CATAWISSA: After a rough start, the Tigers of Southern Columbia (6-1), with grit and determination, clawed their way from being behind twice to defeat a powerful Loyalsock Lancer team 21-17.
The Lancers traveled to Tiger Stadium with the best team they've had in recent memory, and with a 6-0 record. They also knew that they had yet to beat the Tigers in their previous fourteen meetings. These facts provided plenty of incentive for the Lancers to come to Catawissa with a winning attitude.
Despite having a perfect record against Loyalsock, the Tigers knew that this was no ordinary Lancer team. This has been a rebuilding year for Southern and they had to win this game in order to keep their playoff hopes alive, as five single A teams are knotted at the top of the District IV point standings (Line Mt., SCA, Bloomsburg, Canton & Lourdes). This game was, without a doubt, the most important one for the Tigers so far this year. In effect it turned out to be very characteristic of Southern's season struggling early, getting behind, and fighting back from adversity.
Its a great character win and should do a lot to help the guys finish well and make a run into the playoffs, coach Jim Roth reflected after the game. I'm proud of the way the offense stepped it up... and the defense found a way to stop them enough times to keep things manageable. (This was the least amount of points scored by Loyalsock this season.)
Southern opened the game by going three & out and netting six yards on their first possession. This gave Loyalsock good field position to start their offensive game. Four plays and 45 yards later, Jackson Person kicked his first career field goal from 29 yards to give the Lancers an early 3-0 lead at 7:06 in the first quarter.
Colby Snyder gave Southern good field position on the ensuing kick-off return as he took it 26 yards to the Tiger 41. But the Tiger offense only managed 29 yards on eight plays and gave the ball over on downs on an incomplete fourth down pass.
Like brawling giants, the Lancers then pushed their way back into Southern territory, until a big sack by Sam Springer (for a loss of 9) and two incomplete passes gave the ball back to Southern Columbia. Still, the Tigers were unable to take advantage as two incompletions forced them to punt. Then Loyalsock started to drive again, but it seemed like they were stopped when Steve Roth dropped Jesse Eggerton for a five yard loss bringing up a 3rd & 10. However, anticipating a pass on the next play, Southern blitzed and left the middle wide open for Austin Knighton on a 45-yard draw play for a touchdown. A bobbled snap on the PAT attempt left the score 9-0 Loyalsock at 7:05 in the second quarter.
Once again, Colby Snyder gave Southern good field position on a kick return out to the Tiger 41. But this time Southern drove hard with good runs from Andrew Wimble, Steve Roth and Austin Carpenter to get to the Lancer 3 yard-line. However, on a 1st & goal from the 3, Roth was stopped short at the 2 and no whistle was blown when the ball popped loose and was recovered by Loyalsock.
On this drive the Lancer's Pat Carey showed how dangerous he can be on completions of 25 yards to Robbie Wright and 37 yards to Eggerton to get down to the Tiger 25 yard-line. Southern's defense came up big though, as they forced a fumble and gave the offense one more shot before half-time.
With 54 seconds on the clock, the Tiger offense put on a nearly perfect two-minute drill... The first play was a quick streak, between defenders, to Wimble for 19 yards and a first down. Next, Heitzman connected with Colby Snyder for 22 yards to break into Loyalsock territory. Then came the only incompletion of the drive on a low pass near the goal line. Snyder snagged another 8-yarder to bring up a 3rd & 2 at the Lancer 25 when Southern spent their last time-out. The following pass was into coverage and tipped into the air by Wimble before he pulled it in and picked up 22 yards to get to the 13. Then, rolling to the right under heavy pressure, Heitzman drilled the ball to the reaching fingertips of Snyder in the endzone with 18 seconds left in the half. B.J Snyder's PAT brought the Tigers within 2 as the teams went to the locker-room at 9-7.
The Lancers opened the second half with a huge kick return by Eggerton down to Southern's 35 yard-line. But, the defense stiffened and got the ball back on downs at the 22. This is where the Tiger backfield found its momentum. Wimble, Carpenter and Roth combined for 65 yards, including a 28 yard burst from Roth and the 16 yard touchdown from Wimble to put SCA up for the fist time at 14-9.
The Tiger defense was stiffening again after the kick-off when, on 3rd & 10, another blitz was called and Austin Knighton was off to the races on a 75 yard touchdown run. A 2-point conversion pass to Wright put 'Sock up 17-14 at 5:56 in the third.
The two teams slugged it out for the next couple of series, trading possessions, as drives stalled due to penalties and turn-overs. Then, late in the game on what looked to be Southern's final poessession, Steve Roth, with sheer determination, got the ball to Loyalsock's 35 yard-line on a 22-yard run. The give went to Wimble from there and he took it the distance to put SCA on top at 21-17.
But there was still 3:17 on the clock and that's a lot of time for a dangerous, quick-strike, team like the Lancers. On a 3rd & 4 at their own 35, Carey threw an outside screen to a waiting Wright, but Colby Snyder was also waiting and tried for the interception which would probably have gone for a score. Probably, that is, if he would have gotten it, but his timing was a split second off and Wright caught the ball and had an open field in front of him. Southern's Zeke Conrad forced Wright to change direction deep in Tiger territory where Sam Sprnger was able to catch up to him from the opposite side of the field to save the touchdown (and the game), but only after Wright had gained 40 yards.
When asked about his decision to go for the interception, I wish, for one thing, that I wasn't completely exhausted, lamented Snyder (one of Southern's 2-way starters). I had like three chances to get an interception and I just couldn't come up with them.
After all that excitement the SCA defense was able to clamp down and get the ball back on downs, but not without a couple more near misses by Carey and company.
Southern still had to get a first down with 55 seconds remaining because 'Sock still had time-outs to burn. Steve Roth took care of business on runs of 10 and 13 yards to put this one in the books. This game really lived up to its billing.
Both of these teams played their hearts out on Friday night. Both teams had their share of mistakes. And both team, I believe, gained a great deal of experience in this 48 minutes of prime competition. Southern kept their playoff hopes alive and Loyalsock will have a little extra fire in their bellies as they finish out the regular season and prepare for district AA playoffs.
Loyasock hosts Warrior Run next week before traveling to Bloomsburg and Lewisburg to finish out the regular season. The AA district playoff points just got tighter with their loss and could set up a rematch between them and Montoursville.
Southern certainly can't relax as they make the 3+ hour trip to take on Clarion next Friday. Then it will be 2 more away games at Central Columbia and Danville. But, this win was certainly a big hurdle cleared for this young, rebuilding Tiger team.
