Survive and advance.  That is what the Shippensburg Greyhounds did with their gutty 20-13 win over a scrappy Warwick Warriors in round one of the District III 5A playoffs.  The Hounds trailed 13-7 entering the fourth but came alive and posted two touchdowns to seal the win.

Shippensburg opened the contest with one of their patented 16-play 73-yard drives, erasing the bad memories of the previous week.  Shippensburg converted on four of five third downs and their lone fourth.  Ja’Nye Statum, showing no ill effects from week 10’s injury picked a pair of first downs with runs of six and 20.  Mark Carothers Jr. picked up the other two with a seven and four-yard run.  Carothers Jr. hauled in a two-yard flat pass from Brady Maciejewski (back from an ankle sprain) for the touchdown on fourth and goal.  Shippensburg also ran 8:17 off the game clock with the drive.

Warwick picked up a pair of first downs, but the Hounds stiffened and forced a punt to end the quarter. Warwick had the upper hand, as the entire second quarter was played in the Shippensburg end. Shippensburg fielded a punt inside their own five and had 95 yards to go to score.

The Warriors’ defense also stepped it up, forcing a quick three and out for the Hounds.  Warwick had an excellent field position at the Greyhounds 35 but had to settle for a 33-yard field goal that was wide left.

The Hounds, with better field position at their won 20, struggled to move the ball again. A 10-yard holding penalty on the first move moved it back to the ten, and three plays later, the Hounds had to punt.

Warwick took over at the Shippensburg 45 and scored 11 plays later.  Jackson Shelby’s two-yard run was a third-down conversion to keep the drive alive.  Reece Harper plunged in from the one on fourth down to tie the game with:48 seconds left.

Warwick had the first possession of the second half, starting at their 24.  Harper picked up a first with a nine-yard run, and on fourth and two, the Hounds jumped into the neutral zone for a five-yard penalty and another first.   Quinn Care’s three-yard run was good for another third down conversion, and a 15-yard face mask penalty against the Hounds moved it to the 17.  Shippensburg’s defense stiffed Tyler Schoffstal and nailed a 32-yard field goal for the lead.

Shippensburg’s offense was stuck in reverse in the third as three plays lost 10 yards and a punt.   Warwick was guilty of an illegal block, and 15 yards put it on their 15.

The Greyhounds forced a punt to open the fourth.  Ayden Estep snared the bouncer and returned it 18 yards to the Shippensburg 43 (their best starting field position of the game).

Statum, like a bulldozer, had runs of 7, 6, 9, and 18 to get the Hounds to the Warriors 17.  Statum for two more and Carothers Jr. for three set the Hounds up with a third and five.  Statum up the middle broke tackles and ended up in the endzone 10 yards later for the 14-10 lead.

Playoffs are usually decided by the team with the least amount of mistakes.   Warwick had the only turnover.   Harper for Warwick had a run of five, but Noah Garvin’s hit caused a fumble, which Derek Lynch recovered for the Hounds.

Shippensburg took over at the Warriors 31, and six plays later, went up by 10.  Statum jumped and started the drive with a punishing 11-yard run.  Hines for eight off a counter set up Statum’s two-yarder for another first.  Hines’ seven-yard spinning run set up Satum’s two-yard touchdown, but PAT was blocked with 2:36 left.

Warrick was finished as Thomas Myers hit a wide-open Care for 34 and followed up with a 36-yarder to Rowen Greenway. With the Warriors at the 12, the Hounds’ defense came alive. Estep stopped Bode Madara for no gain on a smoke screen, and good coverage and pressure forced Myers to airmail it out of the endzone. Schoffstal nailed a 27-yard field goal to make it a one-score game.

The Warriors were guilty of touching the onside kick before it went ten yards, and the Hounds took over from there and ended the game.

The two teams were evenly matched in terms of stats.  Ship got the upper hand on the ground 167-38.  Warwick in the air 74-23 and total 212-190.  Shippensburg had 8 penalties for 75 yards and Warwick 9-67.  First downs went 14-10 in favor of the visitors, but they also had the only turnover.  Shippensburg converted on seven of 11 third downs and their only fourth down.  Warwick was five of 12 and converted on both their fourths.

Staum rushed for a game-high 130 yards on 20 carries, breaking a three-game stretch of not going over 100. Statum now has 1290 yards on the season.

On the defensive side, Garvin stuffed the stat sheet with 15 tackles (6 solo), one for a loss, and a forced fumble.

Up next is a round two matchup at 10-0 Conestoga Valley on Friday, November 8, at 7:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Mid Penn Broadcasting.