DUBOIS — With their season on the line and a District 9 Class A title at stake, the Coudersport Falcons had just 12 minutes to turn around an uncharacteristically sloppy performance.
So the Falcons did what they’ve done all season long: dominate on both sides of the ball and turn the game into a rout.
Coudersport scored an absurd 36 points in the fourth quarter to turn a 7-6 deficit into a 42-13 victory over Redbank Valley in Saturday’s championship game at Mansell Stadium in DuBois.
After winning games by an average of 42 points heading into the contest, the Falcons found themselves trailing for only the second time all year. But Tom Storey’s crew was unphased and determined to clinch back-to-back titles for the second time in school history.
“Different feeling, definitely (than last year’s 44-7 win over Smethport),” he said. “It’s what we’ve been working for as coaches is to build this program up. This senior class coming through has had a lot of success and to do what they’ve done and to capitalize on everything is a big thing. Building that program, building that culture as I’ve always called it as been a big thing. So yeah, it feels real good to have these guys undefeated and win the district title and to go from there.”
The fourth quarter will certainly live on in D9 record books and in the minds of the Coudersport faithful for years to come.
After scoring their first points of the game on a 22-yard Hayden Keck run four minutes into the second half, the Falcons (11-0) got to work.
Coudy began a nearly six-minute drive in the third quarter that was capped off by a touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the three just nine seconds into the fourth.
On that play, Kolby VanWhy recovered a Hayden Keck fumble in the end zone to avoid disaster and give the Falcons a 14-6 lead after the ensuing 2-pt play.
From there, the floodgates opened.
Dylan Kelly (19 yards), Jacob Pitcher (52 yards) and Brandt Kightlinger (2 yards) had rushing touchdowns on each of the next three Coudersport possessions. Before Redbank Valley could regroup, much less make any adjustments defensively, the Falcons were up 35-7 in a span of 6:32.
“I just think once we got down we were a little down on ourselves, but then since we won last year we know what it feels like to win and we didn’t want to lose and just have a sour taste in our mouth for the rest of the year,” Keck said.
Making those first three quarters all the more surprising was that Coudy had dominated the Bulldogs in a 56-0 regular season victory just over a month ago.
But RV was up to the task early this time around, as Kobe Bonanno scored on a one-yard plunge late in the first quarter to put his team ahead.
More impressively, however, was the Bulldog defense. Keck threw interceptions on back-to-back possessions in the first half and Coudy’s longest play on the ground in the opening two quarters went for just 13 yards.
To make matters worse, starting running back Travis Gleason was injured in the second quarter and did not return. The offensive struggles were uncharted territory for a team that averages over 45 points per game.
“They came out and they played us hard right off the bat and that’s what they are supposed to do,” Storey said. “We knew that they were going to show up and everything and it was a good fight. That’s the way we practiced and that’s the way we worked all summer long, all year long, is to own that second half. They came and did it.”
Redbank Valley had no answers for the by-committee approach at running back in the second half. After gaining just six yards in the first, Kightlinger went for 100 over the final two quarters. Kelly, who did not touch the ball prior to the fourth quarter, finished with 69 yards on eight carries. Pitcher, meanwhile, had just two offensive touches in the game: his 52-yard touchdown run and a 37-yard reception.
“I’m so proud of those guys for coming in and working hard in practice,” Keck said. “Learning their plays so they could be ready and come in when somebody goes down.”
And Keck, for his part, responded after those early turnovers. He gained 54 yards with his legs and scored two touchdowns, including a six-yard score with just under four minutes to play. He did not attempt a single pass in the second half.
“We’re trying to pass more, trying to get (Keck) to where he can throw it a little bit more and there’s stuff we are still working on with him,” Storey said. “We go back to what we do and what we do best and that’s running the ball and getting him to run it.”
The Coudy offense was able to get away with needing three quarters to get rolling because of the strong play from its defense. After that early touchdown — which was only the sixth allowed by the Falcons all year — they locked down nearly every Bulldog possession until the finish line.
A big factor to those offensive woes was freshman quarterback Cam Wagner getting knocked out of the game late in the first half. That unit never looked the same after, and the Bulldogs picked up just two first downs over the final 24 minutes of the game.
They also turned the ball over three times (two fumbles, one interception) in that span and had 17 plays go for no gain or negative yardage in the game.
The Bulldogs finally got back on the scoreboard on a 73-yard pass on an end around from wide receiver Ethan Hetrick to Sam Hetrick with Coudy leading 35-7.
“That’s the thing, they capitalized on one of (the short fields following the turnovers) and that was it luckily,” Storey said. “It could have been worse going into halftime at 14 down. You guys remember Seattle (Seahawks) a few years ago, that’s kind of what it was. The defense can do what it’s got to do and then the offense just got it going in the second half.
Coudersport heads back to DuBois Friday night to rematch Farrell (District 10) in the PIAA quarterfinals. The Falcons were bested, 48-6, by the Steelers last season.
