RESILIENT PANTHERS: Big Second Half Lifts Revamped Keystone to Second Consecutive Win

JOHNSONBURG, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Trailing 14-13 at the half and with just 38 yards rushing, the Keystone football team needed a spark.

And, boy, did the Panthers get one.

Eli Nellis rushed for 91 of his game-high 141 yards in the second half and scored a pair of TDs to turn that deficit into a 21-point lead early in the fourth quarter on the way to a 35-20 victory over Ridgway on Friday night.

“We have a resilient group,” said Keystone coach Todd Smith. “We are a different team than we were a few weeks ago.”

That has certainly shown in the results.

After an 0-4 start, Keystone had won consecutive games.

The shuffling of personnel has finally begun to pay dividends.

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

Nellis, just a freshman, was also big in the passing game. He caught an 83-yard touchdown pass from Dom Corcetti — another freshman — to give Keystone the lead in the first quarter.

Nellis had three receptions for 85 yards.

Drew Keth also caught three passes for 117 yards, including a 60-yard TD reception from Corcetti in the first half.

Corcetti was 4-of-6 for 170 yards, all in the first half.

Rayce Weaver also completed 2-of-3 for 32 yards.

Jacob Henry rushed for 44 yards and also scored on a 10-yard run that put Keystone up 28-14 in the third.

Nellis’s 34-yard touchdown run put the Panthers up for good at 21-14 less than two minutes into the third quarter. His 9-yard run put an exclamation point in the victory, capping a nine-play, 91-yard drive.

“They have worked extremely hard,” Smith said of his team. “Players have been selfless and made sacrifices for the betterment of the team. I am very proud of our effort and comeback tonight.”

Keystone was very balanced with 208 yards coming on the ground and 202 in the air. Last week, the Panthers rolled up nearly 550 yards in a 67-15 win over Smethport.

Ridgway took a 14-13 lead on the half thanks to a 55-yard touchdown run by Eric Hoffman and a 1-yard plunge by QB Cameron Larkin.

But Keystone held Ridgway to just 104 yards of offense in the second half.

Larkin was 13-of-23 for 157 yards and a touchdown, a 7-yard hookup with Hoffman with 3:03 remaining in the game.

Larkin also led Ridgway with 70 yards rushing on 21 carries. Hoffman added 69 yards.

Broc Kudrick had five receptions for 24 yards for the Elkers.

Keystone will host Brockway next week.

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