SOUTH CENTRE TWP – Warrior Run was coming off a pair of very tough losses the last two weeks to teams they are battling with for playoff position in District 4 Class 2A.
The Defenders dropped a one-point game to Loyalsock two weeks ago, then followed that up with a double overtime loss to Hughesville last week. So, Warrior Run desperately needed to get back on track in Week 9 as the Defenders traveled to 2-6 Central Columbia.
While it wasn’t particularly easy, especially in the first half, the Defenders defense stepped up big, particularly in the second half, and shut out the Bluejays after Central had scored a pair of touchdowns on long passes in the first half, and Warrior Run did get back on track with a 30-12 win over the Bluejays.
“The last two weeks really sucked a lot out of us mentally, emotionally and physically, so I’m proud of how they responded after having those last two games slip away,” said Warrior Run coach Derrick Zechman. “Central came out and played a good game tonight, scoring early. We still need to clean some things up that need to be fixed going into the playoffs, but tonight is a step in the right direction. Our defense is always going to keep us in games.”
That defense held Central to just 11 yards of offense in the second half, which allowed the Defenders to extend a slim two-point halftime lead with three scores in the second half. Overall, Warrior Run held the Bluejays to -11 yards rushing on the night.
“I was disappointed with our running game tonight so we’ll have to look and see what happened on film,” said Smith. “Their linebacker, Butler, was very good and he hit us on a couple of blitzes, well-timed, but I was proud of how we threw the ball because if this was three or four weeks ago, we’d have been in big trouble.”
The air game, at least in the first half, was one of the bright spots for Central. After the Bluejays received the opening kickoff, Parker Day tossed a 36-yard touchdown to offensive lineman-turned tight end Kole Hummer on a fourth-and-seven play to put Central up 6-0.
Day later tossed another long touchdown pass of 50 yards, hitting Dylan Shultz in stride late in the second quarter. Day threw for 155 yards to go with the two touchdowns.
“Parker is an unbelievable athlete and he’s only a second-year football player and a first-year quarterback. He busts his rear end, and he’s been working hard and if we had him for another year, he’d be so good. I’m so proud of him for all the work he’s put in and he gives us everything he’s got,” said Smith.
Day’s counterpart, James Keifer completed 18-of-28 passes for 234 yards and had a pair of touchdowns while Colby LaBarron went over the century mark on the ground with 114 yards on 21 carries, with 75 of those coming in the second half as the Defenders went to the ground late to run out the clock.
It was a close game in the first half, though, thanks to the two long touchdown passes by Central Columbia. A failed PAT and two-point conversion by the Bluejays were the only things standing between a tied game at the half.
In between Central’s two touchdowns in the first half, Warrior Run got a five-yard touchdown run by Eli Butler on its ensuing drive following Hummer’s touchdown, and Keifer later hit Sam Hall in full stride in the end zone over the middle to make it 14-6 late in the first quarter.
The Defenders nearly extended their lead heading into halftime, but a 35-yard field attempt by Gavin Hunter hit the crossbar and bounced in front of the goal post rather than over it, keeping the score 14-12 at the half.
Warrior Run received the second half kickoff and proceeded to put together a 10-play, 53-yard drive that ended with a successful field goal by Hunter, a 23-yarder to extend the lead to 17-12.
“We’re very fortunate to have Gavin. He’s been doing an excellent job all year. If we get him in range, that gives us an added edge to score points. He almost made that one just off the crossbar, and he’s done a heckuva job all year for us,” said Zechman.
Later in the third quarter, Keifer hit Cohen Zechman in the end zone for a five-yard touchdown reception to extend the lead to 23-12.
LeBarron capped the scoring late in the fourth quarter with a three-yard touchdown run to finish up an 11-play drive that chewed up 5:45 of clock.
While Central, which will not be going to the playoffs, missed its chance to affect the race for the playoff spots in Class 2A, the Bluejays will have a chance to do so again next week when they square off with rival Bloomsburg, which is also once of the teams battling in a crowded race for one of those playoff spots.
“It’s been a rough year and we’ve played a tough schedule but our kids love football, so they get up for games and they won’t have any problem getting up for next week,” said Central coach E.J. Smith. “It doesn’t matter if one of us is really good and the other one isn’t – it’s going to be a good game, it’s a rivalry and that’s the way it is.”
Warrior Run 30, Central Columbia 12
Warrior Run (6-3) 14 0 9 7 – 30
Central Columbia (2-7) 6 6 0 0 – 12
First quarter
10:26 – (CC) Kole Hummer 36-yard pass from Parker Day (kick failed), 4-39, 1:34
8:24 – (WR) Eli Butler 5-yard run (Hunter kick), 5-55, 2:02
1:28 – (WR) Sam Hall 20-yard pass from James Keifer (Hunter kick), 11-72, 5:13
Second quarter
3:39 – (CC) Dylan Shultz 50-yard pass from Parker Day (pass failed), 5-66, 2:34
Third quarter
8:31 – (WR) Gavin Hunter 23-yard field goal, 10-53, 3:29
:52 – (WR) Cohen Zechman 5-yard pass from James Keifer (pass failed), 7-48, 3:47
Fourth quarter
1:34 – (WR) Colby LeBarron 3-yard run (Hunter kick), 11-45, 5:45
Statistics
WR CC
First downs 22 7
Rushes-net yards 37-132 19-(-11)
Passing yardage 234 155
Passing 18-28-2-0 9-20-2-1
Fumbles-lost 3-0 2-0
Penalties-yards 6-60 6-37
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Warrior Run: Colby LeBarron (21-114-1), Eli Butler (14-36-1), James Keifer (1-(-17)), Team (1-(-1); Central Columbia: Ty Regan (7-22), Parker Day (4-(-12)), Demir Wood (3-(-4)), Josh Worthington (3-(-1)), Team (2-(-16))
PASSING: Warrior Run: James Keifer (18-28-234-2-0); Central Columbia: Parker Day (9-20-155-2-1)
RECEIVING: Warrior Run: Cohen Zechman (5-69-1), Sam Hall (4-61-1), Eli Butler (3-26), Tyler Ulrich (2-21), Stone Allison (2-12), Colby LeBarron (1-19), Gavin Getz (1-26); Central Columbia: Kole Hummer (5-96-1), Dylan Shultz (2-57-1), Alex Zeisloft (2-2)
