COUDERSPORT — On a night where the moon was almost full there was a bad moon rising over Paul Simcoe Field as the Otto-Eldred Terrors defeated the Coudersport Falcons 24-14 to stake their claim on the AML North Division title Friday night.
Gage Babcock scored two of the Terrors touchdowns and Otto-Eldred’s defense combined to seal the win for the Terrors.
Viewed by many as a game that could be close, both teams came out swinging.
Coudersport took the opening kickoff from their own 35 yard line and in eight plays hit paydirt when quarterback Aaron Wolfinger connected with David Burd on an eight yard pass for a Falcon touchdown set up by a 29 yard aerial from Wolfinger to Jared Green. Wolfinger hit Steve Kelly for the two pointer and the Falcons took an 8-0 lead with 8:00 left in the first quarter.
Coudersport kicked the ball out of bounds on the kickoff only to have Otto-Eldred make the Falcons rekick.
“I just like to give my players a chance so I decided to have them kick again,” said Terrors’ head coach NIck LaBella.
And what a chance it was. Dylan Close took the rekick to the Falcons 30-yard line where three carries by Seth Drummond put the ball at the Falcons’ 2. Grant West plowed into the end zone and Drummond carried for the two points and a 8-8 tie with 5:32 left in the first quarter.
Coudersport, starting at the Terror 34 with just 54 second left in the quarter, had Kelly carry for 18 and two yard as the quarter ended. After two incomplete passes, Wolfinger hit Green in the right end zone corner for the touchdown and a 14-8 lead with 11:43 left in the half.
On the ensuing kickoff Gage Babcock settled under the kick, broke into the secondary and raced up the right sideline for a 73-yard return and a 14-14 score. Seth Drummond swept the left side for the two points and a 16-14 O-E lead with 11:30 to go in the half.
Neither team mounted a drive until the six-minute mark when the Falcons started at their own 21 and 12 plays later were faced with first and goal at the Terrors’ six. Lost yards and a fumble recovered by Luke Barshinger forced fourth down. Otto brought the house and and sacked Wolfinger back at the 24 as the Terrors took a knee and went to the locker room at the half up 16-14.
“I thought that stop gave us the momentum at the half,” said LaBella.
The third quarter had both defenses step up as neither team could move the ball.
Otto-Eldred appeared to have lost the ball on a fumble but Babcock came of the bottom of the pile with the ball as the third quarter ended.
A steady diet of Seth Drummond and quarterback Sawyer Drummond moved the ball to the Falcon 16 where Derek Keglovits hijacked a Sawyer Drummond pass in the end zone with 8:40 left in the game.
Otto-Eldred picked off a Wolfinger toss at the Falcon 25 three plays later. After a Terrors’ time out, West carried for 5 yards and Seth Drummond added 11 more before Sawyer Drummond tossed a perfect corner fade to Babcock the a 15-yard strike. Seth Drummond swept the left side for the two points and a 24-14 score with 4:59 left in the game.
Coudersport started its next possession at its 35 but gave up the ball on a fumble.
The Falcons forced the Terrors to punt. With one last attempt Wolfinger hit Wilson for a 23-yard pass, but then Close picked off a Wolfinger pass to seal the win for Otto-Eldred.
After the game a very happy coach LaBella praised his team.
“We weren’t even mentioned as being a team in the running for the North title, but here we are,” stated LaBella. “We still have to take care of business next week but right now we are at least in contention.
“Credit Coudersport, we knew they have good players in Wolfinger and Green and they are a well coached and quality team. Their line is as tough as any we have played and that 50 (Luke Barshinger) is a solid player.
“I think it’s been since back in the Border Conference days since we have been in any playoff games.”
As far as key players were concerned, LaBella felt that, ”Dylan Close had an excellent return game and Damen Palmer punted the heck out of the ball tonight. Seth (Drummond) was a Mac Truck and Gage Babcock played a whale of a game.”
Otto-Eldred will have to defeat Smethport next Friday night in Duke Center to claim the North title. Coudersport will finish the regular season at Port Allegany, also on Friday.
BY QUARTERS
Otto-Eldred8 8 0 8—24
Coudersport8 6 0 0—14
