YORK >> After leading West York for most of the game, the Shippensburg high school football team experienced highs and lows in a matter of minutes in the fourth quarter Friday night.
The Greyhounds gave up a fourth quarter lead and got it back within 90 seconds for a 21-14 come-from-behind victory over the Bulldogs in a non league game.
“It was an exciting game to coach,” Ship coach Eric Foust said. “We didn’t have the same mental mistakes this week, our offensive line played well, and we got our first road win of the season.”
But it didn’t come easy. Trailing 13-6 and facing a fourth down, West York (0-2) called a perfectly-timed play action pass, and quarterback Corey Wise hit a wide-open Luke Stine for a 27-yard score. They then went for two and took a 14-13 lead.
But Shippensburg (2-0) answered in three plays. After a short run by Adam Houser, sophomore quarterback Zack Manning hit Kyler Brown on a play action pass of his own for 26 yards. On the very next play, Houser broke free for a 32-yard run and his third score of the night. Manning then hit the running back for a two-point conversion and a 21-14 lead. Houser ran 22 times for 143 yards.
“The offensive line did a great job again tonight. They were amazing,” Houser said. “We kept running the ball to the outside, but I found a lane to cut it back in and was able to make the most of it.”
But the Bulldogs had a little more fight in them. On their first play of the following drive, Ay’Juan Marshall broke free for a 33-yard gain to put West York at Ship’s 22-yard line, but a late holding called moved it back to the 34. Wise then hit top receiver Andrew Lamanna three plays later for a first down, and Marshall ran for 12 yards on the next play to get the ball to the Ship 12.
“I was definitely winded, but I wasn’t leaving my teammates. I was staying on the field,” said Marshall, who finished with 139 yards on 18 carries and had 2 receptions for 22 yards. “We moved the ball on them pretty well, but we just couldn’t punch it in when we had the chance. We just have to keep working and keep fighting to get better. It will come.”
With a 1st & 10 from the Shippensburg 12, the Bulldogs couldn’t get any farther, and Shippensburg sealed the win with a fourth down sack. Ship held West York to zero points on three separate drives that made it to the 15-yard line.
“My adrenaline was pumping that whole last drive, and I didn’t feel anything in my body,” said Ship linebacker Ethan Stouffer about the defense’s last stand. “We were ready to go with full intensity.”
Said Foust, “That’s what we do. Bend but don’t break. If a team wants to take 16 plays to score on us, then that is fine. But as long as we don’t give up the big play, our defense will be tough to beat.”
Ship opened the game by driving into Bulldog territory before being forced to punt, but West York fumbled the punt and Ship ultimately scored on a 12-yard run.
In the second quarter, Wise hit Shane Kauffman for a 60-yard pass to cut the deficit to 7-6 after a missed extra point, but Ship answered right back with an 11-yard TD run by Houser.
“We came out and got a win on the road, and now we get to go back home for a couple games,” Houser said. “We’re definitely feeling good about this win tonight.”
Kyler Brown finished with 42 yards on 11 carries, and Alex Sharrow added 43 yards on seven carries for the Hounds, who ran a total of 48 times for 218 yards. Nick Weltz added an interception on defense.
For West York, Wise finished 12 of 19 for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Kauffman had two catches for 76 yards, and Lamanna had six grabs for 57 yards. The Bulldogs were hurt by seven penalties for 75 yards, while Ship was penalized just three times for 24 yards.
SHIPPENSBURG 21, WEST YORK 14
Shippensburg 7- 6 – 0 – 8 — 21
West York 0 – 6 – 0 – 8 — 14
First Quarter
S — Adam Houser 12 run (Rob West kick), 5:25
Second Quarter
WY — Shane Kauffman 60 pass from Corey Wise (Kick failed), 4:52
S — Houser 11 run (Kick failed), 1:56
Fourth Quarter
WY — Luke Stine 27 pass from Wise (Andrew Lamanna pass from Wise), 6:36
S — Houser 32 run (Houser pass from Zack Manning), 5:25
TEAM STATISTICS
First Downs: S 17; WY 12. Rushes-yards: S 48-218; WY 30-156. Passing: S 2-5-0; WY 12-19-1. Passing Yards: S 34; WY 190. Penalties-yards: S 3-24; WY 7-75. Punts-yards: S 5-31; WY 2-34.5. Fumbles-lost: S 0-0; WY 1-1.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing: Shippensburg, Houser 22-143, Alex Sharrow 7-43, Kyler Brown 11-42, Nick Weltz 2-4, Manning 6-(-14); West York, Ay’juan Marshall 18-139, Ethan Sloat 5-19, Kauffman 2-9, Justin Wetzel 1-4, Wise, 4-(-15).
Passing: Shippensburg, Manning 2-5-0, 34 yards; West York, Wise 12-19-1, 190 yards.
Receiving: Shippensburg, Brown 2-34; West York, Kauffman 2-76, Lamanna 6-57, Stine 1-27, Marshall 2-22, Sloat 1-8.