By Justin Skiba

LOYSBURG – In a snowy, windy night at Northern Bedford High School, Bedford knocked off Karns City 28-26 in three overtimes Friday night in the opening round of the PIAA Class AA playoffs.

It’s the longest playoff game involving a District 9 team and also ties for the longest in Karns City history.

“I don’t think we played well,” Karns City head coach Ed Conto said. “I don’t think we came out to play. Our enthusiasm and our effort wasn’t there until the fourth quarter.”

The game was tied at 6 at the end of regulation before each team scored in all three overtime periods.

Bedford (7-6), winners of four in a row and 6 of 7 since a 1-5 start, took the lead in the first overtime on a Paul Detwiler 10=yard touchdown run on their first play. Dietrick Emrich caught the two point-conversion pass from Marcus Shippey and Bedford had a 14-6 lead.

Karns City (10-3) answered right back on a Jake Wagner 1-yard touchdown run followed by a J.R. Yough run for the conversion to knot the game at 14.

The Gremlins took their first lead of the game in the second overtime as Wagner scored his second touchdown of the game from two yards out giving KC a 20-14 lead as the extra point was missed to the left.

Karns City then appeared in great shape to secure the win when two false start penalties had Bedford facing a first-and-goal from the 20-yard line.

But Shippey hit Deneen with a 14-yard pass to the 6-yard line, and Detwiller took it in from there to tie the game at 20. The Bisons then attempted the extra point, but it was wide left also setting up the third overtime.

The difference in the game came in the third overtime after Karns City had cut a 28-20 Bedford lead to 28-26 on a 1-yard Jake Wagner touchdown run on second-and-goal.  The Gremlins tried Wagner again to force a fourth overtime, but the senior was stopped by the Bisons defense to end the game.

Bedford scored first in the game on its first possession going 69 yards in four plays. Shippey connected with Deneen on a 36-yard touchdown pass as Bedford lead 6-0.

Karns City was able to score midway through the fourth quarter.  The Gremlins started the drive at from their 48-yard line.  On the first play, Markle ran down the sidelines for a 35-yard jaunt to put the ball at the 15.  Then Craig Slomers tied the game on the next play as he dodged defenders and scored from 15 yards out.  The extra point was blocked and the game was tied at 6.

  “You can’t wait to play a game like this until the fourth quarter,” Conto said. “The kids did a good job, but the kid kept leaving things out on the field.”  

Karns City starting Dylan Hippple suffered a sprained ankle early on in the second half. 

“I thought we were getting momentum and then Hipple got hurt,” Conto said. “He really couldn’t step into his throws and that kind of hurt us.”

With the win, Bedford moves on to the western semi-finals and will take on District 7 champion Greensburg Central Catholic.

  “When you start the year you always think in the back of your mind maybe we can do it,” Bedford head coach Dan Smith said. “These kids have not given up. They have given me everything they possibly can. This is only the second time we have played on Thanksgiving.  This is a great win for our team." 

NOTES – It is the second three-overtime game this year involving a District 9 team and the third in the last two years. Otto-Eldred beat Sheffield 35-29 Oct. 3 at Sheffield. Last season, Redbank Valley knocked off Clarion 28-21 in three overtimes. Prior to that, you have to go back to 1995 for the last triple-overtime games involving District 9 teams. That season, DuBois topped Hollidaysburg 16-10 and Moniteau beat Karns City 33-26 … Prior to Friday night, the longest overtime postseason game involving a District 9 team lasted two overtimes and had happened three times – 2008 District 9 Class A First Round: Elk County Catholic 27, Curwensville 24; 2005 PIAA Class A Quarterfinals: Coudersport 48, Kennedy Catholic 42; 1999 PIAA Class A Quarterfinals: Bishop Carroll 35, Cameron County 34 … In fact, it is believed that the only three PIAA playoff games involving a District 9 team to go to overtime have all been multiple overtime affairs … Karns City is now 1-8 all time in PIAA playoff games with the Gremlins lone win coming last year when it beat North Star 32-14 in the first round before losing to Aliquippa 42-14 in the quarterfinals.    

BEDFORD 28, KARNS CITY 26, 3 OTS

Score by Quarters

Karns City 0 0 0 6 8 6 6 – 26

Bedford 6 0 0 0 6 8 6 8 – 28

First Quarter

B – Kyle Deneen 36 pass from Marcus Shippey (Run failed), 6:06

Fourth Quarter

KC – Craig Slomers 15 run (Kick blocked), 6:30

First Overtime

B – Shippey 10 run (Dietrick Emrick pass from Shippey)

KC – Jake Wagner 1 run (J.R. Yough run)

Second Overtime

KC – Wagner 2 run (Kick failed, wide left)

B – Paul Detwiler 6 run (Kick failed, wide left)

Third Overtime

B – Detwiler 3 run (Tanner Ripple run)

KC – Wagner 1 run (Wagner run failed)

TEAM STATISTICS

                                                   KC                        Bed

First Downs                               14                           11

Rushes - Yards                       50-187                  34-140

Passing Yards                           45                            82

Comp - Att - Int                        5-8-1                     5-13-0

Total Yards                                232                          222

Fumbles - Lost                          4-2                            4-2

Penalties- Yards                       4-35                          5-35

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Passing:  Karns City: Dylan Hipple 5 for 8, 45 yards, 1 INT  Bedford: 5 for 13, 82 yards, 1 TD

Rushing:  Karns City:  Aaron Markle 13-94, Jake Wagner 11-34, Craig Slomers 6-22, Ethan Beale 7-16, JR Yough 3-17, Joe Fallecker 1-17, Brandon Collier 1-3, Jessie Garing 2-1, Dylan Hipple 6- (-17)  Bedford: Marcus Shippey 15-70 1 TD, Paul Detwiler 13-61, 2 TD, Kyle Deneen 4-11, Tanner Ripple 2- (-2)

Receiving: Karns City:  Aaron Markle 1-24, Brandon Collier 2-12, Ethan Beale 1-6, Joe Fallecker 1-3  Bedford:  Kyle Deneen 4-72 1TD, Kurt Crawford 1-10

Interceptions:  Bedford:  Kurt Crawford