UNION 34, A-C VALLEY 14

Oct. 5, 2007

By Justin Skiba

Foxburg - The Union Golden Knights ended a nine-game losing streak with a 34-14 victory over the A-C Valley Falcons Friday night at A-C Valley.

Quarterback Matt Gagliano led Union (1-5 overall, 1-4 KSAC) by throwing for 214 yards and a touchdown while also running for a touchdown. He was 8 of 15 passing and ran three times for eight yards.

Colby Davis contributed 70 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns for Union, which jumped out to a 20-0 lead early in the second quarter.

The Golden Knights scored on their first offensive play of the game when Gagliano hit A.J. Etheriedge with a 65-yard touchdown pass on the first offensive play of the game.

Gagliano then scored on a 1-yard run to make it 14-0 at the end of the first quarter before Davis scored on a 3-yard run two seconds into the second quarter.

A-C Valley (0-6, 0-4) cut the lead to 20-6 on a 22-yard scoring run by Mike Himes, but Union scored the next 14 points to put the game away.

The Knights made it 22-6 at halftime when they recorded a safety late in the half. Then Etheriedge returned a fumble 76 yards for a touchdown, and Davis scored on a 25-yard run by Davis.

A-C Valley’s Luke Walker got the final score of the night on a 5-yard run late in the game.

Himes led the Falcons with 16 carries for 94 yards, while Luke Walker, playing for the injured Brad Rembold, was 10-for-20 passing for 93 yards and an interception.

Both teams are back in action next week with A-C Valley visiting Redbank Valley and Union traveling to District 10 Lakeview.

NOTE – A-C Valley has now lost a District 9-leading 19 straight games.

UNION 34, AC VALLEY 14

Score by Quarters

Union            14   8   12   0  -  34

AC Valley       0   6     0    8  -  14

Scoring Summary

U - Matt Gagliano 65 yard touchdown pass to AJ Etheridge (conversion good), 11:43

U - Matt Gagliano 1 yard touchdown run (kick failed), 7:03

Second Quarter

U - Colby Davis 3 yard touchdown run (kick blocked), 11:58

AC - Mike Himes 22 yard touchdown run (conversion failed), 8:26

U – Safety, 2:23 

Third Quarter

U - AJ Etheridge 76 yard fumble return (conversion failed), 10:33

U - Colby Davis 25 yard touchdown run (kick failed), 1:29

Fourth Quarter

AC - Luke Walker 5 yard touchdown run (Walker run for conversion), 4:37

ACV               U

First Downs                            13                    9

Rushes –Yards                        37-159             29-110 

Passing Yards                         93                    214

Passing: Comp-Att-Int            10-21-1            8-15-1

Total Yardage                         252                  324

Penalties –Yards                     8-45                 3-30

Fumbles –Lost                        4-1                   3-1

Rushing - AC Valley:  Mike Himes 15-94, Luke Walker 16-46, TD, Tom Bell 6-19.  Union:  Colby Davis 16-70 2 TD, Matt Gagliano 3-8 TD, Kasey Kriebel 8-23, Trent Switzer 2-9.

Passing - AC Valley:  Luke Walker 10 for 20, 93 yards, one interception Mike Himes 0 for 1, 0 yards.   Union:  Matt Gagliano 8 for 15, 214 yards, one touchdown, one interception.

Receiving - AC Valley:  Thomas Perry 1- minus 4, Michael Orrvick 3-22, Darren Buckholtz 1-32, Joe Petkavich 1-15, Mike Himes 1-8, Tim Hummel 3-20.  Union:  AJ Etheriedge 3-106, Kasey Kriebel 3-59, Aaron Paulden 1-18, Ron Carey 1-31.