The No. 15-ranked Shippensburg University football team scored 45 points in the second half on Saturday afternoon to erase a one-point intermission deficit and blow by No. 10 Bloomsburg, 58-20, in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs from SU Student Association Field at Seth Grove Stadium.
The Red Raiders (11-1) won their first NCAA playoff game since the 1991 season – when head coach Mark ‘Mac’ Maciejewski ‘92/’96M was a noseguard for the Red Raiders – and will travel to Super Region One No. 1 seed and No. 2-ranked Winston Salem State (11-0) next Saturday at noon for a second round matchup with the Rams from Bowman Gray Stadium.
The region’s No. 4 seed Raiders held the No. 5 seed Huskies to just 23 yards passing until the game’s final drive. Bloomsburg finishes the season 10-2, with both losses coming at Shippensburg (SU beat BU 49-42 three weeks ago to clinch the Eastern Division title).
Junior quarterback and PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year Zach Zulli (Schwensksville/Perkiomen Valley) went 26-of-35 passing for 469 yards, throwing for three touchdowns and running for another 1-yard score. Senior wide receiver Jacob Baskerville (Pottsville/Pottsville) caught seven balls for a career-high 153 yards and two touchdowns, setting the school single-season record for 100-yard receiving games (his seventh of 2012).
Senior wide receiver Bryan Barley (Berwyn/Conestoga) had three catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns – a 48-yarder from Zulli in the beginning of the third quarter that put SU up for good and another 28-yarder from senior fullback Kevin Herod (Allentown/Parkland) on a trick play in the beginning of the fourth quarter.
Sophomore wide receiver Trevor Harman (Mechanicsburg/Cumberland Valley) caught six balls for 117 yards while senior tailback Mike Frenette (Carlisle/Cumberland Valley) led Shippensburg with 71 yards rushing on 13 carries and ran in a 16-yard touchdown.
Shippensburg’s offense put up 673 yards of total offense, including 507 yards through the air. The Raider defense, meanwhile, forced five BU turnovers – two fumble recoveries and three interceptions – and has now recorded 10 turnovers total in its two victories over Bloomsburg this season.
