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Jersey Shore earns hard-fought road win against Montoursville in Week 2

By CHRIS MASSE 9 min read

Montoursville stole the momentum; temperatures hovered near 80 degrees and three-way Jersey Shore starters coming off an altered practice week appeared staggered.

So, Jersey Shore seemingly had Montoursville right where it wanted it as the fourth quarter progressed Friday night at Memorial Stadium.

Because, Jersey Shore has built a tremendous tradition built upon excelling in just these circumstances. When situations so often are too tough for many, the Bulldogs consistently play their best.

They did so again Friday and it produced an exciting; hard-fought win.

Quarterback Nolen Pauling totaled 298 yards and four touchdowns; Carter Rhinehart caught two touchdowns while producing 158 yards and Isaac Shirey fueled a resilient defense as Jersey Shore defeated Montoursville, 27-13. The Bulldogs won their fourth straight in a long series which was interrupted for two years, doing so in front of a huge crowd and in typical gutsy Jersey Shore fashion.

"Our toughness is unbelievable," Rhinehart said after generating eight catches and scoring both the game’s first and last touchdowns. "During practices, our coaches always push us. We just never give up."

"It shows in times of need we can get it done," Shirey said after anchoring both lines and collecting two sacks, while forcing a critical first quarter fumble which ended a drive. "That’s where our two-a-days and all that training from January to June and over the summer training comes into play."

Jersey Shore (2-0) called on all that preparation; all that work when so few are watching to shine when so many were Friday night. Montoursville (1-1) gave the Bulldogs all they could handle, twice making it a one score game in the fourth quarter.

Just when it felt like Montoursville might break through and beat Jersey Shore for the first time since 2019, the Bulldogs thundered back. Pauling ripped off a 38-yard run which set up his 4-yard touchdown run following Kaden Kleinmann’s 7-yard touchdown run making it, 13-6.

One play later, Elijah Eck found James Williams for a 60-yard touchdown and Montoursville closed within 19-13 before forcing a quick punt. This time, the defense answered; Aiden Patts forcing a hurried fourth down pass and Hayden Kelley provided strong coverage as Jersey Shore turned away Montoursville after it reached the Bulldog 32.

From there, Pauling and Rhinehart did their best Joe Montana to Jerry Rice impersonation. They connected three times for 62 yards and a Pauling 10-yard touchdown to Rhinehart on 4th-and-3 all but sealed victory, putting Jersey Shore up, 27-13 with 1 minute 43 seconds remaining.

Offensively, defensively or on special teams, it was not that Jersey Shore made plays, but when it did so which made the biggest difference. That included Zeke Sechrist recovering a fumble at the 1-yard line when it appeared Montoursville would tie it early; Shirey’s strip sack and kicker Gabe Welshans saving a kick return touchdown with a jarring second quarter tackle.

"What pleased me most is the way the team responded twice in that game when Montoursville started to catch fire," Jersey Shore coach Tom Gravish said. "Each time, they delivered and we put together two touchdown drives. Hat’s off to all our guys for focusing when it really mattered."

Jersey Shore relied on its will as much as its skill as a young, but exciting Montoursville team pushed it hard following an impressive season-opening win at Troy. The defense bottled up Jersey Shore for large chunks of time, Eck threw for 197 yards and Kleinmann gained tough yards. Maxton Williamson, Branson Fogleman, Riggs McGraw and Jacob Schon all produced tackles for loss and Montoursville had Jersey Shore on the ropes throughout the game.

The Bulldogs simply refused to go down and responded with their own haymakers.

"Hat’s off to Montoursville for their effort," Gravish said. "That’s a great team."

Jersey Shore started putting the finishing touches on a great win following its clutch stop at the 32 with 4:48 remaining. From there, Pauling and Rhinehart went to work. Rhinehart was covered well, but Pauling made a perfect throw and the receiver a great catch on a 34-yard pickup on 2nd-and-15. Jersey Shore faced a 2nd-and-20 two plays later and Rhinehart hauled in an 18-yard pass. Following a one-yard loss, Jersey Shore faced 4th-and-3 at the 10.

Here, Pauling used both his head and arm to do damage. Following a Montoursville timeout, Pauling went to the line; surveyed the scene and did not like what he saw, calling a timeout. Rhinehart gave Gravish some feedback during that timeout, the coach went with that input and then watched Pauling and Rhinehart brilliantly execute the play.

For the first time, Jersey Shore called a slant. Again, Rhinehart had a defender draped upon him. Again, it did not matter.

