Box Score

EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - After 48 years of competition in the Western Division of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), the Shippensburg football team entered its first-ever Eastern Division contest on Saturday afternoon at Eiler-Martin Stadium looking to provide some excitement while making some history in front of a state-wide television audience.

Nearly four hours after the opening kick sailed off the foot of ESU kicker Greg Knauss, both goals had been accomplished with flying colors, as the Red Raiders engaged in an old-fashioned Western shootout but ultimately lost a heartbreaker to East Stroudsburg in overtime, 44-41. When all was said and done, the teams combined for 864 total yards and 85 points.

Shippensburg (1-3, 0-1 PSAC East) knew it would have its hands full with a Warrior passing attack that entered the game averaging 238 yards through the air and having tossed eight touchdowns in three games. Yet by the time the first half was over, it was the Red Raider defense that had all but silenced the vaunted ESU aerial assault by recording four interceptions and forcing a fumble to gain a 21-7 halftime lead.

All of Shippensburg's 21 first-half points came off the direct result of turnovers. The Red Raiders gained the early momentum with eight minutes to go in the first quarter when sophomore Jamahn McCollough picked off a Tim Roken pass and returned it 22 yards to the ESU 27. Three plays later, red-shirt junior Chad DiFebbo found red-shirt junior Mike Harris for a 24-yard touchdown for the first score of the game.

Trailing 7-6 early in the second quarter, junior Kyler Ford placed a punt deep in ESU territory that was downed on the 8-yard-line. On the first play of the ensuing Warrior drive, sophomore Riley Bowen intercepted a pass that eventually led to a 15-yard strike from DiFebbo to Harris that gave Shippensburg a 13-7 lead.

With four minutes left in the half, Roken was picked off by red-shirt senior safety Jason Stone, who continued his strong play for Shippensburg on Saturday by leading the team in tackles for the second consecutive week (six solo, six assists). Another short field resulted in a two-play drive that was capped with a six-yard touchdown run by red-shirt sophomore Chris Infante. Junior Mark Rossi recorded his third-career two-point conversion catch to give the Red Raiders a 14-point halftime lead.

East Stroudsburg (4-0, 1-0 PSAC East) started the second half with an 11-play, 50-yard drive that resulted in a one-yard plunge to bring the score within seven points. Shippensburg quickly countered with a 6-play, 51-yard drive with a similar one-yard plunge from Infante to give the Red Raiders a 28-14 lead midway through the third quarter.

After Shippensburg's offense began to sputter, East Stroudsburg maintained the fever pitch by scoring 10 points in less than three minutes to gain the edge in the momentum battle while bringing the score to 28-24 at the end of the third quarter.

Needing an offensive spark, red-shirt sophomore Kevin Marshall stepped up and put together a highlight reel of a fourth quarter to repeatedly extend Shippensburg's lead. In just two plays, Marshall totaled 150 all-purpose yards and 12 points.

With 11:02 to play in regulation, red-shirt freshman Roshaan McCain broke a 20-yard run to put the Red Raiders near midfield. On the very next play, Marshall broke a 59-yard run for a touchdown to give Shippensburg a 35-24 lead.

After East Stroudsburg took only 3:08 to score another touchdown of its own, Marshall received a kickoff at his nine-yard line and promptly scampered 91 yards to paydirt for his second career kickoff return for a touchdown. Unfortunately, Ford missed the extra point, leaving the lead at just 10 points with seven minutes remaining.

The Warriors responded in under two minutes with a 24-yard field goal and then quickly forced a three-and-out from Shippensburg. East Stroudsburg got the ball at its own 13-yard-line with 3:13 to play, trailing 41-34. Roken responded with his most important tosses of the day, completing four passes of 15 yards or more on a 7-play, 87-yard drive. Joe Partridge delivered another one-yard plunge with 1:02 remaining to tie the score at 41-41 and force overtime.

Shippensburg got the ball first in the overtime session and advanced as far as the ESU 8-yard-line but stalled its drive. Ford attempted a 30-yard field goal but missed it left, leaving the door open for East Stroudsburg.

On the first play of the Warrior offensive drive, Partridge ran for 13 yards. The game then ended the same way in which it started, off the foot of Knauss. The Warrior kicker promptly ripped a 29-yard field goal through the uprights to give East Stroudsburg a 44-41 victory. 

Marshall finished the day with 270 all-purpose yards - the fifth-best single-game total in school history. Among the tally were 92 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards. His 139 kickoff return yards ranks just 19 yards short of Mike Erlandson's single-game record set against Bloomsburg in 1997.

Harris finished the day with five receptions for 74 yards and the two touchdowns. Through three games this season, the red-shirt junior has already matched his touchdown total of last year with four. His 72.8 receiving yards per game average currently ranks seventh in the conference.

DiFebbo threw for 161 yards and has now tossed a touchdown in all four games this season, yet he completed just 10-of-26 passes on Saturday, including one interception. On the season, DiFebbo has completed 45-of-108 passes for 609 yards.

Defensively, red-shirt sophomore safety Travis Proctor stepped up with nine tackles and a game-high three pass defenses. Through four games this season, Proctor leads the conference with seven pass breakups.

Other strong defenders included senior Reggie Farrior (four solo tackles, one interception) and red-shirt junior Josh Simmons (eight tackles). Red-shirt senior linebacker Josh Oswalt recorded one tackle for loss and is tied for fourth-best in the conference with six this season.

In addition to his interception, Bowen recovered a fumble on East Stroudsburg's first play from scrimmage. He is tied with Edinboro's Jeremy Appell atop the conference with three fumble recoveries through four games.

Despite East Stroudsburg holding just a three-minute advantage in time of possession, the Warriors ended up running 90 offensive plays to 68 for Shippensburg. Perhaps most importantly, East Stroudsburg scored on seven of its eight trips inside the red zone. Shippensburg scored on three of its five trips inside the 20-yard line.

Shippensburg's 41 points marked the most points the team has scored on the road since a 44-0 defeat of Clarion on Oct. 23, 2004 - a span of 21 games. The 85 combined points are the most in a game for Shippensburg since a 54-30 loss to Edinboro on Nov. 4, 2006.

The Red Raiders will return home on Saturday at 1 p.m. to face Millersville (0-4, 0-1 PSAC East) as the team continues its Eastern Division schedule. West Chester defeated the Marauders on Saturday evening by a 41-10 margin.