By Brian Ptashinski @BPtashinski on Twitter
BERWICK- You can throw the records out the window when it comes to the showdown between rivals Berwick and Wyoming Valley West. Valley West has won eight of the last nine meetings between the two perennial Wyoming Valley Conference football teams. The Senior Class of this years’ Bulldog squad has yet to taste victory against the Spartans. Friday night at Crispin Field in front of a large homecoming night crowd, the Dawgs accomplished just that by a score of 44-22.
Behind the outstanding play of Damon Beckhorn, ho late in the contest broke things open, the Dawgs sealed the deal. Beckhorn was on the receiving end of a 28-yard pass from Jared Marshman, on a fourth and nine with 2:59 left in the contest. He then returned a Spartan fumble 16 yards at the 2:35 mark to give Berwick the final margin of victory.
Berwick got on the board first with an 18-yard run by Evan Klinger, after a Valley West field goal attempt failed to set the home team up at their own 20. The Spartans then blocked a Berwick punt near the Bulldogs goal line with 11:41 left in the second quarter. The ball was recovered by Berwick in the end zone resulting in a safety for the Spartans. On their ensuing drive after the free kick, the Spartans took the lead as QB Rob Dwyer connected with Darrian Tyson for 14 yards and an 8-7 lead. That lead would not last long as Klinger took the kickoff from his own seven and returned it 93 yards giving the home team a 14-8 lead.
The Bulldogs scored twice more before halftime, first on a 21-yard jaunt by Owen Shoemaker and the Ken Marshman connected on a 32 yard field goal making the score 24-8 at intermission.
The home team extended that lead to 30-8 on a one-yard run by Jarod Marshman with 6:21 left in the third quarter. Valley West maintained their composure and was able to cut the lead to 30-22 with scores by Zack Davies, first on a four-yard run, followed by a 2-yard fumble recovery with 11:51 left in the contest. They did this before Beckhorn took over to seal the deal for the ‘Dawgs.
“That is a very good football team in Valley West. Their record does not signify how good they really are. They always give 100 percent,” Berwick coach Frank Sheptock said after the contest.
Berwick, now 7-1 on the season will be home again this Friday against Lake-Lehman, who comes into the contest at 6-2 a 35-7 winner over Holy Redeemer. Valley West is now 2-6 and will be at 5-3 Crestwood Friday night. The Comets are on a three game win streak after knocking off Hanover Area 42-7 Friday night.
