Shawn Weller

CATAWISSA: Southern Columbia has captured their 21st District IV Class A Championship by overwhelming South Williamsport by a score of 47 – 12. Like many area contests this weekend, this was a rematch of a regular season game in which the Tigers prevailed 42 – 21 on week four. It was the Mounties only loss thus far. It was the second such rematch for the Mounties,  after defeating Bloomsburg again last week 32 – 16. That win, coupled with Southern’s lack-luster performances recently, made the outcome of the title game in no way a given.

In fact, South jumped out to the early lead at the 7:20 mark of the first period. After each team punted on their first offensive series, the Mounties were set up with a 1st-and-10 at the Tiger 43. Dominick Bragalone got the pitch, broke into the secondary and hurdled a defender on his way to the endzone. The two-point conversion pass attempt fell incomplete and the Mounties were up 6 – 0.

The Tigers buckled down and found their rhythm from there. They responded less than two minutes later with a 30 yard touchdown run by Taylor Young, made possible by a crushing block by Ryan Cherwinski . An uncharacteristic high snap on the PAT caused the kick to be blocked, leaving the score knotted at 6 – 6.

Next the Southern Columbia defense came up big. On 3rd-and-11 Trent Donlan and Mitch Stanziale combined on a huge sack on Tyler House for a loss of 12 to end the first quarter. On the ensuing punt, Jake Becker brought heavy pressure and blocked the kick. When another South player tried to pick up the ball and pass it they were flagged, resulting in a first down for the Tigers at the Mountie 32. After a 15 yard reception from Young to Bryce Parry to the 13, Adam Feudale rumbled in for the score. Blake Marks added the two point conversion when he caught a quick pass from Young.

On their next possession, the Tigers scored on a 51 yard catch and run from Young to Matt Lupold to go ahead 21 – 6 with 7:40 to go in the half. Meanwhile, the defense was bottling up the power-running of the Mounties, forcing another three-and-out. Feudale pounded ahead for 12 yards, then Young broke loose for 29 to the Mountie 2 yard-line. Young ran a keeper in for the score and 28 – 6 lead.

The Tigers scored once more before the half after Marks caught a 20 yard pass at South’s 25. Feudale bowled in from there at 1:55 and the teams entered the locker rooms at 35 – 6.

Southern received the second half kick-off and march right down the field, putting the game into the “mercy rule” at 41 – 6 on a four yard Marks touchdown run. The Tiger reserves scored in the final period when sophomore, Matt Jeremiah weaved his way in from the 19. Then the Mounties managed to tack on a score on their final possession on the legs of Brandon Stonge.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT(10-2) has had their first winning season in many years under it’s new coaching staff lead by Chris Eiswerth. Their only two losses each came at the hands of the Tigers. Congratulations to the Mounties on a fine 2012 season and reaching the District IV final.

SOUTHERN COLUMBIA(12-0) advances to the opening round of state play offs. They will travel to a D-II site to take on the DUNMORE BUCKS(11-1) who took revenge on OLD FORGE(11-1) by the score of 7 – 6 after falling to them 21 – 0  on week four. The road will continue to get rougher for Jim Roth’s Tiger from here on.

CATAWISSA: In what has become a terrific rivalry in recent years, the 2012 version of the Line Mountain Eagles vs. the Southern Columbia Tigers was the most exciting to date. Despite always playing tough against the Tigers, the Eagles have only beaten them once in 14 contests (a 22 – 17 win in the 2007 D-IV semi). But, under first-year head coach Rodney Knock, they played their best game yet, only to watch victory slip away in the final minutes.

Like two brawling heavy-weights, the teams pushed back-and-forth for the first quarter – testing each other for weaknesses. Then, on the first play of the second quarter, Eagles quarterback, Cole Rickert, threw a 27 yard strike to Jeremy Renn for a first-down at the Line Mountain 49. The next play was a toss to Dillan Michael which he carried the remainder of the 51 yards to the endzone. In a flash, Line Mountain was up 7 – 0.

When Southern tried to reciprocate on the third play of their next series, Taylor Young’s 30 yard pass was picked-off by Micheal at the Eagle 46. With a short field, the Eagles  clawed their way down to the Tiger 26. It was there that coach Knock sent in back-up QB, Codi Morris, on a third-and-five play. Morris took the keeper, found a seam, broke into Southern’s backfield, and never looked back on a 26 yard touchdown run. A second wobbly PAT conversion, and just like that, the Eagles were up 14 – 0.

With momentum well in their favor, Line Mountain’s defense kept Southern’s typically potent offense in check, holding the 2 touchdown lead into the half. The Eagles were doing everything right, and the Tigers seemed to be trying to wake up from a nap. The only dark spot for Line Mountain came on the last series of the half when Renn sustained an ankle injury while tumbling out-of-bounds on an incomplete pass play. The injury would haunt the Eagles since Renn was also their starting cornerback and return man. In all, Line Mountain dominated the Tigers with over 200 yards of total offense in the half to a dismal 87 yards of offense for Southern.

Coach Roth’s Tigers needed to start executing, finishing plays and make a statement to begin the second half. Receiving the ball at their own 31, that’s just what they did. Young clipped off 15 yards on a QB sweep. Then freshman running-back, Blake Marks, scrambled for 14 to the Eagle 39. In all, Southern took control of the tempo utilizing 12 rushes and one short pass before Adam Feudale punched it in from the one yard-line.

However, as methodical as the Tigers’ drive was, the Eagles were explosive. Rickert hit Michael again – this time for 53 yards to the Southern 11. Rickert then ran keepers for 10 yards and the one yard touchdown. Line Mountain had recaptured the two-score lead in 1 minute 33 seconds.

Southern’s next possession  ended in a punt after three plays when a holding penalty brought back a long run by Feudale, then Young was sacked for a loss of four. Jake Becker’s punt netted 50 yards and was downed at the Eagles’ 18.

The Tiger defense proceeded to make a crucial stop, forcing a short punt by the Eagles which was downed just across mid-field at the Tiger 46.  From there Young orchestrated an eight play, 54 yard drive, culminating in a  five yard TD dive by Feudale at 11:45 in the final period.

Trailing 21-14, Southern needed a quick stop. The momentum had shifted and the Tigers sensed that the Eagles were running out of steam. The defense stiffened and forced another three-and-out by the Eagles. This time the punt rolled out-of-bounds at the Tiger 40 with 9:41 remaining.

Matt Lupold got the call and broke loose for 25 yards to the Line Mountain 35. Next Marks took the hand-off and shot past the weary defenders, going the distance of 35 yards for the touchdown and the tie at 21.

With 9:12 on the clock, coach Knock knew he needed to regain control and give his defense a rest. Faced with a fourth-and-one at their own 29 he decided to go for it. With the defense anticipating a QB keeper for the first-down, Rickert dropped back and threw a quick strike to tight end Erik Smeltz for a 30 yard pick-up into Tiger territory.  The Eagles kept chipping their way down-field and attempted another fourth down conversion at the Tiger 26. Needing seven yards, Rickert dropped back to pass and was smothered by Garet Sosnoski blitzing from his line-backer position.  The 11 yard loss gave Southern the ball back at their own 37.

Young ran a keeper 14 yards across the 50, then he tossed a quick screen to Feudale, who raced 44 yards to the endzone for the go-ahead score.

Trailing for the first time at 28 – 21, the Eagles had 3:18 left to travel 80 yards. Utilizing short passes, Rickert marched his team down-field, converting on fourth down twice. With a first-and-10 at Southern’s 35 with 34 seconds left to play, the intensity peaked. The Tigers brought heavy pressure on the next four plays, culminating in a fourth down interception by Matt Klock at the 11 yard-line with 11 seconds to play.  Young took a knee to run out the clock and take the win.

LINE MOUNTAIN(8-3) ended their season with nothing to hang their heads over. They out-played the undefeated Tigers for much of the game and simply got wore down with so many two-way players vs. the larger Southern roster. There motto for the week leading up to the contest was “Believe” and they certainly made believers out of a lot of surprised Tiger players and fans.

SOUTHERN COLUMBIA(11-0) advances to the District IV final with the narrow victory. They will host South Williamsport(10-1) whom they defeated 42-21 on week four of the season. The Mounties shocked a heavily favored Bloomsburg Panther team 32 – 16 to advance to the final.

 

CATAWISSA: The Heartland Athletic Conference cross-over match between the top Division II team, Central Columbia(7-1), and the top Division III team, Southern Columbia(8-0), had all the earmarks of a great game. Two strong, physical teams faced-off at Tiger Stadium in the battle for Columbia County. Central’s Blue Jays brought a very stingy and disciplined defense to test its mettle against the top-scoring offense of the Tigers.

Defense would rule the night as the two contenders slugged it out without either gaining a clear advantage until late in the game. Fortunately for Southern, their defense rose to the occasion, and forced the Jays out of their offensive game plan while the Tiger offense struggled to find any momentum.

Central got the opening possession, but were forced to punt after three plays and -2 yards. The Jays defense responded in kind forcing Southern to a three-and-out after a one yard gain.

Southern got its first break on their next offensive series when Adam Feudale found a seam and raced 77 yards to the Jays’ 8. But, Central’s defense came up with a huge stop, denying Southern the endzone after four more plays and only 7 yards.

For the rest of the game field position played a crucial factor.  Central’s big stop earned them the ball back at their own 1/2 yard-line. They managed to advance it out 20 yards before being forced to punt. The punt was blocked by Southern’s Mitch Stanziale to give the Tigers great field position yet again at the Blue Jay 28. This time linebacker, Dylan Hine, posted two big sacks to stop the Tiger attack on downs at the 35.

