Abington Heights wins slugfest

Comets draw curtain on Dawgs’ season with 44-35 victory

BERWICK- The Abington Heights Comets came into the district 2 class AAA championship without finding the goldzone in their last eight quarters. They made up for things a bit at Crispin Field Saturday afternoon finding paydirt a total of six times for 44 points with a 42 yard field goal to boot. The Comets would end Berwick’s season with the 44-35 victory and advance to the PIAA state tournament in which they will square off against district 11 champions Allentown Central Catholic.

Berwick would grab the early lead scoring on their first series with Sr. RB Jeff Steeber capping a three play drive on the jet sweep left scampering 74 yards to paydirt. So. K Olivia Seely would nail the PAT, with the score Dawgs 7, Comets 0.

Abington Heights would answer back on their very next series on a 13 play drive going 60 yards. Jr. WR Nathan Hollander would haul in a three yard reception from Sr. QB Dante Pasqualichio to cap the drive. Sr. K Ryan Patrick would nail the PAT and the slugfest began, with the score Dawgs 7, Comets 7.

Berwick’s Sr. RB Matt Cashman would get in the action on the very next play of the game returning  the kickoff from Abington Heights 98 yards to the goldzone and Berwick would regain the lead after Seely’s PAT, with the score Dawgs 14, Comets 7.

The Comets would answer right back on their next series on a five play drive that covered 49 yards with Sr. RB Ryan Judge capping things off on a six yard jaunt to paydirt. Patrick would boot the PAT, with the score Dawgs 14, Comets 14.

There would be no more scoring until the 3:20 mark of the 2^nd quarter. The Comets would take their first lead with Sr. TE Pat Williams capping a seven play drive that covered 65 yards on a delayed screen going 22 yards to paydirt. Patrick added the PAT, with the score Comets 21, Dawgs 14. Little did they know it, but Abington Heights would never let their lead slip away from this point on. Patrick would add a 42 yard field goal after and interception by Jr. DB J.C Show, with the score Comets 24, Dawgs 14.

Berwick would put together a sustained drive late in the 2^nd quarter going 78 yards on 11 plays, only to see Jr. QB C.J. Curry come up just two yards short of the goldzone as time expired in the first half and the Dawgs were turned away.

The Dawgs would start quick in the 2^nd half just needing three plays to find the scoreboard with Steeber scoring his second of the day on a 55 yard scamper. Seely’s PAT was good, with the score Comets 24, Dawgs 21.

Abington Heights then would answer right back as Hollander got involved in another special teams score, running the kickoff  back 75 yards to paydirt. Patrick’s PAT was good and with just one minute and 46 minutes ran off in the 3^rd quarter both teams had scored, with the score Comets 31, Dawgs 21.

Berwick would again answer on their next series, going 67 yards on 13 plays with Steeber capping the drive on a three yard jaunt. Seely’s PAT good, with the score Comets 31, Dawgs 28.

The Comets would only need three plays to find the goldzone on their next series with Judge capping the 60 yard scoring drive on a 25 yard scamper. Patrick PAT good, with the score Comets 38, Dawgs 28.

The Dawgs would get their final score of the day with 7:25 left in the game as Cashman returned an Abington Height’s punt 75 yards to the Comet’s five yard line. Steeber would need just two plays to get the next five yards. Seely’s  PAT was good, with the score Comets 38, Dawgs 35.

Abington Height would seal the deal on their next offensive series with another touchdown. This time, the Comets would march 69 yards on seven plays with Show hauling in the 10 yard pass from Pasqualichio to cap the final score of the day.

Berwick would run eight plays on their final offensive series, with a turnover on downs. Abington Height would go into victory formation to run out the clock on their next series, with the final score Comets 44, Dawgs 35.