Box Score
WESTMINSTER, Md. – John Luster
threw for one touchdown and ran for another as McDaniel overcame
four lost fumbles to defeat Gettysburg 28-6 in the Centennial
Conference opener for both teams on Saturday.
Luster scampered six yards for the game’s
opening touchdown, then found James Jegede on
a 10-yard scoring strike midway through the second quarter
to help the Green Terror (2-1, 1-0 CC) post its sixth consecutive
victory over the Bullets (1-2, 0-1 CC).
Jemel Johnson carried 19
times for a game-high 114 of McDaniel’s 279 rushing yards
while French Pope and Jason Hartman
each collected 53 yards on the ground. Hartman added the Green
Terror’s third touchdown on a one-yard plunge with 5:03 remaining.
Matt Wilchinski helpedthe
McDaniel defense hold Gettysburg to 195 total yards, recording
a team-best 12 tackles and recovering a crucial fumble that
set up Hartman’s insurance touchdown.
For the Bullets, Mike Schwalb (Bernardsville,
NJ/Pingry School) carried 16 times for a team-high
67 yards while Mike Lublanecki (Long Valley, NJ/West
Morris Central) picked up 48 yards on 11 carries in
his first action of the 2002 season. Mark Johnson (Corona,
CA/Acad. of the New Church [PA]) returned a fumble
30 yards for his first collegiate touchdown to account for
Gettysburg’s only points.
After forcing a Bullet punt on the game’s
opening possession, the Green Terror wasted little time getting
on the scoreboard thanks to a pair of key third-down conversions.
Facing third-and-22 on the McDaniel 18,
Luster connected with Nick Venuto on a 24-yard
pass one play after a holding penalty wiped out a 20-yard
strike to Joe Ellis. Later in the drive, Luster
tossed a 16-yard pass to Tom Browne on third-and-7
to set the Green Terror up at the Gettysburg 24.
Three plays later, the McDaniel signal-caller
found the end zone on a six-yard draw to make it 7-0 with
8:23 left in the first quarter.
The first of two Ellis fumbles derailed
the Green Terror’s second drive of the game. The second turnover
by the senior wideout led directly to Gettysburg’s only score.
On second-and-9 from the McDaniel 35,
Cliff Mason (Greenville, PA/Greenville) jarred
the ball loose from Ellis after a short completion. Johnson
scooped the ball at the 30 and went the distance to pull the
Bullets within 7-6 with 9:36 left in the first half. McDaniel
maintained its one-point lead when the ensuing extra-point
attempt sailed wide.
The Green Terror answered on its next
possession.
A personal foul pulled McDaniel out of
a potential third-and-15 hole and the home team responded
with a nine-play, 80-yard scoring march to make it 14-6. Luster’s
19-yard pass to Jegede moved the ball into Gettysburg territory
and Hartman ripped off 17 yards to the Bullet 10. On the next
play, Jegede snagged his first touchdown pass of the season.
Gettysburg had four opportunities to
tie the game in the second half, but couldn’t cash in.
After punting on their first drive of
the half, the Bullets marched 56 yards to the McDaniel 20
on their next possession, but Sam Shipley (Rahway, NJ/Rahway)
missed a 37-yard field goal with 59 seconds left in the third
quarter.
Pat Hagner (Owings, MD/Northern)
recovered the Green Terror’s fourth fumble of the game to
set Gettysburg up at the McDaniel 44.
Running on every play, the Bullets moved
to the Green Terror 28 before Nick Nocar (Baltimore,
MD/Gilman) was dropped for a four-yard loss on fourth-and-6
to end the threat.
Gettysburg got the ball back following
a missed McDaniel field goal, but Wilchinski recovered Gavin
Beier’s (Levittown, PA/Conwell-Egan Catholic) errant
pitch at the Bullet 32 to stop the drive after only three
plays.
The Green Terror then marched 32 yards
on seven plays to make it 21-6, capped by Hartman’s first
touchdown of the year with 5:03 left.
McDaniel freshman Broderick Maybank
closed the scoring with a 27-yard touchdown on his first collegiate
carry in the game’s final minute.
Mason led the Bullet defense with 12
tackles and three pass breakups on the day while teammate
Chris Jordan (Bethesda, MD/Gonzaga) added 10
stops, including seven solo tackles, and one fumble recovery.
Nocar caught three passes for 42 yards.
Luster finished with 12 completions on
27 attempts for 137 yards.
Gettysburg returns to action on Saturday
at home against Averett. Game time is 1 p.m.
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