From there the Jays intensified their aerial attack  with an 11 yard strike from Jordan Thivierge to Adam Novak. Next Thivierge tried to go long as he was flushed out of the pocket.  Southern’s Joe Kleman was in good position and looked to make a clean pick, but was called for interference. A 12 yard screen pass to Dain Kowalski was followed by a 19 yard flair to Jarrod Flick to the Tiger 14.  Two plays later Aaron Johnson was hit in the backfield and had the ball knocked loose with Bryce Parry recovering for Southern.

Finding no running room, the Tigers were forced to the air on third-and-13.  The pass sailed long when the receiver’s and defender’s feet got tangled in pursuit. The result was a surprising offensive interference call which forced Jake Becker to punt from near his own goal line.

On a third-and-10 play, Thivierge ran a bootleg left for 12 yards and a fresh set of downs. Following a time-out, the same play was run to the right and then cut back across the field for a 35 yard touchdown at 6:14 in the second quarter.

Things got a little wild shortly before the half as the defensive struggle continued to rage. A punt to Southern’s Parry was mishandled and recovered by the Jays. On the very next play, Thivierge threw a pass over the middle and was intercepted by Parry near mid-field. Three plays later Southern attempted to go long, and the ball was tipped high into the air and scooped-up by Flick. While the flurry of turn-overs provided some excitement, it did not produce any points and the teams entered the lockers with Central holding on to a 7 – 0 lead.

The second half opened with both teams trading three-and-out series. The field position battle leaned in favor of the Tigers after a Parry punt return to the Jays’ 34.  Southern quarterback, Taylor Young, threw a strike to Luke Rarig in the corner for a first-and-goal at the one. Matt Lupold punched it in from there. When the defense got flagged before the PAT attempt, coach Jim Roth decided to go for two instead kicking for the tie. Young got the call on a sneak play, and put the Tiers up 8 – 7.

The teams continued to slug it out into the final period when a booming 52 yard punt by Becker pinned the Jays deep at their own 3. Two plays later a bobbled exchange between Thivierge and Johnson was lost and Tony Chiavaroli recovered for Southern at the 3. Feudale blasted in from there and Dylan Swank’s PAT made it 15 – 7 for the Tigers with 7:35 remaining.

Central threatened two more times as they completely abandoned the running game. The 6′-5″ wide-out, Dylan Hine became the target of choice, posting 5 receptions in the Jays’ final two series for 104 yards. Both drives ended similarly with Southern getting the ball back on downs after forcing four straight incompletions with heavy pressure on the quarterback and tight coverage by the secondary.

This game was one of those rare times when winning the battle in the trenches did not translate to a victory.  The Jays’ big defensive front was unyielding against the vaunted Tiger running attack. It also proved menacing for the passing game as several of Young’s passes were tipped or batted down. The Southern defense deserves the credit as coach Roth pointed out afterward  by simply stating, “The defense won the game.”  It should be a good learning experience for both teams as they look toward post-season play. For Southern, they will need to execute and sustain their blocks much better. For Central, they should have no doubts that they are a team to be reconned with and only need to finish drives in order to reach the next level.

Central Columbia(7-2) travels down river a few miles next week to take on the surging Panthers of Bloomsburg(7-2) who up-ended Danville(7-2) 14-12. The HAC cross-over game will have playoff positioning implications for both teams as they close-out the regular season. It is good to see the quality teams that these rivals have been able to field and the tight races District IV football in class AA & A.

Southern Columbia(9-0) has survived the meat of their regular season with Central having been their toughest test yet. They travel to Turbotville next week o take on the Defenders of Warrior Run(2-7). They will need to dig deep within themselves as they look forward to a tough battle to get out of districts.

SCORING:

Thivierge 35yd. TD run + Shannon PAT kick @ 6:14(2nd) 7 – 0 Central

Lupold 1yd. TD run + Young 2pt. conversion run @ 6:34(3rd) 8 – 7 SCA

Feudale 3yd. TD run + Swank PAT kick @ 7:35(4th) 15 – 7 SCA

BLOOMSBURG: The week eight Heartland Conference Division II match-up was a perfect example of what the race for the District IV, Class AA crown looks like – So evenly matched, it could’ve gone either way right to the last minute. Both teams entered the contest with 6-1 records; Both teams’ sole loss was to Mount Carmel; Both teams touted fairly stingy defenses. The deciding factors ended up being dominant line play by Central Columbia, and missed field goals by Lewisburg, as the Jays squeaked passed the Green Dragons 16-15.

Central got the initial possession of the night, but was stymied by a sack and loss of 15 by Lewisburg’s Luke Smith. To make matters worse, the fourth-and-twenty punt attempt was blocked by Alex Starmack, giving the Dragons unbelievably great field position at the Jays’ eight. Ultimately, the outcome of the game hinged on what would happen next. Central’s defense held Lewisburg to only four yards on three rushes to force a field goal attempt. The 22 yard try sailed wide right and the Jays breathed a sigh of relief.

Central employed a very balanced attack to march downfield 76 yards, where they were bottled up at the Dragon 4. However, Dylan Hine’s leg was true as his kick split the uprights and gave the Jays a 3 – 0 lead.

Lewisburg once again got great field position when the ensuing kick bounced out-of-bounds, then a Central player was flagged for a personal foul.  But the first-and-ten from the 50 only netted a fourth-and-25 three plays later after a sack by Jake Klinger.

Next the Jays put on a 77 yard drive, featuring a 49 yard rumble by Eric McCracken and a 16 yard touchdown toss from Jordan Thivierge to Nate Hughes to extend the lead to 9 – 0.

Lewisburg’s offense struggled to find its way past the Jays’ defensive front and were once again stopped when Klinger and Alex Shiber combined for a tackle and loss of six on Joe Gardner on a fourth down conversion attempt.

The Dragon defense gave them new life though, when Andy Nash tipped a Thivierge pass and Luke Smith intercepted and returned it to the Central 47.  It took Lewisburg six plays, including a 22 yard run by Joe Gardner capped by a three yard keeper by Nick Costagliola for the score. Max Reed’s PAT made it 9 – 7 just before the half.

Both teams traded three-and-out series to open the second half. Then Lewisburg started to find some momentum with their passing game, but it was soon put on hold due to an hour long lightening delay at 7:08 in the third quarter.

After the delay, the Dragons continued their 14 play drive only to be stopped at the Blue Jay 11 for another field goal attempt.  The 28 yarder once again sailed wide right, and the defense knew they had to make a good stand.

Central pounded out 39 yards on nine plays, but had to punt as the final period began. Returning the punt was Andrew Nash, who broke a tackle  and turned on the jets for a 52 yard return to the Jays’ 37.

If the Dragons couldn’t convert here it was all over for them. But, after a holding call set them back to the 46, Costagliola found tight end Ty Turner for a 27 yard toss to the 19.  With Central’s defense keying on Brandon Smith and holding him to very short gains, Costagliola burst ahead on a keeper for nine yards and a first-and-goal at the five. Gardner took it in from there for the go-ahead score. The Dragons went for two and converted on a pass to Brandon Batman to go up 15 – 9.

Both defenses stiffened again and traded three-and-outs before Central engineered its final scoring drive. Thivierge hit Dain Kowalski on a 12 yard toss to break into Dragon territory at the 49. Then McCracken burst ahead for 20 yards.  Three plays later Thivierge threw a strike to Jarrod Flick for 24 yards to retake the lead.

True to form, the Blue Jay defense smothered the Dragons once again as time ticked away. They got the ball back on downs at Lewisburg’s 42, and all that was left was for Central to get the ball back and run out the clock.

LEWISBURG(6-2) faces two more Class AA foes to finish the regular season. They will travel to Loyalsock(5-3) next week in their final HAC-II match-up to take on an inconsistent Lancer team that could give them fits. Week 10 pits them against HAC-I crossover opponent, Mifflinburg(2-6).

CENTRAL COLUMBIA(7-1) is firmly on top of the HAC-II standings with the win and in position to take the top seed in District IV, Class AA, but has a very tough road ahead. They will travel to Southern Columbia(8-0) next week to take on the unbeaten Tigers, then to Bloomsburg(6-2) to battle the arch rival Panthers. While both these teams are Class A and in HAC-III, they will likely be the toughest faced by the Jays this season.

SCORING:

Hine 22 yd. field goal, 2:49 1st qtr. 3 – 0 (Central)

Thivierge to Hughes 16 yd. TD pass, 9:47 2nd qtr. 9 – 0 (Central)

Costagliola 3 yd. TD run, 3:10 2nd qtr. 9 – 7 (Central)

Gardner 5 yd. TD run+ Batman  2 pt. conv. catch, 4th qtr. 15 – 9 (Lewisburg)

Thivierge to Flick 24 yd. TD pass + Hine PAT , 2:18 4th qtr. 16 – 15 (Central)

CATAWISSA: In a lopsided affair which was decided shortly after it began, the Tigers of Southern Columbia(5-0) asserted their dominance in the Heartland Athletic Conference Div. III over the previously unbeaten Indians of Muncy(4-1). The Indians could find no answer for the front-line surge as the Tiger backs  scored at will from all over the field en route to a merciful 47-7 victory.

Tony Chiavaroli and Cody Pavlick set the tone defensively for the Tigers on the first series by dropping the Muncy backs for losses on consecutive plays while the secondary played tight coverage and forced the first of five punts – not to mention getting the ball back three times on downs, a fumble recovery by Robert Delbo, and an interception by Brad Noll.

Offensively, the Tigers began very characteristically by softening up the middle with a few rushes by Adam Feudale and Matt Lupold before quarterback Taylor Young shot through a wide-open right side for the 24 yard score at 8:46 in the first period.

The next offensive series for Southern lasted one play when Young connected with tight end, Jake Becker, on a lob over the middle for a 50 yard catch & run touchdown. Following the Delbo fumble recovery at the Muncy 16, Lupold took his shot at the end-zone and put the Tigers up 21-0 at the 6:57 mark after the Dylan Swank PAT kick.

