Bain Tosses 5 TDs as Redbank Valley Rolls

NEW BETHLEHEM (EYT/D9) — Redbank Valley football coach Blane Gold called it the toughest decision he’s ever had to make.

But it paid off in a big way Friday night against Otto-Eldred.

(Photo by Dave Cyphert/ProPoint Media Photography)

Gold tapped senior Bryson Bain as his starting quarterback. Bain, in his first year of playing high school football, threw five touchdown passes in a 59-6 win over the Terrors Friday night.

Gunner Mangiantini had been the starter and led the Bulldogs to an undefeated regular season in 2020. But Bain’s stronger arm allows Redbank Valley to get the ball to its slew of athletic receivers better.

Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.

Bain certainly did in the win Friday.

“We’re kind of changing our offense,” Gold said. “It was the hardest coaching decision I’ve ever had to make because I love Gunner to death. He’s nothing but a consummate team leader. Sometimes you have to separate the emotion from it and do what’s best for your football team.”

Bain was 8 of 14 for 232 yards and the five TDs. He connected with Marquese Gardlock for 56 yards to get the Bulldogs going in the first quarter. He hit Chris Marshall for a 14-yard TD to make it 18-0 and then hooked up with Marshall again for 60 yards for a 24-0 lead late in the first half.

Bain added a third TD to Marshall, this one a 35-yard scoring strike, to make it 32-0 with less than a minute left in the first half.

Bain capped his big night with a 7-yard scoring pass to Tate Minich for a 45-0 lead early in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs also scored with some trickery on a kickoff return, huddling with the ball on a kickoff and then breaking out of it with Aiden Ortz emerging with possession and racing 70 yards for a touchdown.

Video of play was scheduled to be shown on ESPN at 7 a.m. Saturday morning, Gold said.

Drew Byers added 106 yards on the ground and two late touchdowns for Redbank Valley (1-1).

Full game action photo gallery available at https://galleries.propointmedia.com/redbankvottoeldred

It was a big win for the Bulldogs, who were coming off a 22-20 loss to Keystone last week.

“I can’t stress enough, tip the cap to Keystone,” Gold said. “They beat us. We were really laser-focused this week.

Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.