SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Bloomsburg football team struggled to get its offense going as the Huskies dropped their PSAC opener to Shippensburg, 10-7, Saturday.
 
Neither team's offense found any rhythm as the two defenses forced nine total punts, a turnover on downs, and three interceptions.
 
KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) finished the day 18-for-28 with 177 yards passing and a touchdown throw, though had a pair of interceptions on the day. Jerry Griffen-Batchler (Norristown, Pa./Germantown Academy) caught five passes for 54 yards and the lone touchdown, while Gabe Brower (Alexandria, Pa./Juniata Valley) had four catches for 44 yards. Justin Wolfe (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) had five catches for 34 yards and Jack Landis (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) had one catch for 25 yards. Paul Wojciechowski (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) had three catches for 20 yards.
 
Riley now has 5,255 total passing yards in his career and just passed Jack Lydic for fifth-all time at Bloomsburg. Fourth place is next for Riley, though he needs to average at least 243 yards a game for the rest of the year to reach Glenn McNamee who finished his career with 6,950 yards and 57 touchdowns.
 
The 54 receiving yards for Griffen-Batchler gives him 1,899 in his career as he moves into eighth all-time. Griffen-Batchler needs just 101 yards to break 2,000 for his career.
 
Defensively, Garrett Garcia (Catawissa, Pa./Southern Columbia) lead the Huskies with 12 total tackles, including a pair of sacks for 13 yards and 2.5 tackles for loss for 15 yards. Nahzier Booker (Pottstown, Pa./Pottstown) had a career-game for the Huskies with nine total stops, including a sack for 11 yards. Brady Thompson (Green Lane, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) finished the day with nine stops as well and a sack for nine yards. Ervin Mitchell (Waldorf, Md./Westlake) and Lincoln Chimics (Troy, Pa./Troy Area) each had a pass break up for the Huskies.
 
After a scoreless first quarter, the Huskies got on the board first with a seven-yard touchdown catch by Griffen-Batchler with 10:46 to play in the quarter. Landis' first catch as a Husky set up a 1^st-and-goal from the seven yard line as Riley found Landis in traffic with a 25-yard connection to get into the redzone.
 
The Raiders answered with a 12-play, 50-yard scoring drive that took 5:41 off the clock. The Raiders were forced to settle for a 39-yard field goal after an 11-yard sack by Booker knocked the Raiders out of the redzone back to the Bloomsburg 28-yard line.
 
The Huskies took the 7-3 lead into halftime.
 
Following the break, the Raiders recovered the on-sides kick to start the second half at the Bloomsburg 49-yard line. Shippensburg went the 49 yards and punched the ball into the end zone with a 16-yard pass from Riley Gunnels to Jaevon Parker for the 10-7 Raiders lead.
 
The two teams traded punts on their next two drives and the Huskies final drive of the third quarter was thwarted by a Raider interception.
 
The fourth quarter started with three more punts until the second Shippensburg interception gave the ball back to the Raiders with 4:30 to play. The Huskies defense forced a another punt to get the ball back with 2:29 to play but a desperation throw by Brower to avoid a big tackle for loss was picked off by Shippensburg and the Raiders ran out the clock.
 
The Huskies look to rebound next Saturday when they welcome Lock Haven to Redman Stadium for a 2:00 p.m. kick off as Bloomsburg celebrates the anniversary of PSAC Championship teams.