Ridgway Beats Brookville to Claim D-9 Large School Title

Tagged under: District 9, Gameday Hub, News

Phil Myers | October 19, 2019

The Ridgway Elkers repeated as the District Nine League Large School Division champs with a hard fought 28-14 triumph over Brookville in Johnsonburg Friday night.  They used four first half touchdowns and a tenacious defense to stifle the Blue Raiders.

Gabe Watts scored twice in the opening period on runs of 53 and 7 yards to hand the Elkers an early lead in the biggest game of the year for both teams.  Jake Wickett had the honors of scoring two times in period two.  The first score was on a 23-yard pass from Paul Gresco and the second was on a 2-yard run.  That put Ridgway up at the half, 28-0.

Ridgway’s defense allowed a paltry sixteen total yards in the first half, forcing five punts and intercepting a pass.  But throughout half two Brookville put more pressure on the Elker defenders with their passing game.  “Credit a lot to Brookville there man, they stole the momentum from us in the second half.  When push comes to shove, championship football, you want to be playing your best and our defense was tested big time in that second half,” said an elated Elker head coach, Mark Heindl.

Robert Keth got the Blue Raiders on the board with a two-yard run on the opening drive of quarter three.  During that possession, a 61-yard bomb from Jack Krug to Kyle MacBeth on a play where the Ridgway defender had fallen down was huge and basically turned the game around in Brookville’s favor.

After holding Ridgway on downs at their 34, Brookville scored proceeded to score again on a Krug to Keth 37-yard strike.  That tally, with 4:01 left in the third quarter, permitted the Blue Raiders to pull within two scores at 28-14.  From there on out it was a dog fight.

Ridgway’s defense bent but did not break as they held Brookville on downs the following two series, once at the Elker 14.  Late in the game Brookville marched downfield to the Ridgway ten before Jack Cowan intercepted Krug in the end zone.  “To seal the deal in the end zone there by Jack Cowan getting that interception, that was huge,” stated Heindl.

Ridgway’s ‘D’ taking the field after a timeout.

Game Notes: Although Ridgway outgained Brookville for the game 378 yards to 281, Brookville had the advantage in the second half topping Ridgway in yardage 265 to 115.  Ridgway was led by quarterback, Paul Gresco who was 11 of 17 passing, and threw for 153 yards and a score.  Watts led the Elker ground game with 86 yards rushing on 8 carries and the 2 TDs.  For Brookville, Krug ended up hitting 22 of 42 passes for 320 yards and a touchdown.  He also tossed the two picks and was sacked five times for a minus 45 yards.  Watts and Damon Kelley had two sacks apiece for the Elkers.  For the game, the Blue Raiders had a minus 39 yards rushing.  Ridgway had 225.

Coach Heindl summed it up by saying, “We could have broke tonight, but we didn’t.  We’re Large School champions.  Everybody counted us out after the Kane game. (Their only loss came in the second week).  I’m proud of our kids right now.  Proud of the way they responded.  Big win for our kids, big win for our program.  We are going to enjoy this tonight!”

Ridgway, now 8-1, travels to Union/A-C Valley next week, while Brookville, who fell to 7-2, hosts the Beavers of DuBois.  For a small band, the Ridgway/Johnsonburg band did a really nice job, and they played a Styx song which always strikes a chord with this writer.

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