BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The Bloomsburg football team struggled to find its rhythm on offense in the first half and fell to visiting Millersville University, 25-17, Saturday afternoon. The Huskies dropped to 3-7 on the year and 2-5 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East action, while the Marauders improved to 4-6 for the season and 4-3 in conference play.
 
Before the start of the game, the Huskies honored their 10-graduating student-athletes – John Ayres (Mt. Carmel, Pa./Mt. Carmel), Aaron Bensinger (New Ringgold, Pa./Blue Mountain), Adam Burkhart (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), David LePoidevin (Middlesex, N.J./Bound Brook), Chris Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West), Julian Nadachowski (Lincoln University, Pa./Oxford Area), Tyshaun Pollard (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East), Jamir Redd (Chester, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara), Aaron Trumino (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley), and Jake Yoder.
 
Both teams were forced to punt on their open drives before the Marauders struck first midway through the first. Millersville capped an 80-yard, 13-play drive that took 3:12 of gameplay with a 13-yard run by Marcus Piece into the endzone. Nate Capers (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) blocked Christian Makanoeich's point-after attempt, and the Marauders led 6-0.
 
Millersville threatened to put up another six points at the end of the first quarter as the Marauders drove down to the Bloomsburg two-yard line as the quarter ended. Facing a 3rd-and-2 to open the second, sophomore Quentin Gaskill (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) stopped Pierce right at the one-yard line and kept him out of the endzone. Graduate Chris Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) broke through the offensive line on the next play. Monaco stood up Pierce and dropped him back three yards on 4^th-and-1, and the Marauders turned the ball over on downs.

The Huskies' offense struggled to capitalize and were forced to punt after a 3-and-out. After Millersville punted on their next drive, the Huskies got down to Millersville 29, but a holding penalty and a stop on the run forced a 4^th-and-16 and a Husky punt.
 
The Marauders marched down the field on their next possession and punched it in from eight yards out to take a 12-0 lead. It was Kenny Yurkonis' (Minersville, Pa./Minersville Area) turn to block an extra point, and the score remained 12-0.
 
After the Huskies punted on their next drive, they appeared to have a pick-six, but Chris Monaco's (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) interception return was called back due to a penalty, and the Huskies took over at their own 44-yard line with three seconds to play. Freshman KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) got the ball to Peyton Persing (Danville, Pa./Danville Area), but the sophomore was stopped at the Marauder 40-yard line as time expired in the quarter.
 
Kaleb Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) ripped off a 20-yard run on the Huskies' next possession to get down to the Millersville 28, but a lucky interception gave the ball back to the Marauders. Millersville scored on the ensuing possession, and a failed two-point conversion kept it 18-0.
 
With 7:13 to play in the third, the Huskies put together their longest scoring drive of the game with a nine-play, 75-yard march down the field that took 4:28 of the game. Riley found John Mack (Minisink Valley, N.Y./Minisink Valley) for a 21-yard catch to get to midfield on 2^nd-and-6 before Monaco picked up 26 yards on the ground to get down to the Millersville 24. After a Millersville offside, Riley connected with John Ayres (Mt. Carmel, Pa./Mt. Carmel) on a 3^rd-and-3 for the first down at the Millersville three-yard line. On 3^rd-and-goal from the four, Jamese Lundy Byrd caught a four-yard pass from Riley to get into the endzone and cut the lead to 18-7 after Brendan McGonigle (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City) converted on the extra point attempt.
 
The Marauders opened the fourth quarter with a touchdown on their first play of the quarter and pushed their lead to 25-7.
 
Bloomsburg answered on its next drive as Riley completed four passes, and Monaco ended the drive with a one-yard run into the endzone with 10:16 to play to cut the lead to 25-14.
 
The Huskies forced a punt on the next Millersville drive, but their next drive ended on a blocked field goal with 3:51 to play in regulation.
 
Bloomsburg forced Millersville to go 3-and-out on its next drive, and the Huskies drove down to the 29-yard line. McGonigle had just enough leg to get the ball over the crossbar as he kicked into the wind from 47-yards out to trim the lead to 25-17.
 
The Huskies attempted an onsides kick on their next kick-off, but Millersville recovered the ball and kneeled down to end the game.
 
Monaco had his first 100-yard rushing game of the season as he picked up 111 yards on 23 attempts. Riley went 19-for-40 for 199 yards and a touchdown and interception. Persing finished the day with 52 receiving yards, while Jerry Griffen-Batchler (Norristown, Pa./Germantown Academy) had 49.
 
Gaskill led all players with 13 total tackles and a broken-up pass, while Yurkonis had eight tackles and Monaco finished the day with seven, a tackle for loss (three yards), and one interception.
 
The Huskies wrap up the regular season next week as they travel to Mercyhurst for both teams' season finales. Kick-off is set for 12:00 p.m.