At this point the Indians were able to put together a drive into Tiger territory, but gave the ball up on downs at the 22 yard marker. It was from here that Nate Hunter got his first touch of the night and went the distance of 78 yards for the score. Before the close of the first quarter, Feudale found some traction and burst 53 yards to put the Tigers up 35-0 and ensure a short second half with the “mercy rule” activated.

Hunter rounded out the scoring in the first half with a 48 yard jaunt at 4:41 in the second quarter.  He led the scoring and rushing on this night. Despite only having three carries, Hunter compiled 132 yards and 2 TD’s for a whopping 44yds. per carry average. Southern showed some added mercy by running out the clock and forgoing another touchdown attempt from the three yard-line as the half ended.

Freshman, Blake Marks, earned the next highest total with 118 yards and a TD on 7 carries, with the score coming on a 70 yard, tackle-breaking, direction-changing scramble mid-way through the fourth. Feudale added 77 yards and a TD on 6 rushes, while Lupold only got four touches with 34 yards and a score. In all, Southern racked up 427 yards and six TD’s on the ground, and Young was 2/4 passing for 63 yards and a score.

Muncy managed to avoid a goose egg in the final two minutes when quarterback, Anthony Barberio punched it in from the one.

MUNCY(4-1) has another tough battle next week as they host Bloomsburg(4-1) in a key HAC-III contest.

SOUTHERN COLUMBIA(5-0) will likely face one of their biggest tests of the regular season next week as they travel to Selinsgrove(4-1). The Seals are coming off a tough 17-7 loss to Berwick and will be hungry to rebound.

SCORING:

Young: 24 yd. TD run @ 8:46(1st) SCA 7-0

Young – Becker: 50 yd. catch & run TD @ 7:31(1st) SCA 14-0

Lupold: 16 yd. TD run @ 6:57(1st) SCA 21-0

Hunter: 78 yd. TD run @ 3:52(1st) SCA 28-0

Feudale: 53 yd. TD run @ 1:21(1st) SCA 35-0

Hunter: 48 yd. TD run @ 4:41(2nd) SCA 41-0

Marks: 70 yd. TD run @ 6:22(4th) SCA 47-0

Barberio: 1 yd. TD run 2 1:31(4th) SCA 41-7

South Williamsport: Week four of the 2012 season brought football fans another battle of undefeated teams. The Mounties of South Williamsport welcomed to Tigers of Southern Columbia to Rodney K. Morgans Stadium for the first time since 2004. The last time the Mounties were able to upend the Tigers was a 17-14 victory in the 1993 season en route to a Class A State Championship appearance. To earn their 3-0 mark thus far the Mounties took down Bloomsburg in their opener, nipped Canton in over-time, and trounced Vo-tech last week. On the other hand, Southern entered the contest riding high after dismantling Mount Carmel last week and averaging 55 points per game.

The Mounties received the ball to open the game and had some success pounding it forward for 28 yards on six plays, but were forced to punt near midfield. The Tigers’ initial possession started at their own 22 yard-line, and they took control in a very business-like manner. It took Southern nine plays, including passes of ten yards from Taylor Young to Joe Kleman and 13 yards to Matt Lupold capped by a 28 yard reverse run by Nate Hunter for the score.

Southern’s defense then tightened things up, forcing a punt after only four plays and a sack for a loss of seven by Cody Pavlick. As for the offense, field position did not seem to matter much. Starting from their own 17 they marched down-field on eleven plays including a 20 yard reverse by Lupold, an 18 yard end-around by Hunter and the six yard score by Lupold. Dylan Swank went a perfect six for six on PAT’s on the night and increased the lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter.

Next up were some defensive fireworks for the Tigers. On the fifth play of the Mounties ensuing drive, Luke Rarig got the angle on the receiver and picked-off the pass at mid-field. Juking several would-be tacklers, Rarig took it the distance to put Southern up by 21.

A three-and-out series by South gave Southern the ball at their 36. This time instead of a time-consuming drive, Adam Feudale took it to the house on the second play from 63 yards out. With the score at 28-0 the frustration was visible for the Mounties.

South fullback, Brandon Stonge was determined not to fall behind any further as he clipped off runs of 11 and 10 yards successively. On third-and-eight from their own 41 with the Tiger defense selling out to the blitz, the Mounties gambled on a wide screen pass from Tyler House to Matt Bartholomew. The gamble paid off with Bartholomew racing 59 yards down the sideline for the score with 3:50 remaining in the first half.

The Tigers calmly responded four plays later when Young connected with Bryce Parry on a beautifully thrown 53 yard touchdown strike. The teams went into half-time with a score of 35-7.

Coach Roth only kept his starting line-up in for one offensive set in the second half. It was all they would need. Lupold traveled about 100 yards on the opening play, breaking tackles and changing direction multiple times to net a 47 yard gain to the Mountie 27. Young hit Kleman for 18 to set up a first-and-goal, then Hunter burst through for the nine yard score. Swank’s PAT made it 42-7 and set the mercy rule clock in motion.

South managed two scores during mercy rule play as the Tigers went to wholesale substitution.  In all, Southern Columbia did not turn the ball over and never needed to punt in the contest. Young went six for nine passing for 107 yards and a touchdown.  Adam Feudale led the rushing with 107 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. The balanced rushing attack yielded 341 yards on 36 carries for a total of 448 yards and five touchdowns, plus the 49 yard interception return by Rarig. The Mounties compiled 175 yards and a touchdown on the ground, while going five for 13 passing for 116 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

South Williamsport (3-1) travels to Turbotville next week to take on a struggling Warrior Run (0-4) team. If they can regroup from this loss they have a good shot at a rematch during District playoffs.

Southern Columbia (4-0) now shares the lead in the PA Heartland Conference div. III with Muncy(4-0) who is, incidentally, the Tigers’ next opponent. Southern will host Indian head coach and former Tiger running back Jay Drumheller as Muncy brings their perfect record to Catawissa next Friday night for the Tigers’ 2012 homecoming game.

SCORING:

Hunter: 28 yd. TD run @ 4:49(1st) SCA 7-0

Lupold: 6 yd. TD run @ 10:19(2nd) SCA 14-0

Rarig: 49 yd. interception return TD @ 7:29(2nd) SCA 21-0

Feudale: 63 yd. TD run @ 5:46(2nd) SCA 28-0

House – Bartolomew: 59 yd. catch & run TD @ 3:50(2nd) SCA 28-7

Young – Parry: 53 yd. TD pass @2:09(2nd) SCA 35-7

Hunter: 9 yd. TD run @ 8:38(3rd) SCA 42-7

House – #21 32 yd. TD pass@ 0:32(3rd) SCA 42-14

Bartholomew: 6 yd. TD run @ 1:31(4th) SCA 42-21

 

CATAWISSA: Two undefeated state powerhouses squared-off at Tiger Stadium on the third week of the regular season.  The Red Tornadoes of Mount Carmel Area brought a largely veteran team with plenty of size and speed. The Southern Columbia Tigers played host with a very young and untested team, drubbing their first two opponents by a collective total of 116-3.  This was to be a tie-breaker match-up with each team touting eight victories since the series began in what has emerged to be one of the area’s (not to mention state’s) top rivalries. The series has included barn-burners and blow-outs for both teams, and this year the Tigers were hungry to avenge a last-minute loss of 22-21 on a two point conversion in 2011.

The game proved to be a classic slug-fest, with six lead changes, six turn-overs, and all the hard hitting that we’ve come to expect from these two schools. By the time the final quarter had arrived the young Tigers had cleaned up a variety of mistakes that had allowed the game to stay close and matured into something of a well disciplined beast. The result was a 49-33 toppling of the Tornadoes.

On Southern’s first offensive play Matt Lupold raced for 36 yards with 15 more tacked on due to a personal foul penalty. After a 10 yard burst by Adam Feudale, Lupold capped the drive with a two yard touchdown run.

Mount Carmel answered back eight plays later on a 33 yard TD pass over the middle from Zack Wasilewski to the big tight end Eric Joraskie. With the score knotted at seven a piece, the teams traded series then traded turn-overs. Southern’s Luke Rarig picked off a Wasilewsi pass then Nate Hunter fought his way forward for 30 yards only to have the ball knocked lose for a Tornado recovery on the very next play.

The Tiger defense held strong with stout play from the front line and impressive athleticism by the defensive backs. A pass tipped by Mitch Stanziale on 3rd & 7 forced another punt. Southern put together a 10 play drive into Mount Carmel territory when fumblitis struck again on an eight yard carry by Hunter.

In all, the Tigers were defeating themselves in the battle for field position despite winning the battle up front. Good punts by Rob Varano forced Southern to start from their five yard-line, then from their 11. It was from there that a solid run by Feudale was negated on a chop-block call against Lupold as he picked up a blitzing line-backer. The result was a second & 16 from the five. From the shotgun the snap skidded on the grass behind the goal-line and was picked up by Taylor Young while the defenders closed in. In an attempt to throw the ball away while being hit in the end-zone, Young flipped the ball up for grabs and it was recovered by Mount Carmel’s Vinny Candelora for the go-ahead score. The PAT attempt sailed wide and left MCA with a 13-7 lead.

Bryce Parry gave Southern good field position on the kick off return near mid-field. From there the Tigers put together a 10-play 52 yard drive capped by a Feudale one yard TD dive. Dylan Swank went a perfect 7/7 PAT’s on the night and regained the lead at 14-13 with only 1:14 left to play in the first half.

Wasilewski put on his best drive of the night to wrap up the half when he clipped off 18 on a delayed draw, then threw a strike to Varano for 35 yards to the Tiger three yard-line. Luke Klingerman punched it in from there with only 7.9 ticks on the clock. On the two-point conversion attempt Jake Becker dropped Wasilewski for no gain, leaving the score 19-14 going into the locker rooms.

