WINDBER, Pa. (EYT) – Playoff football powered by The Haskell House continues from Windber Stadium as the Redbank Valley Bulldogs take on the Northern Bedford County Panthers in the first round of the PIAA playoffs and all of the action can be seen and heard live on ExploreTV and ExploreRadio.
Airtime for the Kerle Tire Pregame Show is at 12:30 p.m. with Mike Kalinowski and Bob Dunkle. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
Both the audio feed and the video feed can be found at exploreClarion.com and D9Sports.com.
ABOUT THE GAME
Redbank Valley vs. Northern Bedford County
The Redbank Valley Bulldogs used a balanced offensive attack and tenacious run defense to win the D9 Class A title over Smethport. The Bulldogs will face a different beast this week, as they face off with Northern Bedford, a team with a high-powered and balanced offense.
Redbank Valley’s defense has been the story of the season for the Bulldogs, who have not given up more than 12 points in a game this season. They have shut down opposing rushers, and have also forced key turnovers against the passing game. Kobe Bonanno has done an exceptional job clogging the trenches, while Aiden Ortz has two of Redbank Valley’s five interceptions. Offensively, the Bulldogs are skilled at using their versatility to keep opposing defenses guessing. In their first-round matchup against Coudersport, Redbank Valley used the skilled passing of Cam Wagner to secure points, while they used the power running game alongside some gadget plays to success against Smethport. What new wrinkle will the Bulldogs employ this week?
The 7-1 Northern Bedford Panthers have an accomplished offense, tallying 390 yards of total offense per game while scoring over 30 points in seven of their eight games. After losing their opening game to Bellwood-Antis, Northern Bedford won seven lopsided games in a row, utilizing their offense to dominate opponents. Quarterback Thad Leidy throws for 161 yards per game, spreading the ball out to a solid crop of receivers, five of which have over 100 receiving yards. The Panthers have a dual-threat of rushers in Dalton Smith and Cadin Ebersole, who each average over eight yards a carry. Defensively, the Panthers have 11 sacks and 16 takeaways. Dakota Claar leads Northern Bedford with 4 sacks.
One Thing to Watch: Redbank Valley has yet to face a passing offense as good as that of Northern Bedford. Considering how good the Bulldogs are at defending the run, we can expect the Panthers to emphasize their passing game. Are the Bulldogs up to the task, or will Northern Bedford be able to find success through the air?
The following local sponsors have signed on to make this year’s Kerle Tire Game of the Week possible:
The Haskell House
Kerle Tire Company
Redbank Chevrolet
Sweet Basil Italian Restaurant & Bar
DuBrook, Inc.
All American Awards and Engraving
Tionesta Builders Supply
FUN Bank
Clarion Forest VNA
McMillen’s Carpet Outlet
Clarion Federal Credit Union
Hoss’s Little Outhouses
Farmers of Marble
The Washington House
Yeany’s Maple Syrup
PA State Rep. Donna Oberlander.
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