Huskies shut out Gettysburg, finish regular season with a 16-0 win
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LEWISTOWN - Mifflin County spent much of the regular season struggling to run the football. On Senior Night, the Huskies rushed for 152 yards and gave Gettysburg even less room to operate.
Mifflin County held the Warriors to 85 total yards, and Dodger Weaver kicked three field goals in a 16-0 victory Friday to close the regular season. Jake Knable scored the game’s only touchdown on a 1-yard run, finishing an 18-play, 79-yard drive that helped the Huskies take a 13-0 halftime lead.
Mifflin County improved to 3-7 overall and 2-7 in the Mid-Penn Keystone Division. Gettysburg dropped to 5-5 and 4-5.
The Huskies entered averaging 46.1 rushing yards per game. They had 117 by halftime, when their advantage in total offense stood at 181-22. Gettysburg managed 2 rushing yards in the first half while Mifflin County possessed the ball for 19 minutes, 31 seconds.
That combination gave Mifflin County control without requiring an offensive performance built on long gains. The Huskies’ longest run covered 11 yards. They kept advancing through shorter carries, then trusted Weaver when drives stopped short of the end zone.
Weaver made field goals of 32, 49 and 36 yards and added the extra point after Knable’s touchdown. His 49-yarder with two seconds left in the first half extended the lead to 13-0, giving Gettysburg another deficit to address after a half in which it had little opportunity to establish its offense.
The Warriors entered averaging 359 yards per game. MC held them to 25 rushing yards on 23 attempts and 60 yards passing, recorded four sacks for 28 yards in losses and forced two turnovers. Gettysburg failed to convert any of its eight third-down opportunities.
Gettysburg played without its top offensive threat, quarterback Grant Johnson, who had thrown for 1,239 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 994 yards and 10 scores. His absence left the Warriors without their leading rusher and an experienced passer.
Trevor Cunningham, who came in with 909 rushing yards, finished with 36 on 12 carries. Hunter Harlacher completed seven of nine passes for 42 yards with an interception. Dante Howard added 18 passing yards.
For Mifflin County, Jaxon Strohecker had 64 yards on 21 carries. Zyhair Hill ran nine times for 44 yards, and Knable added 36 yards on nine attempts. Quarterback Nick Wolfkiel completed 12 of 16 passes for 59 yards without an interception. Weaver caught four passes for 40 yards.
The Huskies established field position immediately. Landon Bowen returned the opening kickoff 46 yards, and Mifflin County moved into scoring range behind its running game. Strohecker converted a third-and-1 with a 9-yard carry, and Hill added a 10-yard run before Weaver’s 32-yard field goal made it 3-0 with 8:43 left in the first quarter.
MC reached Gettysburg territory again on its next possession, but Weaver missed a 44-yard attempt. The Huskies’ defense preserved the lead, and Brayan Aurand’s 13-yard sack helped end the Warriors’ next possession.
Then MC put together its touchdown drive, beginning at its own 21. Knable gained 9 yards on a third-and-9 carry early in the possession. Later, a Gettysburg penalty on fourth-and-2 allowed the Huskies to continue.
Weaver contributed receptions of 9 and 18 yards, with the latter moving MC to the Gettysburg 7. The Warriors made the Huskies use all four downs from there. Knable scored from the 1 with 2:06 remaining in the half, and Weaver’s extra point made it 10-0.
Mifflin County got the ball back in time for another scoring possession. A 10-yard Strohecker run and an 8-yard completion to Weaver helped move the Huskies into position for the 49-yard field goal.
Gettysburg sustained a possession to open the second half, converting twice on fourth down and reaching the Husky 36. Mifflin County responded with consecutive sacks separated by a holding penalty. A drive that had offered the Warriors a chance to reduce the deficit ended with a punt.
Bowen then intercepted Harlacher and returned the ball 30 yards to the Gettysburg 10. MC couldn’t turn the short field into a touchdown, but Weaver made his 36-yard field goal seven seconds into the fourth quarter for the final margin.
The Warriors’ next possession ended with a lost fumble. Gettysburg finished without a run longer than 15 yards or a completion longer than 12, leaving it unable to produce the quick score that might have changed the fourth quarter.
Mifflin County committed no turnovers and allowed no sacks. For a team that had struggled to sustain offense, the regular-season finale offered a clear improvement: productive rushing, secure possessions and a defense that never required more than the points already on the board.
Mifflin County 16, Gettysburg 0
| Gettysburg | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mifflin County | 3 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 16 |
First quarter
MC: Dodger Weaver 32 field goal, 8:43.
Second quarter
MC: Jake Knable 1 run (Weaver kick), 2:06.
MC: Weaver 49 field goal,:02.
Fourth quarter
MC: Weaver 36 field goal, 11:53.
TEAM STATISTICS
Gettysburg | Mifflin County |
| First downs | 7 | 13 |
| Rushes-yards | 23-25 | 41-152 |
| Passing yards | 60 | 59 |
| Completions-attempts-interceptions | 10-14-1 | 12-16-0 |
| Total yards | 85 | 211 |
| Fumbles-lost | 3-1 | 0-0 |
| Penalties-yards | 5-40 | 6-45 |
| Punts-average | 4-30.0 | 2-35.5 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Gettysburg, Trevor Cunningham 12-36, Dante Howard 5-14, Reid Whitmoyer 1-2, Hunter Harlacher 5-(minus 27). Mifflin County, Jaxon Strohecker 21-64, Zyhair Hill 9-44, Jake Knable 9-36, Nick Wolfkiel 2-8.
PASSING: Gettysburg, Harlacher 7-9-1, 42 yards; Howard 3-4-0, 18; Jack Biggins 0-1-0, 0. Mifflin County, Wolfkiel 12-16-0, 59.
RECEIVING: Gettysburg, Elijah Allen 4-25, Jayden Spencer 3-22, unidentified receivers 3-13. Mifflin County, Dodger Weaver 4-40, Landon Bowen 3-8, Knable 3-(minus 2), Strohecker 1-8, Lance Hartung 1-5.