SUNBURY – Entering Friday night’s tilt with Shikellamy, the Shamokin Indians knew a strong defensive performance would be needed. Sitting at .500 coming off a shutout loss to Jersey Shore, the Indians needed a bounce-back game in a big way.
The team got just that, allowing just one late fourth-quarter touchdown in a 21-7 road victory over Shikellamy.
Not only did the defense hold a home Braves squad to seven points, but they also won the turnover battle in a big way, earning a pair of turnovers that set the team up in plus field position on two of the team’s three touchdown drives.
“We played complementary football in all phases tonight,” said Hynoski of his team’s victory, “Our special team’s play led to a touchdown; good kick coverage led to a good defensive stand. The game just kind of went from there.”
The Shamokin defense showed up early, holding Shikellamy to a three-and-out on the opening drive of the football game. On Fourth-and-four at their own 24-yard line, a bad snap on a punt attempt forced Shikellamy to turn the ball over at their own eight-yard line. It took Shamokin just three plays to find pay dirt and open a 7-0 victory.
Max Madden plunged in from seven yards away for the score; the first of three rushing touchdowns on the night for the senior back. In all, Madden toted the ball 22 times for 113 rushing yards and three scores on the night for the Indians. He was the game’s leading rusher in both attempts and yards gained.
“You can always rely on Max (Madden),” said Hynoski of Madden’s performance. “I don’t know if Max has ever played a bad game, honestly. He’s a hungry, determined kid that has all the tools of a great running back. I tell him every week that when you go, we go.”
Early in the second quarter, Shikellamy put a solid drive together but stalled out in Shamokin territory. Coltyn Sempko and Isaac Schaffer-Neitz combined for six carries for 34 yards on the drive, but a fourth-and-two incomplete pass forced a turnover on downs at the Shamokin 46-yard line.
Once again Shamokin used the momentum from a turnover to produce a score of its own. Quarterback Brett Nye completed three of four pass attempts on the drive to set up a Shamokin score. Madden opened the drive with a 21-yard gain on a screen pass, while Tyler Whary caught an impressive pass of his own. Facing a fourth-and-eight at the Shikellamy 31-yard line, Nye launched a ball deep downfield that was tipped by defender Nyzir Brown but caromed right into the arms of Whary for a 27-yard gain. On the very next play, Madden plunged in from four yards away for his second score of the game.
Shamokin’s next big defensive play came in the second half. On Shikellamy’s first drive of the second half, the Braves faced a third-and-nine at their own 12-yard line. Quarterback Brayden Wertman looked right and threw a pass that sailed over his receiver’s head and right into the arms of middle linebacker Aaron Frasch. The interception gave Shamokin the ball at the Shikellamy 15-yard line and two plays later it was Madden yet again diving in from four yards away.
“I just followed my blockers,” said Madden, who accounted for 113 of the Indians’ 139 rushing yards in the game, “They were opening up good holes for me. I just followed them, and they led me to the endzone a few times.”
“We were actually down a starter on the o-line tonight. We had a tackle come in and fill in and did a really good job.” added Hynoski of his team’s offensive line play that helped lead Madden and the team to victory, “We did a good job firing off the ball. If you can fire off the ball and knock them back, that’s a good start.”
The lone Shikellamy touchdown came late in the game’s fourth quarter. Facing a 21-0 deficit, Shikellamy started a drive on its own 27-yard line with 10:21 remaining in the game. The Braves proceeded to go on a 16-play drive that took over six minutes off the clock before Gage Wolfe plunged into the endzone from 10 yards away to break up the Shamokin shutout.
Despite scoring the lone Braves touchdown, Wolfe finished the game with just 16 rush yards in four carries. Sempko led the Braves rushing attack on the night, racking up a team-high 72 rushing yards on a team-high 15 rushing attempts.
Shamokin’s Colin Seedor led all pass catchers in the game with 44 receiving yards which all came on one reception in the game’s opening quarter. John Peifer led Shikellamy in receiving, hauling in three receptions for 19 yards.
“Everyone played well tonight,” said Madden. “Our defense held up nicely, only allowing one touchdown tonight. They set us up inside the 10-yard line a few times I think. It makes it a lot easier to score from there.”
Shamokin improved to 4-3 overall this season with the win and hosts Milton (5-2) this coming Friday night. Shikellamy dropped to 1-6 overall with the loss and is scheduled to travel to Lewisburg (2-3) this coming Friday.
Shamokin 21, Shikellamy 7
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Shamokin 7 7 7 0 – 21
Shikellamy 0 0 0 7 — 7
First Quarter
SHAM—Max Madden 7-yard run (Carson Ososkie PAT Good), 9:00.
Second Quarter
SHAM—Madden 4-yard run (Ososkie PAT Good), 7:21.
Third Quarter
SHAM—Madden 4-yard run (Ososkie PAT Good), 7:25.
Fourth Quarter
SHIK—Gage Wolfe 10-yard run (Nicholas Koontz PAT Good), 4:13.
TEAM STATISTICS SHAM SHIK
First downs 12 9
Total yards 240 123
Rushes-yards 36-139 38-105
Yards passing 101 18
Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 6-10-0 5-14-1
Fumbles-lost 2-0 3-0
Penalties-yards 7-90 5-38
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Shamokin: Madden 22-113 3TD, Aaron Frasch 4-30, Corey Adams 1-11, Tyler Whary 1-(-1), Brett Nye 6-(-9), TEAM 3-(-5). Shikellamy: Coltyn Sempko 15-72, Isaac Schaffer-Neitz 9-42, Chase Morgan 2-23, Wolfe 4-16 TD, John Peifer 1-1, Caleb Yoder 1-0, Braydon Wertman 1-(-11), TEAM 5-(-38).
PASSING—Shamokin: Nye 6-10 101 yards. Shikellamy: Wertman 4-12 19 yards, INT; Yoder 0-1; Lucas Wetzel 1-1 (-1) yards.
RECEIVING—Shamokin: Colin Seedor 1-44, Whary 2-30, Madden 3-27. Shikellamy: Peifer 3-19, Schaffer-Neitz 2-(-1).
