Cambria Heights downs River Valley in a battle of the top two teams in Heritage Conference!

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Greg Ricupero | August 24, 2024

Cambria Heights downs River Valley in a battle of the top two teams in Heritage Conference!

GRSN Heritage Conference Game of the Week!

Cambria Heights Highlanders at River Valley Panthers

Last Meeting 9/15/23 River Valley 20-14

The opening game of the high school football featured the top two teams in the Heritage Conference’s Coaches Poll playing in Blairsville. A lot of people have had this game marked on their schedules with the winner expected to win the conference title. The game was suppose to be played at the new River Valley field. However the field isn’t ready and the Panthers were force to host the game at the old Blairsville field. Last Year they played their home games in Saltsburg. The game was very entertaining. I’m sure coaches Lewis (CH) and Houser (RV) would tell you that their teams played well but didn’t perform at their best.

Both teams went three and out on their opening drives and punted. The Highlanders would then drive 50 yards in just over two minutes for their first touchdown of the 2024 season. Marshall Eckenrode would score from nine yards out. Cameron Abrams added the P.A.T.

River Valley picked up their first first down of the year on their second drive when quarterback Max Perschetti scrambled for a first down, but they were forced to punt three plays later. Cambria Heights started the next drive at their own eight yard line . They would use over 6 minutes to drive 73 yards to the Panther 19 before throwing incomplete on a 4th and eleven. River Valley would again go three and out. This time the Highlanders would drive 46 yards in just over two minutes. Jaxxon Kline scoring from four yards out to make it 14-0. To this point it was all Cambria Heights with just over four minutes to go in the half.

The Panthers would than use a short kickoff, a good return and a penalty to start at the Highlanders 29. Two plays later Sam Yantis crashed in for the Panthers first touchdown. The extra point was blocked. One play later Jake Woodring intercepted an Isaac Weiland pass. The Panthers would go to the air in the final two minutes but come up short. It was 14-6 at halftime.

The Panthers started with the ball in the second half and moved to the Highlander 31 before Perschetti missed a wide open Sam Ewing on fourth and five. This was the play of the game. If the pass is just a little shorter Ewing runs into the end zone and the game is possibility tied up. The Panthers also have all the momentum. The Highlanders then drove 62 yards to the Panther 7 yard line before throwing incomplete on fourth and five. River Valley pinned up went three and out. Taking advantage of a short field the Highlanders scored at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Stephen Nelen capped a 38 yard drive with the first of his two touchdowns from six yards out. The game started to slow down at this point as players on both teams started to cramp up. The Panthers down two scores once again went three and out. Cambria Heights then went on their longest scoring drive of the night going 59 yards with Nelen again capping the drive. River Valley would use up the final four minutes driving 57 yards and scoring on the games final play. Perschetti hit Yantis on a pass for a 20 yard TD. The Highlanders took a big step in their bid for a conference title, but it is a long season. They will host Purchase Line next week. River Valley will look to bounce back when they travel to Conemaugh Township.

CH 7-7-0-14=28

RV 0-6-0- 6=12

CH(5:44)-MARSHALL ECKENRODE 9 RUN XP CAMERON ABRAMS (7-0)

CH(4:18)-JAXXON KLINE 4 RUN XP ABRAMS (14-0)

RV(3:36)-SAM YANTIS 12 RUN XP BLOCKED (14-6)

CH(10:24)-STEPHEN NELEN 6 RUN XP ABRAMS (21-6)

CH(4:07)-NELEN 9 RUN XP ABRAMS (28-6)

RV(0:00)-MAX PERSCHETTI 20 PASS TO YANTIS NO PAT (28-12)

GSRN PLAYERS OF THE GAME

River Valley #15 Gavin Burkhart-ran hard, hit hard, punted and was a Force on both sides of the ball!

Cambria Heights #21 Trey Trybus-had a long reception , had some big runs, forced a “fumble” on an interception, make a big open field tackle on Perschetti and just seem to be all over the field!

Heritage Conference Scoreboard

Conemaugh Valley 42 West Shamokin 0

Marion Center 21 Portage 0

Penns Manor 52 Conemaugh Valley 0

United Valley 46 Homer-Center 13

Northern Cambria 34 Purchase Line 6

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