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Dunmore sends Camp Hill packing, advances to PIAA East Semifinal

Tagged under: District 2, District 3, Gameday Hub, pfn, Playoffs

| November 25, 2023

Camp Hill featured a high-powered offense led by Junior QB Drew Branstetter’s 3,151 yards coming into the game. Dunmore was also featuring a strong offensive unit with Senior WR Danny Pigga coming off of a 5 TD performance in last week’s playoff win over Williams Valley. Most fans might have assumed that one of these powerful offenses would be the story of this playoff matchup, but this turned out to be the wrong assumption: the Dunmore defense stole the show in this one.

The unit more commonly known as “The Herd of Bucks” pressured Branstetter all night, forcing multiple pressures and 3 costly interceptions, and the Dunmore offense took full advantage in a 41-25 victory at Dunmore Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Dunmore won the toss and deferred, so Camp Hill took the opening kickoff and ran it out to their own 38. 5 plays later, QB Drew Branstetter hit WR Noah Doi for a 48-yard TD that made it 7-0 for the Lions with 10:34 to go in the 1st quarter.

Both teams then traded possessions, and on Dunmore’s 2nd possession it was RB Jacob Hickey who got the momentum going for the Bucks. Hickey ran 4 times for 23 yards, WR Danny Pigga ran twice for a total of 33 yards and then it was QB Thomas Bowen capping the drive with a 7-yard scamper for the score that tied things up at 7-7 with 4:37 to go in the 1st quarter.

A late hit by Dunmore on the ensuing kickoff gave Camp Hill great field position at their own 48. On 3rd and 1 from the Dunmore 43, Branstetter hit RB Kobe Moore for a nice 12-yard gain and a 1st down. Unfortunately, disaster struck on the very next play when Branstetter rolled out to his right and threw it directly to Bucks DL Nathan Reuther for the interception. Dunmore couldn’t do anything with it though and it was a 3-and-out as they punted it right back to the Lions.

Camp Hill began at their own 46, but a false start penalty followed by a sack of Branstetter by the Bucks pushed the Lions back to the 37. 2 more great defensive stops by Dunmore forced the Lions to punt, and on the attempt Branstetter’s punt was blocked and gave the Bucks great field position at the Lion 42 yard line. As the 1st quarter gave way to the 2nd quarter, alternating runs by Hickey, Bowen, Pigga and RB Nick Donvito drove the Bucks down to the 1 yard line. Then it was Bowen who scored again on the keeper to make it 14-7 with 7:49 to go in the half.

Camp Hill took the ensuing kickoff out to their own 22, but 2 straight penalties pushed them back to the 12. Branstetter then hit his favorite target, WR Alex Long, for a big 36-yard gain and a 1st down at the 48. But on 2nd down and 10 form the 48, Branstetter’s pass was intercepted by Bucks DB Jack McNeff who returned it 45 yards for a touchdown that made it 21-7 Dunmore with 7:05 to go in the half.

Taking over at their own 35, Camp Hill ran the hurry up offense on their next drive. While there were several big defensive plays on the drive by Dunmore, the Bucks also committed several costly penalties that aided the Lions. On a 3rd-and-6 from the Dunmore 23 yard line, Branstetter hit Doi for a terrific catch-and-run score that drew the Lions closer. With the PAT blocked, the score was now 21-13 Dunmore with 4:35 left in the half.

Dunmore’s next drive started at their own 39 and made good initial headway. On 2nd-and-6 from the Bucks 43, Pigga made a nice gain up the middle and a face mask penalty on the Lions made it 1st-and-10 at the Lions 36. Unfortunately, Dunmore couldn’t move the ball any further and turned it over on downs. The Lions ran into trouble immediately however, as the Dunmore defense continued their domination. On 1st down, Branstetter was sacked by the Bucks LB Xavier Burke for a 9 yard loss and on the very next play Branstetter was intercepted by Pigga.

The game then got very tense. As Dunmore took over at their own 40, a 2nd down run by the Bucks resulted in multiple personal foul penalties and an ejection for one of the Lion defenders and a lengthy game delay. On 2nd-and-20 from the Lion 39, a screen pass from Bowen was intercepted by the Lions’ Moore and returned 61 yards the other way for a touchdown. The 2-point conversion attempt failed and as the half ended it was Dunmore with the lead 21-19.

Dunmore took the 2nd half kickoff and traded possessions with the Lions as both teams faced tremendous defensive pressure from each other. On Dunmore’s 2nd possession of the 2nd half, things changed in a hurry. On 1st-and-10 from the Lion 42, Pigga ran it for 13 yards and on the very next play he ran it again for a 29-yard weaving run through traffic for the score. The PAT missed and with 7:08 left in the 3rd quarter Dunmore increased their lead to 27-19.

Camp Hill looked to the hurry up again to get things going on offense, but the Dunmore defense ratcheted up the pressure again. Branstetter had 2 nice 13-yard runs as he scrambled under pressure repeatedly. On 3rd-and-1 from the Dunmore 31, Branstetter was intercepted by McNeff again at the Dunmore 5 yard line. The Bucks offense would make the most of the effort from their defense, draining a lot of time off of the clock. Donvito’s 9-yard TD run capped a 9 play drive that covered 95 yards and with only 27 seconds left in the 3rd quarter, Dunmore increased their lead 34-19.

As the 3rd quarter gave way to the 4th, the Lions were trying hastily to get into position to score. They drove on both the arm and legs of Branstetter whose scramble under pressure on 2nd-and-18 from midfield turned into a nice 24-yard gain down to the Dunmore 26. On 2nd-and-3 from the 18, Branstetter was sacked by Donvito for a loss and his next 2 passes were defended well and fell incomplete as the Lions turned it over on downs.

Dunmore had a quick 3-and-out on their next drive, and the Lions were able to capitalize. Starting at their own 49, they drove down to the Dunmore 20. On a 2nd-and-15 from the 25, a roughing the passer call against Dunmore breathed new life into the Lions as Branstetter hit WR Tommy Corbin for a 13-yard score. The 2-point attempt failed and the Lions drew closer at 34-25.

An onside kick attempt by the Lions failed, and Dunmore started at their own 49. 6 plays later, Pigga broke several tackles and scampered into glory on a 33-yard TD run that capped the scoring and the game for the Bucks.

Dunmore now advances to the East Semifinal and will face defending 2A State Champion Southern Columbia.

 

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