BROCKWAY, Pa. (EYT/D9) — It was a surprising outcome in Week 4.
Undefeated Brockway traveled to take on 1-2 Union/A-C Valley, which was coming off a 72-0 loss to Central Clarion.
The Rovers would cruise to 4-0, right?
Wrong.
The Falcon Knights stunned Brockway, winning 12-7. It sent the Rovers into a mini-funk with a 29-7 setback the next week to Port Allegany.
Now, as the two teams are set to meet again in the first round of the District 9 Class A playoffs at Brockway, both coaches and teams are throwing that Sept. 15 game out the window.
(Pictured above, Trey Fleming, No. 10, has become a big-play threat in the passing game for Union/A-C Valley)
“We respect them. They are a very good football team,” said Union/A-C Valley coach Dan Reed. “We beat them the first time, but we’re gonna have to play our very best to beat them again.”
Brockway coach Jake Heigel said that loss, ultimately, may have been a good thing.
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
The Rovers’ goal has never been to go 10-0. The goal has always been on going undefeated in the playoffs.
“Our ultimate goal is to win a District 9 championship,” Heigel said. “We’ve always told our guys that it’s more about improving during the regular season than winning every game. And I think we’ve done that throughout the year.
“It was one of those things where I felt like people gave up on us the moment that happened,” Heigel said of the loss to Union/A-C Valley. “You stopped hearing about Brockway football and it took a few weeks to regroup.”
But regroup the Rovers have.
Brockway rediscovered the balance that made them 3-0 and won four of five in the second half of the season, the only setback a 52-28 loss to Redbank Valley that was a 21-21 game late in the first half.
Brayden Fox has put up his usual numbers, throwing for 2,081 yards and 19 touchdowns this season for the Rovers.
He has a bevy of weapons to throw to, lead by senior Blake Pisarcik, who has 1,096 yards on 67 receptions and seven TDs.
Jendy Cuello leads the running game with 1,208 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Union/A-C Valley (5-5) has also found itself down the stretch.
The Falcon Knights have became a dangerous big-play passing team with Brody Dittman at quarterback.
Dittman has 1,610 passing yards and 10 TDs. Trey Fleming has been his go-to guys for those big plays with 39 receptions for 669 yards and four scores.
Zach Cooper has 28 catches for 355 yards.
“Those big plays in the passing game definitely give you a spark,” Reed said. “It’s easier to score on one big play than to go on a long drive, so we’re always looking for those.”
Union/A-C Valley will also be looking to execute.
“It comes down to that for both teams,” Reed said. “We’ve had games where we’ve gotten into penalty situations. We can’t do that. We have to run the ball with some success and that doesn’t mean we have to have 200 yards rushing, but we have to be able to get three, four, five yards at a clip and not have negative yardage. And we have to make some big plays in the passing game.”
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
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