GRAHAM'S FIVE TD'S LEADS KARNS CITY PAST REDBANK VALLEY

WEEK THREE

Graham scored three times in the first half to help the Gremlins to a 37-7 halftime lead and then added two more scores in the second half.

The game was not without cost, however, for the Gremlins who saw three players go down with injury. The most serious may be to starting full back Beau Rattigan who has what appears to be an upper ankle injury. Starting quarterback Erik Fuhrer also left the game limping with an apparent sprained ankle.

Preliminary reports would seem to indicate that Fuhrer could be ready for Karns City’s homecoming game Friday against Clarion, while Rattigan’s injury could be more of a long-term if not season-ending type of injury, according to C-93 sideline reporter and D9Sports.com Tri-Editor Jonathan Shaffer.

The game started out with a weird twist, as Redbank Valley received the opening kickoff only to fumble it away to the Gremlins. Karns City, though, was in a giving mood fumbling the ball right back to the Bulldogs.

Karns City, though, got on the scoreboard first when Graham ran in from 15 yards out with 8:51 left in the first quarter giving the Gremlins a 7-0 lead.

Karns City increased that lead to 14-0 when Graham plowed in from a yard out with 6:27 remaining in the first quarter.

Redbank Valley was able to answer the second Graham score when Chris Merwin scored on a 45-yard quarterback keeper on the option right up the middle.

The Gremlins came right back thought to make the score 22-7 when Fuhrer ran in from 48 yards out with 15 seconds left in the first quarter. The Fuhrer touchdown came only a couple of plays after the Gremlins had an apparent punt return for a touchdown by Brian Hilderbrand called back on a clip.

Karns City added to its lead with 10:43 left in the first half when Andy Larimore intercepted a Merwin pass and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown giving the Gremlins a 30-7 lead.

Graham third score of the game came on a 3-yard run with 45 seconds left in the first half giving the Gremlins the 37-7 halftime lead.

Graham then added a 1-yard run with 9:20 left in the third quarter and a 4-yard run with 11:10 left in the game to finish off the scoring.

Before leaving with the injury, Fuhrer went 5-for-11 for 75 yards. His replacement, senior Ian Ferguson who started the first game of the season when Fuhrer was out with a concussion as well as the first four or five games for Karns City last season, went 3-for-3 for 51 yards.

Ferguson also added 36 yards rushing on three carries, while Fuhrer had 48 on the one carry.

Hilderbrand was the main target for the Gremlins catching three passes for 56 yards.

For Redbank Valley, Ron Geist rushed 13 times for 47 yards, while Merwin ran eight times for 54.

Merwin was 2-for-8 for 16 yards passing while throwing three interceptions. Cody Doverspike was 1-for-2 passing for five yards and one interception.

BOX SCORE

Karns City 22 15 7 7 51

Redbank Valley 7 0 0 0 7

Scoring Summary

1^st Quarter

K – Billy Graham 15 run (Jeremy Welter kick) 8:51

K – Graham 1 run (Welter kick) 6:27

R – Merwin 45 run (Brady Evans kick) N/A

K – Erik Fuhrer 48 run (Two-point conversion) :15

2^nd Quarter

K – Andy Larimore 51 interception return (Kevin Trimbur pass from Ian Ferguson)

K – Graham 3 run (Welter kick)

3^rd Quarter

K – Graham 1 run (Welter kick)

4^th Quarter

K – Graham 4 run (Welter kick)

INDV. STATS

Rushing -- Karns City: Billy Graham 17-93 5 TD, Matt Carnahan 2-(-3), Erik Fuhrer 1-48 1 TD, Andy Larimore 2-45, Ian Ferguson 3-36, Ron Belles 3-24. Redbank Valley: Ron Geist 13-47, Tyson Shrekengost 5-12, Chris Merwin 8-54 1 TD, Bryce Miller 4-11.

Passing – Karns City: Erik Fuhrer 5-for-11 75 yards 1 INT, Ian Ferguson 3-for-3 51 yards. Redbank Valley: Chris Merwin 2-for-8 3 INT, Cody Doverspike 1-for-2 5 yards 1 INT.

Receiving – Karns City: Brian Hilderbrand 3-56, Ian Ferguson 1-6, Billy Graham 1-12, Andy Larimore 1-25, DJ Black 1-24, Ron Belles 1-3. Redbank Valley: Ron Geist 1-16, Tyler Raybuck 2-5.