ALTOONA —
The Selinsgrove defense didn’t have much film to study this week on the University Prep football team.
So all the Seals had to go on the numbers produced by quarterback Akil Young and the Wildcats’ offense, and those numbers had Selinsgrove concerned.
Young had thrown for 815 yards and 11 touchdowns in University Prep’s last two games.
However, it took just one play Saturday afternoon at Mansion Park for senior Logan Benner to put his team’s mind at ease.
Benner picked off Young’s very first pass of the game — one of seven interceptions by the Selinsgrove defense — and the running game rolled up 320 yards rushing, including 137 yards and four scores by fullback Mike Walter, as the Seals rolled to a 41-14 victory in the first round of the PIAA Class AAA playoffs.
Benner’s pick allowed Selinsgrove to take control of the game early as they led 7-0 after an opening-drive touchdown at the time and capitalized on the turnover with another touchdown drive to take a two-score lead with 4:05 left in the first quarter.
“It really changed the momentum,” Benner said of his first of three interceptions in the game. “We knew that the quarterback was pretty good and (the secondary) had to step up.”
Selinsgrove improves to 10-3 on the season and wins its first state playoff game since its state championship season in 2009 and a huge turnaround from last year’s 1-9 campaign
“It means a lot to this senior class,” safety Tyler Krebs said. “We wanted to put this program back on the map. It’s a great feeling, right now.”
Selinsgrove advances to face Allentown Central Catholic (8-5), a 23-0 winner over Abington Heights Saturday. That game is tentatively 7 p.m. Friday night at Banko Stadium in Bethlehem.
Selinsgrove News Wire
H.S. football: Selinsgrove picks off seven passes in state playoff win
- Selinsgrove News Wire
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Field Cam
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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
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Selinsgrove Shade Tree awarded for planting efforts
The Selinsgrove Shade Tree Commission has been chosen to receive the 2013 Forestry Conservation of the Year award.
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Jim Keiser and Dave Hess are 2012 Coaches of the Year
Two of the pleasant surprises among Valley football teams this season were the turnaround by Selinsgrove and the solid season by a young Danville team.
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Fan Cam
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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.
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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.
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Stahl, seniors lead Selinsgrove
Selinsgrove football fans will long remember the 2009 team, especially its seniors, for a 16-0 season and Class AAA state championship.
What about the 2012 seniors? This team shrugged off a 1-9 season in 2011 to win 10 games and advance to the state quarterfinals.
Senior Harley Stahl, who starts at both nose guard and center, knows the answer. -
Allentown Central Catholic runs past Selinsgrove
It was just the type of play Selinsgrove needed to get back in the game.
After Allentown Central Catholic’s Colin McDermott ran in a 22-yard touchdown, the Seals were looking at a 14-point deficit. A touchdown could make it a game again, perhaps even shift the momentum. -
Allentown Central Catholic 41, Selinsgrove 13
Statistics from Friday's PIAA Playoff game
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