Turnover Bug Bites Marauders in Loss to C.W. Post

Saturday, October 9

Brookville, N.Y.

1 p.m.

Millersville University

C.W. Post

Turnover Bug Bites Marauders in Loss to C.W. Post

10/9/2010 8:57:45 PM | Football

Box Score

Brookville, N.Y. - An early 28-0 deficit off of four first-half turnovers was too much for Millersville to overcome Saturday at C.W. Post. The Pioneers took full advantage of the Marauder miscues and ran away with a 49-21 win to stay unbeaten in PSAC Eastern Division play.

Millersville (2-4, 0-3 PSAC East) did everything it hadn't all season. The team with the least turnovers in the PSAC entering Saturday's game coughed the ball up four times and turned it over on downs once.

Quarterback Bill Shirk, who had led the PSAC in passing efficiency for weeks, threw a season-high three interceptions. Miscues ended back-to-back promising drives to start the game, and C.W. Post (4-2, 3-0 PSAC East) cashed in touchdowns off of both.

The Millersville defense did its part early, though, as Matt Sutjak recorded his third interception of the season, keeping C.W. Post out of the end zone on its third drive of the game. The very next Pioneer drive ended when Owen King stuffed Thomas Beverly on a fourth-and-one try. Millersville took over with prime field position--the C.W. Post 48-yard line—but on the first play, Shirk was intercepted.

The Marauders stayed close until the tandem of Eric Anderwakavich and Beverly gashed the Marauders for an 80 –yard drive and score in just three plays. Trailing 21-0 with 2:49 left in the half, matters only got worse for the Marauders. Shirk guided a drive into C.W. Post territory again but Fateen Brown had the ball jarred loose and C.W. Post's Richard Modick scooped it up and raced 55 yards for a 28-0 lead.

The Marauders may have been shutout in the first half had it not been for Jamal Smith, who took the ensuing kickoff back 87 yards for a touchdown. It was Millersville's first kick return for a score since 2007 and the first of Smith's career.

Smith added his second touchdown of the game in the third quarter, and that score temporarily put the Marauders within 14. Brian Knell recovered a fumble that set up the Marauder offense at the C.W. Post 23. It took just five plays for Shirk to find Smith from 11 yards out. It was the seventh receiving touchdown of the season for Smith at the 19th of his career, moving him into third place in Millersville history.

C.W. Post dashed Millersville's comeback hopes quickly. Seven plays and 3:21 later, C.W. Post added a one-yard TD run. Shirk added his second rushing touchdown of the season in the fourth quarter, but the game was already well in hand for the Pioneers.

Millersville had no problems moving the ball. Shirk completed 24-of-43 passes for 255 yards and Brown rushed for a career-high 47, but drives ended in turnovers more often than in points.

Smith finished the game with 70 yards receiving on five catches. He has now scored 33 career touchdowns and has scored at least one by passing, receiving , rushing and on kick return.

Millersville fell to 0-3 all-time against C.W. Post. In all three games, the Pioneers have scored 55, 35 and 49 points. The Marauders will look to put an end to its three-game skid at unbeaten Kutztown next Saturday.