GROVE CITY, PA- The Juniata football team began its 2014 season on the road against Grove City on Saturday afternoon at Robert E. Thorn Field. Quarterback Ward Udinski (Doylestown, PA/Central Bucks West) threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Aaron O'Brien (York, PA/York Catholic) with 7:37 remaining in the fourth quarter and the defense held firm to give the Eagles the win. It was the first meeting between the two schools since 1972.
Juniata won the opening coin toss but elected to defer and kicked off to the Wolverines. Returner Gabriel Moore took the Kevin Bonalle (Lebanon, PA/Cedar Creat) kick 27 yards to the Grove City 30-yard line. The Wolverines moved the ball just past midfield but on a first and 10, Moore would be dropped for a two-yard loss and an illegal use of hands penalty moved the home team back. Grove City ended up punting the ball.
The Eagles struggled on their first drive of the game and went three and out. After the Wolverines failed to make any progress, Juniata got the ball back. Another three and out followed but on a Jonah Plymire (York, PA/Central York) punt, returner Sam Ivan would cough up the ball and Ian O'Shea (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) was there to pounce on it as Juniata retained possession at the Grove City 45.
Juniata looked to capitalize on the miscue. On a third and three, Udinski passed to O'Brien for a nine-yard gain to move the sticks and put the Eagles on the Grove City 29. A Udinski 11-yard scamper went to the 18 but on the next play, running back Deonte Alston (Bel-Air, MD/Patterson Mill) was stripped of the ball by the Wolverines' Kyle Beyer and teammate Jake Seibert was there for the recovery as Grove City.
The Wolverines now had the opportunity to cash in on the Eagle turnover. Grove City moved to just into Eagle territory at the 48 but Kweku Parker (York, PA/Central York) forced Steve Maskrey to fumble and Joe Dutkiewicz (Warrington, PA/Archbishop Wood) recovered to give the ball back to the Eagles.
Juniata would not let another opportunity slip by. On first down, Udinski connected with receiver Michael John (Osceola Mills, PA/Phillipsburg Osceola) on a 55-yard pass all the way down to the Grove City two. Two plays later, Udinski took it into the endzone and with Bonalle's extra point, Juniata was ahead 7-0 with 13:23 remaining in the second quarter.
Grove City answered back quickly with back-to-back 31-yard completions with the second connection resulting in a touchdown and the extra point would be tie the game at 11:59, 7-7.
The Eagles began their next drive on its own 25 after a touchback. Udinski went 3-for-3 and ran for 20 yards including a one-yard TD run with 8:20 showing on the clock to restore the JC lead to 14-7 where the score stood at halftime.
Nicholas Stubbs (Hagerstown, MD/South Hagerstown) took the second half kickoff 30 yards to the Juniata 40. Matt Lehr (Dover, PA/York Catholic) ran for 15 and four yards to move to the Grove City 41. The Eagles moved to the Wolverine 21 but another fumble ended with Grove City taking the ball back. The Wolverines would go three and out and Juniata took over on its own 35 at 10:13. The drive ended with another turnover as Udisnki would be picked off by Grove City's Joey Siefert we ran it back to the Juniata 39.
Grove City drove the ball with an effective running game as the trio of Josh Peach, Sam Ivan, and Maskrey ran for 30 yards. The drive stalled as the Eagle defense stood its ground but Ryan Stewart's field goal from 21 yards went wide left and Juniata began possession at its 20 with just under three and a half minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Eagles went three and out and Grove City did not have any success as Juniata got the ball back with nine seconds left in the period. Udinski was intercepted by Ned Hull at the Juniata 43 as the game headed into the last quarter. The Wolverines ran on all nine of its plays and scored with a little under 11 minutes to go to make it a 14-13 game but Stewart missed the extra point and the Eagles still led.
Stubbs returned the ensuing kickoff 30 yards all the way to the JC 48. A Udinski to O'Brien 10-yard completion moved the Eagles to the Grove City 42. Udinski ran four times for 19 yards to go to the 23. An Alston 11-yard burst moved the ball to the Wolverine 12 and from there, Udinski found O'Brien for the touchdown.
The Eagle defense forced a three and out and Juniata got possession back at 5:55. The Eagles ran the clock down to 18 seconds and punted away to the Wolverines to their own 15. Grove City could not make any significant progress as the Eagles came out with the win.
Udinski passed for 186 yards and one touchdown. He added 93 yards on the ground and two scores. Alston added 63 yards. O'Brien caught five balls for 48 yards and the once score. Kyle Schuck had two catches for 50 yards.
The offense was 3-for-4 in the red zone and converted all three of its fourth down attempts. The Eagles totaled 336 total yards.
The defense was led by Brian Pyle's (Lancaster, PA/Hempfield) seven and a half tackles. He also had a pass breakup. Ethan Wilt (Altoona, PA/Altoona Area) added seven tackles. Parker had six tackles, one sack, and a forced fumble.
Juniata returns to Huntingdon to host Dickinson next Saturday. Game time from Knox Field will be at 1 p.m.
