BROOKVILLE WINS ROUTE 36 TROPHY IN A NAIL BITTER

By Rich Rhoades

PUNXSUTAWNEY – Once again, the Brookville Raiders came up with the plays when they needed it.

The Raiders took advantage of Punxsutawney’s only turnover of the game and cashed it in for their only touchdown of the night in a 10-7 victory at Punxsutawney in the annual Route 36 Trophy game.

The win secured the Raiders (7-1 overall, 4-1 D-9 League) a first or second seed in the District 9 Class AA playoffs in two weeks, which means a home game against either Moniteau or Karns City.

Brookville trailed the Chucks (1-6, 1-4) 7-3 early in the fourth quarter when linebacker Kirk Hays stripped the ball from Punxsutawney running back Zach Bernat. Ryan Dinger recovered the fumble at the Chucks’ 27.

Eight plays and one fourth-down conversion later, fullback Kerry Brush scored on third-and-goal from the 1 with 6:46 remaining.

Punxsutawney didn’t go down easily, taking the ensuing kickoff and driving into Raiders territory. The drive ended, however, at the Raiders’ 26 on downs. Quarterback Stu White’s pass was nearly intercepted and knocked down by Raiders cornerback Cliff Park.

It secured the Raiders’ sixth win by seven points or less. Even the team’s only loss came by five points, a 25-20 loss to Bradford.

The victory also put the team in select company in team history. It’s only the fifth time the Raiders have won at least seven games in the regular season and the first time since the 1971 team went 8-1. The other teams on the short list were the 1970 (8-0-1), 1933 (7-0) and 1943 (7-1) squads.

Brookville took an early lead on its first possession of the game. The Raiders’ best drive of the night went 59 yards on only seven plays to the Chucks’ 10. From there, three plays yielded just two yards and the Raiders wound up settling for a 25-yard Brandon Gunning field goal.

The Raiders managed just five first downs the rest of the game, one of them coming on a pass interference penalty.

Statistically, the Raiders were outgained, 170-144, and were held to 75 yards rushing on 34 attempts. Quarterback Nick Heschke led with 40 yards on 11 attempts.

But the Raiders’ defensive effort was the key, containing the Chucks most of the night and making the big turnover play when it mattered late in the game. Brookville registered four sacks. Josh Rakovan, Dinger and Matt Gilbert each had one. Rakovan shared a sack with Mike Hetrick.

Punxsutawney scored on the possession following the Raiders’ field goal, driving 68 yards on nine plays. Quarterback Stu White leaned over his line from less than a yard out for the score. After Ryan Bish’s extra point kick, the Chucks led 7-3 with 11:56 remaining in the second quarter.

That score stood until the Raiders’ go-ahead touchdown. Seven running plays totaling 16 yards along with Hays, the tight end, who made a nice diving grab of Heschke’s deflected 12-yard pass to the Chucks’ 6.

The Raiders close out the regular season this Friday at home against 1-7 Meadville. Punxsutawney travels to West Shamokin.

B – Brandon Gunning 25 field goal, 3:15.

P – Stu White 1 run (Ryan Bish kick), 11:56.

B – Kerry Brush 1 run (Brandon Gunning kick), 6:46.

B P

First Downs 8 11

Rushes-Yards 34-75 41-128

Passing Yards 69 52

Passing: Comp-Att-Int 6-14-1 4-9-0

Total Yards 144 170

Fumbles-Lost 1-0 3-1

Punts-Avg. 4-30.8 5-30.2

Penalties-Yards 1-3 5-47

RUSHING – Brookville: Nick Heschke 12-40, Matt Gilbert 11-25, Kerry Brush 7-14, Keith Ishman 1-0, Team 3-(-4). Punxsutawney: Andy Snyder 3-74, Zach Bernat 22-71, Devin Mesoraco 4-(-5), Team 1-(-1), Stu White 11-(-11).

PASSING – Brookville: Nick Heschke 6-for-14, 69 yards, 1 Int. Punxsutawney: Stu White 3-for-8, 44 yards; Devin Mesoraco 1-for-1, 8 yards.

RECEIVING – Brookville: Keith Ishman 2-24, Brent Puller 2-18, Kerry Brush 1-15, Kirk Hays 1-12. Punxsutawney: Andy Snyder 1-16, Devin Mesoraco 1-16, Katlin Hughes 1-12, Stu White 1-8.

INTERCEPTIONS – Punxsutawney: Stu White.

SACKS – Brookville: Josh Rakovan 1.5, Ryan Dinger 1.0, Matt Gilbert 1.0, Mike Hetrick 0.5.

KICK RETURNS – Punxsutawney: Zach Bernat 2-48, Katlin Hughes 1-15.

PUNT RETURNS – Brookville: Cliff Park 1-9. Punxsutawney: Devin Mesoraco 1-2.