PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania sprint football team got it going early and never looked back, defeating Molloy 14-0. The win for Penn snaps a three-game losing skid and brings them to 2-5 on the year, while the loss for Molloy brings them to 1-6 this season.
 
Quaker Notemeal
* QB Josh Johnson threw for 184 yards and a score, while adding 53 yards and another score on the ground.

* Jason Sheairs led the way with 99 yards through the air. Jake Wang also supplied 70 yards and a touchdown.

* Gavin Griswold secured a sack, nine tackles, and one tackle for a loss. This was his second sack of the year, and he now has 19 tackles across his last two games.

*Last week's Special Teams Player of the Week, Ezra Granet, went 2-2 on extra point attempts in this contest.

How It Happened
Penn got it going early in this one. Following an opening punt, Penn's defense stepped up, with senior Peyton Abika recovering a fumble on Molloy's second play from scrimmage. This turnover set the Quakers up in scoring position, with QB Josh Johnson cashing in the drive with a five-yard rushing touchdown to put the Quakers up 7-0.

Penn's defense in the first quarter continued to apply pressure, with two consecutive three-and-outs and an early second quarter punt. Following the punt, Penn's offense got it going again.

With the help of a pass interference on Molloy's Jashaun Ford, Penn neared midfield before a 21-yard strike to sophomore Jason Sheairs set the Quakers up on the Molloy side of the field. Two plays later, Johnson found Jake Wang for a 38-yard score to give the Red and Blue a firm two-possession lead.

The Quakers defense would not be satisfied with the lead, however. Midway through the second quarter, freshman Ryan Goodrich found himself on the receiving end of a Molloy interception, giving the Quakers the opportunity to blow the game open.

However, Molloy's defense had their signal-caller's back. On the ninth play of a promising Penn drive, Molloy's John Zarnowski would intercept Josh Johnson in the end zone, giving the Lions a boost as the first half neared its end. Despite this setback, the Quakers took a 14-0 lead into half.

The defensive battle continued into second half action. Penn got a stop on fourth down early in the third frame to take over on offense. Yet déjà vu would strike for the Quakers, when Johnson would be picked off once again deep in Molloy territory. Penn's defense continued to make the night difficult on the Lions, however, and got the ball back in short order.

The fourth quarter saw the Lions attempt to push the gas a little more, with a ten-play drive that the Quakers put an end to on a 4th and 4. Penn then went three-and-out, giving the Lions the ball once more. Penn and Molloy continued to trade defensive possessions, but ultimately the two-score lead was too much for the Lions to overcome and the Quakers walked away with a 14-0 victory.
 
Up Next
The Quakers end their season on Franklin Field next Friday at 7 p.m., when they take on Cornell in an Ivy showdown.
 

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