The Shippensburg University football team established a 28-point lead through three quarters of its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division opener at Bloomsburg on Saturday en route to a 31-17 victory over the host Huskies on a sunny afternoon at Redman Stadium.
Â
Shippensburg (2-2, 1-0 PSAC East) got an impressive defensive performance from redshirt-sophomore linebacker
Matt Feeney, who set a single-game school record with 6.5 tackles-for-loss (TFLs) among his team-high 10 tackles. SU also got a strong effort on offense from redshirt-freshman quarterback
Sam Johnson III, who was 29-of-43 for 344 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.
Â
The Raiders led 31-3 after three quarters, as SU's defense held Bloomsburg (1-3, 0-1) to just 122 total yards from scrimmage on its first eight drives of the game. BU's only points through the first three quarters came on a 38-yard field goal by Brendan McGonigle – otherwise the Huskies punted five times, missed a field goal, and had a turnover on downs.
Â
SU's offense embarked upon an 11-play, 97-yard drive on its second drive of the game to make it 7-0. The Raiders were 3-of-3 on first downs on the drive and finished the day 10-of-18 on third downs overall. A 40-yard hookup between Johnson and sophomore
Ian Sheehan prefaced a 17-yard touchdown from Johnson to sophomore fullback
Jake DeLuccia.
Â
A 17-point second quarter gave Shippensburg a 24-3 halftime lead. Sophomore
Jaxson Montross kicked a 44-yard field goal; senior running back
Khalid Dorsey scored on a 16-yard swing pass from Johnson, and redshirt-sophomore running back
Nasai Moon had a 1-yard plunge immediately after Johnson had a 23-yard connection to sophomore wide receiver
Redd Douglas.
Â
Douglas and Sheehan each had a team-high eight receptions: Douglas finished with 124 receiving yards and Sheehan had 81 receiving yards and a 6-yard touchdown reception late in the third quarter that capped the Raider scoring. Redshirt-sophomore tight end
Cole Balint entered the game with just five career receptions in nine career games but finished the day with six receptions in the game for 28 yards. Dorsey had 56 rushing yards and 41 receiving yards; Moon had 32 receiving yards.
Â
Feeney's 6.5 TFLs were all achieved in the first three quarters of play and resulted in a total loss of 17 yards. His performance breaks the previous single-game school record of 6.0 TFLs set by Jake Metz against Seton Hill on Oct. 5, 2013. He has totaled 40 tackles through the first four games of the season, which leads the Raiders.
Â
Redshirt-junior defensive back
Nasir Greer recorded his first career interception late in the fourth quarter for the game's only turnover by either team. Redshirt-junior linebacker
Tyler Simon finished with six tackles, while redshirt-sophomore defensive lineman
Riley Good had five tackles, including 2.5 TFLs.
Â
Shippensburg's victory is its first win at Redman Stadium in nine years. SU's last win at Bloomsburg came on Halloween Night in 2013; a 34-18 victory over the Huskies in a night game that was broadcast on national television.
Â
Shippensburg will host nationally-ranked Shepherd at 1 p.m. Saturday at SU Student Association Field at Seth Grove Stadium.
Â
Â
Â