If the Tigers had doubts coming into the game about whether or not they could match-up with the big Mount Carmel team, by half-time those doubts had vanished and players, coaches and fans knew that they had every reason to win this contest. They came back on the field with a new focus and took the lead back on a 10-play, 83 yard drive, capped by a 24 yard TD strike from Young to Parry.  Southern’s defense then forced a punt to set up another drive. However, confusion struck one more time when Young’s pass hit defender, Tyler Kwaitkowski, right on the numbers. The run-back to the Tiger three led to another score for Klingerman and new life for the Tornadoes with a 25-21 lead at 1:55 in the 3rd quarter.

The ensuing kick went to Parry who rocketed down the middle before cutting left along the visitors’ sideline on a 60 yard return to the Mount Carmel 32. In his three kick returns on the night Parry racked-up 104 yards.  Southern made short work of retaking the lead with a 16 yard bootleg by Young, followed by a gutsy ten yard TD run by Hunter with 2.4 seconds left in the third.

Southern’s defense stifled the potent MCA attack and forced another Varano punt. This time it was shanked and only netted 17 yards to the MCA 38.  With great field position, Young called his own number, raced around the left side and went the distance. At this point, despite only being down by nine points with 9:30 left to play, you could sense the air completely leaving the Tornadoes. Their next series featured two sacks in a row by Stanziale and Cody Pavlick/Rob Delbo which forced another punt.

From then on the Tiger running machine was unstoppable. Lupold clawed his way ahead for 22 yards, then Feudale bowled over defenders en route to a 54 yard touchdown, making the score 42-25.

To add insult to injury on MCA’s next offensive play – a pass attempt to TE Joraskie – freshman linebacker, Nick Becker tipped the ball from the receiver’s grasp into the waiting arms of Parry who ran it all the way to the Tornado 15 yard-line. Feudale rumbled in from there to put the game out-of-reach 49-25.

Southern Columbia (3-0) compiled over 450 yards of total offense on the night. Adam Feudale led the attack with 117 yards on 14 carries with 3 TD’s.  Taylor Young went 6/10 passing with 64 yards, a TD and an interception.

Mount Carmel (2-1) had 133 yards rushing on 32 carries and three touchdowns. Zack Wasilewski went 9/18 for 140 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

 

SCORING BREAKDOWN:

Lupold: 2 yd. TD run @ 8:57(1st) SCA 7-0

Wasilewski – Joraskie: 33 yd. TD pass @ 6:17(1st) 7-7

Candelora:  fumble recovery in endzone @ 7:01(2nd) MCA 13-7

Feudale: 1 yd. TD run @ 1:14(2nd) SCA 14-13

Klingerman: 3 yd. TD run @ 0:07.9(2nd) MCA 19-14

Young – Parry: 24 yd. TTD pass @ 7:17(3rd) SCA 21-19

Klingerman: 2 yd. TD run @ 1:55(3rd) MCA 25-21

Hunter: 10 yd. TD run @ 0:02.4(3rd) SCA 28-25

Young: 38 yd. TD run @ 9:30(4th) SCA 34-25

Feudale: 54 yd. TD run @ 6:28(4th) SCA 42-25

Feudale: 15 yd. TD run @ 6:00(4th) SCA 49-25

Klingerman: 3 yd. TD run @ 2:05(4th) SCA 49-33

 

 

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT – The 22nd version of the Lions Club District IV All-Star Game featured some great competition and lots of variety – including three field-goals, two safeties, a blocked field-goal attempt, five interceptions, and four touhdowns.

The twists and turns started early on when, on the North’s third play from scrimmage, Shikellamy’s Dylan Dievert picked-off a pass to set the South up near mid-field. Myrick Lamb (Mount Carmel) got the call on the next two plays. First, scrambling ten yards to the 38 yard-line, then sprinting down the right sideline to haul in a Cam Cassels (Lewisburg) pass for the initial score.

The North team’s Dan Frankenfield (Wyalusing) was punishing as he pounded the ball forward for 33 yards on four carries.  Spencer Underdown (Loyalsock) registered a 19 yard reception from Lucas Havens (Troy). But the South team’s defense held and forced the punt. However, field position had shifted, and the South was deep in their own territory. A fumbled exchange made it even worse, forcing a punt attempt from the 13 yard-line. On the attempt a high snap rolled into the endzone and netted the North two points on a safety. On the ensuing kick, the South suffered another blow, losing their top receiver, Keith Day (Southern Columbia) to a knee injury during a long kick return by Marquis Delgado (North Penn) to the South’s 43.

It took the North team four plays to find pay-dirt.  A 14 yard run by Frankenfield was followed by a 12 yard toss from Jacob Jones (Montoursville) to Mike Hall (South Williamsport). Delgado sprinted in from the 11 for the go-ahead score of 9-7.

If things looked bleak for the South, they didn’t seem to notice. They answered by engineering a nine-play 75 yard drive to recapture the lead. Cassels connected with Jacob Klemon (Mount Carmel) on a 32 yard toss to break into North territory at the 45. Line Mountain’s Kyle Troutman fought for 14 more yards on the ground. Then Tyler Pratt (Shikellamy) caught a Cassels pass in the back of the endzone for an 18 yard touchdown, putting the South up 14-9.

The defenses ruled the remainder of the first half: An interception for the North by Underdown; Then an blocked field-goal attempt by Tom Schetroma (Southern Columbia);  Three forced punts; And a deflected pass in the  endzone into the hands of Underdown yet again to end the half.

The second half began with another big defensive play. Mike Bostwick (Sayre) picked-off a floater near mid-filed. The North then battled its way into the South’s red-zone on the next eleven plays, settling for a 30 yard field-goal by Christian Clark (Montoursville). The north was nipping at the South’s heels 14-12.

A big kick return by Lamb was compounded by a personal foul call against the North, giving them excellent field position at the North 24 yard-line. However, a huge sack for a loss of 12 by Shakyil Murphy (Williamsport) forced them to punt. The punt rolled out-of-bounds at the two, pinning the North against their own goal. A fumbled exchange was recovered behind the goal-line for another safety and gave the South two more points.

The South added three more points on a 37 yard field-goal by Dylan Friday (Danville) as the defensive struggle continued. Several series later, a 25 yard Cassels-to-Kleman pass, and hard running by Lamb and Tyrell Thomas (Southern Columbia) set up another 37 yard field-goal attempt by Friday. It sailed through with plenty to spare, putting the South up 22-12 as time ran short for the North team.

A would-be lateral to Delgado on the ensuing kick return proved to be very effective while he sprinted 80 yards down the sideline, but the toss was about three yards strong of lateral and netted and five yard penalty instead. Next in the bag of tricks was a double hand-off which was then pitched back to the quarterback for a long pass, but a defender tipped the pass which wobbled into the arms of Pratt for the interception and run-back to the four yard-line. From there, Austin Oberdorf (Warrior Run) put the icing on the cake, bowling in for the four yard touchdown and sealing an action-packed 2012 All-Star game.

Congratulations to all the players who were selected for this year’s team, and best wishes in your future endeavors. Special congratulations to the post-game award winners: Coaches’ Award winners, North Team – Delbert Lewis (Troy) & Clayton Good (Muncy); South Team – Al Sangil (Shik) & Cam Flore (Southern Columbia); Offensive Player of the Game, North Team – Dan Frankenfield; South Team – Myrick Lamb; Defensive Player of the Game, North Team – Shakyil Murphy;  South Team – Cody Shustack (Mount Carmel); And Game MVP – Dylan Friday (2 FG’s-37 yds. each/ 3 PAT’s).

 

MILL HALL, PA: Southern Columbia faced an unfamiliar foe in the Eastern State Final game played at Central Mountain High School’s Don Malinak Stadium. The Comets of Penns Manor High School had come farther than ever before to reach the state semi-final game, but found themselves battling a team, the likes of which, they have not seen before.  With a great fan base supporting both schools, and spirits running high, the teams took to the field. The questions about whether or not the run-heavy offense of the Comets, led by 2,000 yard rushing quarterback, Danny Ferens, could overcome the balanced attack of a powerful Southern Tiger team would soon be answered.

Penns Manor received the ball to start, but were quickly shut down after only five yards on three plays.  The Tigers first touch of the night went to their workhorse fullback, Tyler Levan, who weaved through traffic and raced 64 yards for the quick score. Dylan Swank, who was perfect on the night with five PAT kicks, extended the lead to 7 – 0 for the Tigers.

Southern’s defense continued to be stifling, forcing the stunned Comets into another three-and-out series after only three yards gained. Starting at mid-field the Tigers marched forward again, largely on the arm of Brad Fegley. He connected with Matt Moore for 30 yards, then Keith Day for 12 yards to set up a first-and-goal at the two. However, Casey Savitski had the ball jarred loose at the goal-line on the following play and the Tigers were stymied…for awhile.

Four plays later, a Vodopevic pass was intercepted by Joe Kleman and SoCo was back in business again at the 50 yard-line. Fegley launched a quick strike to Moore for 47 yards to the three, and Levan punched it in from there to go up 14 – 0.

Another defensive stand and the Tigers regained possession at their own 28.  This drive lasted ten plays, culminating in passes for 12 yards to Day and 27 yards to Moore, who then dove in from the three for the touchdown. The drive was bitter-sweet though with Levan leaving the game due to a knee injury.

In response, Penns Manor could only muster two yards of offense on three plays before punting the ball away. From this point on the officials took it upon themselves to disrupt the flow of the game for the duration. With flags flying every few plays, the Tigers were only given extra yards to run. Savitski took a reverse 33 yards into Comet territory, then a screen pass to Day was taken 15 more yards for a first-and-ten at the 21. Then Levan’s replacement, Adam Feudale, got to show his abilities. Spinning and clawing, while breaking at least four tackles, he would not be denied the endzone on a 21-yard rumble.

