The injury bug may be catching up with the Warriors, and unfortunately, it’s only Week 3. A series of second-half defensive adjustments couldn’t prevent a grueling 48-34 loss at Warrior Stadium to visiting Red Land. Coach
“We are getting the kids comfortable,” said Coach Heiser.” We moved a lot of people around due to injury. Sometimes they looked comfortable; other times they didn’t. We’ve had to move some kids around from playing one way to now playing two ways, and it’s been a bit of a mental check.”
Gettysburg looked up to the task of handling the Red Land offense for much of the first half. After an opening-kickoff score, Red Land responded with a methodical drive capped by a Tyson Kirchner touchdown run. Following an exchange of punts and interceptions, the Patriots pushed the lead to 13-6 on another Kirchner score. Quarterback Grant Johnson threw his second interception when a pass tipped off a receiver’s hands and into a waiting Patriot defender, but the Warriors answered with a turnover of their own: Kash Kessel scooped up a tunnel-screen fumble and ran it in to cut the deficit to 13-12 with 5:01 left in the second quarter.
The Warriors’ defense held the Patriots to 13 points until a late first-half quarterback sneak extended Red Land’s lead to 20-12 at intermission.
The second half did not bode well for Gettysburg as the Patriots scored touchdowns on three of their first four drives. By the fourth quarter, the score was 41-12 before Jackson Stanton powered in a touchdown to make it 41-20. A pair of late scores—a Grant Johnson-to-Mauricio Escobar-Rudy touchdown and a Preston Burnett rushing touchdown—trimmed the final to 48-34.
Despite the setback, Coach Heiser said he likes what he sees from his team, given the challenges they’ve faced, and praised the growth of his young quarterback: “He’s a team player; he’s only going to continue to get better, so I’m proud of him.”
Gettysburg (1-2) will look to get back in the win column when Northern York (0-3) visits Warrior Stadium for a Mid-Penn Keystone matchup.
Charles (Chuck) Stangor is Gettysburg Connection's Owner, Publisher, and Editor in Chief. I would like to hear from you. Please contact me at cstangor@gettysburgconnection.org.