On the GEFA Trail—Moshannon Valley Vikings

Tagged under: Gameday Hub, GEFA, News

Guy Smith | June 10, 2024

2024 Episode 11. After ten straight weeks of spring Saturday football, we took a Saturday off for Philadelphia vs. Brandywine Civil War Rules Base Ball at Burnside Plantation in Bethlehem, followed by races that evening at Wall Stadium Speedway in New Jersey.

This past Saturday we were back on the GEFA Trail. Our sports week started Tuesday with ECCBL Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Miners baseball at Wilkes University. Wednesday was racing at the Kutztown Fairgrounds Action Track USA. Thursday was more ECCBL baseball, the Pocono Timber Rattlers (aka “The Rats”) at East Stroudsburg University’s home field of Creekview Park. Friday was racing at the Grandview Speedway. Then Saturday we made our first trip to the old Philipsburg-Osceola Area High School “Memorial Field” for GEFA football. Sunday it was back to the tracks at the Evergreen Raceway.

2024 GAME 17. SATURDAY, JUNE 8. PSFCA Big 33: BEDFORD COUNTY BUFFALOES VS. MOSHANNON VALLEY VIKINGS @ “OLD” PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA HIGH SCHOOL MEMORIAL STADIUM, PHILIPSBURG, PA. This was the 8th of the 11 GEFA teams for 2024 that we have seen play at home. In 2023, we started out heading to a Vikings game but an accident on Route 80 had traffic at a dead stop for an extended period, so we cut across the median and headed to a different game instead.

This game set up to be the “game of the year” for the regular season. The unbeaten 8-0 Bedford County Buffaloes were coming to town to take on the unbeaten 8-0 Moshannon Valley Vikings. It was the league’s number one offense (Bedford County) against the league’s number one defense (Moshannon Valley).

We always support the teams by purchasing food at the games, but with GEFA, only some teams have concessions available. We contacted the Vikings via their Facebook page and received a quick reply that they do operate a refreshment stand at the games.

Admission was free, as it has been at all the regular season games we have attended this year except for the Berks County Raptors. The season opening “Kickoff Classic” at neutral Central Columbia High School also had an admission charge for spectators.

Overall, the stadium checked all the boxes for a good spectator experience: Ample parking, permanent restrooms, stadium seating, concession stand with hot food, a working scoreboard with both score and clock, and a public address system with a knowledgeable announcer.

We had seen Bedford County play three times this year. They put up 65 against the Raptors in the Classic, 53 at home the next week against the Mustangs, and called off the dogs early after scoring 80 against the Nightmare. Their option run plays seemed almost unstoppable. On the other hand, we had not yet seen the Vikings, so only knew they were unbeaten with a stellar defense.

It was with great anticipation that we made the three-hour drive to the game. Unfortunately, the Buffaloes had some missing players and despite scoring first, were pretty much outgunned in every facet of the game the rest of the way.

The Vikings are solid from one end of the line to the other on both sides of the ball, but the standout among standouts is quarterback Greg Medina, a 12-year veteran we believe graduated from McCaskey High School. Medina led the Lancaster County Cyclones to the title last year. Medina is only 5’ 7” and listed as 190, but is the epitome of the old saying: “He may be small but he plays big,” excelling at both passing and running. He is also very game savvy. He uses his ability to see the entire field to know when and where to throw, his quickness to avoid sacks, and his understanding of the team aspect of the game to know when to slow down and follow his blockers when running the ball. He is a joy to watch play the game.

It’s hard to believe anyone could have anticipated the outcome of this game. In a 62-point first quarter that lasted well over an hour to play 12 minutes of football, it was Vikings 40, Buffaloes 22. By halftime, the Vikings had locked up the Mercy Rule running clock (42-point lead in the second half) and were up 76-28. It is not an exaggeration to state that the Vikings could score on every possession. We had never seen a game with over 100 points scored in a single half.

During halftime we visited the refreshment stand and sampled the tried-and-true standard hot dogs and also the unique but delicious buffalo chicken mac & cheese.

Thank goodness for the running clock or the game would have lasted four hours. If the Buffaloes could have kept it close enough so that the Vikings didn’t ease up for the entire second half, we would have seen our first game with a single team scoring over 100 points. Final score: 88-48 Vikes.

We were a little down on GEFA after our previous game, but other than the fact that the game was a blowout, this place had a good vibe and was our second favorite game site so far this year, behind only the Berks County Raptors at Exeter Township High School. One week left of the regular season. It’s USAC Sprint Car “Eastern Storm” week and we have five races on the schedule, but plan to take a break for GEFA football on Saturday. Feedback Welcome: rtryfbar@aol.com.

GUY & PAM 2024 FOOTBALL SCORECARD (17 Games as of June 8)

Week 0—GEFA: Kickoff Classic (Central Columbia High School, 3 Games)
Week 1—GEFA: Bedford County Buffaloes (Claysburg-Kimmel High School)
Week 2—GEFA: Dauphin County Comanche (Koons Park, Linglestown)
Week 3—AIF Arena Football: Harrisburg Stampede (PA Farm Show Complex)
Week 4—GEFA: Berks County Raptors (Exeter Township High School)
Week 5—GEFA: Hazleton Mustangs (Gene Della Croce Memorial Field)
Week 6—GEFA: Wilkes Barre Warriors (Exeter Panther Junior Football Assoc. Field)
Week 6–High School: Schuylkill / Colonial All Star Game (North Schuylkill High School)
Week 7—GEFA: Coal County Nightmare (St. Clair Veteran’s Memorial Stadium)
Week 7–WFA Women’s Football—Harrisburg Havoc (Palmyra High School)
Week 8—High School: PSFCA All Star Games (Cumberland Valley High School)
Week 9—GEFA: Williamsport Wildcats (Roundhouse Field)
Week 9—High School: PSFCA Big 33 (Cumberland Valley High School)
Week 11—GEFA: Moshannon Valley Vikings (Philipsburg-Osceola Area High School “Old Stadium”)

On the Spring Radar. GEFA: Indiana County Crusaders, Keystone Bowl, All-Star Game.

Missed. GEFA: Somerset County Miners (home season ended), Monroeville Titans (team folded), Bedford County Buffaloes (played one game at alternate home field in Everett). WFA: Harrisburg Havoc @ McCaskey High School (last minute site change).

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