MARION CENTER REMAINS UNBEATEN AGAINST PURCHASE LINE!

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Greg Ricupero | October 11, 2025

Marion Center grinds out win over Purchase Line!

GRSN HERITAGE CONFERENCE GAME OF THE WEEK!

Purchase Line Red Dragons (2-5) @ Marion Center Stingers (7-0)

Last Meeting 10/4/24 MC 41 @ PL 0

Rivalry Week! Two teams meet last night having seasons on the opposite end of the spectrums. Purchase Line was looking for a win to stay alive in the D6 1A race. Marion Center was trying to remain undefeated and continue on their path to winning the conference title. The schools are only about nine miles apart. They just played a volleyball game for the rights to go to the conference championship at KCAC next Saturday. The weather was a little chillier this week ( I still wore shorts) but the stands were full. The game was very entertaining.

The big difference coming into the game was the skill players of Marion Center. How were the Dragons to stop all of the Stingers weapons on offense. The Stingers are the highest scoring team in the conference & number one passing club. The Dragons defense has been solid all year but their offense has been unable to keep them in games mainly due to a non existent passing game. The game was played in Marion Center. Both teams have great fan bases & excellent coaching staffs. On paper this is a MC route. But that is what they play the game.

1st Quarter

PL-win the toss and elect to take the ball, they gain 19 yards and on 4th & 3 at midfield after some discussion elect to punt

MC-start at their own 32 after a short punt, they go 68 yards in just over 5 minutes to score, they convert a 4th & 3 from the PL 30 (MC7-0)

PL-3 plays 7 yards punt

MC- 3 plays 3 yards punt, Dragons gain 34 yards on exchange of punts

PL- start at MC 43 as quarter ends

2nd Quarter

PL-cap 43 yard drive with a touchdown, overcome a 4th & 1 from Stinger 16

*** FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK , MC MADE THEIR PATS , WHILE THEIR OPPONENTS WERE CHASING POINTS*** PAT was blocked (MC7-6)

MC- respond like champions, go 70 yards in five minutes,overcome a 4th & 4 from PL 33 (MC14-6)

PL-drive 30 yards after another Josh Troup kickoff pins them inside their own 20, punt from their own 46 with 70 seconds to go in the half

*** AT THIS POINT PL HAS TO BE FEELING GOOD, BUT THE NEXT 2 PLAYS CHANGE THAT***

MC-2 plays 72 yards in 17.1 seconds, Cam Rising hits Alexis Brudnock for 49 yards down the left sideline, then #7 for a 23 yard TD (MC21-6)

PL- half ends on a sack while trying to get off a Hail Mary

3rd Quarter

MC-drives to PL 24 but are stopped on 4th & 4 using 5 minutes of game clock

PL-fumble near midfield

MC-drive stopped by penalty, punt is a touchback

PL-*** PL coach Matt Falisec comes out with an unbalanced line -only 4 down lineman, the 1 tackle & TE are on the line but split out, the Stingers struggled to adjust*** Maddox Frantz makes the most of it! He goes the final 45 yards of a 90 yard drive that takes less than 2 minutes, again no conversion (MC21-12)

*** A 2 POSSESSION GAME INSTEAD OF 1, JUST A HUGE DIFFERENCE ***

MC- have the ball at their own 39 as the quarter ends

4th Quarter

MC-drive ends with a Rising to #7 TD pass (MC28-12) 10:33 to play

PL-drive 72 yards in 4 minutes, thanks to a Frantz 56 yard run, the Stingers struggled defense stop PL 4 times inside the 10

MC -drive 77 yards in 5 & a half minutes, turn in over on 4th & 4 from PL 15

PL-driving as clock runs out

Good News/ Bad News

PL – another loss, still can’t pass, another strong defensive game, the unbalanced line looked good, this may be the best tackling teams around, I was totally impressed with how few missed tackles they had and the ability to get off a block and bring down players in open field

MC – again struggled at times, penalties are killing this team, they are good enough to overcome these issues, they can score in seconds, huge hearts and toughness

NOTE #7 is a Trademark of Troy Slovinsky

PL 0-6-6-0=12

MC7-14-0-7=28

S-Noah Filipovich xp Josh Troup 422 (0-7)

RD-Victor Bartlebaugh 7 run xp blk 846. (6-7)

S-Cam Rising 1 run xp Troup 355 (6-14)

S-Troy Slovinsky 23 pass from Rising xp Troup 52.9 (6-21)

RD-Maddox Frantz 45 run 2pt run ng 50.8 (12-21)

S-Troy Slovinsky 16 pass from Rising xp Troup 1033 (12-28)

Next week

PL @ Portage-winner has a very good chance at making 1 A playoffs

River Valley @ MC winner is in great position in 2A playoffs, loser will be on the road

Plus MC could win the conference title or see it be a 3 way tie

GRSN will be in Marion Center next week!

Players of the Game

PL – Victor Bartlebaugh – love this kid, leads team in rushing, receiving, 2nd in passing, punts and is an unbelievable open field tackler- VICTOR YOU NEED TO PLAY RUGBY FOR THE WARRIORS!

MC- #7 PLAYMAKER, can’t score if you don’t get him the ball

Very physical game, both teams played hard and showed some good signs.

Both teams will play their biggest game next week so get out & support your guys. If PL can win in Portage, which they can, it would be a nice reward for these young men, as that should get them into the playoffs.

The Stingers game is the regular season superbowl. If the Stingers win, they win the conference, if they lose they will be in a three way tie. But more importantly the winner should get a home playoff game while the loser will probably be on the road. Let’s pack the house with Green & Gold!

Scores

United Valley 31 Portage 0

River Valley 46 Conemaugh Valley 14

Cambria Heights 34 Conemaugh Township 26

Homer Center 30 West Shamokin 0

Heritage Conference Standings

Marion Center 8-0

Cambria Heights 7-1

River Valley 7-1

Homer Center 6-2

United Valley 5-3

Conemaugh Township 4-4