CAMERON COUNTY RUNS PAST REDBANK VALLEY

Red Raiders set up rematch with Kane for D9 Title; Make first title-game appearance since 1999

CAMERON COUNTY 34, REDBANK VALLEY 0

Nov. 17, 2007 at Clarion University (D9 Class A Semifinals)

By Dustin Kifer

CLARION - Abram Zoschg ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns as Cameron County advanced to the District 9 Class A title game with a 34-0 victory over Redbank Valley at Clarion University's Memorial Stadium.

The Red Raiders will face Kane, a 26-6 winner over Coudersport, in the District 9 Class A Championship game next Saturday at Clarion University's Memorial Stadium. It will be a rematch of the AML title game, which Kane won 21-13 on Nov. 2.

Behind Zoschg, who got his 117 yards on 19 carries while also catching a touchdown pass giving him 20 on the season (15 rushing, 5 receiving), Cameron County's rushing attack accumulated 259 yards on the ground. 

"(The running backs) did a great job," Cameron County coach Tony Defilippi said. "We challenged the offensive line that when we get in the playoffs, you need to be able to run the ball. And that means the offensive line needs to get off the ball and do some things. We really had to do a good job of moving them out, the backs found the holes and the creases and we made the plays."

Cameron County's Andy Lippert returned the opening kickoff to the Redbank Valley 42, and Clingan ran it in four plays later from 15 yards out to give the Red Raiders the early 6-0. Clingan finished with 75 yards on 13 carries.

Redbank Valley's defense kept the Bulldogs in the game early, as the Red Raiders started two more possessions inside the Redbank Valley 45-yard line but were forced to punt once while fumbling once on a fourth-down play on the two possessions. 

But Jordan Crane's punting, helped keep the Bulldogs potent offense pinned back in the opening half. He twice pinned the Bulldogs inside the 1-yard line.

It was Crane's punt that came to a rest inches from the end zone early in the second quarter that led the Cameron County's second touchdown.

Redbank Valley ran two play and then elected a quick-kick punt from quarterback Jake Smith that gave the Red Raider the ball at the Bulldog 40-yard line, one of nine possessions out of 14 for Cameron County that started in Redbank Valley territory. 

Cameron took advantage of the great field position scoring on a 20-yard run by Zoschg that coupled with Jordan Crane's 2-point conversion run gave the Red Raiders a 14-0 lead.

Arguably the biggest score of the half came in the final minute. 

With 2:45 left in the half, Redbank Valley took over on downs at its own 10-yard line. The defensive stop was costly, though, as Smith was momentarily knocked out of the game after a helmet-to-helmet collision with a teammate.

With Smith out of the game, Shiloh Buchleitner came in, and Redbank Valley ran the first two plays for 15 yards out to the 25-yard line. But on seocnd-and-10 from the 25 with under a minute to play in the half, the Bulldogs tried a screen pass that was picked off by Cameron County's Mike Malizia giving the Red Raiders the football at the Bulldog 21 with 49 seconds to play in the half.

A pass interference call on Redbank Valley moved the ball to the 10-yard line, and then Crane hit Zoschg on a 10-yard touchdown pass. Zoschg ran in the two point conversion to give the Red Raiders a 22-0 halftime edge.

"That was on me," Redbank Valley coach Ed Wasilowski said of the screen pass call. "That's not a play we want to run with him yet, especially in this kind of game."

The Cameron County defense limited to Redbank Valley to just 21 plays and 51 yards in the first half. Redbank Valley faced a long field on various occasions in the first half, starting two drives inside their own 1 yard line and another at their own 10. The Bulldog offense did not run a play in Cameron County territory until the 7:26 mark of the third quarter.

"It really shortens the playbook, especially when you're inside your own 1- yard line twice" Wasilowski said. "I don't think I have ever seen that happen in a game, let alone in one half that close together."

"The defense did a great job of holding them down in there," Defilippi said. "That creates field position and allows you to run the ball and run the clock, especially after you get a lead."

Crane scored on a 16 yard run at the 8:15 mark in the third quarter to increase the Red Raider lead to 28-0. Zoschg finished off the scoring in the final stanza with an 8 yard run with 4:48 remaining.

Crane was 3-of-9 passing in the game for the Red Raiders, with 37 yards and a touchdown. Crane was also effective in special teams, averaging 33 yards per punt, and pinning the Bulldogs inside their 20 on three occasions.

Cameron County held a 296-109 edge in total yardage, including a 259-43 advantage on the ground and 17-8 edge in first downs. The rushing game also helped the Red Raiders control the ball for a majority of the game, possessing the ball for almost 31 of 48 minutes.

Redbank quarterback Jake Smith was 7-of-20 for 66 yard and two interceptions. Smith finished a stellar senior season with 1,997 yards, 29 touchdowns, and six interceptions.  

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