SEAN GALLAGHER, WSYC SPORTS DIRECTOR
Coming into Saturday's game, the Red Raider offense was flying high after outscoring their previous two opponents 95-37. CW Post couldn't get anything going in their first three games offensively. Only scoring 27 points leading up to their match-up against Shippensburg. Whatever was said about Pioneers quarterback Steven Laurino and his offense, it went out the door on the first drive of the game.
Shippensburg Head Coach Mark Maciejewski was not happy with his teams performance coming out of the gate against Clarion last week. The first drive of the game had to frustrate Coach Mac. Drew Newcomer's opening kickoff was a squib kick that gave the Pioneers a short field to work with on their opening drive. Starting at their own 46, the Pioneers in the multiple offense almost identical to what the Red Raiders run, was able to move into the redzone. Shippensburg's defense held the Pioneers to a field goal, preventing an opening drive touchdown like Clarion had the week before.
Zach Zulli and the offense made it hard on themselves, especially on their first drive. Zulli was able to move the ball into CW Post territory, but fumbled as he went down and the Pioneers recovered the ball at their own 45 yard line. This would be one of two fumbles by Zulli. He would also throw an interception that was bobbled and picked up by Pioneer defensive end Andrew Jackson.
Shippensburg could have found itself in a deeper hole to start the game, if not for CW Post taking penalties which added up to almost 200 yards total for the day. Freshman kicker Marc Montana made only two of five field goal attempts, one that was blocked at the end of the first half and recovered by Ship's Corey Hunt. Montana also missed an extra point that hit off the right goal post.
Last week, Shippensburg's ground game came alive with all scoring done on the ground and accumulating 442 yards. Laurino, along with Jeff Mack, and Anthony Brunetti lead the charge on the ground, against a front seven that many believed would do a clinic on the CW Post offensive line. Instead, 366 yards of rushing resulted with this anemic offense of the Pioneers. Mack who only stands 5'8'' and 175 pounds, had 17 rushing attempts for 163 on the day with three touchdowns. A day when the Red Raider offense turned the ball over and couldn't sustain long drives, the defense did everything they could to keep their team in it on a humid day on Long Island.
Being down 10-0 in the second quarter, the Red Raider offense came to late in the first half with a 44 yard touchdown pass to Jacob Baskerville which cut the lead to three. On the next drive, Zulli found Mike Frenette with a short pass that resulted in a 14 yard touchdown, giving Shippensburg momentum and the lead.
Getting the ball to start the second half, the Red Raiders had a three and out, and put CW Post at midfield to start their first drive of the half. It resulted in a touchdown, but a missed field goal kept it a two point game 16-14 Pioneers.
Shippensburg had three straight drives end in punts. CW Post, getting great field position after making Newcomer kick out of his own endzone, started at Ship's 27 yard line. It resulted in a Montana chip shot, making it 19-14. Shippensburg responded by taking the ball down the field and topping it off with a 4 yard touchdown catch by Taimur Harris. Zulli lofted a ball to tight end Brian Heitz for the two-point conversion, making it a three point game 22-19.
A score by Shippensburg to start the fourth quarter didn't stop the momentum of the Pioneers, who took full control of the game after the Harris score.
After Jackson intercepted Zulli, Mack found the endzone on the second play of the drive with a 28 yard touchdown run, making it 26-22 and giving CW Post the lead once again
A 73 yard punt return by Sean Persch took the air out of Shippensburg, and gave the Pioneers a 33-22 lead with less than 10 minutes left in the game.
The Red Raiders failed to do anything on the next drive, knowing that time was running out. The Pioneers added another touchdown with Brunetti and Mack pounding the ball on the ground, with Brunetti scoring on a 31 yard run, making it 40-22 CW Post.
Now being in desperation mode, Zulli's pass protection fell a part and lost the ball after being hit by Rob Bright, which was then recovered by Billy O'Connor to put the game to bed.
Zulli was 23-43 through the air with three touchdowns but had another interception and lost the ball twice on fumbles.
Mike Frenette had 13 rushes for 82 yards, and had 51 yards through the air for a touchdown. Baskerville had five catches for 117 yards and a touchdown.
Shippensburg falls to 2-2 on the year overall and drops their first PSAC East game. The CW Post Pioneers get their first victory of the year, and improve to 1-3 getting that all important first win of conference play.
The Red Raiders are home next week to take on #12Kutztown in their Homecoming game. Kickoff is a 2pm and WSYC 88.7FM will be on at 1:55pm covering the game radio-side.
