2008 Woodie Awards
Football vanquishes Red Raiders on senior day
By Mike Mallory
Rocket Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 11/4/05 Section: Sports
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The Rock defeated the Red Raiders, 58-28 Saturday afternoon at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium. The score was the Rock's highest point total of the year.
SRU led 17-7 with 12:46 remaining in the first half following a Shippensburg touchdown. Red Raider running back Aaron Dykes scored on a 37-yard run to give Shippensburg its first points of the game.
On the Rock's first drive following the score, it took less then a minute for the men in green and white to add to the lead. After three consecutive runs by Josh Kniess and a 13-yard pass from quarterback Nate Crookshank to tight-end Steve Fullerton, the Rock opened up the game. On the next play, Crookshank split through the Red Raider defense en route to an 11-yard touchdown run. Crookshank rushed for 85 yards on four carries to go along with his 105-yard passing performance for the day.
"Nate is becoming more comfortable out of the pocket," offensive coordinator Vic Campagna said. "He's making good decisions."
Seniors Fullerton and Kniess, along with teammates Don Harbison, Robert Minnie, Myles Arnold, and Josh Zeisloft were honored during halftime of the game.
The Rock jumped out to an early 7-0 lead when Kniess ran the ball 13 yards from the endzone on SRU's first play from scrimmage. Kniess scored twice in the third quarter as well. At the 8:04 mark of the quarter, Kniess scored a five-yard touchdown, capping off a six play, 80-yard drive. He also scored on an 80-yard punt return in the waning seconds of the quarter. Kniess rushed for 183 yards on 22 carries in the victory.
Kniess, who finished the game with 310 all-purpose yards, eclipsed the all-time record at SRU previously held by former running back D.J. Flick (4,794 yards). Kniess' total is currently at 4,883 yards entering his final game at SRU against the Clarion Golden Eagles tomorrow night.
