Valley View at Crestwood

Recap

Photo by M Andrews Photography

VALLEY VIEW 24, CRESTWOOD 13

After a scoreless first quarter, Valley View struck first when Colin Witkowski returned a punt 35 yards to the Crestwood 39-yard line. The Cougars then marched 39 yards in six plays, all on the ground, taking 2:12 off the clock. Jeffrey Wasilchak capped the drive with a two-yard touchdown run, and Braden Loff added the extra point for a 7–0 lead.

Valley View extended its advantage by capitalizing on a Brady Bachman interception of Jaden Shedlock. Bachman set the Cougars up at the Crestwood 28-yard line. Valley View moved the ball to a first-and-goal at the 6, but a dead-ball unsportsmanlike penalty stalled the drive. The Cougars settled for a 41-yard field goal by Loff, stretching the lead to 10–0, which they carried into halftime.

The Cougars took advantage of another Crestwood miscue early in the third quarter when the Comets fumbled, giving Valley View a short field at the 16-yard line. Three plays and just 44 seconds later, Tyler Muchal’s two-yard touchdown run pushed the lead to 17–0 after Loff’s extra point.

Crestwood wasn’t ready to surrender. Shedlock jumpstarted the Comets’ passing game with completions of 16 and 7 yards to Nate Walsh, followed by a 19-yard strike to Giovanni Barna. Jacob Jeckell added a 19-yard run, and a Cougars facemask penalty set Crestwood up at the 7. Shedlock took a direct snap and powered into the end zone from seven yards out with 6:13 left in the third quarter. Cooper Laubach’s extra point cut the deficit to 17–7.

Momentum shifted further when Valley View fumbled on the ensuing possession at its own 41. Crestwood converted a third-and-two at the Cougars’ 33 on a 16-yard Shedlock run to the red zone, but a holding penalty on first down pushed them back. A Valley View sack and Shedlock incompletion left the Comets facing third-and-23 from the 30. Shedlock lofted a high throw to the right corner of the end zone, where Jack Rodgers out-jumped Marco Ruby for a highlight-reel touchdown catch. Laubach’s extra point was blocked, but Crestwood had pulled within 17–13 with 2:00 left in the third quarter.

Valley View answered with a long, clock-chewing drive. Starting at their own 35, the Cougars drove to the Crestwood 1-yard line, eating up 5:30. But on fourth-and-goal, Muchal was stopped short by the Comets’ defense, keeping Crestwood’s hopes alive.

Pinned deep, Crestwood couldn’t move the ball out of the shadow of its goalpost and punted. Barna’s booming kick, aided by a Valley View penalty, shifted field position. The Cougars responded with a 10-play drive covering 64 yards. Wasilchak finished it with his second touchdown of the night, a three-yard run with 1:57 left. Loff’s extra point made it 24–13.

Any hopes of a Crestwood comeback ended when linebacker Jeffrey Ashby secured Valley View’s victory by intercepting Shedlock for the second time in the game.

Valley View will host Wilkes-Barre next Friday night while Crestwood will be home again versus Tunkhannock.

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER

None

2ND QUARTER

VV —Jeff Wasilchak 2-yd run (Braden Loff kick) – Valley View 7-0

VV — Loff 41-yd field goal – Valley View 10-0

3RD QUARTER

VV — Tyler Muchal 2-yd run (Loff kick) – Valley View 17-0

CRE — Jaden Shedlock 8-yd run (Cooper Laubach kick) – Valley View 17-7

CRE — Jack Rodgers 30-yd pass from Shedlock (Kick failed) – Valley View 17-13

4TH QUARTER

VV — Wasilchak 3-yd run (Loff kick) – Valley View 24-13