EASTON – In front of 14,000 fans at Fisher field on the campus of Lafayette College in Easton, the Phillipsburg Stateliners got to change history as they replayed their 1993 game against the Easton Red Rovers.
Phillipsburg quarterback Keith Kullman threw for 302 yards and three touchdowns while running back Joe Luke had 208 yards receiving and two touchdowns. The Stateliners won the Gatorade Replay football game by beating Easton Area 27-12 Sunday afternoon.
P-Burg played the Easton Red Rovers to a 7-7 tie in 1993. On Sunday the two teams met again to settle the score. The same players from the 1993 game, now in their early 30’s, took the field again, adding to the 104 year old rivalry. Normally this game is reserved for Thanksgiving morning. But this verison of the 1993 game was the first rendition of what Gatorade plans to make a regular series around the country.
P-Burg opened the scoring and never looked back. Kullman hit Mike Lelko for an 11-yard touchdown pass to start the game. Penyak’s PAT gave P-Burg a 7-0 Lead.
Easton quarterback Kyle Geiger threw for a pair of touchdowns and Blaze Clymer rushed for 97 yards.
The big play of the game for the Red Rovers came when Geiger hit Blane Sandt for a 77-yard score with 10:39 left in the first half. P-burg’s lead was cut to 14-12.
That would be the last score for Easton and P-Burg would score the next 13 points. Kullman would again hit Luke for a 44-yard touchdown pass and a 80-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to seal the 27-12 win.
Easton defensive tackle Chris Shannon said, “Speed kills and they were faster than us.”
It took almost 16 years to settle the score and even in 90-degree heat 14,000 fans saw both teams put on a show. P-burg may have won the game on the scoreboard, but on this day the two communities showed the nation Easton/Phillipsburg pride one more time!
P-Burg Joe Luke was named offensive MVP. He caught eight passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns. His teammate Robert Wargo was named defensive MVP.
