By Kristoffer Nikias, Contributing Writer
Musselman Stadium, Gettysburg PA – Gettysburg Football lost a tough one to Moravian 16-13 on Saturday, September 11, dropping their Centennial Conference and home opener in overtime. Gettysburg held control nearly the entire game, stuffing Moravian on multiple red zone drives, but unfortunately for the Bullets, they couldn’t hold on long enough.
The sun shined on a beautiful day for football at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. The stands were packed with cheerfully passionate Gettysburg fans consisting of family, friends, and students. The marching band and the cheerleading team excelled in their first performances of the season, each helping to both awe and electrify the crowd. It was a great atmosphere for the first home football game in Gettysburg since late 2019.
The Bullets take the field in front of a sea of fans. (Luca Espana/The Gettysburgian.)
The first quarter saw Moravian drive all the way to the Gettysburg five-yard line, but they were stuffed by the Bullets’ defense. Chris Singleton Jr. ’24 scored a big sack on Moravian’s quarterback, forcing a 32-yarder for the Greyhounds. This attempt was missed, keeping things scoreless until the second quarter.
In the second quarter, the Bullets found some offensive production. Bullets quarterback Mason Stolarik ’23 found Sal DeBenedetto ’22 on the sideline for an impressive 41-yard catch and run. This drive looked like a surefire six points for the Bullets; however, a fumble by Nick Riggio ’23 on the one-yard line gave Moravian the ball on their own one.
After a questionable no-safety call, the Greyhounds shanked a punt to set up the Bullets on the Moravian 33 yard line. This short field advantage would give the Bullets a path to the first points of the game, with a touchdown pass from Stolarik to senior tight end Andrew Lusardi. The Greyhounds would end up throwing their first of four interceptions on the ensuing possession, giving Doug Cummings ’22 a 44-yard field goal try, which he converted, making the score 10-0 Bullets.
Three cheerleaders complete the top of a pyramid. (Luca Espana/The Gettysburgian.)
The third quarter gave the Bullets another chance to score, however, Cummings just missed the 47-yard field goal, keeping the score at 10-0 Gettysburg. Moravian once again made their way to the red zone, but Johnny O’Beirne ‘22 was right there for the interception, his second of the day.
In the fourth quarter, Moravian finally put a dent into the Bullets lead, with a 24-yard field goal from Yacuboski. The Bullets then led an eight-minute drive, which ended in a missed 40-yard field goal attempt by Cummings, keeping the score at 10-3. The Greyhounds saw their window of opportunity, and capitalized, with Mills leading a two-minute drill down to the red zone where he found Cunningham for the touchdown. Yacuboski added the PAT, and miraculously, the game was headed to overtime.
Moravian won the coin toss and elected to put their defense on the field first. The Bullets were stuffed and converted to a 36-yard field goal, making it 13-10. The Greyhounds would not need much, as Mills found Cunningham for a 23-yard pickup, then Boyle rushed it in to end the game, 16-13. A humbling loss for the Bullets, while Moravian sneaks away with one they seemed out of from the opening whistle. Gettysburg’s next home game is on September 25, where they will face the Juniata Eagles on Homecoming Weekend.
