THE FACTS
Gettysburg (1-0) 24, Juniata (0-1) 7
What: Non-conference football game
When: Thursday, Sept. 3
Where: Huntingdon, Pa.
THE SKINNY STORY
The Gettysburg defense shut out the Juniata offense for the first 54 minutes of the game to key a 24-7 road win in the season opener for both teams.
THE LEADERS
•
Sean Clark (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) opened his senior campaign with 203 yards passing on 17 of 29 through the air. He also threw for two touchdowns.
•
Justin Bardo (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg Area) led an energized defense, recording 11 tackles, including two for loss and a pass breakup.
•
Mike Bendowski (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford Area) recorded a pair of interceptions – the first two-pick game for a Gettysburg defender since Johnny O'Beirne in 2021.
FOR THE FOES
• Ivan Foreman did the yeoman's work for the Eagles, rushing 19 times for 208 yards that included breaking through the line for a 98-yard touchdown to account for the hosts' only score.
THE REST OF THE STORY
• After forcing Juniata into a missed 46-yard field goal on the game's opening possession,
Sean Clark (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) engineered a 13-play, 73-yard opening drive. He found
Danny Bonato (Rockville, Md./Good Counsel) on a skinny post from 11 yards out on third down for a 7-0 lead with 2:50 on the first-quarter clock.
• After a
Mike Bendowski interception set up the Gettysburg offense at the Juniata 28, the Bullets needed just four plays for Clark to find
Shane Donoghue (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) in the back corner of the end zone for a 14-0 lead with 8:00 showing in the second quarter.
• The game endured a 90-minute lightning delay with 44 seconds remaining in the first half. After those 44 seconds, the teams went right into the second half. Gettysburg took the opening possession right down the field in just six plays.
Carson Shoffner (Baltimore, Md./John Carroll) paid it off with a three-yard run for his first collegiate touchdown with 11:57 showing. After Juniata's next possession lasted nine plays but the Gettysburg defense limited the hosts to just 17 yards, the Bullet offense churned out the rest of the quarter but the Bullets missed their second red-zone field goal of the day.
• Backed up at its own two-yard-line, Ivan Foreman broke through the left side of the line and raced down the sidelines 98 yards to break up the shutout with 5:33 to play.
Connor Souryal (Baltimore, Md./Gilman School) responded nearly three minutes later with his first collegiate field goal, connecting from 22 yards. Gettysburg got a fourth-down stop with just under a minute to play and the offense was able to take two kneeldowns to run out the clock.
THE INSIDE STORY
• The victory was the first for head coach
Michael Green in his debut for the Bullets.
• The game marked the first time since McDaniel in 2024 that Gettysburg shut out a team for an entire half.
•
Alex Pavic (Saddle Brook, N.J./Saint Joseph Regional) and
Carson Shoffner ran for 46 and 40 yards, respectively.
•
Gabriel Diaz (Orlando, Fla./Winter Park) caught six passes for 64 yards.
NEXT UP
Gettysburg returns to action at home against Washington and Lee on Saturday, Sept. 12. Game time is 6 p.m.