Pauling made a snap throw, hitting Rhinehart between the numbers and the junior receiver hauled in the pass while absorbing contact. Pauling made like Houdini on the ensuing 2-point try, whirling away from multiple defenders and finding Conner Winters for a leaping conversion. With Montoursville out of timeouts, Jersey Shore all but clinched victory.

"Me and Nolen have great chemistry. Every single 7-on-7 this summer, we just kept growing and growing. Every practice we’re locked on," Rhinehart said after topping 100 yards and catching multiple touchdowns for a second straight game. "I just kept telling him I’ll be open; you just have to trust me. He trusted me and threw me that ball and I was able to catch it."

Rhinehart did so on the game’s second play as well and this one produced a long, spectacular result.

Pauling (174 yards passing, 124 rushing) looked right and found him open on a wide receiver screen. Rhinehart made a quick juke, beat his man and was off to the races. A convoy of Bulldogs cleared the way and Rhinehart went untouched, capping a 72-yard touchdown play which put Jersey Shore ahead, 6-0 just 41 seconds into the game.

"I just have to give credit to my blockers. Conner Yingling is out there on every single screen working his butt off and the linemen, too," Rhinehart said. "They help me every time and help me get down the field."

Montoursville moved right down the field on its first possession, perfectly executing an 11-play, clock-eating drive which had it on the doorstep of a touchdown with a first-and-goal at the 1. And that is when Jersey Shore formed an Orange and White wall.

Pauling and standout linebacker Chase Ellison stopped Eck for no gain on first down. A play later, Jersey Shore forced a fumble and Zeke Sechrist recovered, turning the Warriors away.

That was the start of a fantastic night for Ellison whose father Luke once dominated at Montoursville in the mid-2000s, earning all-state honors in 2005. The sophomore unofficially made 13 tackles, including two for loss and was a big reason the Warriors gained just 17 yards on their final 15 first-half plays.

Shirey made a similar massive impact and made one of the game’s biggest plays on the next Warrior drive. Montoursville moved to Jersey Shore’s 25-yard line, but following a Yingling tackle for a two-yard loss, Shirey burst through the line, sacked the quarterback and forced a fumble which was recovered near midfield.

"Before the play happens, I kind of envision it in my mind, so I can manifest that play. Usually it works," Shirey said. " Eli Eck was rolling out to right. I came out blindside and tackled him. It felt great."

Shirey symbolized Jersey Shore’s grit Friday. He was not expected to play much defensively, but constantly was on the field and consistently made huge plays. It seemed fitting then, that Shirey officially clinched victory when he was in on a game-ending sack as time expired and Jersey Shore turned Montoursville away for the fourth time after it had crossed the Bulldog 40.

"Last year, Talyn Lope was a great leader. He taught me a lot of things," Shirey said. "This year, it’s my turn to step up and lead on defensive and offensive line."

Montoursville possesses similar exciting players along its lines and both enjoyed exciting moments. Following a 31-yard Eck to Jay Houseknecht completion, the line led the way as Kleinmann bulldozed his way for the 7-yard touchdown which made it, 13-6. It then gave Eck time to throw on the next series with Williams, making a nifty move after catching a short pass, breaking toward the middle and going for his 60-yard touchdown.

The defense made a lot of plays, too. Following Rhinehart’s first quarter touchdown, it allowed just two first downs until the fourth quarter, one being a Pauling 40-yard touchdown run.

Really, it was not what the defense did wrong but what Jersey Shore did right. It was tough at times to run against Montoursville, but Pauling looked like a magician at times running the option and his quick mind and legs came together for that 40-yard second quarter touchdown run, the 38-yarder in the fourth and his 4-yard score which made it, 19-6.

On the next series, it was Pauling’s arm, Rhinehart’s hands and the line’s blocking which sparked the game-clinching drive.

"Nolen’s a great leader," Shirey said. "He leads us in the right direction. He definitely keeps us positive."

The biggest positive for area football fans was seeing not just two proud programs play again, but play a great game again. Each team takes plenty away from Friday’s game which can make it better going forward and fans can realize again how fun this rivalry really is.

"This is just a fabulous rivalry. It should have never been stopped for two years. We’re happy it’s back," Gravish said. "It’s a packed house. It’s Montoursville, so it’s always packed; we’re going to bring a great crowd. They’re band is into it; our band is into it and the fans are into it. Montoursville has a fabulous program and a rich tradition. We like playing teams like these."

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