Trailing 28 – 0, the Comets got their first break of the night when Joey Vodopevic broke free for a long return on the ensuing kick-off to the Tiger 22 yard-line. However,  Southern’s defense stayed true and came up with another stop, forcing PM over on downs at the 13.

With time dwindling in the first half, Southern went to the two minute drill. However, on the fourth play, a 12-yard reception by Day, the ball was apparently stripped loose as he hit the ground and the Comets had one more shot. Lining up in a wildcat formation Vodopevic got the snap and threw to his QB, Ferens, who caught the ball in traffic and slipped a tackle on his way to a 33 yard touchdown. The first half ended at 28 – 6.

Penns Manor forced the Tigers’ only punt of the night to open the second half, but they fared much worse on their possession. After a sack by Fegley, and another by Moore set up a fourth-and-17, a high snap sailed over the punter and through the endzone for the safety. The free-kick gave Southern good field position. Solid running by all four backs got them to the goal-line, where Moore broke through to put the score out of reach at 37 – 6 at the end of the third quarter.

The next series held one of the most bizarre calls I’ve ever witnessed. SoCo’s defense forced a punt after only three plays on fourth-and-six. The punt was blocked and sailed straight into the air, coming down at the original line of scrimmage where it glanced off a Southern lineman and was jumped on by a Comet player well short of a first-down. The officials gave them the ball and a fresh set of downs along with assessing an unsportsmanlike penalty against the coaches for complaining about the call…

In all, it made little difference when Dylan Eck registered a sack for a loss of 13, then Moore got another, five yards deeper. Then, on fourth-and-28, Kleman came up with his second pick of the night and ran it back to near mid-field. Southern’s reserves ran out the clock and the game came to an end with Southern Columbia the victors by a score of 37 – 6. Following the hand-shakes, coach Roth brought his team into focus, “We didn’t get this far for a second place trophy” he encouraged them as they set their sights on Hershey Park Stadium and the upcoming showdown with the Clairton Bears.

PENNS MANOR(12-2) completed their best season in the school’s history by clinching the District VI crown, and advancing to the eastern final.  Congratulations Comets on a fine 2011 season.

SOUTHERN COLUMBIA(14-1) advances to the State Championship game in Hershey for the first time since winning gold in 2006. This Tiger team has battled hard to get back to championship form and is seeking to regain the program’s claim to the pride of winning its seventh State Title.

 

NAZARETH, PA: In the Eastern Class A State Semi-final game, the Royals of Pius X played host to the Tigers of Southern Columbia, hoping to end their losing streak to the six-time State Champs. The speedy Royals gave the powerful Tigers fits for the first two quarters, but ultimately couldn’t match them man-to-man, giving up 26 unanswered points in the second half, en route to a 55-25 Southern victory. SoCo now holds a 6-0 record over Pius X all-time.

The Royals struck early on their first possession, after sophomore quarterback, AJ Long, took a keeper for 18 yards to the Southern 35, then connected with Drake Freeman for a 35-yard TD reception. Being down 7 – 0 at 10:18 in the opening quarter was not a huge surprise to the Tigers, as the Royals are known for their speed and quick-strike capability. However, being forced to punt after only three rushing attempts served as a wake-up call to SoCo that this was not going to be an easy win.

Southern’s defense kept their heads and forced a three-and-out of their own to set up an eight-play, 54-yard drive to even the score. Brad Fegley started the drive with a 26 yard pass to Keith Day, and Tyler Levan rushed for 17 yards into the Pius red-zone at the 14. Then, on fourth and ten, Fegley threw a slant to Day in double coverage for the score.

At this point, coach Phil Stambaugh’s Royals seemed to have receivers coming out of the woodwork. Wideout, Matt Camilletti, burned the defenders for catches of 34 and 11 yards to set up a first and goal at the Tiger one. Nick DeRea punched it in from there for the go-ahead score. Dylan Eck blocked the PAT attempt and the score was 13 – 7 Royals.

Some untimely flags squelched Southern’s next possession, and the Tigers punted to Pius’ 16 yard-line. In on the receiving action this time was Boise Ross, who out-jumped the defender and took it 84 yards to the endzone. The two-point conversion attempt was stymied, but the Royals quickly were up by 12, 19 – 7, at 10:52 in the second period.

With the potent Tiger running game struggling to find its rhythm, Fegley faked a hand-off and broke loose for 48 yards and a first and goal at the seven. Two plays later he ran a keeper in for a 2-yard TD. Levan blasted in for the two-point conversion, and the Pius lead was narrowed to 19 – 15. Fegley’s leadership continued to guide his Tigers on their next series. He connected with Day again for a 30-yard gain to the Pius 30, ran for12, then pushed across the goal-line for a one-yard TD. SoCo had its first lead of the night at 22 – 19.

From this point on, the line-play for the Tigers improved on both offense and defense, while the Royals’ linemen were visibly tiring. The Southern defense forced a fumble near mid-field, and the offensive backfield started hitting their holes with more determination. Matt Moore clipped off 13 yards, and Levan rushed for seven, nine, and two yards to reach the endzone and a 29 – 19 lead.

AJ Long was determined to keep his Royals in the game, and found a way on third and 13, after a sack by his counterpart, Fegley. Pinned back near mid-field, Long found Ross racing down the side-line, and hooked-up for a 40-yard catch and run. This set up a first and goal at the Tiger 8, and a quick strike to Camilletti for the touchdown. The two-point conversion pass was incomplete at 14.5 seconds, and the nip-and-tuck first half ended with SoCo hanging on to a 29 – 25 lead.

The Tigers came out of the locker room with redoubled intensity and execution to completely out-muscle the Royals in the final two quarters. Fegley extended the lead to 35 – 25 on a 17-yard TD run mid-way through the third. In all, he carried 11 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns, while throwing an efficient five receptions on seven attempts for 124 yards and a touchdown. In 14 games, he has yet to throw an interception.

Next, Moore began to do his thing, breaking tackles and fighting his way for a 31-yard TD run early in the final period. After Keith Day picked-off an AJ Long pass to regain possession for Southern, coach Roth out-witted the Royals by sending his tight end deep on second and 10. Jake Becker hauled in the pass and rumbled to the Pius 18 for a 53-yard gain. Levan added 11 yards, and Moore bolted in from the seven to put SoCo up 47 – 25.

Coach Stambaugh started utilizing short passes as the Tigers went into a prevent defense. The decision was paying-off as Long chipped his way into Southern territory, before taking a draw play 27 yards to the three yard-line. However, DeRea had the ball knocked loose on the ensuing hand-off and Moore recovered for Southern. Three plays later, Levan finally got the break-away he had been looking for. Turning the right corner, he showed that the Royals weren’t the only ones with speed as he accelerated like a dragster on a quarter-mile strip, 77 yards for the final score.

PIUS X (12-2) wrapped up the school’s best season yet with the hard-fought loss. They were second in the east in total points scored as they dominated the All-American Conference and captured the District 11 Class A crown. The future looks bright for the Royals (if they can retain the young players they’ve got) with a sophomore QB on pace to smash the state passing records. On the night, Long went 19 of 36 for 329 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception. Congratulations Royals on a fine 2011 season.

SOUTHERN COLUMBIA(13-1) moved one step closer to a return to the State Final in Hershey that they’ve been so hungry for. After a slow and sloppy start, the Tigers produced three 100+ yard rushers on the night: Levan (20 carries for 173 yards & 2 TD’s); Moore (13 carries for 131 yards & 2 Td’s); Fegley (11carries for 118 yards & 3 TD’s). Keith Day caught three passes for 70 yards and a TD, and Becker had the 53 yard catch. Southern’s players must stay focused on the Eastern State Final game and not be looking ahead. They will need improve execution and a quicker start out-of-the-gate if they want to reach that fifteenth victory for 2011. Coach Roth told his team, “This victory means nothing, because it doesn’t win you anything.” But then he followed up with, “However, it is the biggest win since 2006.” After a commanding second half, the Tigers definitely have their eyes on the ultimate prize.

SHAMOKIN, PA: It was a mild night weather-wise at Kemp Memorial Stadium, but the opening round of PIAA State Playoff action was anything but mild. Six-time State Champion, Southern Columbia, was looking to find their way back to Hershey after a four year dry spell, while the visiting Blue Devils of Old Forge were looking to make some noise of their own. In the end, the physical intensity of the Tigers won the night, but it was that very aggressiveness which almost cost them the game. In all, the crowd witnessed nine lead changes, while their heads went from side to side as if watching a tennis match, en route to the 45-34 Southern victory.

The Tiger defense came up big on the first series when Matt Moore sacked quarterback, Colin Carey, for a loss of seven, then Tom Schetroma blocked the ensuing punt to give SoCo a short field, at the Old Forge 33. It took the offense six plays to find the back of the endzone on a terrific leaping catch by Moore, but the official called him out-of-bounds and the Tigers were forced into a rare field goal attempt. Dylan Swank’s 25-yard shot was on the mark, and SoCo was up 3 – 0.

The defense came down hard again on the Devils and forced a punt after three plays and a loss of a yard. This time the potent Tiger offense had 74 yards to travel to the goal-line, and were clipping it off in business-like fashion when, on second and goal from the six, Tyler Levan pounded his way to the endzone only to cough up the ball at the one-foot marker.

Five plays later, pinned deep with a third and 12 at their own nine, Carey went long as he was getting hit and found David Argust well beyond the defenders. The catch and run netted 91 yards and the first lead of the contest for Old Forge at 7 – 3.

Not one to be kept down, Levan got the call on the next play from scrimmage, after a solid kick return by Moore to the 48. Levan broke tackles up the middle and turned on the jets for a 52 yard score, and a 10-7 SoCo lead.

