HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata football team lost, 32-28, to visiting Moravian as the Greyhounds found the end zone twice in the fourth to retake the lead late, on a drizzly Saturday afternoon at Knox Stadium.
A fumble on the opening kickoff by the Eagles was quickly turned into points by the Greyhounds as Roberto Diez ran it in from one yard out to put Moravian up early.
Juniata took over at their own 24, and Calvin Bembry II (Hagerstown, Md. / North Hagerstown) carried the ball three straight times for 22 yards before Austin Montgomery (Bedford, Pa. / Bedford Area HS) found Clay Spencer (Hummelstown, Pa. / Lower Dauphin H.S.) for a 14-yard gain. Shaheed Ross (Philadelphia, Pa. / Delaware Valley Charter HS) hauled a nine-yard pass, Montgomery scrambled for an eight-yard gain before back to back four-yard scampers by Bembry moved the ball into the red zone. Ben Lauver (Mifflintown, Pa. / Juniata H.S.) caught the ball at the one before Bembry ran it in to tie things at 7-7.
The Greyhounds responded with a nine-play 67-yard drive that culminated in a 25-yard TD pass as their wide receiver was wide open in the end zone. The Eagle's next offensive was mired in penalties and they had to punt.
Moravian started from their own 34 and got down to the Eagle 28. The Juniata defense forced two incompletions and a run for no gain as Zach Krug (Ashville, Pa. / Penn Cambria HS) stonewalled the ball carrier. The visitors went for it on fourth and 10, and Adam Grajewski (Export, Pa. / Franklin Regional HS) picked the ball out of the air and ran it back all the way to near midfield.
The Eagles did the bulk of their damage on the ground as Bembry ran for 36 yards. Charles Debose (Tonawanda, N.Y. / Cardinal O'Hara HS) took a short pass from Montgomery for a 14-yard gain to the ball near the end zone. Montgomery ran the ball down to the four and Debose carried it in on the next play to tie the game at 14-14.
The Juniata defense forced a three and out, and the offense took over at the JC 37. The drive opened with an 11-yard completion to Bembry. Short runs from Bembry and Montgomery along with a 10-yard bruising run by Debose moved the ball to the Greyhound 24. A sack made it third and 14 as JC called a timeout. Ross made an eight-yard reception and a roughing the passer penalty made it first and goal from the eight. On the next play, Montgomery scrambled around before breaking out of the pocket to his right and taking it in for six himself as the Eagles led, 21-14 at halftime.
The Greyhounds opened the third by driving 68 yards over 11 plays before settling for a 26-yard field goal which made it 21-17.
Juniata countered with a 14 play, 74-yard drive highlighted by a 13-yard reception by Lauver and a 15-yard catch by Bembry. One second and goal from the Moravian five, Montgomery rolled to his right and found Bembry all alone in the end zone to put the Eagles up by 11 with 7:33 to go in the third.
Moravian began at their own 38 and put together another impressive drive as they used a 29-yard catch and run to get to the Eagle one before Diez ran it in to pull the Greyhounds within five. The two-point conversation cut the lead to three.
Juniata went three and out, and Moravian began driving again, with a big 23-yard run gashing the defense as Moravian got down to the one and eventually broke through on third and goal to take a 32-28 lead.
The Eagles, from their own 26, started to make some progress as Montgomery found Ross for a gain of 11 and Lauver for a gain of 16. But an errant snap went over his head and made it second and 21. JC got a chunk back through Lauver's 14-yard reception, but couldn't get it done on third and fourth down. Moravian took a knee the rest of the way to end the contest.
The Eagles will take on Dickinson, next Saturday at 1:00.
