Karns City Knocks Punxsy From the Ranks of the Unbeaten With A Strong Performance

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Phil Myers | October 18, 2025

Using a pounding running game and throwing in some timely pass completions, plus playing a physical bend but don’t break defense, the Karns City Gremlins went on to defeat the Punxsutawney Chucks 35-23 before a large senior night crowd at Jack Hart Field in Punxsutawney.

“We’re a pretty decent running team for the most part,” said KC head coach Joe Sherwin, “but we’ve got to be able to hit some passes to keep them honest on defense.  So, it’s super important we keep hitting some of those passes.”

It was a bit of revenge for the Gremlins as Punxsy came roaring back in the second half to beat Karns City a few weeks ago.  It also painted a clear picture that Karns City may be a force to contend with come playoff time in a couple weeks.

Hunter Scherer, the 220 pound running back, scored four times to lead the Gremlins on this night, but it was Owen Heginbotham who got things rolling only 17 seconds into the game when he took the second hand off of the ole counter scissors play and raced 80 yards for the touchdown.  Brock Dittman’s first of five PATs made it 7-0.

When asked if the quick score was a boost in the team’s confidence, Coach Sherwin said this, “It is, but it’s a long game and sometimes you tend to relax a little bit.  So, I just tried to stay on the guys and tell them it’s a long game and anything can happen at this point.”

Punxsy came right back by converting three straight third downs and capping it off with a Maddox Hetrick to Logan Moore 20-yard scoring strike.  Owen Roken booted the PAT to tie the score with just a little over three minutes gone in the opening quarter.

Roken connected on the first of three field goals at the beginning of the second quarter giving the Chucks their first and only lead of the game when his 32-yard attempt split the uprights.  That scoring drive was the result of Zach Blews interception at the Punxsy three to thwart a KC scoring threat.  Then Punxsy drove 82 yards to set up Roken’s field goal.

The Gremlins retook the lead by traveling 80 yards in 11 plays and using over 5 minutes of the clock.  Scherer scored from 10 yards out on another counter scissors play to give his team the lead back at 14-10, a lead that Karns City never relinquished.

Pictured on far right is QB Cole Johnston of Karns City handing the ball to #22 Owen Heginbotham, who in turn will hand off to #23 Hunter Scherer who is running at the camera and who then scores the 10-yar touchdown.

Roken set a new school record when he kicked a 45-yard field with a minute and a half left till intermission.  The sophomore also had 5 of his 6 kickoffs sail into the end zone for touchbacks.  The other one was returned but came down at the one-yard line.

Karns City, knowing Punxsy was getting the second half kickoff, did not run out the clock.  Instead they attacked a more than usual vulnerable Chuck defense.  QB Cole Johnston found a wide open Riley Hamilton for 45 yards to begin the drive.  After a series of 3 penalties, two on Karns City, Johnston lobbed an area bomb to Bryce Galan who completed his hitch and go route.  The pass went for 38 yards to the Chuck two.  Scherer did his thing on the next play and KC, just like that, upped  the halftime margin to 21-13.  “That was super important,” said Coach Sherwin, “That was definitely a key in the game.  We finished strong there.”

The Punxsy coach, Brandon Snyder, opined about what might have been had the half ending drive by Karns City not occured, “it could have been a whole different ball game.”

The Karns City defense stuffed a 4th down run at the Gremlin 30 on the opening series of the second half.  From there the Gremlins embarked on a drive culminating in Scherer’s third TD of the evening to give the visitors some cushion room at 28-13.

Still Punxsy did not die and showed some grit scoring the next two times they had the ball to cut Karns City’s lead to 28-23 heading into the final stanza.  First of all, Roken banged home his third FG, this time it was from 39 yards out.  Then, the Chuck defense forced a three and out and the offense drove 45 yards, scoring on a Maddox Hetrick to Logan Moore strike on a slant over the middle for the 19-yard touchdown.

Punxsy’s Maddox Hetrick #2 far right looking for a receiver to throw to.

The second key to the game happened next.  Karns City began their next possession with 1:30 remaining in the third, and methodically took the sails out of Punxsy by going 80 yards and taking up over seven and a half minutes of clock time.  On the 16th play Scherer did it again, smashing in from the three this time with 5:51 left to put the nail in Punxsy’s coffin.  

Coach Snyder said, “It’s good to play such a physical football game and just butt heads for 48 minutes.  Those kids are tough.  Our kids are tough.  It was a hell of a football game.  They’re a really good football team.  They’re going to make some noise in 2A.  We’re going to learn from this and take the lumps here and try to get better and get some momentum for the playoffs and see if we can make some noise.”

Heginbotham led Karns City with 122 yards on the ground on only 8 carries.  Overall, the Gremlins chalked up 478 yards with 332 of that being from the running game.  

The Gremlins up their record to 7-2 and will travel to New Wilmington next week to tangle with the Wilmington Greyhounds.

The Chucks were led by Maddox Hetrick who threw for 208 yards and ran for another 87.  Both his touchdown passes were to Logan Moore who caught 9 balls for 109 yards.  Altogether, the Chucks put up 352 yards of offense.  Punxsy fell to 8-1 and will host Sharpsville next week.

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