NEEDED RESPITE: Bye Week Comes at Good Time for Banged Up Bulldogs Ahead of Semifinal Game Against Coudersport

NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Blane Gold usually balks at bye weeks.

This time was different for the Redbank Valley football coach. This time, skipping straight to the semifinal round of the District 9 Class A playoffs was welcome.

(Pictured above, Redbank Valley running back Drew Byers/photo by Ripple Photography)

“It came at a good time. We had some bumps and bruises and we needed the rest.”

Perhaps no two players on the Bulldog roster had more bumps and bruises and needed the extra week more than Braylon Wagner and Jaxon Huffman.

Wagner, the Bulldogs’ record-setting sophomore quarterback, injured his shoulder against Central Clarion on Oct. 27 in the 35-14 loss.

Huffman, a receiver, linebacker and the backup QB, was also injured early in the game and could not continue.

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That left Redbank with just Ashton Kahle running the the offense from the wildcat in the late stages of the loss.

Gold said had the Bulldogs had a first-round game, Wagner and Huffman likely would not have been ready to play.

Both should be back on the field when Redbank takes on Coudersport at 7 p.m. on Friday at Kane.

“He’s good,” Gold said of Wagner. “He’s been practicing this week. Barring any setback, we feel good about him. And, you know, Jaxon was the other one. He’s been practicing. Technically those guys are probably day to day but they’ve been making good progress every day. If we would have played last week they likely would not have played.”

While Redbank was healing and resting up, it’s opponent this week pulled off a dramatic rally in the fourth quarter to beat Cameron County, 21-20.

The Falcons were down 20-6 with a little more than four minutes remaining in the game, but scored twice to eke out the win.

It was the seventh consecutive win for surging Coudersport.

“They looked like they were dead in the water last week, and then all of a sudden, with four minutes and no timeouts — no problem,” Gold said.

Coudy senior quarterback Gavyn Ayers was the catalyst behind the comeback.

Ayers has been a catalyst for the Falcons all season, both with his arm and his legs.

Ayers has thrown for 992 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for another 766 yards and 18 TDs.

“Everything runs through No. 14,” Gold said of Ayers. “We have to be prepared to stop a kind of similar type of offense as what Central Clarion runs.”

The Coudersport defense has also been playing well during the seven-game winning streak.

Redbank Valley may have to grind out yards on the ground this week due to the injury concerns.

“One area that is perfectly healthy right now is our group of offensive linemen and backs,” Gold said. “We’re at full strength there. When you get into postseason football, you have to be able to run the ball. Even if we’re in a situation with Braylon, if he’s a little sore and maybe he’s not himself throwing the football downfield, we have to rely on those big boys up front and the backs to be able to get the yardage whenever we turn to them.”

Of course, the Bulldog passing game gets a lot of love. Wagner has completed 153-of-214 passes for 2,541 yards and a school-record 39 touchdowns.

Mason Clouse, another single-season record-holder for yards (907) and touchdowns (16) is the main weapon out wide. Kahle is also a dangerous threat with 789 yards on 43 receptions and 10 TDs.

But Redbank has shown the ability to run the ball, too, when the situation calls for it.

Drew Byers has 696 yards on 107 carries and nine TDs. Wagner has also rushed for 302 yards and eight scores, although he will likely be limited in the running game given his injury.

Brock George has added 206 yards on just 23 carries for the Bulldogs.

“During the 2021 run (to the state championship game), we were really running the football the best we’d even run it during the season when we entered the postseason,” Gold said. “So that’s been a big emphasis this week, that when you get to November, to be able to rely on the running game.”

Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.