SHARON USES ALL FOUR DOWNS TO BEAT KARNS CITY

WEEK 12 -- FIRST ROUND PIAA CLASS AA PLAYOFFS

HERMITAGE – Sharon ended Karns City’s hopes of a PIAA title run almost before it began defeating the Gremlin 20-13 in the opening round of the PIAA Class AA playoffs Friday night at Hickory High School.

It was the third consecutive season that Karns City’s year came to an end against Sharon.

The Tigers (9-3) got a couple of big special teams plays and three big fourth-down conversions early on to gain a 7-0 lead.

After stopping Karns City on a three-and-out to start the game, Sharon return the ensuing punt to the Karns City 47-yard line. Then on a fourth-and-7 from the Karns City 35-yard line, the Tigers called a fake punt and converted the first down. Later in the drive Sharon was facing another fourth down at the Karns City 8-yard and got the first down. And a few plays, facing yet another fourth down, this time from the Karns City 1-yard line, the Tigers decided to go for it again. Once again Sharon was successful, as Mike Bochert scored from a yard out. The scoring drive went 47 yards and 15 plays and came with 1:22 left in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Sharon caught a break when Karns City fumbled a snap at its own 17-yard line with the Tigers recovering.

Sharon then moved the ball to the Karns City 1-yard where they faced a first-and-goal. The Gremlins defense came up big on the first three plays stopping the Tigers for a total of a ½ yard, but on fourth-and-goal from the ½-yard line, Mike Schneider broke a tackle and stretched the ball over the goal line for the Tigers’ second score of the game. The extra point was no good, but Sharon led 13-0 with 7:40 left in the first half.

The 13-0 scored held at the half, as the Tiger defense held the high-powered Karns City offense t0 negative-6 yards of total offense including just five yards rushing.

Sharon’s offense wasn’t much better gaining only 57 yards, but special teams and fourth-down plays helped the Tigers to the lead.

Karns City came out like a team on a mission in the second half outgaining Sharon 185 yards to 65 yards, but the Gremlins were only able to outscore the Tigers 13-7 in the half.

The Gremlins got their first touchdown of the game on 13-yard run from Billy Graham with 1:22 left in the third quarter. The score ended a 75-yard drive by Karns City and cut the Sharon lead to 13-6.

Karns City’s defense then got the ball back after a punt at the Karns City 20-yard line. The Gremlins moved the ball to the 40-yard line where they faced a third-and-3. The Gremlins tried a reverse with Ian Ferguson that was sniffed out and stopped.

The Gremlins then tried to punt the ball, but Erik Fuhrer’s punt was a bad one giving Sharon the ball at their own 47-yard line.

Sharon, though, was once again forced into a fourth-and-8. The Tigers threw a swing pass that went into the end zone for an apparent touchdown, but the play was called back to the 12-yard line on a holding call at the two. The distance, however, was enough for a first down.

But on second-and-12 from the 12, the Tigers did but the ball into the end zone of a 12-yard run by Bochert to take a 20-6 lead with just over 4:30 minutes left in the game.

Karns City didn’t go down without a fight cutting the Sharon lead to 20-13 on a 13-yard scoring run from Graham with 2:11 left in the game.

The Gremlins defense then held Sharon to a three-and-out taking over at their own 40-yard line following a punt with 37 seconds left.

Fuhrer then hit Brian Hilderbrand for a 15-yard pass to the Sharon 45-yard line.

Following a couple of incompletions, Fuhrer found Ian Ferguson at the Sharon 25 with 11 seconds to play, and following a spiked ball, the Gremlins had the ball 25 yards from the end zone with eight seconds left.

Fuhrer, though, was sacked on the next play ending the game.

Fuhrer led the Karns City offense going 12-for-20 passing for 138 yards, wile Hilderbrand had seven catches for 68 yards and Ferguson three for 48.