Dumm’s one man show propels Northern Cambria pass Cambria Heights!

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Greg Ricupero | October 28, 2023

Heritage Conference Game of the Week

The 49th Coal Bowl

Northern Cambria (8-1) at Cambria Heights (7-2)

Series CH leads 24-23-1

Last Meeting 11/12/22 NC41 @ CH 0 Semifinal D6 Playoffs

The Coal Bowl is a high school football game played between two rival schools Northern Cambria and Cambria Heights. They meet last night for the 49th time. The series is now tied 24-24 with one tie. The first meeting was in 1960 and ended in a Highlanders 14-6 victory. They played every year up to 1992. After 1993 they were in different conferences and would meet if they could fit the game into their schedules. The Highlanders joined the Heritage Conference in 2021 and the rivalry is back. The Colts clinched the number one seed in the D6 playoffs and 2nd place in the Heritage Conference title. (United Valley won on a tie breaker) The Highlanders enter the night in fourth place overall in the D6 standings and ended the night in the same place despite the loss. There is a good chance they may have a rematch in two weeks in the D6 playoffs.

The Colts started fast, real fast. Junior Ty Dumm raced 75 yards on a quarterback keeper on the games first play. Both teams came into the game with pretty good offenses averaging over four touchdowns a game. Their defenses are playing pretty well also, allowing less than two. Both teams than went three and out. However the Highlanders picked up 24 yards on the exchange of punts. The Highlanders who like to ground and pound had trouble all night against the Colts front four. On their next series they were able to pick of some yardage with a pass that took them inside the Colts red zone. But on fourth down from the NC 13, running for his life quarterback Issac Weiland threw the ball away. He would do that more than once and should have done it a few more times. The Colts went three and out again. The punt which was nearly blocked made it to their own 36. The Highlanders got a big play in the ground game to get the ball inside the five. However a procedure penalty and an incomplete pass force them to kick a 22 yard field goal. Down 7-3 with almost three quarters to play CH had to feel good. Colts head coach Sam Shutty turned to Ty Dumm, a receiver at the start of the year to loosen up the Highlanders defense by throwing a series of short passes. The Colts drove 65 yards as Dumm completed five passes the last one a 15 yard over the shoulder catch by junior Caleb Dolney. The Highlanders would control the ball the next four minutes and get the ball to midfield, thanks to a muffed punt. CH punted again and the ball was downed at the Colts four. Two plays later Dumm made his only mistake of the game when he dropped the ball on the ground at his own three. Tristan Weakland recovered for the Highlanders. What do you do when you are a power running team and have four plays from your opponents three. You run the ball of course and the Colts defense knew it. Four plays later they had stuffed the Highlanders inches short. Dawson Shutty had an incredible game on the defensive line. He was just driving linemen back into their own backfield. He also did a nice job on offense. With 1:37 to go in the half and the Highlanders with only one time out , you would have expected the Colts to run three quarterback sneaks and go into the locker rooms. They passed three times from their own end zone, two were incomplete and a bubble screen nearly went for a safety. A great individual effort by Dolney saved the Colts two points. After the punt the Highlanders were 35 yards away and a minute and eight seconds. Two plays later Ty Dumm intercepted the first of his three picks and raced down the right sideline to the Highlanders 25. The Colts completed two passes but a holding penalty the first of several on the night forced them to try a 42 yard field goal as the half ended. The kick never got up and fail short. It was 14-3 Northern Cambria at the half.

Three plays into the second half and Ty Dumm had his second pick at the Colts 37. The Colts trying to salt the game went on nearly a six minute drive that was stopped by two more holding penalties. Dumm threw incomplete on fourth and 18 from the Highlanders 29. That’s when Highlanders head coach Jarrod Lewis came out with a tight formation on offense. I told the two gentleman with me that the Colts better watch for a play that bounced to the outside. What happen next could have changed the game and costed the Colts the win. The Highlanders fumbled and one of their players jumped on the ball. The whistle blew. I was standing five feet from the official. The ball was still uncovered on the ground and three Colts picked it up. It was an inadvertent whistle. I have seen it called before. Basically the play didn’t happen. I have seen it on a field goal that was missed and on the relics the kid made it. Last week their was an interception that would have been a pick six. They still have the young man the interception. This time it was a redo. Two plays later Stephen Nelen bounced to the outside, broke a tackle and raced 64 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown. He than took the option pitch and snuck into the corner on the two point conversion. It was 14-11 with 3:07 to go in the third. I gained a lot of respect for coach Shutty last night. He didn’t fly off the handle or scream at the referee who was on his sideline. He calmly talked to his players and continued to coach. It was a very class act. If I had been coaching for the Colts, I’m not sure I would have been as calm. The Colts responded by going 69 yards in four and a half minutes. They converted a fourth and one on the drive. Dumm to Dolney capped the drive, this one from 29 yards. The Highlanders would get the ball three more times in the final period. They would have a three and out, another Dumm pick and turn it over on downs near midfield. They never threatened. Thousand yard rusher Jack Sheredy would cap a 34 yard drive after Dumm’s third pick. It was a great win for a very good football team. I saw every team in the Heritage Conference this year, (Conemaugh Valley in a scrimmage. I can honestly say player for player the Colts are the best team. River Valley & United Valley have the advantage of large roster, the Dragons have some great skill players, but the Colts seem to have it all. I would expect to see them in three weeks playing for the District title.