Lewisburg edges Towanda, 19-14

Written by: David Mika on Saturday, November 21st, 2009. Follow David Mika on Twitter.

TOWANDA –Last season Lewisburg won their first ever district playoff game. Friday night the Green Dragons will host their first District 4 Class 2A title game after defeating previously unbeaten Towanda 19-14.

The Green Dragons will host Loyalsock Township, a winner over Hughesville 17-6 in the other semifinal game.

Not too long ago the Green Dragons went through a six-year stretch that went 10-60. But these Green Dragons are not only going to host the District championship but they are playing their 13^th game for the first time in school history.

Head coach Todd Tilford said, “We’d be lying if we said we expected to play in the district title game. But that’s just a credit to how hard these kids worked to get here.”

The Green Dragons’ defense held Towanda to their lowest points last night. They also held running back Travis Chesla to 70 yards rushing on 23 carries. Dakota Roof finished with 88 yards on 21 carries and two scores.

Tilford said, “They’re the best two backs we faced all year and we knew we had to shut them down.”

The Green Dragons took the opening kickoff down to the Towanda 15 yard line, but an incomplete pass turned the ball over on downs.

Towanda’s Dakota Roof was pressured and linebacker John Moscarello intercepted the ball on the Towanda 21. Cassell hit Ryan Lopes for the 17-yard touchdown. The Green Dragons led 7-0.

Towanda would drive down to Lewisburg’s five yard line, but the Green Dragons defense stopped Roof on fourth down.

On the Green Dragons next drive linebacker Aaron Lamphere picked off Cassell’s pass at the Lewisburg 37. With 8:00 minutes to go in the half Roof went in for the 10-yard touchdown run tying the game up at seven.

After an exchange of punts the Green Dragons were on the move late in the first half. Cassell hit Lopes on a quick slant pass that went 29-yards for the score. The Green Dragons’ extra point was wide but Lewisburg led 13-7 with 1:11 to go in the first half.

Towanda got the ball to start the second half, but things turned bad on the punt attempt. The ball went over Roof’s head but he recovered the ball on their 14. A couple plays later Merle Moscarello went in for the five-yard score. The two-point conversion failed and Lewisburg led 19-7.

Towanda tried to make things interesting late in the game. Roof scrambled for a key first down on a fourth down play. Later he took the ball and sprinted for the 25-yard touchdown run to bring Towanda within 19-14 with 5:59 to go in the game.

The Black Knights rally would end when linebacker Brandon Smith pulled down Roof for the 13-yard sack.

Moscarella finished the game with 110 yards on 18 carries and one score.

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