MIFFLINBURG – What a difference a week makes.
Just one week after losing by 46 points on the same field to a Danville team that is largely thought of as the top Class 3A team in District 4, having won the last four straight district titles, Mifflinburg went head-to-head with Pennsylvania’s all-time winningest program, and a contender itself in 3A this year after moving up from 2A in Mount Carmel.
The Wildcats certainly had their chances to pull off the gargantuan upset, but in the end, Mount Carmel made every play it had to in the fourth quarter. Robert Schoppy’s 20-yard field goal with 5:39 to play in the game ended up being the difference and Mount Carmel came up with a huge defensive stop after that before running out the final four minutes of the clock, and the Red Tornados managed to escape Mifflinburg with a 35-34 win – the 901st in program history after they became the first in the state to notch 900 last week.
“It was an effort problem all the way around (last week), so we just challenged them all week, every position group, we had some intense practices on Tuesday and Wednesday, really focused yesterday, and they really answered the call,” said Mifflinburg coach Cody Botts.
“We’re thrilled with their effort tonight and with things that we saw. There’s always things to clean up but perspective is a heck of a thing and if you look back, we’re two points from being 2-1. That’s tough, but we have to come back together Monday as a team and continue to build. We fought really hard and they came together as a team when we got down early, fought back, kept the pressure on. These close losses stink, but I’m very proud of our guys.”
The legs of Cooper Karycki, who ran for 230 yards and pair of touchdowns on 26 carries, and the Red Tornados making a key defensive stop after Schoppy’s field goal, then managing to run the last 3:58 off the clock were largely the difference. Gavin Marshalek also threw for 170 yards on 16-of-24 passing with a pair of touchdowns.
“We didn’t want to be in a tight game, but what we did at the end is difficult to do and we had a lot of pressure on us,” said Mount Carmel coach John Darrah. “We had a nice drive to make the field goal and then to run out the clock. It’s not often that we’ve been in a situation like that, so I’m happy we were able to capitalize and get the win.”
The Red Tornados looked like they might make it another lopsided game early on, as Mount Carmel took a 20-7 lead after the first quarter. Karycki found the end zone from 10 yards out on Mount Carmel’s opening drive, which went 73 yards in seven plays, and then Marshalek hit Jaylen Delaney for a short four-yard touchdown on a receiver screen to make it 13-0 with :50 left in the first quarter.
The teams then exchanged long kickoff returns for touchdowns. Mifflinburg’s Landen Murray went 91 yards to get the Wildcats on the board, who hadn’t yet recorded a first down at that point. Then, the Red Tornados’ Michael Kimsal burst loose for an 88-yard touchdown return on the ensuing kickoff, making it 20-7 at the end of the quarter. Kimsal finished with 225 all-purpose yards on the night.
From there, Mifflinburg crept back into the game before eventually taking the lead on the final play of the half. The Wildcats were stopped on downs at the Mount Carmel 13 on their drive following Kimsal’s touchdown, but then stopped the Red Tornados three-and-out to pick up outstanding field position at the Mount Carmel 37.
Radwil Susan capped a short, four-play drive with a four-yard touchdown run, with Chad Martin connecting with Jackson Griffith for a 17-yard reception to move the chains earlier in the possession.
Mount Carmel answered right back as Karycki burst through a hole up the middle and all the way to the end zone for a 75-yard touchdown to put the Red Tornados back up 26-13.
But Mifflinburg countered with a 55-yard connection from Martin to Murray to flip the field, and two plays later, Susan had his second touchdown of the night, a five-yarder.
The Wildcats then came up with a big defensive stop of their own, stalling Mount Carmel at about midfield with :38 left in the half. From there, Martin picked up 23 yards on a keeper, Mifflinburg benefitted from a personal foul penalty, and Martin connected with John Parker Marr as time expired for a four-yard touchdown pass to give the Wildcats a 27-26 lead at the half.
