Matt Sieg Leads Fort Cherry To State Championship Berth, 33-23 over Redbank Valley

Tagged under: District 7, District 9, Game Photos, Gameday Hub, News

Sykotyk | December 2, 2023

On a cool, damp night the trended towards fog late in the evening, the Fort Cherry Rangers overcame a 16-13 deficit heading into the fourth quarter to win, 33-23 over the Redbank Valley Bulldogs.

Opening the game, Redbank Valley scored quickly on a 34 yard pass caught by Aashton Kahle. Though the PAT was not converted. Fort Cherry answered quickly on the legs of quarterback Matt Sieg, from two yards out, to go up 7-6 after a successful PAT.

In the second period, Owen Clouse would convert a 33 yard field goal to give Redbank Valley the lead, 9-7 shortly before halftime. Fort Cherry would answer with their own field goal attempt that would fail score, falling shot of the goal posts.

Early in the third quarter, Ethan Faletto scores from 5 yards out to give Fort Cherry a 13-9 lead after the two-point try comes up short on a run to the right side. Forty-Seven seconds later, Redbank Valley answers with a 68 yard pass caught en route by Aashton Kahle to give the Bulldogs the lead back, 16-13.

Matt Sieg opened the fourth quarter scoring with a 1 yard run setup by a long winding run of his own on the previous play. The PAT gave the Rangers a 20-16 lead with 10:35 left in the contest. But Sieg wasn’t done, his third score from 20 yards on the ground gave the Fort Cherry side a 26-16 lead, the first two-score margin of the game for either team, with 4:35 left.

Redbank Valley’s Owen Clouse went 31 yards on a catch, and run, down the right sideline to score six. With the kick conversion, Redbank Valley was down only 26-23 with 2:29 left. After a failed onside attempt, the Bulldogs defense had to step up to get the ball back. However, Matt Sieg had other ideas. A 37 yard run to the left side would go the distance, scoring his fourth touchdown of the night, to go up 33-23 with 1:14 left.

The Bulldogs last ditch effort was a quick drive that ended in the endzone on a tipped pass that was intercepted by Nashaun Sutton to end the threat with seconds left in the game.

Fort Cherry, of District 7, will face Steelton-Highspire, of District 3, in the PIAA Class 1A Championship Game in Mechanicsburg. Kickoff is set for 1pm on Thursday from Chapman Field.

For more, and larger, photos from this game, click HERE.

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