HYDE — The Brockway Rovers met St. Marys to decide the District 9 3A championship Friday night in Clearfield. The Rovers got out to a hot start and held on for a 41-27 victory over the Flying Dutchmen.
On Brockway’s first drive senior Blake Picarcik broke away for a 67-yard touchdown run to start the scoring. The extra-point was botched as the score remained 6-0 Brockway. It didn’t take long for the Rovers to score yet again when on their next possession sophomore quarterback Aiden Patton hit fellow sophomore receiver Caleb Daugherty, who then ran for a 68-yard touchdown making it 13-0.
On St. Marys’ second drive, senior quarterback Ben Paul was intercepted by Pisarcik. The Rovers couldn’t make anything of the opportunity though as they punted and St. Marys took over at their own 20-yard line.
The Flying Dutch got a nice drive going, but it ended in a fumbled snap that was recovered by Brockway at the Rovers 41-yard line. Brockway then worked their way down the field during a seven-play drive that was finished with junior Carter Himes running for a 9-yard touchdown making it 20-0 at the end of the first quarter.
St. Marys then fumbled again on the second play of their next drive. Brockway started on the Flying Dutch 37-yard line, and in just three plays Daugherty scored again after receiving a pass from Patton making the lead 27-0 for Brockway early in the second quarter.
“We started out the game slow, and we got behind a little bit,” St. Marys assistant coach Joe Schlimm said. Schlimm filled in for head coach Chris Dworek since Dworek was not coaching because of personal matters. “We had a bunch of self-inflicted things, our offense mostly.”
St. Marys moved the ball down the field on their next drive. They finally got on the board when Paul hit junior Andrew Field on a screen pass on 3rd and 11 that resulted in a 35-yard passing touchdown making the game 27-7.
Brockway got to the St. Marys 33-yard line on their next possession but couldn’t move it any farther. Their punt attempt was then blocked, and St. Marys had an opportunity to close the half with momentum as they got the ball at the Brockway 46-yard line.
The Flying Dutch made good use of the opportunity as Paul hit senior receiver Ben Reynolds who worked around Rover defenders and stretched into the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown reception. The extra-point was blocked, but St. Marys had some hope going into halftime as they were only down 27-13.
The Flying Dutch got the ball to begin the second half but quickly turned it over as Paul got intercepted by Daugherty, who returned it to the St. Marys 10-yard line. The Flying Dutch made it tough for Brockway to score, forcing a 4th and goal from the 2-yard line. Still, the Rovers came away with the score when Pisarcik ran for the 2-yard touchdown making it 34-13.
St. Marys punted on their next drive, but Brockway had too as well. When they got the ball back the Flying Dutch then got some momentum when Field ran for a 75-yard touchdown. They then added a two-point conversion making the score 34-21.
The St. Marys defense forced another punt on Brockway’s next drive. In just two plays the Flying Dutch got back within a touchdown when Paul ran for a 47-yard score. The extra-point was missed, but St. Marys closed the deficit to 34-27 with 2:47 left in the third quarter.
St. Marys looked like they were taking the game over when Reynolds intercepted Patton and returned the ball to the Rover 24-yard line as the third quarter was about to end. The Brockway defense didn’t let them complete the comeback though. On 4th and 3 Paul threw an incomplete pass to turn the ball over on downs.
Brockway then embarked on a 10-play 82-yard scoring drive. After converting a key 3rd and 8 in their own territory they continued to work their way down the field. The drive finished with Patton throwing to Picarcik who eluded multiple defenders on his way to an 18-yard touchdown making it 41-27 with 8:26 remaining in the game.
The Flying Dutch failed to get anything going on their next drive and turned the ball over on downs again. Brockway didn’t move the ball at all but they ran time off the clock. St. Marys took over and got to the Rover 33-yard line but the drive ended with another turnover on downs. Brockway then proceeded to run out the clock as they clinched the 41-27 win.
“I’m real proud of the way the kids fought back,” coach Schlimm said. “We got to a point that we were in a one-score ballgame, it didn’t happen but I’m proud of our kids.”
Patton finished 12-of-26 with 242 yards passing yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Paul was 15-of-30 with 141 yards, three total touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.
Pisarcik had a day with 194 total yards, three total touchdowns, and an interception on defense. Daugherty only had three receptions, but they went for 117 yards and two touchdowns to go along with an interception. Field had 151 total yards with two total touchdowns.
