(Posted November 13, 2004)

FDU-Florham 13, Juniata 6

Huntingdon, Pa. ? A strong rushing attack from FDU-Florham, and key Juniata turnovers were enough to overcome a spirited effort by the Juniata defense as FDU-Florham topped the Juniata College football team 13-6 in Middle Atlantic Conference action Saturday afternoon at Knox Stadium.

Juniata ends the year with a 1-9 overall mark and a 1-8 record in MAC play. FDU-Florham closes the season at 4-6 overall and 3-6 in conference.
The Devils used a power rushing attack, led by freshman back Louis Smith who rushed for 175 yards on 40 carries. Juniata answered with Duane Ehredt Jr. (Bellwood-Antis/Tyrone) who carried the ball for exactly 100 yards on the day for Juniata.

Trailing 13-6 late in the fourth quarter, Juniata forced a turnover on downs after FDU-Florham had driven into Eagle territory. Paul Evans? (Huntingdon/Huntingdon) 16-yard punt return gave the Eagles the ball at its own 27 with 4:58 left on the clock. On a third and three, Juniata?s Corey Doyle (Southern Huntingdon/Orbisonia) was picked off by Billy D. Williams. The interception return gave the visitors the ball on the Juniata 23. After holding the Devils out of the end zone, Erik Lohrman (The Peddie School/Clarksburg, N.J.) blocked what would have been the game-clinching field goal attempt.

But after Ehredt Jr. broke off a 16-yard run, the Devils forced a pair of fumbles, the last of which was recovered by Joe Sangiovanni to seal the win.

The Devils struck first in the contest as Sangiovanni picked off Doyle and returned the ball all the way to the Juniata one-yard line mid-way through the first quarter. Smith then plunged in from the one to put FDU-Florham in front 6-0. The successful PAT made the score 7-0 FDU-Florham with 8:01 remaining in the first quarter.

Juniata answered back later in the quarter with a long scoring drive. Jason Koch (Kutztown/Kutztown) broke free on a reverse for a 59-yard scamper to move the ball into FDU-Florham territory. After three runs from Ehredt, and a penalty brought the ball to the one yard-line Doyle dove in to cut the lead to 7-6. The point-after was unsuccessful keeping the lead at one point.

Neither team would score in the remainder of the half, though the Eagles would have the better chances. A long completion from Doyle to Koch highlighted a 14-play 71-yard drive that brought Juniata inside the Devil 10-yard line. But FDU-Florham held, and a Daniel Heinlein (Bishop Carroll/Ebensburg) field-goal attempt missed wide left to preserve the Devil lead.

Two possessions later, after a Matt Schmidt (South Western/Spring Grove) interception and return had Juniata in Devil territory again, Heinlein had another field goal miss left with just seconds left in the half. The teams would head to the locker room with FDU-Florham holding a 7-6 edge.

The Devils came out of halftime hot as they took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched 74 yards in 10 plays for a score. Smith capped the drive with an eight-yard scoring run to extend the lead to 13-6. Peter Thomas (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg) blocked the point after, keeping the lead at seven points.

It was defense the rest of the way as neither team was able to add any more points and the Eagles comeback attempt came up short.

Doyle finished the day 8-for-24 passing for 86 yards, while FDU-Florham?s Ryan Pierson was 6-for-14 for 46 yards through the air. John Boyer (Indian Valley/Belleville) caught a team-high three passes for Juniata. David Nemeth was the leading receiver for the visitors as he grabbed four passes for 36 yards.

Defensively for Juniata, Nick Trionfo (Dundalk/White Marsh, Md.) led the way with 13 tackles. Evans finished with 12 tackles and a pair of pass breakups. Senior Bryon Latterner (Penn Cambria/Gallitzin) notched 10 tackles, three for a loss and a pair of sacks in the game. Troy Beaver (Bellwood-Antis/Tyrone) also had 10 tackles and a pass breakup.

For FDU-Florham Matt DeNardo and Sangiovanni each had eight tackles. Greg Martone had seven stops, four of them for a loss.

The game was the final contest for 14 Juniata seniors.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.