Port Allegany and Redbank Valley met at Bradford’s Parkway Field Friday night to decide the District 9 1A Championship. The Gators coasted to a strong 62-28 victory to improve to 12-0 and move on to the state playoffs.
A 34-point margin of victory for the Gators didn’t like it was in the cards with the way the game stared.
Redbank Valley began with the ball and wasted no time getting the scoring going. Junior quarterback Braylon Wagner threw to senior Breckin Minich downfield for a 31-yard gain, then two plays later on the same route Wagner connected with Minich again to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.
“We told them before the game that Wagner is way too good of an athlete to expect a shutout,” Port Allegany head coach Justin Bienkowski said.
Port Allegany failed to get a first down on their first drive and were forced to punt. Redbank Valley’s early momentum suddenly stopped though when they faced a 4th and 19 at the Gator 31-yard line. A lateral to Wagner on an attempted trick play went through his hands and Port Allegany junior Nick Wilfong recovered at the Gator 41-yard line.
Port Allegany then started to run the ball like they have all season. Junior running back Aiden Bliss ran for most of the 12-play scoring drive that finished with him getting a 1-yard touchdown. Bliss ran for the two-point conversion as well to make it 8-7 Gators as the first quarter ended.
Port Allegany then forced a three-and-out. When they got the ball back, they scored after just three plays when junior Tristan Kiser ran for a 58-yard touchdown run, Bliss ran for the two-point conversion making it 16-7.
“The ultimate thing is making sure we stay within ourselves.” coach Bienkowski said. “It’s our fault, we need to fix it, we need to be better, and that’s what we did.”
Redbank Valley got a good drive going on their next possession and were inside the red zone after a pass interference penalty. However, on the next play Wagner got ambitious and threw across the field to a seemingly open receiver, by the time the long pass got there the receiver wasn’t open any longer. Kiser tracked the ball and caught the interception, foiling the Bulldog scoring opportunity.
The Gators later scored when Kiser ran for a 7-yard touchdown, Bliss then got another two-point conversion run making it 24-7 going into halftime.
Port Allegany got the ball to start the second half and began to pull away after a 4-play scoring drive finished by a Bliss 1-yard touchdown. Bliss added yet another two-point run pushing the lead to 32-7.
The Bulldogs answered with a 12-play drive that finished with Wagner hooking up with Minich again for a 14-yard touchdown pass making the score 32-14. When Port Allegany got the ball back Bliss ran for a 69-yard touchdown down the left side of the field while breaking tackles. He added another two-point conversion run making it 40-14.
Port Allegany later scored again when sophomore Kellen Veilleux ran for a 14-yard touchdown. The attempted two-point conversion failed, keeping the score at 46-14 as the third quarter ended.
Redbank Valley coughed up the ball on the first play of the fourth quarter when senior lineman Juuso Young sacked Wagner and forced a fumble. The Gators recovered at the 4-yard line and Bliss ran for a 4-yard touchdown right after. Bliss passed for the two-point conversion this time when he connected with senior Jacob Causer making it 52-14 Port Allegany.
Redbank Valley responded with a scoring drive that finished with senior running back Austin Eastlick rushing for a 4-yard touchdown making the score 54-21.
Port Allegany didn’t stop their offensive onslaught even as the game was well in hand. Freshman quarterback Brennan Fillhart connected with junior Jarrod Funk for an 8-yard touchdown pass. Bliss then ran for the two-point conversion making it 62-21 Gators.
As the game was ending, Redbank Valley got the final score when Wagner was able to connect with Minich one last time for a 58-yard touchdown pass making it 62-28. It was the third touchdown connection of the game for the duo.
The 62-28 Gator victory gives them District 9 1A supremacy and propels them into the state playoffs.
“These kids just work for it, they train for it and are made for it,” coach Bienkowski said. “They deserve every accolade.”
Bliss had 28 carries for 295 yards and 4 touchdowns with a team high 8 tackles. Kiser had 118 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries, he also had 2 sacks and an interception. Fillhart was 4-4 for 33 passing yards with a touchdown. Senior defensive lineman Carson Neely had 5 tackles, one sack, and a forced fumble. Young had a sack and forced fumble as well.
Wagner finished with 292 yards through the air for Redbank Valley, surpassing 3,000 for the season.
The Gators now turn their attention to the state playoffs, where they will mee the District 10 champion, either top seed Wilmington or No. 2 Greenville. That game is slated for 7 p.m. on Saturday from Hickory High School in Hermitage.
AT Bradford
BY QUARTERS
Redbank 7 0 7 14—28
Port A 8 16 24 14—62
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Passing: Port A: Brennan Fillhart 4-of-4, 43 yards, 1 TD
Rushing: Port A: Aiden Bliss 28-295, Tristan Kiser 11-118, Kellen Veilleux 3-23, Brennan Fillhart 1-(minus)5
Receiving: Port A: Tristan Kiser 2-18, Nick Wilfong 1-17, Jarrod Funk 1-8
Scoring summary
First quarter
R — Breckin Minich 34 pass from Braylon Wagner (Kieran Fricko PAT), 10:25
P — Aiden Bliss 1 run (Bliss 2-point run), :40
Second quarter
P — Tristan Kiser 58 run (Bliss 2-point run), 10:04
P — Kiser 7 run (Bliss 2-point run), :29
Third quarter
P — Bliss 1 run (Bliss 2-point run), 10:10
R — Minich 14 pass from Wagner (Fricko PAT), 4:48
P — Bliss 69 run (Bliss 2-point run), 3:44
P — Kellen Veilleux 14 run (2-point conversion faield), :44
Fourth quarter
P — Bliss 4 run (Bliss to Jacob Causer 2-point conversion pass), 11:49
R — Austin Eastlick 3 run (Fricko PAT), 8:22
P — Jarrod Funk 8 pass from Brennan Fillhart (2-point conversion good) 3:04
R — Minich 58 pass from Wagner (Fricko PAT), 1:52
