By Chris Rossetti

NEW BETHLEHEM – It was lights out – literally – for Maplewood Thursday night, as Redbank Valley cruised past the District 10 school 48-19 in a game delayed 30 minutes at the start of the second half because of a light failure at the Redbank Valley High School football field.

Redbank Valley (5-1) led 41-6 at halftime, and the teams were preparing to start the second half when the field was suddenly pitch dark, although the scoreboard, press box and concession stand lights remained on.

 “You are asking the wrong guy (what went wrong with the lights,” Redbank Valley head coach Ed Wasilowski said. “It is not something I have any dealing with. I have never had a game (where the lights went out).”

Maplewood (2-4) probably wished the lights had stayed off after Redbank’s Kasey Haines returned the opening kickoff of the second half 81 yards for a touchdown. But by that time the game had been over in terms of a winner and a loser for a long time.

That was due in large part to 28 second-quarter points by Redbank Valley, which got back on track after a 23-0 loss to Karns City last week.

 “It’s nice to get back on the winning track,” Wasilowski said. “We didn’t know much about them other than their record and what we saw on the film – and you can never tell very much from the film. It was a good win for us.”

Redbank Valley had little trouble moving the football in the first half running 21 plays with 12 going for first downs and five for touchdowns.

“They probably don’t see much of (the spread) up north,” Wasilowski said. “It seems like it is a lot of power football (that they see) where teams pack it in the box, which is the antithesis of what we do. So I think it is kind of hard for them to simulate what we do.”

Jake Smith played a big role in the Bulldogs first-half explosion going 9-for-11 passing for 232 yards and a touchdown while running twice for 28 yards and a score.

“Jake was hitting his throws tonight,” Wasilowski said. “You can see the difference. When he clicks, we click.”

Running back Alex Bladel was also clicking for Redbank Valley. The junior ran eight times for 58 yards and two touchdowns and also caught two passes for 67 yards and a score. He scored on runs of one and 17 yards and on a 62-yard pass that saw him do much of the work after catching a 3-yard swing pass from Smith.

Smith also threw a 71-yard scoring strike to Jerrett Magagnotti, who had three grabs for 106 yards, on the Bulldogs second offense play of the night, and the senior quarterback scored on a 20-yard run late in the first half.

Redbank Valley added a 41-yard interception return for a touchdown by Curtis Lee.

Maplewood quarterback Andrew Hamilton, who oddly wore No. 34, threw a 46-yard first-half touchdown pass to Matt Maloney and a 43-yard second-half touchdown pass against the Redbank Valley reserves to Robert Ciernakoski, while backup QB Broc Baker scored on a 1-inch plunge with 2:47 left to play.

Hamilton finished the night 6 of 14 passing for 137 yards, two touchdowns and two picks.  

Redbank Valley returns to action next Friday when it hosts A-C Valley at 7 p.m. on homecoming night in New Bethlehem.

REDBANK VALLEY 48, MAPLEWOOD 19

Score by Quarters

Maplewood 0 6 7 6 – 19

Redbank Valley 13 28 7 9 – 48

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

R – Jerrett Magagnotti 71 pass from Jake Smith (Doug Bish kick failed), 7:45

R – Alex Bladel 17 run (Bish kick), 2;43

Second Quarter

R – Bladel 1 run (Bish kick), 10:06

R – Bladel 62 pass from Smith (Bish kick), 8:14

R – Curtis Lee 41 interception return (Bish kick), 4:53

M – Matt Maloney 46 pass from Andrew Hamilton (Tim Gregory kick blocked), 3:47

R – Smith 20 run (Bish kick), 3:02

Third Quarter

R – Kasey Haines 81 kickoff return (Bish kick), 11:45

M – Robert Ciernakoski 43 pass from Hamilton (Gregory kick), 8:06

Fourth Quarter

M – Broc Baker 1 run (Gregory kick blocked), 2:47

M         RV

First Downs            12        12

Rushes-Yards         37-102 20-111

Passing Yards         181      237

Passing: Comp-Att-Int       8-17-2  10-12-1

Total Yardage        283      348

Fumbles-Lost         2-1       0-0

Penalties-yards       4-35     3-20

Punts-Avg              4-28.8  1-27

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing – Maplewood: Jeremy Dunn 10-45, Nick Garcia 3-7, Andrew Hamilton 9-39, Nick Bancroft 3-13, Matt Graff 7-(-6), Marshall Parker 1-12, Troy Praisner 1-(-1), Broc Baker 2-3, Team 1-(-10). Redbank Valley: Alex Bladel 8-58, Jake Smith 2-28, Shiloh Buchleitner 6-32, Patrick Goheen 3-(-5), Evan Shirey 1-(-2).

Passing – Maplewood: Hamilton 6-for-14, 137 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions; Baker 2-for-3, 44 yards. Redbank Valley: Smith 9-for-11, 232 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception; Buchleitner 1-for-1, 5 yards.

Receiving – Maplewood: Robert Ciernakoski 2-49, Bancroft 3-42, Matt Maloney 1-46, Mark Kohnen 1-19, Jordan Root 1-25. Redbank Valley: Jerrett Magagnotti 3-106, Craig Hibell 1-8, Nash Rupp 2-38, Kasey Haines 1-13, Bladel 2-67, Keaton Truitt 1-5.

Interceptions – Maplewood: Bancroft. Redbank Valley: Haines, Curtis Lee.