BRADFORD, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Backed up at its own 1-yard line in a 15-10 game in the fourth quarter, Port Allegany needed a big play and a spark to hold off Brockway.
The Gators got one from Aiden Bliss.
(Pictured above, Aiden Bliss/photo by Patrick Crants Photography)
Bliss raced 70 yards for a touchdown as part of the sophomore running back’s big night as Port Allegany pulled away from the Rovers for a 29-10 win in the District 9 Class A semifinals.
It puts the Gators, the defending D9 champs, back in the championship game where they will face Redbank Valley.
“Aiden Bliss did Aiden Bliss things tonight,” said Port Allegany coach Justin Bienkowski. “Credit to Brockway, they took his legs out a little bit — he was feeling it. But he just kept grinding.
Bliss certainly did, rushing 35 times for 288 yards and three touchdowns.
The bruising back put the finishing touches on the win with a 19-yard run.
“It was another classic Port Allegany-Brockway battle,” Bienkowski said. “It wasn’t pretty, especially coming out of the locker room in the second half.”
Down 15-3 and with quarterback Brayden Fox out with an injury, freshman Aiden Patton led the Rovers on a touchdown drive to trim the lead to 15-10.
Patton found Blake Pisarcik on a 19-yard pass to make it a one-score game again.
And to give Brockway a large dose of momentum.
“We told the kids during one of our breaks, ‘Just calm down,’” Bienkowski said. “I told my coaches, myself included, ‘Just everybody take a deep breath and remember we’re here for a reason. Let’s do what we do.’”
What Port does is the run the ball behind a physical and mauling offensive line and the Gators did that with Brockway nipping at their heels.
Styles also had 56 yards rushing as Port Allegany completed just one pass in the game.
“It was a good football game,” Bienkowski said. “It just so happens we’re trying to play for some hardware now.”
Fox was 7-of-18 for 74 yards before leaving the game after the first half.
Patton played well in his stead, throwing for 124 yards and the touchdown to Pisarcik, who had four catches for 69 yards.
“He made some nice completions,” Bienkowski said. “We made some adjustments when we got it to where we knew they had to throw the ball and we were fortunate enough to get some pressure on him. He’s gonna be a player. I told him that going through the line.”
Jendy Cuello was held largely in check. The Brockway running back finished with 36 yards on 12 carries.
Now Port gets another crack at Redbank Valley, which handed the Gators a 57-13 loss on Oct. 13.
The Bulldogs beat Coudersport 46-13 in the other Class A semifinal Friday night.
“Those guys are rolling and they’re so talented and so well-coached,” Bienkowski said.
