SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL

November 6, 2004

SHIPPENSBURG DEFEATS WEST CHESTER 24-21 IN OVERTIME VICTORY

WEST CHESTER, Pa---Shippensburg University freshman kicker Jamie Reder (Warrenton, Va./Fauquier) kicked a field goal in overtime and senior defensive back Antonio Williams (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) picked off a pass from West Chester quarterback Bob Findora on the Rams possession to give the Red Raiders a 24-21 victory over West Chester at Farrell Stadium in the final game of the regular season for both teams.

The victory gives Shippensburg itπs first 10-win season since 1991, and itπs first 10-win regular season since 1981.

With the game tied 21-21 after regulation, the game went into sudden death overtime. Each team receives the ball on the 25-yard line, and has one opportunity to score. Senior fullback John Kuhn (York, Pa./Dover) rushed for 11 yards, sophomore halfback Walter Crump (Sharon Hill, Pa./Academy Park) picked up seven yards on a pass reception, and five yards on a West Chester holding penalty put Shippensburg on the seven-yard line, where Reder kicked a 24-yard field goal.

Williams made the interception at the 16-yard line on the first play of West Chesterπs overtime possession.

It was Shippensburgπs first overtime game since October 12, 2002, a 13-7 homecoming victory over Slippery Rock. A Red Raider interception also played a role in that game, when junior defensive back Brent Grimes (Philadelphia, Pa./Northeast) intercepted Slippery Rock in the endzone on its possession.

Kuhn led Shippensburg with 119 yards rushing on 25 carries, scoring one touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Tony Gomez (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville) completed 9 of 27 passes for 132 yards. Crump was the leading receiver with 86 yards on 3 catches, and one touchdown.

Defensively, senior linebacker Dan Walsh (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) led Shippensburg with 13 tackles (11 solo). He also had two tackles for a loss of four yards. Senior defensive back Mike Street (Philadelphia, Pa./Mastbaum) and sophomore John Sharbaugh (Mechanicsburg/Cumberland Valley) had six tackles each. Sharbaugh had two interceptions in the game, both of which led to touchdowns.

Brandon Simmons scored all three of West Chesterπs touchdowns, with six pass receptions for 173 yards. Findora completed 16 of 30 passes for 292 yards. Osagie Osunde was the leading rusher, gaining 82 yards with 20 carries. Isaiah Harrison led the defense with eight tackles.

The victory broke West Chesterπs 11 game home winning streak. It was the first regular season overtime loss in history for the Rams.

Both teams were able to get several big plays that determined several of the points throughout the game.

West Chester took a 6-0 lead early in the game. Simmons caught a 52-yard pass from Findora to score his first touchdowns on the day on the six play, 85 yard drive. Cody Collins kick was blocked by freshman cornerback Terrance Askins. (Philadelphia, Pa./Glen Mills)

The Shippensburg defense stepped up at toward the end of the quarter for its own big play to set up a score. With West Chester driving, Sharbaugh jumped in and intercepted Findora, returning the ball 34-yards to the West Chester 3 yard line. Kuhn ran the ball to the 2-yard line, and Gomez ran a quarterback sneak into the endzone, but a false start by Shippensburg moved the ball back to the West Chester 6. On the next play, senior tight end Brian Sekel (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Twp.) caught a pass from Gomez for his first touchdown of the season.

Sharbaugh made his second interception of the game on the second play of the second quarter, taking the ball 40-yards to the West Chester 27. It would set up Shippensburgπs second touchdown of the game, with a seven play, 27-yard drive. Kuhn rushed for 23-yards of the drive, capping the drive with a 4-yard run to paydirt. Rederπs extra point gave Shippensburg a 14-6 lead.

With just over a minute remaining in the first half, the Red Raiders were driving towards the end zone, when Gomez fumbled the ball on the 25-yard line. It was recovered by West Chesterπs Amel Odom with 54 seconds remaining. West Chester drove quickly down the field. They got a first down on a 15-yard pass interference call, and five plays later Findora hit Simmons with a 25-yard pass with no time remaining to cut Shippensburgπs lead to 14-13. West Chester went for the 2-point conversion, and Findora found Cory DeForrest, who jumped above two defensive backs to pull in the ball, tying the game at 14-14 at the end of the first half.

The Red Raiders broke the tie with 6:18 remaining in the second quarter with a six play, 88 yard drive. Gomez completed a 64-yard pass to Crump, who broke free and outran three West Chester defensive backs to score his seventh touchdown of the year, giving Shippensburg a 21-14 lead.

West Chester tied the game for the second time, 21-21, as Simmons caught a 58-yard pass for his final touchdown of the day, completing a two play, 56 yard drive.

Shippensburgπs defense was able to hold off the Rams in the fourth quarter. Grimes intercepted a driving West Chester at the Shippensburg 2-yard line as the first play of the fourth quarter. On the Rams next possession, West Chester tried for a forth-down conversion and Osunde was stuffed at the 15- yard line, a yard short of the first down.

West Chesterπs Collins attempted a 28-yard field goal with 1:09 remaining in the game, which sailed wide right of the post.

Shippensburg and West Chester will now await the results for selection into the NCAA Division II playoffs. Shippensburg and West Chester came into the game ranked one and two respectively in the region. The seeding results will be aired live on ESPNews between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. The top six teams receive a bid to the national tournament, while the top two teams receive a bye the first weekend (November 13).

SUTV will be airing todayπs game on Monday, November 8 at 6:30 p.m. on Channel 75 on campus and Comcast Cable 21 throughout the Cumberland Valley.