BLOOMSBURG — 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.
Shippensburg (2-2, 1-0 PSAC East) got an impressive defensive performance from redshirt sophomore linebacker Matt Feeney (Reading/Exeter Township), who set a single-game school record with 6.5 tackles-for-loss (TFL) among his team-high 10 tackles. SU also got a strong effort on offense from redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Johnson III (Detroit, Mich./Walled Lake Western (Boston College)), who was 29-of-43 for 344 yards passing and three touchdowns without an interception.
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.
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 (Feasterville/Neshaminy) prefaced a 17-yard touchdown from Johnson to sophomore fullback Jake DeLuccia (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley).
A 17-point second quarter gave Shippensburg a 24-3 halftime lead. Sophomore Jaxson Montross (Tunkhannock/Tunkhannock Area) kicked a 44-yard field goal; senior running back Khalid Dorsey (York/York (Howard)) scored on a 16-yard swing pass from Johnson, and redshirt sophomore running back Nasai Moon (Brodheadsville/Pleasant Valley) had a 1-yard plunge immediately after Johnson had a 23-yard connection to sophomore wide receiver Redd Douglas (Youngstown, Ohio/Chaney (Wooster)).
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 (Landenberg, Pa./Caravel Academy (Del.)) 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.
Feeney’s 6.5 TFL 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 TFL 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.
Redshirt-junior defensive back Nasir Greer (Upper Darby/Upper Darby) recorded his first career interception late in the fourth quarter for the game’s only turnover by either team. Redshirt junior linebacker Tyler Simon (Manheim/Manheim Central) finished with six tackles, while redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Riley Good (Landisville/Hempfield) had five tackles, including 2.5 TFLs.
Shippensburg’s victory was 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.
Shippensburg will host nationally ranked Shepherd at 1 p.m. Saturday at SU Student Association Field at Seth Grove Stadium.
