Greencastle-Antrim Blue Devils end football season in district playoffs
The motivation in a rematch is nearly always on the side of the loser the first time around. While Friday’s game on Kaley Field came down to the wire, Shippensburg used that motivation to end the football season for Greencastle-Antrim. The Blue Devils battled fiercely, but ended on the short side of a 10-7 final in the first round of the Distritc 3-AAA playoffs.
G-A completes a fine 2011 campaign at 8-3 overall and the unbeaten champion of the Mid-Penn Conference Colonial Division.
Shippensburg had felt the agony of a loss just a few weeks ago on Kaley Field in a 27-26 double overtime regular season game that handed G-A the division title. The Devils and Greyhounds were out to make this one just as competitive and they succeeded as a fourth-quarter field goal made the difference.
Neither team was into giving much as all. The defenses limited the rushing of both squads. Injuries, both new and being nursed, also stymied the Blue Devils. All told it was a 7-7 game going into the fourth quarter. G-A had just tied the game on a four yard run from Tyler Szaflarski. Denver Cordell contirubted 44 rushing yards to the scoring drive. Ship answered with a drive that saw two fourth-down situations where the Hounds came through and finally got close enough for the field goal try. Ship was using its backup kicker and he came through for the winning measure.
The Blue Devils still had nine minutes on the clock and mounted a drive. It was, however, marred, by two penalties that saw possession switch back to the Greyhounds. Ship was able to eat up the clock to end the game.
G-A had more offense in the game, 203 yards to 189. Denver Cordell gained 99 of those yards on the ground. Szaflarski ran for 46 yards on 15 totes and the score.
Defensively, Josh Horenstein racked up 11 tackles and Ian Spencer also went double digits with 10. Zach Mowen and Grant Murray contributed five each.
MIDDLE SCHOOL: In a late reported game G-A claimed a 28-6 middle school football win. Justin Smalls ran for two scores and Jack Alexander another. Jeremy Anderson, Sam Sprague, Matt Potter and Kurt Hansen each had four tackles.
