BROOKVILLE COMPLETES CINDERELLA RUN THOUGH D9 CLASS AA PLAYOFFS

NOV. 20, 2004 - District 9 Class AA Championship Game

CLARION – Nearly a month ago when Brookville decided to enter the District 9 Class AA playoffs with a 3-6 record a lot of people including some Raiders themselves questioned whether or not the school should participate in the postseason.

Three weeks later no one is doubting fifth-seeded Brookville (6-6) any more, because the Raiders are champions of District 9 after running over Redbank Valley (7-4) 42-15 in the Class AA title game Saturday night at Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium.

"The guys never quite and refused to give up on each other," Brookville head coach Chris Dworek said. "They just kept it going and played a real tough team in Redbank Valley tonight. I am proud of them. They truly believe in each other and care for each other."

The Raiders, who won their first championship since 1998, become the first No. 5 or higher seed to win a football title in District 9 history, but then again there never was a No. 5 seed before. This season District 9 decided to expand the Class A and Class AA tournaments making A an 8-team postseason while making AA an open tournament meaning anyone of the seven Class AA teams in the district could enter.

"I am glad we were able to make that decision (to enter the playoffs)," Dworek said. "The open tournament really helped us. We just made the decision. I trusted (the players), and they believed they could do it. We were very close to not going. We took a team vote, and we had some guys who said no. That was disappointing. But those guys bought into it after we beat Moniteau."

It’s a good thing Brookville decided to go, because the Raiders proved the hard way they were the best team right now. Brookville first went on the road and beat No. 4 seed Moniteau, a team that had beaten Brookville 52-20 in the opening week of the season, 20-13 in the preliminary round. Next up was top seeded Brockway, the two-time defending District 9 champions and the prohibitive favorite to win a third crown, and the Raiders knocked off the Rovers 21-20 in Brockway. Finally, Brookville had to play another team it had lost to this season, as Redbank Valley extinguished the Raiders 34-7 at the end of September by running all over Brookville.

But nearly two months later, it was the Raiders turn to do the running. Brookville racked up 433 yards on the ground and 492 total yards while picking up 18 first downs on its way to the easy win. Two Raiders went over 100 yards in the game with quarterback Nick Heschke running 14 times for 193 yards and two touchdowns and running back Max Kutz adding 13 carries for 145 yards and three touchdowns.

The Raiders offensive line of seniors Dave Galbraith and Wes Bashline, juniors Steve Hoak and Carl Burford and sophomore Eli Morres were a huge factor in allowing the Raiders to run 52 offensive plays to Redbank Valley’s 40 while controlling the clock for 26:01 including 15:50 to 8:10 in a first half that saw Brookville hold a 29-0 halftime lead.

"Our line is confident in blocking people," Dworek said. "We put a lot of pressure on them telling them we are going to run. They are able to step up with that challenge and know we are going to be able to do it. They handle that pressure so well."

The game was essentially decided in the final two minutes of the first half when Brookville scored twice in a span of 1:13 to expand a 15-0 lead into the 29-0 blowout.

"Momentum shifts quickly and it stays there," Dworek said. "It shifted real quick."

The first score in the span came on a 7-yard run by Kutz with 1:21 left at the end of a 11-play, 59 yard drive that took 4:58 off the clock. On the drive, Brookville converted two fourth downs including a crucial fourth-and-1 from the 50-yard line when Heschke picked up nine yards on a quarterback keeper.

"I have confidence in my players, and they know that," Dworek said. "We call a play, and that was that. They executed it, and the line was able to block it."

Brookville’s defense set up the last score of the first half when Korey Brownlee intercepted a Jason Smith pass at the Raider 24 with 1:05 left.

A 4-yard pass and two runs totaling 17 yards by Heschke got the ball to the Brookville 40. The Raiders then went to one of their favorite players, the hook-and-ladder, with Heschke hitting Matt Mohney with a 7-yard pass and Mohney pitching it to Kutz who added 14 more yards down to the Redbank Valley 36-yard line with 17 seconds left in the half.

Following a time-out, Brookville ran a draw play, and Kutz took it to the house going 36 yards up the gut for a 29-0 Raider lead.

"I was thinking field goal, but I knew on that draw they (Redbank Valley) were going to bail out," Dworek said. "The line said they could do it. It is just execution again. They were on their heels, and we were able to take advantage of it."

Brookville set the tone for the game just two plays in when Heschke kept an option play and went 76 yards untouched for a touchdown 55 seconds into the game. The extra point was missed, but the Raiders held a 6-0 lead.

"That set the tone for us," Dworek said. "We have been doing that the last couple of weeks. Our option game is so good, and our line is so good. That was a great read by Nick, and it proved to our guys once again that we could do that."

After Brookville forced a punt, the Raiders took over at their own 21-yard line. Nine plays later, the Raiders were in the end zone on a 4-yard run by Silas Wonderling, who finished with 14 carries for 58 yards. The drive consumed 4:15 off the clock and was spearheaded by runs of 17 and 26 yards by Kutz. Two 2-point conversion run was no good leaving the score at 12-0.

Brookville’s defense held again giving the Raiders the ball back at their own 41-yard line following a 33-yard Brock Shaffer punt late in the first quarter.

After running four times to the Redbank Valley 39, Heschke hit Mohney with a 36-yard pass to the Bulldog 3-yard line. But a penalty backed Brookville up five yards, and then Heschke fumbled the ball on a run somehow managing to get it back at the 10-yard line after wrestling it away from a Redbank defender. But the miscues forced a field goal try by Brad Brocious, which was good from 27 yards giving the Raiders a 15-0 lead with 9:38 left in the first half.

Brookville outgained Redbank Valley 351-37 in the first half and had 12 first downs to two by the Bulldogs.

After halftime, Brookville needed just one drive to put the Mercy Rule into effect, which is believed to be the first time in District 9 championship game history the Mercy Rule has been used. The Raiders drive was a 5-play, 68-yard one that ended when Heschke kept the ball on the option from the Redbank 25, broke a tackle when it appeared the play was dead at the 25 and raced into the end zone. A play before the touchdown, Kutz had gained 26 yards on a run from the Brookville 29. The extra point was missed, but the Raiders still led 35-0.

Redbank Valley finally broke onto the scoreboard driving 77 yards in nine plays added by two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on Brookville. Skyler Smith scored on a 1-yard run with 2:07 left in the third quarter, and Skyler Smith added the 2-point conversion run making it 35-8.

The Bulldogs’ defense then forced Brookville’s only punt of the game, and the Redbank offense drove to the Raider 34-yard line on second down before losing a yard and throwing two incomplete passes to give the ball away.

Brookville then went 65 yards in five plays scoring its final touchdown on a 20-yard run by Kutz with 3:05 left in the game. Heschke added a 30-yard run on the drive, and Levi Singleton had two runs for 13 yards as well.

Jason Smith set up Redbank Valley final score on a 50-yard kickoff return to the Brookville 40-yard line. Three plays later, Jason Smith hit Brandon Doverspike with a 34-yard scoring pass with 1:04 to play.

With the win, Brookville has now won five of six after starting the year 1-5.

"The difference has been confidence," Dworek said. "We identified our problems, and I challenged the players to work on their weaknesses. They were mature enough to do that and gained confidence from that."

This postseason was made even sweeter for Brookville after the last two years when the Raiders went in as favorites to win at least their first-round game if not the district title only to be upset at home by Brockway (2002) and Karns City (2003).

"It makes it sweeter," Dworek said. "The reason it does is because one of our logos is ‘family’. To come back and win this year was doing it for our graduated brothers. There were a lot of them on the sideline (tonight). That helps them heal a little bit too. It makes us proud to be part of that too."

Brookville’s tour of opponents who have beaten the Raiders this season continues next week when it meets District 10 champion Grove City, at a District 10 site. The Eagles knocked off Brookville 28-0 in the regular-season finale. Grove City beat Harbor Creek 33-7 Saturday night to win the D10 title.

"Part of the revenge tour continues," Dworek said. "But I told the guys we only need to worry about ourselves. They calmed down right away after that."

Brookville 12 17 6 7 – 42

Redbank 0 0 8 7 – 15

B – Nick Heschke 76 run (Kick failed), 11:05

B – Silas Wonderling 4 run (Run failed), 3:59

B – Brad Brocious 27 field goal, 9:38

B – Max Kutz 7 run (Brocious kick), 1:21

B – Kutz 36 run (Brocious kick), :08

B – Heschke 25 run (Kick failed), 7:07

RV – Skyler Smith 1 run (Skyler Smith run), 2:07

B – Kutz 20 run (Brocious kick), 3:05

RV – Brandon Doverspike 34 pass from Jason Smith (Brock Shaffer kick), 1:04

RUSHING – Brookville: Silas Wonderling 14-58, Nick Heschke 14-193, Max Kutz 13-145, Matt Mohney 1-6, Levi Singleton 6-30, Korey Brownlee 1-1. Redbank Valley: Skyler Smith 12-58, Brandon Johnston 5-17, Jason Smith 9-28, Bryce Miller 2-5, Team 1-(-2).

PASSING – Brookville: Nick Heschke 3-for-3, 59 yards. Redbank Valley: Jason Smith 5-for-11, 78 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception.

RECEIVING – Brookville: Matt Mohney 2-41, Allen Bowen 1-4, Max Kutz 0-14. Redbank Valley: Skyler Smith 2-7, Hunter Ruby 1-29, Brandon Johnston 1-8, Brandon Doverspike 1-34.

PUNTING – Brookville: Travis Diener 1-21. Redbank Valley: Brock Shaffer 4-144.

INTERCEPTIONS – Brookville: Korey Brownlee.