GETTYSBURG, Pa.- The Juniata football team pulled within three heading in at the half, but Gettysburg controlled the second half as the Eagles ultimately lost, 40-20, Saturday afternoon at Musselman Stadium to open the 2023 season.
Noah Wright was 14-31 for 182 yards and a touchdown. Hunter Wolfley had 61 yards on the ground with two touchdowns, while Wright added 48 yards on the ground. Joey Menke tacked on 22 yards rushing. Quintin Stephens had seven catches for 98 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, Ethan Shank and Michael Grapin each had nine tackles, with Grapin added a tackle for loss. Ian Brunner had added two TFLs of his own, while Dawson Booher had two TFLs, a sack, and a forced fumble.
The Bullets opened the game at their own 20 and drove 69 yards, with a 32-yard catch and run doing most of the damage to get down to the red zone. The Juniata defense stood tall, with Shank making a tackle on third and three to force Gettysburg to kick a field goal.
The JC offense couldn't get going and had to punt, with Gettysburg taking over at their own 19. A deep pass for 49 yards sparked a drive that culminated in a nine-yard rushing touchdown as the Eagles trailed 10-0 halfway through the first quarter.
The defenses impeded scoring into the second quarter, with the Eagle defense forcing a turnover that put the offense deep in Bullet territory. Booher knocked the ball out, and Ethan Eisenberg fell on it at the Bullet 20. Wolfley carried the ball for a five-yard gain, and Stephens caught a pass for another five yards. Wolfley did the rest, as two carries later, he ran up the middle for a touchdown to bring the Eagles within three.
Gettysburg answered immediately, as they returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards to push their lead back to 10.
Starting at their 25, the Eagle offense got to work, with Wright hitting Evan Miller across the middle for 27 yards on third and 14 to keep the drive going. Menke got to work on the ground, running for 19 yards across three carries to help move the ball into Bullet territory. A Wright scamper of 11 yards put the ball at the Gettysburg 15. Wright hit Stephens on the right side for a 15-yard touchdown to make it 17-14.
Juniata went into the locker room trailing by three at the half.
The hosts scored the only touchdown of the third quarter early, driving 75 yards on 12 plays while eating over six minutes of clock, ending on a seven-yard passing touchdown to increase their lead to nine; Eric Jallah blocked the extra point.
Gettysburg struck twice early in the fourth. First, on a field goal, before a good punt return saw them start on the Eagle 28. One play later, a 28-yard touchdown pass put them added 33-14.
On the next Eagle drive, the Eagle offense found success on the ground through Wolfley and utilized two Bullet penalties to drive down to the Gettysburg one before Wolfley broke through for his second touchdown of the day.
Gettysburg added one final touchdown in the game's final three minutes on the ground to complete the score line.
Juniata will play their home opener next weekend when they host Alfred on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.
