Scranton Prep vs. Mifflinburg

Recap

SCRANTON PREP 28, MIFFLINBURG 21

The Scranton Prep defense awakened and held the vaunted Mifflinburg offense to just 17 yards and 0 points in the second half, leading Prep to a topsy-turvy 28-21 victory over the District 4 champion Wildcats at Milton High School. The Cavaliers improved to 8-5 and will face Northwestern Lehigh, the champions of District 11 who have ended Prep’s last two football seasons in the PIAA state tournament.

The Cavaliers took the opening kickoff and marched quickly into Mifflinburg territory, keyed by a 15-yard pass from Will McPartland to tight end Sean McCormack. But Noah Krzywiec fumbled the ball away and Mifflinburg took over at their own 12-yard line.

On first down, quarterback Chad Martin launched a perfect spiral down the left sideline that found Landen Murray behind the Prep defense. Murray outraced Prep’s Liam Haggerty to the end zone, completing an 88-yard pitch and catch for the touchdown. Jaden Boyer’s extra point made it 7-0 Wildcats with 8:39 left in the opening quarter.

The Cavaliers took the ensuing kickoff and once again strung together first downs to reach the Mifflinburg 24-yard line. But McPartland’s pass attempt to McCormack fell incomplete and the Wildcats took over on downs.

On the very first play from scrimmage, Martin and Murray reproduced their passing circus from a few minutes before, hooking up on a 76-yard scoring toss in the exact same part of the football field. Once again, Boyer converted. Mifflinburg had run two plays and had scored two touchdown, leading Prep 14-0 with 2:46 remaining in the first period.

But the Cavaliers did not panic or get away from their game plan. Having success on the ground all night long, Prep drove the ball 65 yards in 10 plays, highlighted by a 23-yard strike down the middle of the field from McPartland to A.J. Croom. McPartland danced in from the 5-yard line three plays later. Tyler Bianchi’s extra point made it 14-7 Mifflinburg with 9:15 left before haltime.

Mifflinburg successfully moved the ball into Prep territory on their next drive, attempting to restore their advantage to two touchdowns. But on 3^rd and 8 from the Prep 33, disaster struck for the Wildcats. Martin dropped to throw and was stripped of the football. Defensive end, Ricky Dewey, scooped up the loose ball and rambled 49 yards to paydirt. Bianchi knocked through the extra point to tie the game up at 14 with 4:52 remaining in the second quarter.

The Wildcats showed their championship mettle on their next drive. Aided by a 43-yard bomb from Martin to Murray, Mifflinburg moved the football to the Prep 18 where they suddenly faced a 4^th and 8. Amazingly, Martin found Murray in the back left corner of the end zone as Murray outleaped two Prep defenders for the ball and the score, extending the lead back to 21-14 with just 1:43 left in the half.

Mifflinburg had another opportunity to score after Prep turned the ball over on the first play of their drive as McPartland was intercepted. But 8 plays only moved the ball to the Prep 21 where the Mifflinburg drive stalled and the half came to an end.

After forcing the Wildcats to punt for the first time on the opening drive of the second half, Prep took over on their own 14-yard line. On the first of two impressive touchdown drives of the second half, Prep marched 86 yards in 11 plays, all on the ground, to tie the score. The Cavaliers got consecutive 21 and 18-yard runs from Braedon McPartland and Noah Krzywiec respectively to move the ball inside the 5. Will McPartland blasted in from the 1 to knot the score at 21 with 5:59 left in the 3^rd period as Prep took 5 minutes off the third quarter clock.

The Prep defense then forced another 3 and out, setting the Cavalier offense up on their own 41. The Cavaliers, in the drive of their season, covered the 59 yards in 14 plays, chewing up over 8 minutes of game time and scoring with 8:01 left in the football game. Will McPartland, the heroic senior quarterback, carried the ball on 9 of those plays, including the final five, finishing the drive with a 1-yard blast to give Prep their first lead of the night at 28-21.

Once again, mistakes hurt the Wildcats as they attempted to drive to tie the score. After a blindside block penalty set them back to begin their drive at their own 11, Prep’s Andrew Dempsey dropped the Mifflinburg back for a 6-yard loss on 3^rd and 5, forcing the Wildcats to punt the ball once again.

Prep took over with 6:44 left in the game and was able to string together 2 first downs. On 4^th and 6 from the Wildcat 27-yard line, Prep coach Terry Gallagher sent on placekicker Tyler Bianchi to attempt a 44-yard field goal to put the game away. Bianchi’s kick, however, was unsuccessful, giving Mifflinburg one more opportunity.

The Wildcats were able to muster one first down on a 19-yard hook and lateral play to Murray. But the Prep defense came up big to force Mifflinburg to turn the ball over on downs.

Mifflinburg’s season ended at 10-3. McPartland carried the ball 24 times for the Cavaliers, gaining 123 yards and scoring 3 times.

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER

MIF – Chad Martin 88-yd pass from Landen Murray (Jaden Boyer kick)

MIF – Martin 76-yd pass from Murray (Boyer kick)

2ND QUARTER

SP – Will McPartland 5-yd run (Tyler Bianchi kick)

SP – Rickey Dewey 49-yd fumble return (Bianchi kick)

MIF – Martin 18-yd pass from Murray (Boyer kick)

3RD QUARTER

SP – McPartland 1-yd run (Bianchi kick)

4TH QUARTER

SP – McPartland 1-yd run (Bianchi kick)