By The Daily Item
FOOTBALL
JERSEY SHORE -- For the second straight week, Danville quarterback Alex Vitunac caught the game-winning touchdown as the Ironmen escaped Thompson Street Stadium on Friday night with a 42-41 victory over Jersey Shore.
With the win, Danville (8-2, 5-1 Heartland Athletic Conference Division I) most likely locked up the No. 3 seed for the District 4 Class AA playoffs, which begin next week.
Vitunac, typically the team's starting quarterback, splits wide when the Ironmen run the wildcat or when backup Andrew Andychick comes in. He also caught the winning touchdown in last week's 14-7 win over Montoursville on a throw from Mikeal Owens-Wright. Vitunac's 13-yard TD catch from Andychick with 1:00 left tied the game at 41. Dylan Friday's PAT gave the Ironmen the win.
"(Vitunac's) got a phenomenal set of hands," said first-year Danville coach Jim Keiser, who guided the Ironmen to their best regular-season record in 10 years. "I can't say enough about him."
Danville running backs Owens-Wright and Russell Heath had a big night on the ground, combining for 295 yards rushing and five touchdowns.
Jersey Shore (1-9, 1-5) got a phenomenal effort from quarterback Taylor English, who threw for 344 yards and six touchdowns.
Northwest 38, East Juniata 12
BEAVER SPRINGS -- The Tigers got themselves in a hole too deep to overcome as they fell behind 26 points in the first half before losing to Northwest in the All-America Conference game.
Northwest got its offense started early by scoring three touchdowns in the first quarter, including a 75-yard interception return by Steve Merth. Merth added two touchdown receptions in the second quarter and another third touchdown reception in the third quarter. With just less than a minute left in the first half, Dexter Herman put East Juniata on the board by scoring a touchdown on a 16-yard pass from Sam Wray to make it 26-6. The lead quickly jumped back to 26 points as Merth scored his second receiving touchdown of the second quarter with 41 seconds left in the half.
The Northwest offense cooled down in the second half, but the Tigers (5-5) were only able to score on a 44-yard fumble recovery by Dexter Herman in the fourth quarter. Herman finished the game with five receptions for 109 yards and accounted for both of East Juniata's touchdowns.
Despite the lose, the Tigers move on to play in the District 4 Class AAA playoffs as the No. 3 seed.
