Shippensburg Football triumphant in PSAC East opener over Bloomsburg, 10-7

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: September 28, 2025

SU intercepted three passes in the second half as it held the Huskies scoreless after halftime

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University football team tilted the field in the second half of its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division opener Saturday to come away with a hard-fought 10-7 victory over Bloomsburg on a damp, muggy afternoon at Student Association Field at Seth Grove Stadium.

Shippensburg (1-3, 1-0 PSAC East) took the lead on its opening drive of the second half with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Riley Gunnels (Galloway, N.J./Ocean City) to Jaevon Parker (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic (Louisburg)) and cemented its victory with three interceptions over the final 16 minutes.

SU did not commit a turnover and held a 10-minute advantage in time of possession – controlling the ball for 35:14.

Bloomsburg (1-3, 0-1) matched Shippensburg in total offense – both teams had 239 yards in the game. The Huskies committed only five penalties for 30 yards but only reached the red zone twice.

The Raiders opened the second half with a surprise onside kick, as Wilson Ingerski (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) nudged the third-quarter kickoff into a vacant area in the middle of the field. True freshman linebacker Grady Snyder (Ebensburg, Pa./Central Cambria), who was making his collegiate debut, fell on the bouncing ball for the receovery.

Armed with momentum and a short field, Shippensburg capitalized. The ensuing 10-play, 49-yard drive included a fourth-down conversion by Josiah Leonard (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) on a short run and was punctuated by Parker’s second touchdown of the season. Parker caught the ball at the line of scrimmage and broke through multiple Husky defenders en route to the end zone for the pivotal score.

In the final minute of the third quarter, DJ Jackson (Philadelphia, Pa./Science Leadership Academy at Beeber) ended a 10-play Bloomsburg drive with a diving interception at the SU 25-yard line. It was the first interception of the season by the Raiders and the sixth of Jackson’s career.

Shippensburg’s pass rush was integral to the final two interceptions. With 4:30 to go and the ball on its own 20-yard line, Bloomsburg quarterback KJ Riley was unable to avoid oncoming edge rusher Ty Millhimes (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin).

What figured to be a 10-yard sack instead became an easy interception for Alex Sauve (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley), as Riley threw the ball across his body into the middle of the field while he was being tackled to the ground by Millhimes. Sauve intercepted the pass at the 25-yard line and returned it 14 yards to the Husky 11-yard line.

SU was unable to cement the victory with another touchdown, however, as Bloomsburg denied the Raiders on a fourth-and-2 from the Husky 3-yard line. It gave the ball back to the visitors for one more attempt with 2:29 to go.

Three plays later, Bloomsburg wide receiver Gabe Brower received a pitch from Riley but was being chased down by Sauve. Brower then threw the ball toward the Shippensburg sideline where it was caught by a diving Gabe Benjamin (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield). The play was challenged and upheld, allowing the Raiders to run out the clock.

The second-half surge was a reversal of the opening 30 minutes. SU trailed 7-3 at halftime – with its only points coming on a 39-yard field goal by Derek Witmer (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff) at the 4:59 mark of the second quarter. It was the first field goal of Witmer’s collegiate career.

Bloomsburg opened the scoring at the 10:46 mark of the second quarter as it completed a 10-play, 99-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown to Jerry Griffen-Batchler. The Norristown native had five catches for 54 yards but was injured on his final reception late in the third quarter – a 14-yard slant for a first down that prefaced Jackson’s interception.

Leonard finished with 25 carries – nine more than his previous career high – and 97 rushing yards. None of his 25 runs resulted in a loss of yards. His two longest carries went for 17 and 10 yards respectively. He also caught five passes for 27 yards – giving him a career-high 124 all-purpose yards in the contest.

Gunnels was 24-of-33 for 169 yards. He was 10-of-13 in the second half. Parker finished with five catches for 51 yards. Ty Neal (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East) led all players with a career-high seven receptions and had a game-high 59 receiving yards.

Sauve and Ely Ghameshlougy (Woodbridge, Va./Gar-Field (W.Va. Wesleyan)) led the Raiders with eight tackles each. The two men also combined for 2.5 tackles-for-loss (TFLs).

Linebacker Nate Myers (Three Springs, Pa./Southern Huntingdon), the PSAC’s leading tackler, had seven tackles, a pass breakup and contributed to a TFL. Jackson had six tackles, while Darvens Tunis (Hillside, N.J./Hillside) had five tackles and a pass breakup.

Peyton Stadler (Fairfield, Pa./Fairfield Area (Wingate)) had a nine-yard sack. Tyler Masdea (Carnegie, Pa./Carlynton) teamed up with Sauve for a sack as well.

The Raider defense allowed only one pass play of 15 or more yards and only one rush of 10 yards.

Husky linebacker Garrett Garcia led all players with 12 tackles, including two of Bloomsburg’s four sacks. Nahzier Booker and Brady Thompson each had nine tackles and a sack.

Shippensburg travels to nationally-ranked Kutztown next weekend for a noon kickoff at Andre Reed Stadium.

Notes: The last two games between Shippensburg and Bloomsburg at Seth Grove Stadium have featured a combined 24 points; two years ago, SU defeated the Huskies 7-0 in a monsoon…the Raiders lead the overall series with Bloomsburg 51-38 and have won five of the last six meetings overall…Saturday marked Shippensburg’s first three-interception game since the 2023 season finale, a 17-10 win over Gannon.

– SU –