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West Branch erases 0-4 start, qualifies for playoff with win at Moshannon Valley

Tagged under: District 6, Gameday Hub, News

| October 21, 2023

Pregame fireworks lit up the sky on senior night at Moshannon Valley. But after the opening drive by the home team, things got lit up on the field. Only it was the visiting team shooting off those fireworks.  Tyler Biggans accounted for over 300 yards of offense, four touchdowns and intercepted a tipped pass to lead the Warriors to a 34-12 win on a soggy Moshannon Valley field. The Warriors of West Branch are a happier team since their last loss, a 50-27 thumping at the hands of Mount Union. That was then. Now the Warriors are on a five game winning streak and they’re showing everyone what they are, a really good football team.

“We just had a couple things go wrong for us those first couple weeks. We had a couple injuries, we have a complicated offense and it took a little while for things to click” said West Branch Head coach Mike Nines. “Tyler does it all. Everyone said he’s just a runner but after tonight, I’m sure he’s over 2,000 yards passing, so, he’s just been a beast.”

It didn’t start off good for the Warriors. The Knights took the opening kickoff and Rocco Reifer shot through the right side of the line and scampered 58 yards to the endzone on the second play of the game. The kick missed but the home team had a quick 6-0 lead. Unfortunately for the Black Knights, it was one of few bright spots on senior night.

West Branch took possession of the ball at their own 39 and after a 5 yard penalty they marched right to the endzone with Biggans finishing the drive from a yard out. Emma Bucha kicked her first of 4 extra points to make it a 7-6 Warrior lead. Moshannon Valley got a nice 37 yard run from Luke Yarger on their next drive, but gave up the ball on downs at the 39. The Warrior found the endzone again, but not before converting three fourth down plays. Facing second and 17 after a sack of Biggans, the senior quarterback rolled to his right a launched a soggy ball into the air in the rain. Thirty three yards later Wyatt Schwiderske grabbed the ball out of the air and fell into the endzone to put the Warriors up 14-6 with ten minutes remaining in the second period.

From there it was all West Branch. Their defense stuffed the Black Knight offense their next three possessions while the Warrior offense struck fast. A two play scoring drive included a 28 yard throw from Biggans to Schwiderske and a 12 yard run by Coby Kephart made it 20-6 and that’s how the first half ended.  West Branch took the second half kick and slammed the door shut with a 60 yard drive capped by this 28 yard run by Biggans.

West Branch would score one more time, a 7 yard run by Biggans, and the extra point by Bucha tied a school record of 27 point after kicks. “I have no idea to be honest” said Biggans of what was missing during the four game losing streak. “We just found our potential and started believing”.

Moshannon Valley got one more score on a nice 46 yard td pass from Jalen Kurten to Yarger. “We lost this game a long time ago. We just got beat up all over the field” said Chris Davidson, first year head coach. “We have to do what team like they do. You can tell a team that’s been hitting the weight room over the years. We’ll get there”.

West Branch travels to 6-3 North Star next week while the Black Knight travel to Berlin.

Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews

 
 
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