Ground Show

The Tigers of Tunkhannock traveled to Nanticoke to take on the Trojans. For the Trojans, they began their season with an alumni night to celebrate 50 years of Greater Nanticoke Area High School. As for game, Nanticoke started with the ball and started with a pair of Dawson Hughes runs and got 12 yards for a first down. They would face a 3rd and 14 at their own 42 and looked to have a touchdown but a block in the back would call the play back and would face a third and 18 at their own 38. Matt Wrubel would connect with Darren Boseman for 43 yards to the Tiger 18 yard line. Eric Jeffries would start to heat up as got gains of 3 and 6 to get a third and one. Hughes would get 2 to give the Trojans a first and goal at the seven. After Jeffries got 4, Wrubel would keep it himself and go in for a three yard touchdown. The extra point was good and the Trojans would lead 7-0 with 7:46 remaining in the first quarter. Tunkhannock would give the ball to Logan Cywinski on the first two plays and gain nine to make it third and one. Garrett Hopkins would gain 13 on the third and one to get into Trojan territory. They would face a fourth and two at the Trojan 34 and Hopkins would be stuffed for no gain as the Trojans took over on downs. The Tigers defense would answer with a three and out to force a Trojans punt and the Tigers would get it at their own 30. First play of the drive was a 59 yard run by Cywinski. Two plays later, Cywinski would get into the end zone for a 7 yard TD run. The PAT would tie the game at 7 with 57.6 seconds to go in the first quarter. The Trojans would start their drive at their own 20. After a holding penalty, Hughes would gain 2 and Jeffries would gain 11 to make it third and one at the end of the first quarter with the game tied at 7. On the first play of the second quarter, Eric Jeffries would go 75 yards to give the Trojans the lead once again. The PAT was good as the Trojans took a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter. The Tigers got the ball and started at their own 33 but would go back on an illegal substitution penalty to make it first and 15 at their own 28. A Cywinski run and a Zach Rogers pass to Jake Stephens would give the Tigers a first down. Cywinski would get another first down on an 11 yard run then would score another touchdown, this time from 44 yards out. The Extra point would tie the game at 14 with 10:17 remaining in the second quarter. The Trojans got the ball at their own 30. Hughes would get a gain of ten for a Trojans first down then Wrubel went to Joe Ammons for 18. Hughes would get the ball on first and second downs to make it third and one from the Tiger 28 but Wrubel would be intercepted by Dennie Robinson at the two yard line. The Trojans defense would answer with a three and out and forced a punt. The Trojans started at the Tiger 23 yard line. After a loss of 2 on first down, Jeffries would get gains of three and eleven to get a first and ten at the 12. The Trojans faced a third and two at the four but an offsides gave the Trojans a first and goal at the two. Jeffries would answer with his second touchdown of the game, this time a two yard touchdown run. The extra point was no good as the Trojans would lead 20-14 with 3:35 remaining in the third quarter. The Tigers went to work at their own 13. Cywinski started with a 15 yard gain, then Rogers went to Evan Turner on second and nine for ten yards. The Tigers faced a third and nine at their own 41 but the Trojans Joe Ammons sacked Rogers to force a punt. The Trojans would take a knee to get to halftime, leading 20-14. The Tigers would get the ball to start the second half and got it at their own 27. A Cywinski run and a Rogers pass to Stephens gave the Tigers a first down. The Tigers would face a third and six but Cywinski got one then fumbled but was recovered by Tunkhannock but lost a yard causing the Tigers to punt. The Trojans would get it at their own 45. Jeffries started with a gain of 13. The Trojans faced a third and three and Hughes would get eight yards for a first down. One play later, Matt Wrubel would go to Joe Ammons for a 29 yard TD pass. They would go for two and wouldn't get it and would lead 26-14 with 6:44 remaining in the third quarter. The Tigers would start at their own 39 but another penalty moved them back to the 34. Cywinski would come in at QB on the drive. The Tigers faced a third and five and Ammons would record his second sack of the game as the Tigers were forced to punt. The Trojans started at their own 34. Jeffries started the drive with a 13 yard gain, then one play later, Jeffries would get ten on a second and nine to get the Trojans into Tigers territory at the 43. Hughes would get gains of five and 14 to get a first down but on the next set, the Trojans faced a fourth and ten at the Tiger 24 and the Tigers defense held as they got the ball back. Rogers would come back into the game at quarterback. The Tigers looked like they would get a first down on their first play but an illegal procedure would negate it. Cywinski would get a gain of 13 and 2 to get a first down as the third quarter came to a close. The Trojans would lead 26-14. The Tigers faced a third and eight and Rogers would throw to Cywinski but was short of the first down. The Tigers elected to punt on fourth and two. The Trojans started on their own 22. A holding call on the Trojans would make it first and 15. The Trojans looked like they would face a third and 11 but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gave the Trojans a first down. One play later, Jeffries would get the Trojans into Tiger territory on a 26 yard run to the 39. Jeffries would get 11 on second and eight. After a Hughes run of four yards, Jeffries would gain nine for another first down at the 13. One play later, Matt Wrubel would have his second rushing touchdown of the game, this time from ten yards out. After the extra point, it was 33-14 with 5:07 left in the game. The Tigers would start at their own 31. Rogers would get 9 on a second and six, then one play later, the Tigers got into Trojan territory on a Rogers pass to Hopkins for 26 to the Trojan 22. The Tigers would face a third and ten and the pass would fall incomplete but the Trojans were called for pass interference. The ball would be placed on the Trojan 11 yard line. Cywinski would get 7 yards then score on a four yard TD run for his third of the game. The Extra point was made and it was 33-21 with 1:45 left. They would attempt an onside kick but the Trojans would get it and run out the clock as the Trojans took the victory on opening night 33-21 over the Tunkhannock Tigers. Eric Jeffries rushed for 206 yards and two touchdowns for the Trojans. The Tigers' Logan Cywinski rushed for 198 yards and three touchdowns.

Thoughts on the game: Great game by the Trojans overall, Eric Jeffries had a great game on the ground. He had two touchdowns and had another called back by penalty. I was also impressed by Trojans junior Joe Ammons who had two sacks and caught a touchdown pass in the third quarter. For the Tigers, I was impressed by Logan Cywinski, he had three touchdowns and was the big reason the Tigers were in the game. He was giving the Trojans defense fits all night.

Passing
Nanticoke
Matt Wrubel 4/6 87 yards 1 TD 1 INT

Tunkhannock
Zach Rogers 6/13 58 yards 0 TD 0 INTs

Rushing
Nanticoke
Dawson Hughes 17 carries 70 yards
Eric Jeffries 29 carries 206 yards 2 TDs
Matt Wrubel 4 carries 6 yards 2 TDs

Tunkhannock
Logan Cywinski 25 carries 198 yards 3 TDs
Garrett Hopkins 5 carries 22 yards
Zach Rogers 2 carries -1 yards

Receiving
Nanticoke
Darrell Boseman 1 catch 43 yards
Joe Ammons 2 catches 47 yards TD
Eric Jeffries 1 catch -3 yards

Tunkhannock
Jake Stephens 2 catches 18 yards
Evan Turner 1 catch 10 yards
Logan Cywinski 1 catch 6 yards
Garrett Hopkins 2 catches 30 yards