FOXBURG, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Only two games into the season, Dawson Camper has shown the uncanny ability to get into the end zone for the Union/A-C Valley football team.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound sophomore scored three touchdowns last week in a loss to Brockway. This week against overmatched Sheffield, Camper scored four TDs — all in the first half — as the Falcon Knights rolled to a 77-0 win over the Wolverines at A-C Valley High School Friday night.
“Every time I get the ball, my main objective is to get into the end zone,” Camper said. “No matter what the play is, I just want to score. I’m knocking heads and trying to get into the end zone.”
Camper has proved to have a nose for the goal line.
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
He scored on runs of 3, 28 and 3 and also caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from Bailey Crissman in the first 17 minutes of the game.
Union/A-C Valley (1-1) had no trouble with Sheffield, leading 34-0 after the first quarter and 57-0 at the half.
Camper only had five touches in the game. He rushed for 43 yards on four carries and had the one reception for 32 yards.
On his touchdown grab, Camper actually ran the wrong route. Didn’t matter. He hauled in the pass in the back of the end zone for the score anyway.
“He just happened to be where the football was,” said Union/A-C Valley coach Brad Dittman, smirking. “I mean, the kid’s a playmaker, and he’s only a 10th grader, so we’re looking forward to what he does the rest of the season and the rest of his career.”
Camper was just as impressive on defense, making stop after stop in the first half. He also partially blocked a punt.
Sheffield struggled mightily offensively. The Wolverines didn’t get their initial first down until midway through the second quarter and the first play run in Union/A-C Valley territory — for either team — didn’t happen until late in the second quarter.
“(Camper) has all the tools,” Dittman said. “He’s a big kid. He’s athletic. He’s got a motor on him. He never, ever gives up. We’ve thrown a ton at him and he’s really responded.”
Camper wasn’t the only star on a night of many for the Falcon Knights.
Crissman threw three touchdown passes — he also connected with Skyler Roxbury on a 29-yard score and Zac Cooper on an 11-yard strike in the first quarter. Crissman was 4 of 6 for 107 yards in the air and also rushed for 29 yards.
Mikey Card gained 109 yards on the ground on just eight carries, including a 70-yard TD run. Backup quarterback Trey Fleming also rushed for 65 yards on four carries, including a 49-yard scoring scamper in the second half on a read-option play.
“We have multiple weapon,s and I think you’re starting to see that now,” Dittman said. “We have guys, and even some of our younger guys, who are playmakers and athletes.”
Union/A-C Valley scored 11 touchdowns and the defense also produced a safety. The Falcon Knights outgained Sheffield 445-17.
It was a big bounce-back week for Union/A-C Valley, which was coming off a disheartening 28-20 loss to Brockway in a game in which the Falcon Knights committed 14 penalties and seven turnovers.
This week was much cleaner, even in the rout with the whole roster playing significant downs.
“We treat the score like it’s 0-0 all the time,” Camper said. “We go hard every play, 100% of the time.”
It was a tough night for Sheffield on another front. Two Wolverine players were taken off the field in an ambulance with significant injuries in the second half.
Dittman was also trying to mitigate the score, but with a small roster and with seven players in street clothes already, he rotated and played every man at his disposal.
“We weren’t trying to run up the score — that’s not what we wanted to do,” Dittman said. “But at the same time, we weren’t going to tell our kids not to play football. We didn’t have anyone else to put in there. We put everyone in that we could. I’ll never tell our kids not to play football, because that’s when people get hurt.”
Union/A-C Valley will have a quick turnaround. The Falcon Knights play at Bucktail Thursday. The game was moved from Friday because of an officiating shortage.
“We’re going to learn from the stuff here that we didn’t do well,” Dittman said. “We’re going to work and continue to get better.”
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