Unable to gain anything on the ground, the Devils found success with short and mid-range passes. First Carey hit Brian Tomasetti for 21 yards on third and ten, then he threw a 43-yard strike to Anthony Piccolni on third and seven for the touchdown.

Following the kick, Southern continued to shoot themselves in the foot. A fumbled exchange on a reverse between Moore and Casey Savitski cost them possession at the Tiger 31. Following the turn-over, Old Forge began utilizing the dump screen against the aggressive SoCo defense. On third and ten a toss to Tomasetti netted 21 yards and a first and goal at the three. Carey scrambled in from there and extended the Devil lead to 21 – 10.

Southern answered back in just over two minutes. Levan ripped off runs of seven and 28 yards, and Moore started to find his groove, banging his way for nine and seven yards before reaching the goal-line on a 22-yarder. The score narrowed the Devils’ lead to 21 – 17 before entering the locker rooms at the half – a half that featured 188 yards passing by Old Forge (most coming on one play), and negative two yards rushing. For their part, the Tigers had compiled 221 yards of rushing and 26 passing in the first two quarters, but the two drive-killing turnovers, that both led to Devil scores, left them in the hole.

If the first half seemed like a shoot-out, the second half was more like shock-and-awe:  Shock when Southern fumbled the opening kick-off back to Old forge, and awe whenever Matt Moore got his hands on the ball.

The Tiger defense held strong after the initial turnover, with a sack by Jake Becker, a hurry by Brad Fegley, and an interception on fourth and 26 by Keith Day. The two squads battled for field position until late in the third period, when Levan pounded his way for a 22-yard touchdown and the 24 – 21 lead.

It was at this point when Southern’s aggressiveness on defense really started to burn them. Carey dumped another screen pass to Tomasetti which went for 43 yards. Then he threw an outside screen to Argust for a 12-yard touchdown. The lead changed again, but the PAT was blocked by Day leaving it 27 – 24.

In reply, Moore put on a rushing clinic. Getting the call at the Southern 32 yard-line, he swept right, broke tackles, spun free, got a great block from his QB (Fegley), and thundered for 68 yards and the go-ahead score.

Down 31 – 27, the Blue Devils stayed poised. Nearly abandoning the run, Carey threw short balls. The passes were notpretty, but always seemed to reach their target. Six plays into the series, he connected with Tomasetti on yet another middle-screen which was taken to the outside and the distance for a 39-yard TD… 34 – 31 Old Forge!

Southern’s next drive sputtered after a short pass to Savitski failed to convert on fourth and six at the Devil 16. It looked as though Southern might have let Old Forge hang around for too long, as they took over on downs at their own 13. However, two plays later Carey’s pass deflected high off a defender’s helmet, and Jammie Slotterback came up with the big pick. With a first and ten at the 19, it only took Moore one shot and he raced for his third touchdown at 8:33 in the final period.

Following a defensive stand the Tigers had the momentum and the ball at their own 18. Moore took a sweep to the right, juked two defenders and bolted 82 yards for the final score. Swank was a perfect six for six on PAT’s and this one was in the books at 45 – 34 at the end of an exciting game of high school playoff football.

OLD FORGE(10-3) pulled out all the stops to make this one a thriller. After dismantling Riverside 47 – 6 (a team they lost to 15-14 mid-season) in the District II final last week, they carried that confidence with them against a larger, stronger Southern Tiger squad. Despite only mustering 26 yards on 25 carries, the Blue Devils stayed in the game with 321 yards and four TD’s through the air. Congratulations on a fine season and the District II Class A crown.

SOUTHERN COLUMBIA(12-1) advances to the eastern semi-final against the winner of Saturday’s game between Pius X(11-1) and Calvary Christian(8-2). In this opening round of State Playoff action they overcame mental mistakes and critical turn-overs to take the win. The ground game was phenomenal, seeing two backs surpass 200 yards. Tyler Levan gained 214 yards on 22 carries with two touchdowns (9.7yds/carry) and Matt Moore tallied an amazing 260 yards and four touchdowns on 15 touches (17.3 yds/carry). “The coaches called me in earlier this week and said they didn’t think I was playing up to my potential” commented Moore after the game, “I just agreed with them.” Now everyone can agree that there is a lot of potential there.

LEWISBURG: The 2011 version of the “Little Brown Jug Game” featured a strong 7-2 Green Dragon team hosting a scrappy 8-1 Wildcat squad from Mifflinburg. The Union County rivals were playing not just for bragging rights, but for potential home-field advantage through the District IV playoffs. In Heartland Conference Division I & II crossover play they faced two common opponents in Milton(5-5) and Central Columbia(3-7) with very similar outcomes. So, as with most rivalries, you had to just throw out the records and see what happened on the field, and what happened there was not to the liking of the Wilcats…

Mifflinburg opened and closed this game with an interception. The first one, at 9:51 of the opening quarter, by Caleb Saffell put them in a hole,. The second, by Jared Laino with less than 2 minutes to play, insured they would have no chance of climbing out of that hole. In between were 17 penalty flags for over 100 yards, miscues, and lots of spirited play from both sides. In the end, the difference was due to great field position for Lewisburg after an interception, a fumble, a shanked punt, and a fumbled punt snap. The Green Dargons scored on three of those Wildcat miscues and kept the Miflinburg offense from gaining any traction for most of the night.

Lewisburg’s first drive only required them to travel 29 yards, and was capped by a 13 yard reverse by Brandon Smith. The 2-point conversion failed leaving the score 6 – 0. Next Saffell recovered a fumble, giving the Dragons a 55 yard field. Merle Moscarello broke loose for 20, and Cam Cassels gained ten more before he drew an interference call which yeilded a first & goal at the one yard line. Moscarello punched it in and a toss to Smith for two brought the score to 14 – 0.

The Dragon defense was stout and kept Mifflinburg pinned back. This led to the short punt and a 39 yard drive for Lewisburg’s final score of the first half. Cassels connected with Moscarello for a nine yard gain, then Smith for another 18. Laino fought his way 12 yards to within inches of the goal before Moscarello dove in for his second touchdown making it 21 – 0.

Mifflinburg was able to respond with the longest drive of the night, traveling 63 yards on 13 plays before Kyle Failor crossed the line on a one yard score. The teams hit the lockers with 21 – 7 on the board. After the break, both defenses took center stage. The Wildcats forced the Dragons to punt from their own end-zone, when a low snap caused the punter to have to reach for the ball and his knee touched the turf. This gave Mifflinburg a safety and a free kick. The Wildcats were unable to take advantage of the resulting field-position and both squads battled back-and-forth with little advantage. Lewisburg tacked on one more touchdown at the close of the third quarter after Cassels hit Laino in the flat and he broke tackles and fought his way 57 yards to the two yard-line, being drug down by his face-mask. Coach Tilford rewarded Laino’s effort by giving him the call on the one yard TD run.

The Dragons had one more scoring chance late in the game, when a bobbled snap on a punt gave them the ball at Mifflinburg’s 22. However, a fumbled exchange gave the Wildcats the ball at their own four. Three plays later Failor’s pass was picked-off by Laino and the Green Dragons ran out the clock to end the game at 28 – 9.

MIFFLINBURG(8-2) held the top spot in District IV “AA” until their overtime loss to Athens(8-2) in week eight. With this second loss they find themselves somewhere in the middle of a very tight pack for the playoffs. There is a good chance they will have to face Lewisburg again in a week or two. In all, they were only able to muster 150 yards of total offense in their final regular-season game. 89 yards came on the ground with 35 rushing attempts (2.54 yds./carry avg.), and passing was 7 of 16 for 61 yards and two interceptions.

LEWISBURG improved to 8-2 and possible home-field advantage. They gained 229 yards of total offense with 145 yards and all four touchdowns on the ground, and three of four passing for 84 yards. More importantly they controlled the ball and the tempo of the game. Their only two loses were close ones to state ranked teams, one of which they will likely meet again in top-seeded Mount Carmel(9-1).

MOUNT CARMEL: In a late-season game between two heated rivals, prior records are largely inconsequential. However, when the opponents have the two best records in the conference, not to mention the district, you are in for an intense battle. On this ninth Friday night of the 2011 season the Red Tornadoes of Mount Carmel(8-1) managed to come from behind late in the game to steal a victory from the previously undefeated Tigers of Southern Columbia(8-1) by the slim margin of 22-21. The game had no play-off ramifications for the Tigers who have already clinched the top seed in District IV class A, but it meant a great deal to the Tornadoes who were looking to improve their place among the upper ranks of class AA in the district, as well as bragging rights in the PA Heartland Conference division II.

The contest opened with a bang for Mount Carmel when Lucas Klingerman received the opening kick-off near the 10 yardline and bolted through a wide-open center of the Tiger coverage team. 90 yards and 12 seconds later the Tornadoes found themselves with a quick lead at 7 – 0. To Southern’s credit, they did not get rattled by the early deficit, and controlled the tempo of the game for the rest of the half.

Both teams played very stout defense, but the Tigers had a clear advantage in field position for most of the game. Tyler Levan evened the score on a 13-yard touchdown run at 9:48 in the second. A sack by Jake Becker and David Jeremiah forced Zack Wasilewski to lose the ball and it was recovered by Kyle Zigarski at the Tornado 18. Three plays later Casey Savitski ran for a six-yard score. Southern held the lead at 14 – 7 to end the half. The Tigers’ potent rushing attack was held to a surprisingly low 68 yards in the half while Brad Fegley added 27 yards on two receptions to Kieth Day. The constant pressure by the Mount Carmel defense also forced six incomplete passes and registered two sacks in the half. For Southern’s part the defense was even more impressive, netting three sacks while holding Wasilewski to 2 of 6 for 24 yards passing, and only allowing 10 net yards of rushing.

