REDBANK VALLEY 35, COCHRANTON 7

Oct. 6, 2005

NEW BETHLEHEM – Redbank Valley snapped its 3-game losing streak with a 35-7 win over Cochranton Thursday night at Redbank Valley.

"We had to get a win," Redbank Valley head coach Ed Wasilowski said. "When things don’t go right, it is tough to go to any job. It was hard for the kids coming to practice. They responded in a big way tonight. Homecoming really helped us out too. That gave the kids a lift all week. They were excited about that. There is no question that we needed a win."

Senior running back Skyler Smith provided most of the fireworks for the Bulldogs (3-3) offensive rushing 19 times for 164 yards and four touchdowns while setting two Redbank Valley career marks in the process.

Smith is now the all-time leader in rushing touchdowns at Redbank Valley (33) and the all-time leader in points scorer (240). Ron Geist held the mark for career rushing touchdowns (30) and Jason Huffman for points scored (223) going into the night, but a 69-yard scoring run by Smith in the second quarter helped him surpass both marks.

"I don’t know what I have to say about him. He is a great football player," Wasilowski said. "We get him through a crease in the line, and he is going to go. He has done it all year, his entire career. It’s not a surprise. For his size, he is probably one of the best kids we have had."

Redbank’s defense also had a say in the outcome limiting Cochranton to 91 yards on the night. The first-team unit was even stinger allowing the Cardinals no points, three first downs and just 41 yards of total offense.

"After the first drive of the second half last week, I thought our defense has played pretty well," Wasilowski said. "Carter Dinger had a great game on the defensive line, and D.J. Mahoney has been a real pleasant surprise inside (at linebacker). He is not the biggest kid in the world, but man every game he is leading us in tackles. He played another great game tonight."

Mahoney was a key member of a Bulldog linebacking corps that seemed to spend half the night in the Cochranton backfield.

"We have kids who can run playing there," Wasilowski said. "We aren’t real big, but if they get to the right place at the right time we will be all right. A lot of it is the defensive line keeping their kids off them."

The defense forced three turnovers on the night setting the offensive up with good field position on two of the Bulldogs scoring drives.

The first turnover of the game was forced by a great individual effort by Cody George. George single-handily stripped the ball from Cochranton running back Tony Mase at the Cochranton 43-yard line 1:50 into the game.

That set up a 7-play drive that ended on a 6-yard run by Smith with 6:44 left in the opening quarter.

The score remained 7-0 until midway through the second quarter when Smith broke off the record-setting 69-yard run right up the middle out of the shotgun formation. Nick Johnston’s extra point made it 14-0.

Redbank Valley extended its 14-0 halftime lead to 21-0 at the end of the third quarter on a 16-yard touchdown run by Smith with 2:46 left in the quarter. A 33-yard pass from Brandon Doverspike to Johnston set up the touchdown.

The Bulldogs proceeded to put the game away in the fourth quarter scoring on a 29-yard wide receiver screen from Doverspike to Johnston on a fourth-and-5 play with 9:15 to go.

Cochranton then fumbled the ball at its own 19 on its first play from scrimmage after the Johnston touchdown, and two runs by Smith – the second one from 4 yards out – put the Mercy Rule into effect with 8:51 left to go.

The Cardinals finally cracked the scoreboard with an 11-play, 67-yard drive late in the game that ended on a 2-yard run by Michael Sheehan.

Doverspike finished the night 7 of 12 passing for 113 yards and one touchdown. Johnston had four catches for 97 yards and the score. It is the fourth straight week he has caught at least one touchdown pass. During that span, he has 13 catches for 392 yards and four touchdowns.

Redbank Valley returns to action next Friday when it hosts A-C Valley.

REDBANK VALLEY 35, COCHRANTON 7

Score by Quarter

Cochranton 0 0 0 7 – 7

Redbank 7 7 7 14 – 35

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

RV – Skyler Smith 6 run (Nick Johnston kick), 6:44

Second Quarter

RV – Smith 69 run (Johnston kick), 8:46

Third Quarter

RV – Smith 16 run (Johnston kick), 2:46

Fourth Quarter

RV – Johnston 29 pass from Brandon Doverspike (Johnston kick), 9:15

RV – Smith 4 run (Johnston kick), 8:51

C – Michael Sheehan 2 run (David Hayes kick), 2:35

Team Statistics

C R

First Downs 8 16

Rushes-Yards 46-71 34-210

Passing Yards 20 113

Passing: Comp-Att-Int 1-6-0 7-12-0

Total Yards 91 323

Fumbles-Lost 5-3 5-2

Penalties-Yards 6-29 5-35

Punts-Avg. 5-39 2-25.5

Individual Statistics

Rushing – Cochranton: Michael Sheehan 11-41, Tony Mase 11-18, Jason Jamieson 8-(-35), Adam Dick 5-22, Phil Giles 3-(-2), Graig Garofola 6-44, Tyler Lippert 1-(-5), Andy Boughner 1-(-12). Redbank Valley: Skyler Smith 19-164, Nick Magagnotti 2-7, Mike Booher 3-19, Brandon Doverspike 5-12, Brandon Brinker 2-6, Alex Bladel 3-2.

Passing – Cochranton: Jason Jamieson 0-for-3, 0 yards. Tony Mase 0-for-1, 0 yards. Andy Boughner 1-for-1, 20 yards. Redbank Valley: Brandon Doverspike 7-for-12, 113 yards, 1 touchdown.

Receiving – Cochranton: Josh Friedrich 1-20. Redbank Valley: Nick Johnston 4-97, Brandon Brinker 1-13, Skyler Smith 2-3.

Punting – Cochranton: Greg McCullough 5-195. Redbank Valley: Dan Jordan 1-20. Trevor Reed 1-31.