GETTYSBURG, PA. — Gettysburg scored the first 21 points of the game before hanging on for a 38-23 victory over McDaniel in Centennial Conference football action Saturday at Musselman Stadium.
Junior quarterback Will Koester led the Green Terror (1-4, 1-3 Centennial) with 251 yards passing, completing 27 of 49 passes with three touchdowns.
Gettysburg quarterback Danny Thompson, back from injury, paced the Bullets with 117 yards rushing and 95 yards passing.
Thompson eluded a tackle to convert a fourth-and-10 from the McDaniel 26 on Gettysburg's opening possession, setting up first-and-goal at the one-yard line. Three plays later, Justin Walsh capped the 13-play, 71-yard drive with a one-yard dive for a 7-0 lead with 11:42 to play in the opening quarter.
After a squib kick that traveled just 11 yards, Gettysburg recovered and drove eight plays to double the lead with Walsh's second one-yard scoring run.
Walsh set up a first down at the seven-yard line with a 54-yard scamper to end the first quarter. Justin Davidov capped the three-play drive on the first play of the second quarter to stretch the lead to 21-0.
With 4:30 to play in the opening half, Koester found Tyler DeMent on a third-and-goal in the back of the end zone to cap a 12-play, 59-yard drive. The snap was bobbled on the point-after attempt keeping it a 21-6 game.
The Green Terror took the first possession of the second half 65 yards, with Koester finding Andre Henry Jr. for the final 31 yards and cutting the deficit to 24-13 with 11:12 to play in the third quarter.
Taking over at the Bullet 38-yard line with 8:53 to play in the third quarter after a botched snap on a punt attempt, Koester and John Chamberlin marched McDaniel down the field in seven plays. Koester hit Bamasa Bailor with a touchdown pass from 8 yards out with 5:19 to play in the third quarter to draw the visitors within 24-20.
A Chase Fee 10-yard touchdown catch pushed the lead to 31-20 with 12:19 to play to cap an eight-play drive in response.
Spencer Wiersberg, the reigning Centennial Conference Special Teams Player of the Week, converted a 29-yard field goal to make it a one-score game once again with 6:55 to play.
Davidov made it a 38-23 game, running to the left side from 1 yard out with 2:46 to play.
Keegan Romanoff led the McDaniel defense with eight tackles and a forced fumble.
The Terror were looking for back-to-back wins for the first time since 2010. But Gettysburg prevailed for the sixth straight time in the all-time series and lead it 51-18-2.
The Green Terror have next week off before traveling to Franklin & Marshall on Oct. 15. Game time is 1 p.m.