By JD DAVIDSON
The Shippensburg Greyhounds improved to 9-0 (8-0 MPC Keystone) with a solid 28-14 win in Dillsburg over host Northern York. That sets up a clash with unbeaten Mechanicsburg for the Keystone title at Shippensburg.

Shippensburg wasted little time jumping on the host Polar Bears (3-6). Jaden Hines picked up where he left off from the previous week, returning the opening kick 45 yards to the mid-field stripe; on the play, Northern was hit with a 15-yard face mask penalty, setting the Hounds up at the Northern 35. Ja’nye Statum jump-started the short drive with a six-yard battering ram run, and Mark Carothers Jr. sped up the far sideline for 25 and a first and goal. Brady Maciejewski finished off the drive with a one-yard sneak, and Seth Taylor added the PAT for a 7-0 lead.

Shippensburg’s special teams and defense came up big on Northern’s first possession. First, the special teams (who got gashed last week) made a tackle at the Polar Bears’ 15. The defense on third and one stoned Gabe Johnson for no gain, as Daniel Ketron and Andrei Lockhart combined to make the stop.

After the punt, the Greyhounds took over at their own 33. It took the Hounds seven plays to go up 14-0. Maciejewski hit Hayden Conyers on a quick hitch for five yards, and Conyers turned it upfield for six more and a first down. The drive was capped with a Maciejewski 39-yard dime to Hines on a post pattern for the score.

Northern picked up three big plays in their ensuing 77-yard drive, ending with a score. Grady Bonin hit Austin Miller for 14 yards to start the drive. Bonin scampered for 15 and another first down. Then, near disaster for the Polar Bears as Elijah Bailey hit Bonin, who kept the ball on the option in the backfield and forced a fumble. After a mad scramble, Northern came up with the ball but lost 13. On third down, Bonin hit Cash Keck for 16 and followed up by hitting Tristan Wenric for 27 and the first down to the one. Gabe Johnson punched it in from there and cut the Shippensburg lead in half.

Shippensburg’s offense answered with a nine-play, 63-yard drive. Hines’s 26-yard jaunt to the Northern 30 was followed up by a 15-yard pass interference call for another first down to the 15. On third and two, Hines picked up the first, found the endzone from seven yards out, and had a 21-0 lead.

Bailey’s interception on Northern’s drive ended the first half.

Shippensburg’s defense stopped Northern’s first possession of the second half, but the Hounds offense didn’t go anywhere. Wenrich returned the punt 50 yards to the Shippensburg 35.

Northern scored seven plays late to cut the lead to 21-14. Bonin hit Landon Gabriel for 11 on third and long, and Bonin capped the drive with a 14-yard run.

After trading punts, the Hounds offense found their footing and went on a 13-play 65-yard drive, eating up 7:01 of the clock in the fourth quarter. Statum bulled his way for 11 and first down to jump-start the drive. Hines 12-yarder picked up another first. Statum, with runs of four, nine, three, four, and seven, picked up three more first downs to the Polar Bears’ three. After Northern stopped Statum for one, Maciejewski, on a sneak from two yards out, sealed the win with 2:02 left.

Northern’s defense stacked the box with five linemen and four linebackers within five yards of the ball, but Shippensburg still managed 194 rushing on 43 attempts. Statum was held to a season-low 79 yards on 18 attempts.

Shippensburg held Northern to 73 yards rushing on 23 attempts.

The Hounds picked up their 17^th takeaway in the game, and have turned it into 85 points. They are a plus 13 in that department and have given up just seven points off their four turnovers.

Shippensburg has outscored their opponents 166-62 in the first half and 302-111 overall.

Shippensburg’s defense in seven possessions only allowed the Polar Bears to run 40 plays. Shippensburg was 8-11 on third and fourth down conversions while Northern was 3-13.

Bailey stuffed the defensive stat sheet with five solo tackles (six total), 2 for loss, one pass breakup, and an interception.

And in my 35-plus years of covering High School football, I cannot remember a Shippensburg matchup in week ten with both teams undefeated and playing for the Division Crown. How evenly are the teams? Mechanicsburg scored 340 points (37.7 avg) and Shippensburg 302 (33.6). The Wildcats have given up 101(11.2) and the Hounds 111 (12.3).

Both teams have a shutout, with Mechanicsburg’s coming against Lower Dauphin 29-0 and Shippensburg defeating Red Land 42-0.

Will call the game the CLASH OF MAROON AND GREY this Friday.

The game will be livestreamed on Mid Penn Broadcasting and simulcast on Country Gold Radio 93.9 FM, beginning with the pregame show at 6:40 p.m.