As the third quarter started, the Tigers looked to be taking control. Fegley connected with Matt Moore on a 23 yard reception to the MCA 30 yardline. However, Levan had the ball punched loose on the next play, and the fumble was recovered by the Tornadoes’ Ed Smerlick, killing the drive. The teams slugged it out for the rest of the quarter with Southern pushing their way into Mount Carmel territory on every series, but were unable to convert. Finally, early in the final period, Fegley hit Moore on a 28-yard pass to the MCA 26. Two plays later, he found Day down the sideline for the 21-yard TD and a 21 – 7 lead.

One minute later Mount Carmel was pinned at their own 40 after Robert Delbo dropped Meyrick Lamb for a loss of four, yielding a 3^rd & 19. Needing to make something happen, Wasilewski went to the middle to an open Bryan McFadden, who then raced the distance for the 60-yard touchdown, narrowing the gap to 21- 14.

Next the Tigers sought to use up the remaining time with their ground game, but after 10 plays and moving the ball to the MCA 26, a holding penalty and a sack for a loss of eight left them with a 4^th & 28. The Tornadoes had one more shot. On 3^rd & 2 near mid-field, Lamb got his only break-away run of the night, and it couldn’t have come at a better time for MCA. The 34-yard gain netted a 1^st & 10 at the Southern 21. Then a sack by Tom Schetroma knocked them back to the 27, but an interference penalty on the ensuing play gave them new life at the SCA 13. Two plays later Wasilewski hit Jacob Kleman for a 7-yard TD with 36.9 seconds on the clock. There was little doubt that Mount Carmel would go for two, given the quick jolt of momentum that they had acquired. With the QB rolling right and pressure coming hard, Wasilewski squeaked it through two defenders to Lamb in the endzone for the go-ahead conversion at 22-21.

Despite the defensive battle and the edge in offensive power clearly leaning in Southern’s favor, special teams made the difference in this epic show-down. Mount Carmel found a way to win despite gaining less than 200 yards of total offense (most of that coming on a few big plays), and in so doing captured the HAC-II crown and evened the series at eight wins each between these two coal-region powers since 1996.

SOUTHERN COLUMBIA(8-1) will take a few lessons away from this hard-fought loss as they look forward to District playoffs. First of all, the special teams play can make or break a game and can have no let-up. Secondly, the line must control the LOS, even against larger opponents, if they hope to make a run at Hershey this post-season. They should have time to regroup and refocus as they travel to Selinsgrove(1-8) to close-out the regular season.

MOUNT CARMEL(8-1) travels to challenge another neighboring rival, Shamokin(3-6), next week. While this should be another one in the “W” column for the Red Tornadoes, their road through the District IV playoffs will not be an easy one. They played with a lot of emotion and didn’t give up in this game,but if they hope to have more fireworks in the post-season, they will have to play more disciplined, and better-executed football.

BLOOMSBURG, PA: Week six of high school football in the PA Heartland Conference presented a battle of unbeaten teams, with Bloomsburg (4-0, AA, HAC-III) hosting Southern Columbia (5-0, A, HAC-II). The Panthers touted a potent, albeit largely untested, offense featuring Rutgers recruit, Blake Rankin. The Tigers brought some potency of their own to Redman Stadium, in the form of what coach Goerge Curry has dubbed “The Three-Headed Monster,” running backs Tyler Levan, Matt Moore and Casey Savitski. The performance of of one or the other of these very different offensive schemes would determine the course and outcome of the game.

The Panthers had the initial possession and went straight to their bread-and-butter. Four passing plays in-a-row netted them 14 yards and an interception by Southern defensive back, Kieth Day. The turn-over resulted in a short field for the Tigers and the opening score. Levan had a 31-yard run and the one yard TD. The PAT kick bounced off the collegiate goal-post, leaving the score 6 – 0.

The Panthers got the ball back and threw their way into Tiger territory, where Rankin called his own number. He went untouched 28 yards for the score, and the PAT made it 7 – 6 in favor of Bloomsburg. It would be their only lead of the night. Southern recaptured the lead following some accurate passing by Brad Fegley, and gutsy running by Moore for 32, nine and two yards to set up the 1st-and-goal. Savitski punched it into the endzone and SoCo went for two – Fegley rolled right and hit TE Jamie Slotterback to put them up 14 – 7.

At this point Bloomsburg implemented what would be their only form of variety on the night, Rankin running the ball instead of throwing. He rushed his way to mid-field then threw strikes to Tanner Thrush of 23 yards, and John Klingerman of 18 and the touchdown. The score was knotted at 14 with 10:52 in the second quarter, and it looked like another shoot-out was on tap for the Tigers.

Looks can be deceiving though, and the next minute and 32 seconds would see Panther hopes quickly deflated… First, Fegley clipped off 26 yards to the Bloomsburg 40. Then, he threw a strike to a speeding Moore for the touchdown. After the ensuing kick return, Ranking attempted a pass to Klingerman which went through his hands and deflected off his shoulder-pads into the waiting arms of Keith Day. The result was a 1st-and-10 for the Tigers at mid-field. Moore got the call, hit the hole hard, broke tackles, broke loose and went the distance for a 50 yard TD. Before the Panthers knew what hit them, it was 28 – 14.

From there the defense began to stiffen and the rout was on. For the remainder of the half the Panthers went three-and-out or worse on every series, and lost a total of 29 yards. Sacks were registered by Kyle Zigarski, Tom Schetroma, Cameron Flore, Fegley and Moore. Southern got to the red-zone on a 36-yard pass to Jake Becker, but a fumble by Savitski gave the Panthers new life. It didn’t last long, though. On the very next play, Day timed his read, and got his third pick of the night, and a 1st-and-goal at the eight. Levan took it home from there for a 34 – 14 score. Before half-time the defense earned the Tigers very good field position and Fegley capitalized with a 20-yard toss to Day to extend the lead to 41 – 14.

Coach Roth only kept his starters in for two series of the second half. That resulted in a 7-play, 61-yard drive, and a 6-play, 72-yard drive. Moore capped the first possession with a 10-yard sweep for the score, and Savitski racked-up 58 yards and a TD on the second. In all, Moore ran only seven times, but compiled 122 yards and two rushing TD’s along with his 40-yard TD catch. Savitski and Levan each had 92 yards and 2 TD’s on 13 carries (talk about a balanced attack). The Tigers kept the ball on the ground the entire second half, so Fegley’s passing was limited to seven receptions in seven attempts for 122 yards and two scores in the first half of play.

The Panthers added one score each in the 3^rd & 4^th quarters on a one-yard dive by Rankin, and a nine-yard pass to Klingerman. Then they also put the reserves in for some valuable experience in the fourth. Southern’s reserves added two more scores in the final period. Adam Feudale banged-out 44 yards on two carries. Sophomore, Mitch Stanziale, rumbled for a 15-yard TD. Then sophomore, Cody Pavlick, registered an interception for SoCo’s final possession. This time, Matt Lupold (soph.) clipped-off 14 for a 1st-and-goal, and former Panther, Taylor Young completed the scoring with a three-yard keeper and the resounding 67 – 27 final tally.

BLOOMSBURG(4-1) travels to Hughesville(2-4) next Friday night to take on a faltering Spartan team. They close-out their season with Warrior Run(4-2), Danville(5-1) and Central Columbia(2-4). They cannot afford to take any of these teams lightly if they hope to make a very tight District IV AA play-off field. They will have to regroup from this loss and focus on fundamentals as their season is likely to not include any more cakewalks. Rankin was 15 of 26 passing (58%) for 145 yards and two TD’s, but with three interceptions.  Ricky Klingerman added 33 yards on 2 receptions out of five attempts and another INT. They were limited to 76 total yards of rushing.

SOUTHERN COLUMBIA(6-0) hosts Danville(5-1) next week. They won’t be allowed to celebrate their most recent victory for long. Sloppy and lack-luster play resulted in a loss to the Ironmen last season. Coach Roth believes that should have left a bad taste in their mouths and a hunger for revenge. The Tigers will need to refocus for the task ahead, keep executing on offense, and continue the improvements on defense if they want to stay undefeated going into the post-season. Loyalsock, Mount Carmel and Selinsgrove are still on deck, and the single A field in the eastern half of the state is daunting to say the least. Southern amassed 427 yards and eight TD’s on the ground, plus 122 yards and two TD’s  through the air.  Fegely was 100% accurate with his passing and had the lone run of 26 yards. Moore led the night rushing with 7 carries/122 yds./2 TD’s (17.4 yds./carry) and the 40-yard TD catch.

LEWISBURG, PA: If this game of high school football was not a barn-burner, then you’ll likely never see one. It had a bit of everything for the football fan: Big break-away plays; Long, well executed drives; Defensive stands; Seven lead changes (Yes, I said “seven”); A last minute touchdown; And a game deciding field-goal attempt.

Southern received the ball to start the contest, but punted it away after a Brad Fegley pass sailed long on third-and-eight. Lewisburg started on offense at their own 34 yard-line and went straight to the air. A 14-yard strike from Cam Cassels to Brandon Smith got them near mid-field. That combination would haunt the Tigers much more in the second half.

Then the Green Dragons’ premiere running back, Merle Moscarello got his shot – first on a four yard burst, then, finding a big hole in the middle, he exploded 48 yards for the opening score. A low snap was fumbled on the PAT attempt, leaving the score 6 – 0 at 9:48 in the 1^st quarter.

Next, Southern sought to slow things down a bit, putting on a ten-play, 70 yard drive. A dump screen to Matt Moore, followed-up by 21 hard-fought yards got the Tigers into Lewisburg territory for the first time at the 35. Then Fegley hooked-up with Kieth Day for 17 yards. Tyler Levan bulled his way forward for eight and a first-and-goal at the six. Two plays later he rumbled in for a five yard touchdown. Dylan Swank’s PAT gave Southern their first lead at 7 – 6.

