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Bloomsburg Rallies for Football Win Over Slippery Rock
SLIPPERY ROCK Jamar Brittingham scored from two-yards out to give Bloomsburg a 20-17 come-from-behind win over Slippery Rock in the season opener for both teams.
Brittingham's scoring run came one play after the Rock was called for a holding call in the endzone on a fourth down pass play giving the Huskies new life.
The Huskies winning drive started at its own 19-yard line following a Slippery Rock punt. A key play in the drive was a 33-yard catch and run by Nick Kurtz from quarterback Jack Lydic bringing the ball down to the Rock's 21-yard line. After the Huskies moved the ball to the eight-yard line, Brittingham picked up one yard on first down. That was followed by two straight incompletions leaving Bloomsburg staring at a fourth down play with the game on the line.
Lydic's pass to the endzone was incomplete. However, a flag on the play gave Bloomsburg new life at the two-yard line and setup Brittingham's game winning run.
Slippery Rock had one final possession, but defensive back Joe Scritfield intercepted a pass and returned it 45 yards down to the Rock 13-yard line to end the threat.
The Huskies took the early lead in the game taking advantage of a blocked punt by Bloomsburg's Andrew Jefferson. Following the block Bloomsburg needed just three plays to set Brittingham scored on his first collegiate carry going in from three yards out. Garrett Bloom's point after was good to give Bloomsburg the 7-0 lead.
Slippery Rock tied the game with a late first period drive that ended on the first play of the second quarter. Tailback Josh Kneiss capped the 14-play, 78-yard drive with a seven-yard scoring run for the Rock. The point after was good to tie the game at 7-7 with 11:51 to go in the period.
That's when the lightning started flashing around the stadium suspending the action. When the game resumed, the Huskies got a 53-yard kickoff return by Brittingham giving Bloomsburg the ball in Rock territory. However, after moving the ball and getting a first goal at the five-yard line, a holding call pushed Bloomsburg and forced the team to settle for a 32-yard field goal by Garrett Bloom to make it 10-7 at th3 8:51 mark of the first half.
Later in the period, the Rock was in punt formation when it snapped the ball over the head of the punter and through the end zone for a safety giving Bloomsburg a 12-7 lead.
Then late in the half the Rock started a drive at its own four-yard line. Slippery Rock moved the ball out to near midfield with just 6.6 seconds left in the half when quarterback Nate Crookshank threw a long pass that was tipped by Bloomsburg defenders. Luke Wetzel was there for the Rock to make the catch for a touchdown and give the home team a 14-12 lead at the break.
In the third period there was no scoring despite Bloomsburg having the ball in Rock territory three times. However, each drive ended with a Bloomsburg punt.
Slippery Rock put the first points of the second half on the board midway through the fourth period when Ryan Daniels drilled a 47-yard field goal with 6:50 to play to extend its lead to 17-12.
Bloomsburg tried to mount a comeback but went three and out on the ensuing possession giving the ball back to Slippery Rock. The Bloomsburg defense, though, forced another Rock punt setting the end of game heroics for the Huskies.
Mike Ceroli led Bloomsburg with 63 yards rushing, while Brittingham gained 41 yards and had two scores. Defensively, Paul Linn had 11 tackles, while Tyler Trettin added 10, six of them solo for Bloomsburg.
The win was the seventh straight for the Huskies over the Rock, including the last two games at Slippery Rock.
Bloomsburg, 1-0, will visit Shippensburg on Sept. 11th at 1 p.m.
