(Posted September 30, 2006)

READING, Pa. â?? After jumping out to a 7-0 lead the Juniata College football team saw the Albright College football team score on seven-consecutive possessions as the Lions handed Juniata a 48-14 set-back in Middle Atlantic Conference action at Shirk Field in Reading Saturday afternoon. Juniata fell to 0-5 overall, 0-4 in conference play with the loss while Albright raised its record to 1-3 on the year and 1-2 in MAC play. Senior running back Duane J. Ehredt, Jr. (Bellwood-Antis/Altoona) rushed for 146 yards, giving him 100 yards rushing in four consecutive games. But after a quick offensive start the Eagles were unable to sustain that momentum and saw the offensive fireworks move to the Albright side of the field. The Lions finished with 497 yards of total offense and got a strong day from quarterback Tanner Kelly who was 16-24 passing for 294 yards and four scores. He also rushed for a touchdown on the game. Juniata showed off its rushing attack on the first drive of the game as the Eagles took the ball and marched for a score. Ehredt gained 54 yards on the drive, including a four-yard scoring run that gave Juniata a 6-0 lead. David Nicklaus (Lampeter Strasburg/Lancaster) converted the point after, giving Juniata a 7-0 lead. Juniata had a chance to add to the lead when after an Albright three-and-out Tyler Hall (Juniata Valley/Alexandria) returned the punt 54 yards deep into Albright territory. After three rushes, Nicklaus\' 32-yard field goal attempt missed just wide right. Albright\'s got going on its third possession as a 39-yard completion from Tanner Kelly to Stephen Asay moved the ball deep into Juniata territory. A two-yard scoring run from Vincent Andrews capped the 62-yard drive and the successful extra point tied the game at seven with 11 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Albright took the lead on its next possession without the offense taking the field as freshman Justin West returned Juniata\'s punt 76 yards for a touchdown. Another point after made the score 14-7 in favor of the home team with 13:51 remaining in the first half. After another Juniata three-and-out, Albright added to its lead with a 12-play, 76-yard drive that ended with a three-yard scoring pass from Kelly to Asay. The point from Ryan Juisti gave the home team a 21-7 lead with 8:24 left in the first half. Albright would add to the lead with just a minute remaining in the first half. The Lions put together a nine-play 58-yard drive, which ended with Kelly throwing his second scoring pass of the game, this time to Nate Roming for 11 yards that made it 27-7. The extra point brought Albrighgt\'s lead to 28-7 with 1:04 left in the half. The offensive surge continued for the Lions to open the second half as the Lions took the ball and moved 56 yards for another score. Kelly did the honors himself as he came around on a bootleg from two yards out for the Lions\' fifth touchdown. Another Juisti kick made the score 35-7 with 9:47 remaining in the third quarter. Juniata\'s first possession of the second half saw the Eagles\' offense come to life as Jay Leonard (Big Spring/Newville) completed passes to Jason Koch (Kutztown/Kutztown) and Lance Tippett (Altoona/Altoona) to move into inside Albright\'s five, but Juniata fumbled the ball trying to go in and Albright regained the ball. The Lions took advantage turning the ball around and moving all the way down for another touchdown. The score came on a long 45-yard pass from Kelly to Romig that brought the lead to 41-7. The point was good again to give Albright a 42-7 lead just before the end of the third quarter. The scoring continued with Kelly adding his fourth scoring pass of the game as he hit Michael Heppler with a 74-yard completion down the sideline and he ran all the way to the end zone to bring the lead to 48-7. Juniata\'s Kiel G. Knisely (Claysburg-Kimmel/Queen) blocked the extra point to keep the Lions from adding to the lead. The Eagles offense got into the end zone again in the fourth quarter. A completion from freshman quarterback Tyler Clifford (Homer Center/Homer City) to Jon Fabus (Keystone Oaks/Pittsburgh) helped move the ball into Albright territory and then Ehredt did the rest, rushing in from nine yards out for his second score of the game. Nicklaus\' point cut the lead to 48-14 with 6:28 left in the game but that would cap the scoring as Albright ran out the clock on its next possession to close out the game. Leonard finished 4-15 passing in the game for 32 yards. Defensively for Juniata T.J. Hardesty (Penns Manor/Clymer) paced the team with seven tackles. Hall, Brandon Spayd (Huntingdon/Huntingdon) and Alex Waleski (Huntingdon/Huntingdon) each had six tackles, with Spayd adding two tackles for a loss. Albright had three receivers finish with 75 or more yards in the game, with Heppler finishing with a team-high 80 yards. Romig finished with 78 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns. Michael Levy and Brendan Bresnahan each had five stops for Albright. Juniata will be back in action next Saturday as the Eagles host Susquehanna for its homecoming game. Albright will be on the road taking on Widener. ###

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