Selinsgrove, Pa. – Playing its first game since November 23, 2019, the Susquehanna football team picked up where it left off and registered its ninth consecutive win with a 44-10 season-opening victory over Lycoming Saturday afternoon at a sun-splashed Doug Arthur Stadium. Quarterback Michael Ruisch (Fogelsville, PA/Parkland) led the potent Rivers Hawks offense by completing 19 of 26 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns. Five of those receptions were by Samuel Darrell (Plainfield, NJ/Pope John XXIII, who had a team-high 76 yards and one touchdown.
 
Susquehanna (1-0) also had a strong ground game with four different players recording at least 30 yards rushing, including a team-high 41 from both Ruisch and Will Cardew (Ridgewodd, NJ/ Ridgewood). The River Hawks outgained the Warriors 411-195, including 174-40 on the ground.
 
Susquehanna dominated the middle two quarters, outscoring Lycoming (0-1) 24-3 in the middle two stanzas. The River Hawks reeled off 31 consecutive points during one stretch spanning from the second quarter to the fourth. Their biggest lead was 34 points at 37-3 and the final 44-10 margin.
 
Five different Susquehanna players scored touchdowns in the game, with Frankie Negrini (Riverdale, NJ/Pompton Lakes) crossing the goal line twice on runs.
 
After punting on three of its first four possessions, the River Hawk offense got in gear. They scored on each of their final six possessions of the contest, capping the scoring on an 8-yard Negrini run with 1:13 to play. Each of those scoring possessions lasted at least six plays, with three of them going at least 10 plays.
 
Susquehanna possessed the ball for nearly 37 minutes thanks to a strong performance on third downs. The River Hawks were 9 of 14 on third down, compared to 5 of 14 for the Warriors.
 
Other Notes

• Anthony Scicchitano (Paxinos, PA/Southern Columbia Area) led the Susquehanna defense with seven tackles, while David Gilchrist (Upper Marlboro, MD/Dr. Henry Wise Jr.), Salvatore Gurnari (Ashley, PA/Hanover Area) and Riley Gaughan (Taylor, PA/Riverside) recorded sacks. Gurnari also forced a fumble deep in Lycoming territory that the Warriors eventually recovered.
• Lycoming quarterback Elijah Shemory finished the game 14-for-26 for 155 yards, while Kyle Powell was the Warriors' top rusher with just 13 yards.

Up Next

• Susquehanna will commence a two-game road trip next Saturday at Franklin & Marshall before returning home for a Sept. 25 contest against Dickinson.

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