HARRISBURG – Central Dauphin trailed 24-6 after three quarters when the Rams scored 15 unanswered points to pull within a field goal. The Rams had one more shot on a 40-yard field goal attempt by kicker Sean Fakete. The kick sailed wide left.
Cumberland Valley turned two turnovers into scores. Quarterback Eric Sawyer hit Kevin Snyder for a 16-yard touchdown pass and Lance Geesey’s 25-yard field goal gave them a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.
The Eagles would add to their lead, when Sawyer ran for three yards and gave Cumberland Valley a 17-3 lead.
The Rams kicker Sean Fakete hit a 30-yard field goal with no time left in the first half. The Eagles led 17-6. Fakete also had a 35-yard kick early in the quarter.
The Eagles would extend their lead in the third quarter when Snyder scored on the five-yard run. They led 24-6.
The Rams wouldn’t give up and made things interesting in the fourth quarter.
The Rams scored early in the fourth quarter on a three-yard run from Kyle Wolfe. They forced a three-and-out and got the ball right back.
The Rams drove 59 yards on four plays as Lewis Correale hit Jon Schnarrs for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 7:52 to go in the game. Correale hit Marcus Simpson for the two-point conversion to pull Central Dauphin within three points, 24-21.
Momentum was on the Rams’ side.
Central Dauphin head coach Glen McNamee said, “We have a lot of pride and desire. We came hard out of the gates, but our mistakes put us in a hole.”
The Rams got the ball back and moved it once again to setup the game tying field goal attempt. Both sides watched as the kick sailed wide.
Cumberland Valley Quarterback Eric Sawyer said, “It definitely came down to the wire.”
Cumberland Valley’s quarterback Eric Sawyer completed 7 of 14 pass for 121 yards and one score. Snyder added 57 yards and Travis Friend rushed for 88 yards.
Lewis Correale of Central Dauphin finished the game by completing 10 of 18 passes for 150 yards and one score. Colton Charles added 164 yards rushing.
Cumberland Valley advanced with the 24-21 win over Central Dauphin in the District 3 Class 4A quarterfinal game.
With the win Cumberland Valley will play Wilson on Friday at 7pm in a semifinal game.
