Bloomsburg struggles
TURBOTVILLE — It was a case of what can go wrong, will go wrong for Bloomsburg as it suffered its first loss to Warrior Run since George W. Bush was in office.
The Panthers had issues in all facets of the game, falling to the Defenders, 42-14, for the first time since 2006.
Bloomsburg coach Kevin Seabrook says the turn for the worse occurred immediately following Denver Beachel’s first of five touchdown runs.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Defenders opted to go with a squib, but a rocket of a kick by Logan Witmer hit a Panther on the ankle and the Defenders fell on it.
The Defenders needed four plays to drive 54 yards, capped off by Beachel’s second touchdown of the quarter to double their lead over the Panthers.
“I can definitely say that the kickoff that hit the lined up man (started the domino effect), and it just kind of fell from there,” he said. “It’s a tough one. We definitely didn’t expect this one.
“I know we’re not a 42-14 team against Warrior Run. Hats off to them, they did an excellent job. They came out, they played, ran the ball out, blocked well, tackled well. Those are things we have to get better at.”
The Defenders came out passing early with Remington Corderman finding Riley Daubert five times for 144 yards before halftime. Corderman’s numbers would have been even better had receivers not had issues reeling in passes that hit them in the hands or chest.
But it was the running game that not only finished drives — with every score coming via the rush — but took advantage of having second chances.
The Panthers seemingly couldn’t tackle all game long, allowing the Defenders to keep the chains and clock moving.
That was exactly the game plan Warrior Run had in mind to start the third quarter. It ran 12 plays — including 11 straight runs — to take up 7 minutes, 15 seconds. It was capped off by who else? Beachel from two yards out.
Beachel finished with 155 yards on 33 carries.
Warrior run had explosive plays throughout — 11 that went for 10 or more yards — but relied on its short game for the scores with all of them coming from six yards or closer.
In fact, the Defenders took 15 snaps in the red zone with the Panthers’ biggest defensive stop coming on Warrior Run’s first offensive series. The Defenders were turned away on a fourth down pass from the Panthers’ 3-yard line.
“Yards after contact is probably the biggest thing of concern tonight,” Seabrook said. “Guys were hitting them in the backfield, and they were still marching along. We have to do a better job of getting nine to 11 guys to the ball and surround the ball carrier.”
The Panthers also couldn’t sustain any offensive success. They had five drives end in five or less plays.
Their only touchdown of the first half took eight plays, needing 53 yards to cap it off with a QB keeper by Howell.
Despite the results heading into the locker room at the half, Seabrook thought he saw signs of things turning for the better.
“We were just trying to run our game and keep running the ball there,” he said. “It felt like we could definitely get the running game going and some of passes there with Jack (Howell). It just didn’t work in our favor tonight.”
The Panthers’ final score came in garbage time with the mercy rule in place. It also happened to be the best drive they put together, as Bloomsburg marched 88 yards for the score in the final seconds.
Xzayivher Russell-King had the team’s best run — a 36-yarder — while Howell had his longest completion of the night when he found Brody Hock on the 25-yard score.
Russell-King rushed for a team-high 45 yards on seven carries. Meanwhile, Howell threw for 160 yards on 7 of 16 passing.
Bloomsburg 0 7 0 7 — 14
Warrior Run 14 14 7 7 — 42
First quarter
WR — Denver Beachel 1 run (Logan Witmer kick), 4:38
WR — Beachel 2 run (Witmet kick), 2:15
Second quarter
B — Jack Howell 1 run (Torsten Hartman kick), 11:06
WR — Beachel 2 run (Witmer kick), 4:52
WR — Beachel 1 run (Witmer kick), 0:23
Third quarter
WR — David Gearhart 6 run (Witmer kick), 4:45
Fourth quarter
WR —Beachel 1 run (Witmer kick), 3:16
B — Brody Hock 25 pass from Howell (Hartman kick), 0:02
B WR
First downs 9 19
Rushing-yds. 23-82 45-210
Passing 8-11-0 7-16-0
Passing yds. 89 160
Total yds. 171 370
Fumbles-lost 2-0 0-0
Penalties-yds. 10-109 8-50
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Bloomsburg: Xzayivher Russell-King, 7-45; Cade Klinger, 6-31; Brody Hock 3-11; Nasir Heard 2-3; Jack Howell, 5-(-8), TD. Warrior Run: Denver Beachel, 33-155, 5 TDs; David Gearhart, 8-28, TD; Riley Daubert 3-23; Remington Corderman, 1-4.
PASSING — Bloomsburg: Howell, 8-11-0, 89 yds., TD. Warrior Run: Corderman, 7-15-0, 160 yds.; Beachel, 0-1-0, 0 yds.
RECEIVING — Bloomsburg: Hock, 4-55, TD; Klinger, 2-17; Devon Yocum, 1-13; Daniel Guzevich. Warrior Run: Daubert, 5-144; Beachel, 1-11; Ahmahd Keyes, 1-5.
Link to story: https://www.pressenterpriseonline.com/daily/100519/page/13/story/bloomsburg-struggles
