MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Hughesville’s Jace Moore (21) runs the ball in opposition to Muncy Friday night time.
After Hughesville had dominated Muncy en path to an 18-point halftime lead, it regarded just like the Spartans would cruise to a rivalry week win on the street to get them a spot in the district playoffs. But Muncy hit Hughesville with a thunderous uppercut in the primary jiffy of the third quarter with two fast touchdowns that regarded to have flipped momentum.
And when Muncy intercepted Hughesville quarterback Nick Stubbs just some performs after Nate Rogers recorded a pick-six, it regarded like Muncy was about to show an 18-point deficit right into a lead in lower than 5 minutes.
That’s when Hughesville working again Chase Shrawder made the play of the sport.
Shrawder chased down Roman Maioriana following the interception, pressured a fumble and teammate Connor Anstadt fell on the soccer. Just as abruptly because the momentum flipped to Muncy, Hughesville had it again, and so they rode that wave of momentum to a 24-21 upset victory to clinch a playoff berth.
“I saw the interception and I was like, ‘I gotta get him’ And I got to him. I wasn’t expecting to cause a fumble, but I did, and I’m proud of myself for doing that,” Shrawder stated.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Muncy’s soccer group fees onto the sphere earlier than their sport in opposition to
Hughesville Friday night time.
It was a gritty-not-pretty efficiency for the Spartans. They capitalized on two large particular groups errors by Muncy in the punt sport for touchdowns in the primary half, the primary of which arrange the primary rating of the sport.
A snap over the top of the Muncy punter arrange Hughesville with first and aim on the 4-yard line. On the subsequent play, Shrawder scored, and Hughesville was up 7-0.
A Hughesville line of defense that terrorized Muncy quarterback Andrew Walters in the backfield all night time was capable of preserve the Indians off the scoreboard till halfway by the second quarter. A 28-yard reception by Dom Guardini adopted by a 25-yard run by Nate Rogers arrange Muncy with 1st and aim from the 8. Two performs later, Andrew Walter saved it on a learn choice and snuck across the left aspect for a walk-in landing.
On the following drive, Muncy had an opportunity to cease Hughesville on a 4th and 1 from their very own 43. Hughesville quarterback Nick Stubbs had different concepts. Stubbs’ quantity was referred to as on a quarterback sneak. But, when bottled up on the line of scrimmage, Stubbs saved the play alive, escaped the pile left, and popped out of the pile with nothing however inexperienced grass forward of him for an enormous 57-yard landing run that put Hughesville up 13-6.
“The call was to run up the middle. I looked at the box, box was stacked. They put all their linebackers inside. I was saying,’I’m not getting through that middle. And I know that it’s 1v1 on the outside. My receivers can block.’ So I figured if I just go up the middle, bump a little bit and come out on the end, I’ll be free. And, I just ran,” Stubbs stated.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Muncy’s Nathan Rogers(11) stiff-arms Hughesville’s Carson Stackhouse (0) on a kick-off return in the second quarter.
A couple of performs later, after the Spartan protection pressured a punt, the particular groups woes struck Muncy once more. Another poor snap on a punt gave Hughesville the ball on the 1-yard line. And, on third down, Stubbs was capable of rating on a way more typical quarterback sneak. Connor Anstadt scored on a two-point gadget play, and Hughesville was up, 21-6 With 2:48 to play in the primary half.
Hughesville had yet one more huge play left in them in the primary half. After forcing a Muncy punt, Stubbs hit Carson Stackhouse with a stunning cross for 45 yard on a put up sample that, if Stackhouse had been capable of preserve his ft on, would have scored. Two performs later, Avery Puderbaugh — contemporary off a district quarterfinal win for the Hughesville ladies soccer group on Thursday night time — booted a 33-yard area aim with loads of room to spare to offer Hughesville a 24-6 halftime lead.
Muncy got here out of halftime with their finest stretch of soccer in the sport. It took simply 100 seconds for Walters to hit Carter Feagles for a 39-yard landing cross. Less than a minute later, Nate Rogers jumped a cross, took it into the tip zone, and after a Walters run for a two-point conversion, it was 24-21.
After the aforementioned pressured fumble by Shrawder to cease the Muncy momentum, the Hughesville line of defense acquired again to controlling the sport. They sacked Walters 5 occasions, and rushed throws all night time.
“We saw the weak points in the film. We found some pretty good tells that led us to make the tackles and the sacks we made,” Hughesville’s Cameron Walker stated.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Hughesville’s Carson Stackhouse (0) makes a reception in entrance of Muny’s Carter Feigles (9) for a acquire organising a landing in the second quarter.
After the Spartans protection pressured a turnover on downs with simply over 9 minutes left remaining in the sport, the Hughesville offense went to work making an attempt to burn as a lot time as doable. To try this, they relied on Cam Shrawder. Shrawder six carries for 38 yards on the drive helped burn over seven minutes on the clock. Had a landing not been referred to as again for a controversial chop block penalty, Hughesville would’ve put the sport away. Nevertheless, they left Muncy with simply 2:03 remaining and one timeout to attempt to tie or win the sport.
“When we saw that (Shrawder) was hitting the right side and getting four or five or six yards every time we thought that’s what we’re going to keep doing.”
Once once more, it was the Hughesville line of defense making a huge effect on Muncy’s last-gasp drive. They pressured a holding name on second all the way down to again Muncy as much as 2nd and 15. Then, Jerry Barton pressured Walters on the subsequent play, and Walters was intercepted by Chase Fowler to clinch the sport.
“I think the feeling of catching the basically game-clinching interception, it’s an honor to be a senior to beat Muncy,” Fowler stated.
Hughesville entered Week 9 2-6 with slim probabilities to make the District 4 playoffs. But they’ve caught with it, and acquired in.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Muncy’s Nixon Lamper (76) will get a hand on the ball to dam the additional level in the second quarter.
“We had a tough time, earlier in the season. We didn’t have the workouts over the summer like I usually like to have, but I told them, ‘second half of the season, we have a shot at doing something if you guys keep working together,’ and they’ve been working hard, and the last two games were nice,” Rainey stated.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Hughesville’s Nicholas Stubbs (12) finds a gap and runs for 56 yards for a landing on a 4th and 1 in the second quarter.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Muncy’s Jaxson Thomas (44) splits the protection between Hughesville’s Maliki Emmil (25) and Jedidiah Abernatha (31) in the primary quarter.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Muncy’s Carter Feigles(9) dives for a cross in the second quarter.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Hughesville’s Josiah Abernatha (6) tackles Muncy’s Nolan Trostle (25) on a nasty snap for a punt in the primary quarter.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Hughesville’s Landen Puderbauch (15) fields a fumbled ball then runs for a acquire in the primary quarter.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Hughesville’s Josiah Abernatha (6) tackles Muncy’s Nolan Trostle (25) on a nasty snap for a punt in the primary quarter.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Hughesville’s Jace Moore (21) can solely watch after dropping the ball on a fumble Friday night time. The ball was recovered by Landen Puderbach (15) and run for a further acquire.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Hughesville’s group fees onto the sphere earlier than their sport in opposition to Muncy Friday night time.