Oct. 30, 2004

Final Stats

Shippensburg, Pa. - Josh Kniess became the 20th player in Rock history to rush for 1,000 or yards in a single season on Saturday to highlight The Rock's effort in a 35-17 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division loss at No. 14 Shippensburg.

Kniess had 120 yards on only 10 carries to improve his season total to 1,072 -- the 16th highest total in school history.

An interesting footnote to Kniess' effort Saturday: Shippensburg entered the game allowing opposing teams only 77.3 yards per game rushing, the best mark in the 14-team PSAC.

Rock freshman Corey Manfull, Kniess' backup, bettered the Red Raiders' per game average as well. He had 83 yards on 13 carries and scored one touchdown on a pass reception from backup quarterback A.J. Ruperto.

The Rock amassed 179 rushing yards and 310 yards in total offense against a Shippensburg defense led the PSAC in fewest yards allowed (208.4).

The Rock scored 17 second-half points after falling into a 28-0 hole in the first half.

Luke Wetzel caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from starting QB Nate Crookshank to cap a four-play, 98-yard drive and get The Rock on the scoreboard for the first time at the 11:59 mark of the first half.

The big play on that drive was an 80-yard scamper by Kniess to the Ship 16-yard line two plays prior to the Crookshank-to-Wetzel scoring play.

Manfull caught an eight-yard pass from Ruperto to culminate a six-play, 76-yard scoring drive at the 3:30 mark of the third perid. Manfull and Ruperto also hooked up for a 13-yard completion during the drive.

The final Rock points came on a 33-yard field goal by Ryan Daniel with 12:08 left to play in the game.

Shippensburg, the No. 1-ranked team in the NCAA Division II Northeast Region, had 418 yards in total offense behind a 156-yard, one-TD rushing effort by John Kuhn. Walter Crump added 134 rushing yards and two TDs for the Red Raiders, who had 314 yards on the ground.

The Rock closes out its 2004 campaign next Saturday, Oct. 6, with a 1 p.m. game against PSAC-West rival Clarion on Bob DiSpirito Field at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.