October 30, 2004
KUHN AND CRUMP RUSH FOR 100 YARDS IN WIN OVER SLIPPERY ROCK
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. Senior fullback John Kuhn (York, Pa./Dover) and sophomore halfback Walter Crump (Sharon Hill, Pa./Academy Park) both rushed for over 100 yards as the Shippensburg University football team held on to win its fourth-straight game, 35-17, over Slippery Rock University on Senior Day at Seth Grove Stadium.
Shippensburg (9-1, 5-1 PSAC West) totaled 314 yards rushing led by 156 on 30 carries and one touchdown from Kuhn and 134 yards on eight carries and two touchdowns from Crump. The last time the Red Raiders had two players rush for over 100 yards in the same game was on November 8, 2003 at East Stroudsburg University, a span of 19 games. In that game, Kuhn, senior halfback Andre McLaurin (Warminster, Pa./William Tennant) and Crump all surpassed 100 yards.
The loss marked the fifth-straight for The Rock (3-7, 1-4 PSAC West) after they started the season 3-2.
After Ship took a 28-0 lead into halftime, Slippery Rock totaled the first 17 points of the second half, scoring on three of its first four possessions. The Rockšs first score came following a great defensive play by Willie Murel.
On first-and-10 from the Slippery Rock 36-yard line, Shippensburg sophomore quarterback Tony Gomez (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville) completed a 34-yard pass to junior Patrick Ferguson (Mt. Airy, Md./Urbana) and as he was heading for the end zone, Murel stripped him of the football and recovered it at the 2-yard line.
On the resulting drive, The Rock drove 98 yards in only four plays, capped by an 11-yard touchdown pass from Nate Crookshank to Luke Wetzel. The big play that setup the score came on second-and-8 from the Slippery Rock 4-yard line when Josh Kniess broke free for 80 yards down to the Shippensburg 16.
After The Rock defense forced a turnover on downs on the ensuing Ship possession, Slippery Rock drove 76 yards in nine plays for its second score when A.J. Ruperto found Corey Manfull wide open in the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown pass.
Slippery Rock was held to 104 yards of total offense in the first half, but following its two scoring drives to start the third quarter, had surpassed that mark with 145 yards on just 13 plays.
Leading 28-14 late in the third quarter and facing a fourth-and-7 at the his own 37-yard line, Shippensburg junior punter Denver Brydon (Salix, Pa./Forest Hills) came on to punt, but was forced to run with the ball after pressure from The Rockšs special teams. He fumbled the ball that was recovered by Ship senior linebacker Dan Walsh (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) at the 10-yard line.
However, an illegal forward pass penalty was called on Slippery Rock, giving the team the ball at the Shippensburg 28-yard line. The Red Raider defense was able to hold the Rock offense. On fourth-and-17 from 35, Ruperto attempted a pass to Steve Fullerton in the end zone that was broken up by Red Raider freshman cornerback Terrance Askins (Philadelphia, Pa./Glen Mills) despite offensive pass interference.
Slippery Rockšs Ryan Daniel would add a 33-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to cut the Red Raider lead to 11 points with 12:03 remaining in the game.
However, Shippensburg would end the hopes for an upset when Kuhn scored on a 1-yard run on the resulting possession to put the Red Raiders in front, 35-17 with 9:57 left. For Kuhn, it was his 52nd career touchdown, but his first in four meetings against Slippery Rock. He has now scored at least one rushing touchdown against each Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division team for a total of 32 in his career.
Shippensburg will conclude the regular-season next weekend on Saturday, November 6 at West Chester University. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m., at John A. Farrell Stadium in West Chester, Pa. With a win, the Red Raiders will clinch their first 10-win regular-season since 1981.
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