Following the kick, the Tigers tightened up their defense and got the ball back on a long punt return by Day to mid-field. The offense, however, was not quite in synch. Fegley seemed to be loading-up too much and over-throwing open receivers, as in the case of a wide open Moore on second down. When he did manage to connect with Day on a 52 yard catch and run to the one yard-line, it was called back on a very late holding flag thrown deep in the Tiger backfield. Instead of first-and-goal at the one, they were left with third-and-28 at their own 32.

This would prove to be a huge swing in the momentum of the game, for on the next play, Fegley was sacked and fumbled to Lewsiburg’s Smith. Two rushing plays by Jared Laino went seven and 21 yards and got the lead back for the Dragons at 13 – 7.

The following SC drive sputtered at the Lewisburg 12 after two incomplete passes. Another defensive stand gave them good field position mid-way through the second period. This time it took 11 plays to cover the 49 yards to the end-zone. Receptions of 11 and 20 yards by Day kept the drive alive, and Levan capped it with a one yard TD dive. The lead changed hands again at 14 – 13.

However, a big play would once again redeem the Dragons. After being bottled up with the running game, Cassels tossed a screen pass over the pursuing defenders to Laino. With open field in front of him, he traveled 48 yards to the Southern 15. Cassels then took a keeper around the right for the score. It remained 20-14 going into half-time. After four games without a turn-over, Southern found themselves in a hole for the first time, and the difference was a fumble that led to a Green Dragon touchdown.

After the game coach Jim Roth commented that his team played the first half with very little intensity, “The execution and energy was lacking early on, but in the second half they relaxed and played better football.”

They were going to need to step up the intensity if they hoped to overcome a deficit to a quality squad like Lewisburg. And step up they did. On the first play from scrimmage Jammie Slotterback dropped Laino for a loss of four. Negative three yards on three plays forced a punt, then Southern went to work. Levan clipped off nine yards, then Moore broke loose on his biggest run of the night of 49 yards to the two of Lewisburg. Levan punched it in from there, giving the Tigers a slim margin at 21 – 20.

Another three-and-out series was forced by the defense, and the tide looked to be in Southern’s favor. They were moving the ball well on the ground when another holding call set up a first-and-23 at the Dragon 38. They decided to go to the air. First a six yard shot to Moore. Then, he had a nice catch and run deep into the red-zone for 22 yards before the ball was stripped loose and recovered by Lewisburg.

Following the turn-over a big sack by Slotterback had the Dragons pinned deep at their own one yard-line. This time, a gutsy call by coach Tilford payed-off big again. Cassels lobbed the ball down the sideline to Smith, who was one step ahead of the defender, and outran the field 99 yards to the endzone. After the score, Lewisburg faked the PAT kick and threw for the 2-point conversion, putting them up by seven at 28 – 21.

The quick score shifted the momentum once again, but Southern went to work on a ten-play drive into Dragon territory. It ended when the Tigers went for it on fourth-and-nine at the 23. The ball was puched out of Fegley’s grip and recovered by Nick Cozza. You could feel the collective sigh from the Southern Columbia side of the stadium. With precious time ticking away in the final quarter, the defense needed a quick stop.

Lewisburg had other ideas, however, and proceeded to throw another strike to Smith for 35 yards. Three plays later Moscarello, who had been pretty well corralled since his early 48-yard touchdown, found another hole and broke loose down field. After 30 yards he was caught by Joe Kleman who knocked the ball loose for sophomore Nate Hunter to recover at the eight yard-line.

The Tigers had a chance to overcome their mistakes, but were facing 92 yards and a dwindling clock. A pass to Day earned them 23 yards to the SC 36. Then Moore took a reverse 16 yards just across mid-field as the tension mounted. A nine yard pass to Savitski just short of the first down at the 30, then a penalty, followed by a six-yard run by Levan and it was fourth-and-inches at the 29. With the Dragons keying on the halfbacks, the challenge was up to Levan… first seven yards, then ten for a first-and-goal at the eight! Next, pounding his way through defenders, he looked to break the plane, but the ball was spotted about three inches shy of the goal. There was no denying him from there as he dove across for the score.

With that accomplished, it was now decision time – the score was 28-27 and a PAT kick would tie it with 0:50 on the clock. Roth gave his team the option and they chose to go for two. With Levan lining up in the single back set, the stadium was absolutely pulsing with anticipation. The snap, the give, the line surging forward, and Levan bowled his way well into the end-zone. The two-point conversion was successful, and the score was 29-28 Tigers.

Those lighted numbers, 0:50, glared down on the field as Tilford’s Green Dragons prepared for their final push. Returning the kick to their own 29, they went for a quick pass – incomplete. Then came a lateral to Smith who had three blockers in front of him. He turned to run, then set up to pass, and threw a 37-yard strike to Laino at the Southern 34.

Next Moscarello rushed forward for five, looking for another break-away opening. Then Lewisburg tried another trick pass, first to Moscarello then long, but it fell incomplete and was flagged as an illegal forward pass. Beyond field goal range, they tried to go for the long pass again.

This time the receiver was looking to the outside along his sideline, but the ball was thrown inside where the defender was keeping stride, trying for the interception. There was contact and both players went down. A late flag looked like probable offensive interference, but to the shock of Southern it was assessed against them. A fresh set of downs and new life was given to the Dragons at the 21.

Then a face-mask penalty advanced the ball half the distance for a first-and-goal at the eight. Moscarello tried the middle again, but was stacked up quickly – too quickly for Southern as the whistle blew the clock to a stop with 0:02 left. The ball was on the right hash awaiting the field goal team. The whistle blew again. The clock ticked down. The ball was snapped cleanly, set, and kicked. Sailing high, the ball went just left of the upright and players from both sides fell to the turf exhausted when the officials made the call – “no good.”

This was a game not to be forgotten anytime soon.

LEWISBURG (3-2) is a far better team than their record would indicate. They proved that they can strike from anywhere on the field in many different ways. With plenty of heart and determination they will undoubtedly make some noise come play-off time. They travel to MONTOURSVILLE (2-3) to take on a young Warrior team.

SOUTHERN COLUMBIA (5-0) remained unbeaten with the narrow victory in HAC-II action. The coaching staff is still making changes with defensive personnel at the midpoint of the season. There is improvement as they held off a potent Lewisburg attack despite the three turnovers by the offense, but they are susceptible to the big play and need to cover their assignments better heading down the rough stretch in their schedule. They travel to BLOOMSBURG(5-0) next Friday to battle the fellow undefeated Panthers.

BLOSSBURG, PA: After four straight losses to the Black Knights of Towanda, this looked like it could be the year that the Panthers of North Penn got the monkey off their backs. The Panthers are stacked with veteran players – returning almost their entire starting line-up from last season. They had everything in place to finally knock-off their Northern Tier League rival. However, in a game marked by mud and mistakes, the Panthers faltered and Towanda continues their reign in the NTL.

Mid-way through the first quarter the Panther defense cam up with a big stop deep in their own territory at the five yard-line. Unfortunately, the offense could not capitalize as they fumbled the ball away on the very next play. The first turn-over of the contest resulted in a five yard touchdown run by Mason Roof and an early 7 – 0 lead for the Knights.

North Penn’s first score came after a 62 yard pitch-and-catch to Marquis Delgado reached the one yard-line. Jason Dehaven then punched it in from there. A failed PAT left the score 7 – 6. Both offenses struggled to move the ball with any consistency – trading possessions after short drives. Part way into the second period, Skye Stiner found the corner and clipped off runs of 25 & 32 yards. Well into the Towanda red-zone, the Panthers inched forward, but were forced to attempt a field goal on fourth-and-goal at the six. Max Colegrove’s 23 yard chip-shot was good and captured the lead at 9 – 7 for North Penn. The score remaind there through half-time.

With momentum in the Panthers’ favor, they kicked-off to Towanda to start the second half. Neither team could generate much offense and traded series twice to start the third quarter. Finally, the Knights found some traction and advanced to the Panther red-zone on a 25 yard catch by Stiner to the 19. Two consecutive penalties marched them back 15 yards, but Zach Ripic regained most of that on a 13 yard carry. An incomplete pass left them with a fourth-and-12 and a decision to make. Coach Dawsey opted for a 39-yard field goal try on the foot of Ripic. The kick was good and gave Towanda a slim lead at 10 – 9 with only 56 seconds left in the third.

On the very next offensive play, “fumble-itis” kicked in again, and the Panthers coughed-up the ball to the Knights at the NP 21. Roof capitalized on this turn-over with a 16-yard score to put Towanda up by eight. From there the Knights defense came up huge. After forcing two 3&out series and burning up precious time off the clock, they went into prevent mode on North Penn’s last shot at tying the game. The Panthers made their way just across mid-field where Dehaven was looking to go long to Delgado down the side-line. With Dehaven’s arm cocked to throw, a blitzing Jordan Dawsey found the ball ripe for the picking. Not only did he get the pick, but he ran it 52 yards for the score to seal the victory 23 – 9.

NORTH PENN(3-1) looks to regroup next week as they travel to Sayre(2-1) to take on the Redskins. The following week will be their next big test at Athens(4-0) in NTL – large school action, as look to compete for a play-off spot in the very competitive district IV “AA” field. In all, they committed five costly turn-overs against the Knights, and generally struggled with consistency on offense. On a brighter note, the defense held a normally potent Towanda offense to only one long drive, and, even then, came up with the stop.

TOWANDA(3-0) hosts a struggling Cowanesque Valley(0-3) next week. The Knights’ next big test will be the following week when they travel to Mifflinburg(4-0) to take on the undefeated Wildcats who just came off a big win, blanking Danville(3-1) 24 – 0. The Heartland Conference cross-over action will be a good litmus test for the Knights’ post-season potential. Tonight, they have their defense to thank for the win in an otherwise close game.