CATAWISSA —
Jim Roth and the Southern Columbia coaching staff emphasized the importance of special teams play in this week’s practices.
That focus was a huge factor in Friday night’s game against Shamokin.
The Tigers took advantage of a short field following two great punt returns to jump out to an 11-point lead and never looked back. They beat the Indians 45-6 in torrential rain, fog and lightning that held up the game for over 40 minutes.
“We’ve been putting more and more emphasis on special teams and we had some great punt returns that helped put us in great position,” Roth said.
Joe Kleman provided the first big play in the opening quarter with a 38-yard return to the Shamokin 34. Five plays later Taylor Young found Bryce Parry behind the Indians secondary for a 26-yard TD pass.
The Tigers took advantage of a 15-yard penalty and a 7-yard completion to Kleman that pushed the ball deep into Shamokin territory. The drive bogged down, but Dylan Swank calmly booted a 38-yard field goal for an 11-0 edge with 36.4 seconds left in the quarter.
The Tigers came up with a huge defensive play just 12 seconds later when Garet Sosnoski picked off a Tucker Yost pass and returned the ball 14 yards for a score. Swank’s conversion upped the lead to 18-0.
“I was pleased with our defense and Sosnoski’s interception was a big lift,” Roth said.
“It not only extended our lead but had to deflate their team as well.”
The Tigers went 88 yards in 10 plays to increase the margin to 25-0. Young threw a big 45-yard completion to Kleman, and, after a holding penalty pushed the ball back to the 25, the senior quarterback connected with Parry for 18 yards to the 7. Adam Feudale raced up the middle on the next snap for a 25-0 lead.
Another great punt return set up the final points of the opening half. Parry returned the ball 17 yards to the 28, and Young soon hit Blake Marks for 19. Three plays later Lupold went over the right side for a 2-yard score, making it 32-0.
“Shamokin was playing the run tough and we had decided earlier we wanted to throw the ball more to get more balanced offensively, Roth said. “Taylor did a nice job of throwing the ball considering the fog, and our receivers ran great routes.”
The Tigers put the game into the mercy rule when Marks ran for a 1-yard TD and Swank was successful on the PAT.
Shamokin averted the shutout when Julian Dietrick ran for a 4-yard touchdown
Southern completed the scoring when Jacob Potter ran for a 19-yard touchdown.
The Tigers defense held the Indians to just 56 yards on the ground. The winners rolled up 224 rushing with Matt Jeremiah leading their talented stable of runners in the SCA backfield with 44 yards followed by Lupold and Feudale, who each chipped in 28.
Kleman contributed 51 yards through the air on two receptions, while Parry added 44.
Shamokin News Wire
Southern Columbia takes advantage of short field
- Shamokin News Wire
-
-
Heartland Division I
Team W L PF PA Danville (11-3) 6 0 301 196* Selinsgrove (10-4) 5 1 324 212 Milton (7-5) 4 2 267 211 Shikellamy (5-6) 3 3 223 250 Shamokin (2-9) 2 4 143 289 Mifflinburg (2-8) 1 5 136 234 Jersey Shore (0-10) 0 6 143 383 *-denotes division champion
-
Nine local football stars earn all-state nods
LEWISBURG - For the third consecutive season Lewisburg linebacker Brandon Smith headlines the Valley’s contingent on the Pennsylvania Sports Writers All-State Football team.
-
HAC champions dominate all-star teams
In addition to claiming its first District 4 Class AA title since 1999, Danville also put the most players onto the 2012 Heartland Athletic Conference All-Star team, as selected recently by the league’s head coaches.
-
High School Football Podcast
Listen as Daily Item Sports Editor Bill Bowman and Assistant Sports Editor Harold Raker break down every high school football playoff game set for this weekend.
-
High School Football Scoreboard
PIAA Playoffs
Friday
PIAA Class AAA Quarterfinal
at Bethlehem
Allentown Central Catholic 41, Selinsgrove 13 FINALSaturday
PIAA Class AA Quarterfinal
at HersheyPark Stadium
Wyomissing 52, Danville 0, FINAL
-
Selinsgrove storms into district title game
Just a year removed from one of its worst seasons, Selinsgrove is back in the title hunt.
The Seals are only a win away from claiming their 12th District 4 Class AAA title as they trounced Shamokin 41-0 in Friday’s semifinal game at Harold L. Bolig Memorial Field. -
Selinsgrove 41, Shamokin 0
Statistics from Friday's game
- Twitter Feed
-
Defense lifts Mount Carmel to Coal Bucket
Shamokin decided to try some trickery on third-and-10 from its own 32. Tucker Yost snapped the ball and handed it off to Preston Burns who started to run before stopping and looking back at Yost to try and throw it back to him.
Burns let the pass go but could only cringe as Mount Carmel’s Mike Gilger read the play perfectly and made an interception he returned 36 yards down the far sideline for a Red Tornado touchdown. -
Mount Carmel 21, Shamokin 7
Statistics from Friday's game
- More Shamokin News Wire Headlines
-
Heartland Division I



