Wagner Throws Five More TD Passes as Redbank Valley Wins Shootout Over Ridgway; Keystone Offense Rolls in Triumph Over Smethport

JOHNSONBURG, Pa. (EYT/D9) — The Redbank Valley football team can put up points in a hurry.

The Bulldogs needed every last one of them on the road on Friday night against Ridgway.

(Photo by Madison McFarland)

Cam Wagner threw for 314 yards and five touchdowns. Aiden Ortz caught seven passes for 138 yards and a pair of scores and Ashton Kahle had 107 yards receiving and two more TDs as Redbank won a shootout, 42-33, over the pesky Elkers.

“Ridgway is a very, very good football team,” said Redbank Valley coach Blane Gold. “Coach (Mark) Heindl has won four district titles, so obviously we knew that they were going to come in with a game plan against us and that’s exactly what they did.”

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

Wagner as 15 of 24 on the night with scoring strikes of 40 and 76 to Ortz and 20 and 73 to Kahle.

Tate Minich also caught an 11 yard TD throw from Wagner.

Sophomore Drew Byers added 70 yards on the ground for the Bulldogs, who trailed 13-0 early on a pair of rushing touchdowns by Ridgway uarterback Cam Larkin.

Ridgway’s first drive ate up half of the first quarter clock. Redbank went three-and-out on its first possession, and the Elkers drove again for a touchdown.

But Redbank Valley responded, climbing out of that early hole as Wagner hit Kahle to make it 13-7 and then connected with Ortz to make it 14-13.

That lead was brief.

Kaden Dennis returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards for a touchdown to put Ridgway back up, 19-14.

Wagner, though, quickly found Kahle for a 73-yard touchdown to put the Bulldogs up for good, 21-19.

“Teams know we have Tate and Aiden and we’ve made them the focal point of our offense,” Gold said. “But if you don’t devote a lot of attention to Ashton, he can make a lot of big plays, too. Ashton, out of all four of those wideouts, is actually the one who comes off the field the least because he’s so valuable to us on special teams with his speed. He is playing a ton of reps on Friday nights. He was still having and impact in the fourth quarter.”

Redbank (5-0) extended its lead to 28-19 at the half and then 35-19 on Wagner’s fifth TD pass, this one to Minich.

Ridgway, though, wouldn’t surrender.

Aiden Zimmerman scored on a 4-yard run to cut the lead to 35-25 in the fourth quarter. Carsen Rupp returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown to give the Bulldogs some breathing room at 42-25 with five minutes remaining in the game.

Ridgway capped the scoring with a 75-yard TD pass from Larkin to Isaiah Jackson just a minute later.

Redbank Valley was able to hold on for the win.

The Elkers (0-5) certainly didn’t play like a winless team.

“They were the best 0-4 team I’ve ever seen,” Gold said.

Cam Larkin threw for nearly 200 yards and a touchdown.

“We knew how good Zimmerman was and we knew how good (Kaden Dennis) was,” Gold said. “But probably the biggest thing that shocked us is their quarterback played much better than what we had seen on film. He made a lot of plays. Tip your cap to them and their quarterback.”

KEYSTONE 41, SMETHPORT 14

Kyle Nellis rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns and Tyler Albright added 111 yards on the ground and 84 yards receiving and two TDs as the Panthers bounced back from their first loss of the season last week with a big win on the road.

Drew Slaugenhaupt also returned an interception for a TD in the win.

Keystone quarterback Rayce Weaver was 4 of 4 for 44 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game with an elbow injury.

Sophomore Drew Keth stepped in and went 2 of 7 for 100 yards and a touchdown.

“A lot of different guys had to step up tonight due to injuries,” said Keystone coach Todd Smith. “I’m very proud of the entire team.”

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