Lions stumble late to Mount Union!

Tagged under: District 6, Gameday Hub, News, pfn, Playoffs

Greg Ricupero | November 5, 2023

District VI Class 2A 1st Round Playoff

#6 Mt. Union Trojans (8-2) at #3 United Valley Lions (9-1)

Two Conference Champions meet Friday night at Thomas J. Madill Athletic Field in Armagh. The Trojans came in with the number one offense in 2A scoring 41 points a game. The Lions came in with the number defense in 2A allowing just 9.4 points per game. If you are the Lions and get up two touchdowns you figure you should win.

United recovered an early Trojan fumble. Two plays later Caden McCully raced through the Mt. Union defense for a 45 yard touchdown run. The kick was no good and the Lions led 6-0. On the Trojans second possession they faked a punt for their own 40 and threw incomplete. Five plays later McCully scored his second and when Issac Worthington completed the two point pass to Gino DiPaolo it was 14-0.

Mt. Union came into the game with the districts highest scoring offense, so you would expect them to score quickly. But the Trojan would go on a long time consuming drive behind dual threat quarterback Bryce Danish (800 passing, 900 rushing yds). The Trojans cashed it in early in the second quarter. Again the kick was no good and the Lions led 14-6.  On the Lions next possession Issac Worthington threw his first pass of the game. It was intercepted. The Trojans would go on another time consuming drive. This one was capped by Josh Ryan would score the first of his three touchdowns on the evening. The conversion failed and the Lions held a two point lead. Again McCully made a big play for the Lions returning the kickoff to the Trojans 46. The Lions would chew up the rest of the second quarter with Worthington scoring from two yards out with 16 seconds to go in the half. Worthington hit DiPaolo again for two points. The Lions would lead by 10 going into the locker rooms.

The Lions would hold the ball for almost the first eight minutes of the second half. Worthington would complete his first pass of the game. But a major penalty would end the drive.  The Lions punted and the Trojans would muff the punt return. McCully recovered at the Trojans 16. The Lions would move the ball to the three and had first and goal. Worthington would get stuffed and sacked on three straight plays before throwing an interception on fourth down. McCully who to this point had been the star would only touch the ball three times in the second half and it would cost United Valley. However the Lions had a 10point lead and the Trojans backed up with less than 16 minutes to go. Mt. Union would score before the quarter ended thanks to two bigs. Danish would ramble 49 yards on third down into Lions territory. Ryan would score his second touchdown on the next play. The kick was no good and the Lions still led by four.

The Lions had the ball as the third quarter end. But another sack ended the drive and they were forced to punt. The Trojans had the ball and the momentum. However on their next possession an offense face mask and sack ended the drive. Danish was injured would be replaced. The Lions again looked to be in good position having the ball on their own 47 with 8:24 Three plays later they were punting having taken only a minute and a half off the clock. The Trojan were 79 yards away and 6:51 on the clock. On 3rd and 13 from their own 38, Danish who had returned threw short. The Lions were flagged for pass interference. A very tough call. The defender appeared to get there early. It was very close and the receiver who have been 10 yards short even if he caught it. The yellow flags started to fall early and often. The Trojans had a big run called back on a holding call. The Trojans had a big pass play bought back when a lineman was downfield. With only two minutes to good and in a long yard situation, the Lions failed to keep containment and Danish scrambled 19 yards for a first down on second and 18. He scrambled for another first down on the next play. Ryan would waltz into the end zone on the next play with 1:25 left. The Lions would throw three straight incompletions before Worthington was sacked again. Mt. Union had pulled the upset. It wasn’t the kind of playoff run the Lions were looking for, but it was another step forward for the United Valley Lions who are in the second year of their co-op. Mt. Union advances to play Richland.

MU  0-12- 6- 7=25

UV 14- 8- 0- 0=22

UV- Caden McCully 45 run xp blk (0-6)

UV- McCully 18 run 2pt Gino DiPaolo pass from Issac Worthington (0-14)

MU-Bryce Danish 1 run xp ng (6-14)

MU- Josh Ryan 13 run 2pt run ng (12-14)

UV- Worthington 2 run 2pt DiPaolo pass from Worthington (12-22)

MU- Ryan 20 run xp ng (18-22)

MU-Ryan 13 run xp Danish (25-22)

Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews