KARNS CITY 23, REDBANK VALLEY 14

Story updated Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008 - Updated with corrected stats. Stats we originally had were unofficial

Oct. 3, 2008

Anthony Stimac had 294 total yards of offense for Karns City Friday night in a big win over Redbank Valley. Photo by Dana Madison 

KARNS CITY – Anthony Stimac racked up 296 yards of total offense and added an interception on defense to lead unbeaten Karns City to a 23-14 win over previously unbeaten Redbank Valley Friday night at Karns City.

Stimac rushed 15 times for 207 yards and a touchdown while also going 6-for-16 passing for 89 yards passing, one touchdown and one interception. His 63-yard touchdown run with 9:21 left in the third quarter gave Karns City the lead for good at 16-14, and his 73-yard run a couple of minutes later set up a 3-yard touchdown scamper by Markus LaVan.

Karns City (6-0 overall, 6-0 KSAC) outgained Redbank Valley (5-1, 5-1) 459 yards to 141 but found itself in a tight game most of the way because of 14 penalties for 100 yards and four turnovers.

Seventy of the penalty yards and two of the turnovers came in the first half, but the Gremlins still led 10-7 at halftime after a botched snap on a Redbank Valley field goal attempt in the final minute thwarted a Bulldog drive.

But Redbank Valley atoned for the mistake on its first play of the second half when Shiloh Buchleitner, who didn’t start nor finish the game for unspecified reasons, hit Jerrett Magagnotti with an 83-yard touchdown pass giving the Bulldogs a 14-10 lead 16 seconds into the half.

While the touchdown momentarily silenced and stunned the Karns City crowd, which has now seen its team win 26 straight KSAC games, the fans were quickly back on their feet a couple of minutes later when Stimac took a third-and-7 play from his own 36 and turned it into the 64-yard game-changing touchdown run.

Redbank appeared to get a break a few minutes later when Karns City fumbled a Bulldog punt near the Redbank 40 giving Redbank the ball back at its own 34. Buchleitner then scampered 20 yards to the Karns City 46, and the Bulldogs seemed to be back in business.

But a short run and two incomplete passes later, and Redbank had to punt the ball away giving Karns City the ball at its own 16-yard line.

Stimac quickly changed field position on a second-and-5 play from the Karns City 21 going 73 yards before being pulled down from behind at the Redbank 6-yard line. Three runs later, LaVan scored on an option pitch making it a two-possession game.

Karns City had a chance to add to its lead midway through the fourth quarter when it drove to the Redbank 5, but a Stimac pass into the end zone was picked off by Kasey Haines ending the threat and giving Redbank one last chance to rally.

The Bulldogs, however, gave the ball right back when Brandon Bain was picked off by Stimac. Karns City then ran out the clock moving the ball inside the Redbank 5-yard line before time ran out.

Karns City appeared to take complete control of the game early on jumping out to a 10-0 lead that could have been a lot worse at the end of the first quarter.

The Gremlins went 61 yards in six plays on its opening drive overcoming two penalties when Stimac hit Dan Wolf with a screen pass that Wolf took 50 yards for the game’s first touchdown.

After a short Redbank Valley punt, Karns City drove right back down the field but was stopped at the Redbank Valley 10. Gremlins head coach Ed Conto sent on J.J. Grenninger to try a 27-yard field goal, but a Redbank player appeared to get a piece of the kick that fell short.

Karns City, however, forced another short punt and took over at the Redbank Valley 37. This time the Gremlins drove to the Redbank 20, but the drive stalled again. Again Conto sent out Grenninger, and the first-year senior kicker answered the call booting a 37-yard field goal making it 10-0.

The Gremlins seemed poised to add to the lead after LaVan picked off a Bain pass at the Gremlin 38, but Karns City’s drive stalled after initially reaching the Redbank 32 and the Gremlins were forced to punt.

After another three-and-out by Redbank Valley, Karns City allowed the Bulldogs to get back in the game when a bad snap allowed the Bulldogs to take over at the Gremlin 28.

Three plays after the turnover, Buchleitner, found Haines with a 30-yard touchdown pass cutting the deficit to 10-7 with 5:52 left in the first half.

Karns City then fumbled the ensuing kickoff with Pat Goheen recovering the loose ball at the Karns City 33.

The drive appeared to stall at the 37 when Redbank faced a fourth-and-13, but a pass interference call on the Gremlins on the fourth-down play gave the Bulldogs new life.

Buchleitner then hit Bladel with a 21-yard pass to the Karns City 9 late in the half, and the Bulldogs seemed poised to take the lead.

But two incomplete passes and a loss of five yards on a run by Bladel left Redbank facing a fourth-and-goal from the 14, and Redbank first-year head coach Brandon Rapp sent in Bain to try a 31-yard field goal.

Bain never got the chance, as the snap was wild, and only Bain’s last-ditch effort to cover the ball all the way back at the Karns City 41 prevented the Gremlins from scoring.

NOTES – It marked the third straight season that Redbank Valley and Karns City met in Week 4 or later with both teams unbeaten, and it was the third straight year Karns City won … Bladel finished the night with an minus 2 yards rushing on 16 carries. He came into the night needing 46 yards to for 3,000 yards … LaVan added two interceptions on defense and had 69 yards rushing for Karns City. 

KARNS CITY 23, REDBANK VALLEY 14

Score by Quarters

Redbank 0 7 7 0 – 14

Karns City 10 0 13 – 23 

First Quarter

KC – Dan Wolf 50 pass from Anthony Stimac (J.J. Grenninger kick), 9:12

KC – Grenninger 37 field goal, 2:19

Second Quarter

RV – Kasey Haines 30 pass from Shiloh Buchleitner (Brandon Bain kick), 5:52

Third Quarter                                                                                                                                                                     

RV – Jerrett Magagnotti 83 pass from Buchleitner (Bain kick), 11:44

KC – Stimac 64 run (Stimac run failed), 9:21

KC – Markus LaVan 3 run (Grenninger kick), 5:06

Team Statistics

Individual Statistics

Rushing – Redbank Valley: Shiloh Buchleitner 5-minus 1, Alex Bladel 16-minus 2, Pat Goheen 1-0, Jerrett Magagnotti 1-minus 4, Team 1-(-27). Karns City: Markus LaVan 17-70, Jake Wagner 5-53, Anthony Stimac 14-207, Levi Buck 7-37, Aaron Markle 1-8, Dan Wolf 1-minus 3, Team 1- minus 2.

Passing – Redbank Valley: Shiloh Buchleitner 3-for-16, 134 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception. Brandon Bain: 4-for-9, 41 yards, 2 interceptions. Karns City: Anthony Stimac 6-for-16, 89 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception.

Receiving – Redbank Valley: Kameron Rankin 3-24, Kasey Haines 2-47, Alex Bladel 1-21, Jerrett Magagnotti 1-83. Karns City: Chris Price 2-22. Brandon Collier 2-11, Dan Wolf 1-50, Levi Buck 1-6.

Interceptions – Redbank Valley: Kasey Haines. Karns City: Markus LaVan 2, Anthony Stimac.