“We started off the game in a fashion that I thought we’d be able to keep that going all night but obviously we weren’t able to,” said Darrah. “It was a culmination of things. I thought we got sloppy, gave up that kickoff return, missed some tackles and had some mental busts in some different areas. But it is difficult with a lot of pressure on you like that to go down and win a game, so we’re excited about that.
The teams traded scores in the third quarter. Mount Carmel halted the Wildcats after a single first down following the Wildcats receiving the second half kickoff with the benefit of a 15-yard penalty due to roughing the kicker on the final PAT of the first half.
From there, the Red Tornados capped a seven-play, 74-yard drive when Marshalek hit Kimsal on another receiver screen near the line of scrimmage, and Kimsal turned it into a 51-yard touchdown.
But Mifflinburg again had an answer, as it again benefitted from a pair of Mount Carmel penalties and Susan capped the five-play drive with his third touchdown of the night, this one from three yards to put the Wildcats back on top 34-32.
Mount Carmel came up with another big stop on the Wildcats, as they halted Mifflinburg on downs at the Red Tornado 17 on the second play of the fourth quarter.
The Red Tornados took over at their own 18 at the 11:11 mark and proceeded to go 78 yards in 15 plays and all the down to the Mifflinburg 4, bringing up a fourth-and-goal, setting up Schoppy for his kick, which had plenty of distance and straightness to get through the uprights without any problem.
The drive chewed up 5:32 of clock, but still left the Wildcats with a chance to go back on top. The Wildcats went four-and-out, however, only managing five yards after starting their drive at their own 37. The Red Tornados then took over with still 3:58 remaining, but picked up three first downs and then had Marshalek run backyards for a loss on the final fourth down play with just :04 left to run out the clock and seal the win.
Mount Carmel 35, Mifflinburg 34
Mount Carmel (2-1) 20 6 6 3 – 35
Mifflinburg (0-3) 7 20 7 0 – 34
First quarter
9:49 – (MC) Cooper Karycki 10-yard run (Schoppy kick), 8-73, 2:11
:50 – (MC) Jaylen Delaney 4-yard pass from Gavin Marshalek (kick failed), 14-80, 3:53
:34 – (M) Landen Murray 91-yard kickoff return (Herrera kick)
:22 – (MC) Michael Kimsal 88-yard kickoff return (Schoppy kick)
Second quarter
5:41 – (M) Radwil Susan 4-yard run (kick blocked), 4-37, 1:15
4:16 – (MC) Cooper Karycki 75-yard run (kick failed), 3-82, 1:25
3:06 – (M) Radwil Susan 5-yard run (Herrera kick), 3-66, 1:10
:00 – (M) John Parker Marr 4-yard pass from Chad Martin (Herrera kick), 5-48, :38
Third quarter
8:39 – (MC) Michael Kimsal 51-yard pass from Gavin Marshalek (pass failed), 7-74, 1:46
6:32 – (M) Radwil Susan 3-yard run (Herrera kick), 5-65, 2:07
Fourth quarter
5:39 – (MC) Robert Schoppy 20-yard field goal, 15-78, 5:32
Statistics
MC M
First downs 27 18
Rushes-net yards 53-311 32-125
Passing yardage 170 179
Passing 16-24-2-0 10-18-1-0
Fumbles-lost 4-0 2-0
Penalties-yards 10-100 5-40
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Mount Carmel: Copper Karycki (26-230-2), Michael Kimsal (17-71), Al Bailey (6-22), Gavin Marshalek (4-(-12)); Mifflinburg: Radwil Susan (18-66-3), Chad Martin (12-48), Landen Murray (2-11)
PASSING: Mount Carmel: Gavin Marshalek (16–24-170-2-0); Mifflinburg: Chad Martin (10-17-179-1-0), TEAM (0-1-0-0-0)
RECEIVING: Mount Carmel: Jaylen Delaney (9-57-1), Chase Balichik (3-32), Michael Kimsal (2-55-1), Al Bailey (1-17), Cooper Karycki (1-9); Mifflinburg: Jackson Griffith (5-102), Landen Murray (3-69), John Parker Marr (1-4-1), James Donlin (1-4)
