The bright lights were shining on the field Thursday night as two PSAC West teams kicked off the 2014 season. Unfortunately, they both came away with a loss on opening night.
Seton Hill had the unfortunate task of playing against Shippensburg on the road and came up on the wrong side of a 55-30 score.
After Shippensburg opened up a 20-2 lead, Griffins quarterback Drew Jackson found FJ Williams for a 65-yard pitch-and-catch for the score. A Seton Hill fumble recovery on defense could’ve gotten the Griffins back in the game but they couldn’t capitalize and went 3-and-out, leading to a Shippensburg score to put Seton Hill behind, 27-9. After Jackson found Erik Kerns for a score and Ship would answer, the two teams went into the break with a 34-16 score.
Seton Hill scored on the first drive of the second half after a 73-yard kickoff return set up a 23-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Williams. A few drives later, Seton Hill would snag an errant pass and take the ball inside the red zone but a fumble would prove to be too costly and Shippensburg rumbled on to a victory.
Seton Hill will play Lock Haven on the road next Saturday at 3 p.m.
Stat leaders:
Seton Hill: PASSING – Drew Jackson – 18-52-0 321 yards 4 TDs; RUSHING – Brandon Stout – 11-38; RECEIVING – FJ Williams – 3-92 2 TDs, Erik Kerns 4-110 TD; TACKLES – Tim Johnson – 12, Ricardo Housen – 10; SACKS – Alani Speiser, Arthur Tsapdong, Alex Attia, Tim Johnson, Jamarius Richardson – 1.0; INTERCEPTIONS – Brandon Frye, Ricardo Housen – 1
Shippensburg: PASSING – Chris Lawshe – 24-34-1 310 yards 2 TDs; RUSHING – Blair Brooks – 18-136 2 TDs; RECEIVING – Sheldon Mayer – 9-194 TD; TACKLES – James Brennan – 7; SACKS – 0; INTERCEPTIONS – 0
Edinboro, too, was on the road taking on No. 16 Carson-Newman Thursday night, eventually falling, 38-24.
The Fighting Scots scored first, taking a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when Cody Harris found Nick Helmick for a five-yard strike. After Carson-Newman tied things up, Harris found Darren Massey for a 15-yard score to take a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter. Carson-Newman, though, would score twice while Edinboro could only muster a field goal to end the half with a 21-17 score in favor of the Eagles.
Carson-Newman scored three straight times to take a 38-17 lead before Harris and Helmick hooked up for a second score but it would be the last time the Fighting Scots would find the endzone. Edinboro recovered a fumble with just over four minutes to play but couldn’t put together a scoring drive, allowing the Eagles to hang on for the win.
The Fighting Scots play again next Saturday against Shippensburg on the road at Noon.
Stat leaders:
Edinboro: PASSING – Cody Harris – 23-32-0 177 yards 3 TDs; RUSHING – Cody Harris – 12-50; RECEIVING – Darren Massey 8-69 TD, Nick Helmick 5-54 2 TDs; TACKLES – Kyle Matula 12, Mike Shanksy, Josh Kibbie – 10; SACKS – Anthony Principale – 1.0; INTERCEPTIONS – 0
Carson-Newman: PASSING – De’Andre Thomas- 11-18-0 155 yards 2 TDs; RUSHING – Anthony Ball – 6-84 TD; RECEIVING – Jarrett Blihovde 3-41; TACKLES – Eric Cain – 11; SACKS – 8 with 1.0; INTERCEPTIONS – 0
Photo Credit: Edinboro
