By Evin Caswell, Staff Writer
The Susquehanna football team traveled to Moravian College on Oct. 19 where they defeated Moravian 31-7 thanks to sophomore quarterback Michael Ruisch, who led the offense with two rush- ing touchdowns.
Moravian started the game with their only score of the contest. An 84-yard touch- down pass from sophomore Moravian quarterback Christopher Mills to sophomore wide receiver Eddie Olsen put the Greyhounds up 7-0.
Susquehanna junior running back Da’Avian Ellington fumbled the ball on Moravian’s one- yard line to end the first quarter with Susquehanna trailing 7-0.
Susquehanna’s first score came when sophomore kicker Elijah Hoffman hit a 29-yard eld goal attempt after a 26- yard drive, decreasing Moravian’s lead 7-3.
With under seven minutes left in the second quarter, a 54-yard River Hawk drive ended with a four-yard rushing touchdown from Ruisch to put Susquehanna up 10-7.
The second touchdown for the River Hawks came when senior outside linebacker Craig Roumes sacked Moravian’s Mills, causing a fumble which Roumes picked up and carried back for a touch- down, increasing the lead to 17-7 after a successful kick from Hoffman.
Totaling nine tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup, Roumes was selected as The College Football Network’s Division III Defensive Player of the Week.
The final touchdown of the quarter for the River Hawks was again thanks to Ruisch who rushed eight yards for the touchdown to put Susquehanna up 24-7.
“We started off the game a little slow, but we trusted our preparation and game plan, which led to dominating all three phases of the game after their first score,” Hoffman said.
Both teams went scoreless in the third quarter despite Susquehanna turning it over on downs and Moravian intercepting a pass.
Susquehanna used the clock to their advantage in the fourth quarter. An 11-play 49-yard drive that lasted seven minutes ended with sophomore running back Xavier Briggs-DeVore rushing for a two-yard touchdown to give the River Hawks a 31-7 lead.
Ruisch went 18 for 32 for 158 yards while rushing for two touchdowns on four carries. Senior wide receiver Mitch Carsley led the River Hawks in receiving yards with 58 yards on six catches.
Ellington led Susquehanna in rushing yards and carries with 88 yards on 19 carries. Briggs- DeVore added 61 yards on 14 carries and one touchdown.
Following the victory, Susquehanna moved up one spot in both the D3football. com rankings and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) rankings. In the D3football.com polls, the River Hawks moved from No. 21 to No. 20, while jumping from No.23 to No.22 in the AFCA polls.
On the season overall, the River Hawks now own a 5-1 record while also owning a 4-1 record in the Centennial Conference.
The next game coming up for Susquehanna is homecoming, as the River Hawks will host Ursinus at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 in Selinsgrove, Pa.
Ursinus is currently 3-3 on the season and is coming off of back-to-back losses to No. 18 John’s Hopkins and No. 6 Muhlenberg. The Bears will look to get back on track against the River Hawks.