The State College Little Lions remained undefeated after their 28-7 victory over Altoona in the District 6, AAAAAA Championship game on Nov. 10 night at Bald Eagle Area High School. State College will now take on Erie McDowell on Friday at home in the District 6-9-10 Subregional Final.
In AA, Penns Valley atoned for an earlier season defeat with a 34-14 win over Bald Eagle Area in the District 6 semifinal at home. With the win, the Rams advanced to the final against No. 4 seeded Bishop Guilfoyle in Altoona on Friday, Nov. 18.
Here is a brief look at each game:
D-10 ERIE MCDOWELL (10-2) AT D-6 STATE COLLEGE (11-0)
DISTRICT 6-9-10 FINALS
NOV. 18, 7 P.M.
MEMORIAL FIELD, STATE COLLEGE
When Altoona tied State College at 7-7 with just over a minute to play in the District 6, AAAAAA Championship Game on Friday night in Wingate, the Little Lions were not about to run the clock and settle for a tie at halftime.
Instead, SC went on a 70-yard, seven-play drive that ended with a nine-yard touchdown run by D’Antae Sheffey. The score completely changed the complexion of the game.
Another touchdown in the third quarter on a 19-yard run by Donte Nastasi, along with a stiffened defense, put the Lions in control of the game and on their way to a 28-7 win.
Sheffey scored again in the fourth quarter, capping a 15 carry, 175-yard night that led SC to another District 6, AAAAAA Title.
The win was the Little Lions’ 11th of the season without a loss and put them in the District 6-9-10 Sub Regional Championship against District 10’s Erie McDowell on Friday night in State College.
McDowell is 10-2 this season with impressive wins over teams like Walsh Jesuit (OH), Erie, Meadville, Butler, St. Francis (NY) and Taylor Allderdice, 42-15, in the D9-10 Playoff on Nov. 11.
The team’s only two losses came at the hands of Erie Cathedral Prep and District 7 power North Allegheny.
The Trojans gain an average of 267 yards per game, including 180 on the ground.
Senior Artis Simmons is the top runner on the team with 151 carries for 1,293 yards and 11 touchdowns while quarterback Ben Moore has thrown for 930 yards and 10 touchdowns.
State College will be vying for its 12th win and second consecutive D-6-9-10 title. Last season, the Little Lions came into this game and into the PIAA Tournament with just barely over a .500 record and played all the way into the state semifinals.
The winner of this game will advance to play the champion out of District 7 in the PIAA Tournament on either Nov. 25 or 26 at a site yet to be announced.
Game time is at 7 p.m. in State College.
NO. 4 BISHOP GUILFOYLE (8-3) VS NO. 2 PENNS VALLEY (9-2)
DISTRICT 6, AA CHAMPIONSHIP
NOV. 18, 7 P.M. MANSION PARK STADIUM, ALTOONA
Penns Valley’s first loss of the 2022 season came at the hands of Bald Eagle Area, 42-27, in Week 4 of what turned out to be a very successful season for both teams. The two Mountain League foes met again last week, but this time the stakes were much higher: a berth in the District 6, AA Championship Game.
And this time Penns Valley turned the tables on the Bald Eagles by pulling away in the second half for a 34-14 win, its 10th of the year against just two losses.
The Rams took a 21-14 lead into halftime after a 20-yard touchdown pass from Danin Kerstetter to quarterback Jackson Romig on a trick double-reverse pass that caught the Eagles by surprise.
Early in the fourth quarter, however, BEA threatened to climb back into things, but the Ram defense came up big, as it has all season. PV stopped the Eagles on the one-yard line with a clutch goal-line stand. Three minutes later, PV’s Cam Watson went in from the six and the Rams were on their way with a 27-14 lead.
Now PV will take on No. 4 Bishop Guilfoyle, a team that surprisingly ousted No. 1 seed and perennial champion Richland, 32-22, on Friday night in the semifinal at Richland.
The Marauders scored 25 points in the middle quarters to take a 25-15 lead over the Rams into the fourth quarter and then held on for the win.
BG quarterback Karson Kiesewetter had a career game against Richland. He completed 16 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown and ran the ball 37 times for 203 yards and three more touchdowns. That totals 322 yards and four touchdowns by one player, along with a defense that held high-scoring Richland to just three scores.
For the season, Kiesewetter has 1,593 yards passing and 15 touchdowns and another 1,269 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns. Couple that with running back Cooper Rother’s 743 rushing yards, 507 receiving and 13 total touchdowns and the Marauders have an offensive duo that can strike at anytime from anywhere.
Penns Valley will counter with a team that racks up over 320 yards per game on offense, but one that also has played exceptional defense, especially late in the season.
Since Sept. 30, the Rams have won seven straight games, shut out two teams and given up just nine points per game. Tyrone was the only team in that stretch to score more than 14 points, and that was in a 27-21 loss to PV.
So, this looks like a solid overall Ram team against a Guilfoyle team with one of the most explosive players — and offenses — in District 6.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. on Friday at Mansion Park.
This story appears in the Nov. 17-23 edition of the Centre County Gazette.
