The Shippensburg University football team concluded its season on a high note at IUP on Saturday in its 2018 regular-season finale, grabbing a 45-21 decision over the Crimson Hawks in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover contest from Miller Stadium. Shippensburg's victory is its first over IUP dating back to 1988.
 
Shippensburg (6-5) used a valiant effort from its defense, including interception returns for touchdowns by Senior Tyler Emge and redshirt-junior John Chaney III in the win. The Red Raiders also held a dynamic IUP backfield that averages 185.8 yards per game to just 96 yards on 40 carries (2.4 yards per carry).
 
Shippensburg clinched its eighth-consecutive winning season under head coach Mark Maciejewski with the victory.
 
"The winning season streak is for the players," Maciejewski said. "They wanted it real bad. They knew that the last seven years we have been able to do that and especially the seniors wanted to put a winning season on the table. They left it all out on the field. A winning season means a lot to our players and I'm proud of them for going out there and earning that win today."
 
IUP (8-3) cut Shippensburg's 28-7 lead with 12:42 left in the third quarter down to just seven points at the 11:20-minute mark of the fourth quarter, but a 21-yard field goal by freshman David Shank and Chaney III's 30-yard interception return sealed the victory.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Raleigh Sirb finished just eight yards shy of his career-high in rushing yards, finishing with 144 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries for Shippensburg. Senior Chase Yocum had two rushing touchdowns including one with 1:54 left in the game. His second score of the game was his 10th of the season. Yocum graduates with 1,312 career rushing yards, the most by a quarterback in SU history.
 
Redshirt-junior Josh Gontarek led the Red Raiders with six receptions for 81 yards, while redshirt-sophomore Charles Headen III had two catches for 42 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown. Seven different players caught at least one pass in the game for SU.
 
Redshirt-freshman Brycen Mussina finished his historic debut season with 3,376 passing yards and 32 touchdown passes (both marks rank third in single-season school history).
 
The Shippensburg defense was led by a trio of seniors including Emge, redshirt-senior Steven Cain and redshirt-senior Dakota Thompson. Emge led SU with nine tackles and a defensive score. Cain also had nine tackles, while Thompson put constant pressure on IUP quarterback Lenny Williams, registering 3.5 sacks. Redshirt-senior John Durkin also had 1.5 sacks.
 
Redshirt-senior Richard Nase finishes his career second all-time in SU history with 29 career sacks, while Thompson sits third all-time with 26.
 
For the Raiders, 19 seniors played in the final game of their career, as SU's senior class contributed to an overall record of 31-14.
 
"That's special for the seniors," Maciejewski said. "They worked really hard and not only for today, but for all the work they put into our family. We had some ups and downs this season, but they worked really hard. They kept fighting and believing, and made a memory today they will never forget.We beat a really good football team today."