC West), who entered the game ranked No. 19 in the American
Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coachesı Poll, scored on five
of its first seven possessions.
The Red Raiders tallied back-to-back scores on their first two
possessions which proved to be all the scoring they would need en route to a
31-0 lead at halftime. Three of
Shipıs scoring drives took less than 1:02 with touchdowns coming on two of
those drives in only one-play.
The
Red Raiders took advantage of four Lock Haven (2-5, 0-2 PSAC West) turnovers,
two of which led to 14 points. All
four turnovers came on interceptions from Bald Eagle starting quarterback Tim
Storino who completed just 4-of-19 pass attempts for 49 yards. With Shippensburg leading 10-0, Shipıs
next score came on a 36-yard interception return by sophomore John
Sharbaugh (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumerland Valley) late in the first
quarter. Sharbaugh becomes the
third different Shippensburg player to return an interception for a touchdown
this season, joining seniors Antonio Williams (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn
Hills)
and Mike Street (Philadelphia, Pa./Mastbaum).
Not
only was the Shippensburg pass defense impenetrable, but the Ship run defense
limited the Lock Haven to only 22 yards rushing on 35 carries and a mere 126
yards in total offense. Heading
into the fourth quarter, the Bald Eagles had minus-5 yards rushing on 22
carries. Of the teamıs 22 yards
rushing for the game, 21 came on their final drive in the game that resulted in
a 1-yard touchdown run by reserve quarterback Robert Kristiniak.
Gomezıs
totaled his 228 yards passing in just three quarters as junior Rick
Henshaw (Marmora, N.J./Ocean City) guided the Red Raiders in the fourth
quarter. Henshaw accounted for the
teamıs lone passing score, a 17-yard touchdown pass to junior Patrick
Ferguson (Mt. Airy, Md./Urbana) on the first play following an interception by
sophomore Frank Duffy (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg). Ferguson finished the game with 134
yards receiving on only four catches for an average of 33.4 yards per catch.
With
the Red Raiders driving early in the third quarter, facing a third-and-9 at the
Lock Haven 28-yard line, Gomez was intercepted by Mike Nesby, marking the first
interception of his career. Prior
to the pass, Gomez began his career with a streak of 104 consecutive passes
without an interception. However,
two plays later the Shippensburg defense forced the Bald Eaglesı fourth
turnover of the game on an interception by senior Mike Street
(Philadelphia, Pa./Mastbaum).
Street has posted an interception in four of the teamıs seven games this
season, including five in the last five games.
Duffy
led Shippensburg strong defensive effort this afternoon, totaled a team-high
eight tackles, including four tackles for loss to go along with one
interception, one sack and one quarterback hurry.
Sophomore
Jaron Nalewak (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg), in the starting lineup
at outside linebacker because of injury to senior Chris Leonetti
(Richboro, Pa./Council Rock), had seven tackles, four for loss and one
sack. Nalewakıs brother Jon, a
sophomore linebacker for Lock Haven, totaled six tackles. The Nalewakıs were not the only
brothers on opposite sides Saturday as Shippensburg junior Greg Sones
(Shippensburg, Pa./Penn Tech) and his brother Brad, a sophomore defensive
end, also met for this second time on the gridiron this afternoon.
The
Red Raiders will face a tough California University (Pa.) team on the road next
Saturday. Kickoff is at 3:00 p.m.,
from Adamson Stadium in California, Pa.
The 25th-ranked Vulcans are 4-2 this season and have lost two of their
last three following Saturdayıs 42-28 loss at Edinboro University.
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