State College 16, Cumberland Valley 13
After an 0-6 start to the season, Cumberland Valley came into Friday night’s game against State College in Mechanicsburg riding the confidence of a three-game win streak and on the playoff fringe.
Though the Eagles kept it interesting deep into the fourth quarter, the Little Lions grinded out a 16-13 win. State College (9-1) will play Mifflin County (6-4) for the District 6 6A title next weekend. The season comes to an end for Cumberland Valley (3-7).
Cam Renfrew’s 29-yard field goal in the third quarter made the difference for State College. Cumberland Valley’s Jake Hart punched in a two-yard touchdown run with 4:47 left to play to pull the Eagles within three, but State College’s offense salted the game away with a long drive to run out the clock.
The Little Lions took little time to get on the board, going 64-yards in four plays capped by sophomore Dresyn Green’s three-yard touchdown run for a 6-0 lead. Green continued a breakout season, leading the State College offense with 158 yards rushing on 19 carries.
The Eagles answered two minutes later, going 73 yards, mostly by running back Maximos Dell’Anno, who put it in from eight yards out to tie the game at 6-6.
A 13-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Friberg to Jeremy Bullock gave the Little Lions a 13-7 lead that they would take into the locker room.
Nate Lusk had two sacks to lead the State College defense.
Bellefonte 10, Bald Eagle Area 9
In the first game back at the renovated Rogers Stadium, and Bellefonte’s first true home game all season, the Raiders got a dramatic win over rival Bald Eagle Area in the Curtin Bowl.
Kicker Chris Persiko hit a 22-yard field goal with 8 seconds left in the game to give Bellefonte (8-2) a 10-9 win over the Eagles (8-2).
The Raiders opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 30-yard touchdown run by Mason Grey and Persiko’s extra point for a 7-0 lead.
Bald Eagle answered as quarterback Jaden Jones found Blake Roberts, who went 84 yards for a touchdown. The PAT failed and Bellefonte held a 7-6 lead.
The score would remain that way well into the fourth quarter as the defenses battled it out on a cold and often rainy night. In the final frame, facing a fourth-and-long, Jones’ pass was picked off, but the ball came loose and the Eagles recovered, giving BEA another shot to score.
Peter Van Cise’s 24-yard field goal, his first of the season, gave Bald Eagle a 9-7 lead with just over three minutes remaining.
On the ensuing drive, Kyle Myers’ 25-yard pass to Ryan Smith got the Raiders rolling. Bellefonte moved deep into Eagle territory, burning time off the clock, to set up Persiko’s winning kick into the rain.
The Eagles had one last shot, but Jones’ final pass was picked off by Bellefonte’s Ethan Rossman to seal the Raider victory.
Both teams’ seasons continue next week with the start of district playoffs.
Penns Valley 56, Philipsburg-Osceloa 7
Penns Valley (7-3) capped off its first winning season since 2007 with a dominating 56-7 win Friday night at Philipsburg-Osceola (1-9).
Ryan Ripka rushed for 146 yards and Aaron Tobias threw for 218 on 14-19 passing to lead the Rams, who will start the District 6 AA playoffs next week.
Penns Valley scored four touchdowns in the span of 12 offensive plays to jump out to the early lead. Tobias found Cole Breon for an 11-yard touchdown to finish a short scoring drive, then Gage Ripka pulled in an interception to quickly give the Rams a short field once again. A four-yard pass from Tobias to Logan Snyder and Gage Ripka’s PAT made it 14-0.
Tobias and Snyder hooked up again, this time for a 63-yard touchdown, and Ryan Ripka got a seven-yard touchdown run to give Penns Valley a 28-0 first quarter lead.
A short touchdown pass from Tobias to Seth Baney extended the lead in the second quarter before Mounties quarterback Bubba Slogosky got P-O on the board with a one-yard touchdown run.
Ryan Ripka ran 48 yards for a touchdown with just over two minutes left in the half to give PV a 42-7 lead.
A 63-yard pass from Tobias to Breon in the third quarter and a 10-yard Christian Fruhauf run in the fourth rounded out the scoring.
Photo by Heather Weikel/HWeikel Photography.
