HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata football team scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth to get their first win of the season and the first win of the Head Football Coach Josh Carter era, Saturday afternoon at Knox Stadium.
The Greyhounds had the ball first and the Eagle defense came out strong as they forced a quick three and out. The Eagles drove from their own 33 to the Moravian 45 as Jason Clark (Philadelphia, Pa. / Kensington CAPA HS) made plays with his legs, running for 10 yards, and found Javon Heggs (Jacksonville, Fl. / Sandalwood HS) during the drive before it stalled out. Noah Wright (Lewistown, Pa. / Mifflin County H.S.) expertly placed a punt that went out of bounds at the one to pin the visitors against their own endzone.
Moravian was not deterred, and after two plays gave them some breathing room, an Eagle blown coverage resulted in a 78-yard passing touchdown as JC trailed 7-0.
The Eagles would not trail for long, as Lokey Howell (Boalsburg, Pa. / State College HS) took the ensuing kickoff 99 yards to paydirt to make it 7-7.
Lokey Howell, 99 yards for six to get the Eagles on the board #WingsUp #JCFB #D3FB #TakingFlight pic.twitter.com/3uNuVpmUJ6
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) October 2, 2021
Moravian started at their own 43, got to fourth and two, and decided to go for it. JR Harrison (Windsor Mill, Md. / Dulaney HS) made the stop and then some as he knocked the ball loose, and Adam Grajewski (Export, Pa. / Franklin Regional) fell on the ball.
Harrison knocks the ball loose, and Grajewski recovers #WingsUp #TakingFlight #JCFB #D3FB pic.twitter.com/1WaglhXJNZ
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) October 2, 2021
The teams remained scoreless until midway through the second quarter when the Greyhounds converted a 30-yard field goal to retake the lead.
The Eagle offense couldn't get going on the next drive, but the defense stood strong again following another well-placed Wright punt as they forced Moravian to punt from their own 24. Special teams made another huge play, as Christian Gatlos (West Grove, Pa. / Avon Grove H.S.) managed to block the punt as the Eagles took over at the Moravian 10. Two plays later, Clark found Clay Spencer (Hummelstown, Pa. / Lower Dauphin H.S.), who made a leaping grab in the endzone to make it 14-10.
Clark to Spencer puts JC up 14-10 late in the second quarter. #WingsUp #TakingFlight #D3FB #JCFB pic.twitter.com/oJHBZBXFcw
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) October 2, 2021
The teams traded interceptions in the final minute, with Justin Johnson (Atlanta, Ga. / Pace Academy) making a nice grab and returning it 15 yards. But the ensuing Eagle pass picked off and Juniata headed to the locker room ahead 14-10 as the halftime horn sounded.
The third quarter started negatively for the Eagles, as Moravian intercepted the first pass of the half and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown to give them the lead back. After an Eagle punt, Moravian drove to the JC 24 but missed a 41-yard field goal.
Following another Wright punt, Michael Grapin (Springfield, Pa. / Springfield HS) took the ball from a Greyhound running back as JC took over at the Greyhound 33. Juniata used four DJ Taylor (Lawrenceville, Ga. / Archer HS) carries to get the ball to the Moravian 21, but Beckett Leary's (Fulton, Md. / Reservoir HS) 38-yarder went wide.
A big sack by Grapin on third and four ended the third quarter.
JC came out strong in the fourth as Hunter Wolfley (McClure, Pa. / Midd-West HS) ran the ball four times, and Clark found Chris Mignanelli (East Northport, N.Y. / Northport HS) to get the ball to Moravian 20. Leary came on and booted a 37-yard field goal to tie the game at 17-17.
The Juniata defense managed to force another punt, so JC got the ball at their own 32. Wolfley ran for 11 yards to take the ball to the 43. He sliced through the Greyhound defense on the next carry, 57 yards, to give the Eagles the lead.
Wolfley too fast for the defense (and the camera) as he puts JC up 24-17 in the 4th #WingsUp #TakingFlight #JCFB pic.twitter.com/NF4BfDLS8m
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) October 2, 2021
The Eagle defense stood tall again, with Harrison coming off the edge for a huge sack on third down to force a punt from the Moravian 44. JC went three, and out on their next drive, so the Greyhounds took over near midfield with just under three minutes showing on the scoreboard.
Noah Jacks-Waters (Chesapeake, Va. / Atlantic Shores Christian High School) made an absurd play on the ball, deflecting it and then reeling it in, but he stepped out before he could control it. The defense didn't relent, with Ian Brunner (Wyomissing, Pa. / Wyomissing) getting to the Greyhound QB for a sack to force a turnover on downs with two minutes remaining. Wolfley needed two carries to get the game-sealing first down, and the Eagles kneeled twice to secure the first victory of the season.
Wolfley had another strong day carrying the ball, running 21 times for 140 yards and a touchdown.
The Eagles head into the bye week and will return to action on October 16th at Franklin and Marshall. The kickoff is at 1:00.
