PIAA State 1A Quarter-Final Preview – Redbank Valley vs. Cambridge Springs
Tagged under: District 10, District 9, News, pfn, Playoffs
Phil Myers | November 22, 2023
This game will be a contrast in offensive styles. Redbank Valley likes to throw the rock to some talented receivers, but they keep you off balance and honest with a decent running game. Cambridge Springs likes to run and pound the ball at you, but they will pass effectively to keep defenses from stacking the box.
Redbank Valley (11-1) – The Bulldogs are the District Nine champs having beaten Port Allegany last week 26-7 in the title tilt. That was their third D-9 crown in the past four years. Central Clarion handed Redbank their only defeat.
Offensively, the Bulldogs are 5th in Pennsylvania in scoring, averaging 47.5 points a game. The Redbank wide receiving corps is tall and fast. Ashton Kahle became the first Redbank receiver to ever surpass 1,000 yards in one season. He has totaled 1,125 yards by catching 55 passes. He’s also scored 13 touchdowns. Mason Clouse may become the second receiver to hit 1,000 yards receiving. He has 962 yards on 54 grabs. He’s caught 17 TD passes. Ashton George chips in with 30 snags, 478 yards, and 9 TDs. The guy who gets the ball to those receivers is QB Braylon Wagner. He’s thrown for 2,541 yards and 39 touchdowns, but he hasn’t played the past two games. Last week saw his backup, Jaxon Huffman, come back from an injury himself and throw for 344 yards and 3 TDs. Drew Byers leads the ground game with 848 yards and 11 touchdowns. On top of that, place kicker Owen Clouse has nailed a near perfect 57 of 58 PATs.
Defensively, the Bulldogs are pretty good. They’ve allowed an average of 13.5 points per game. As a team they’ve intercepted 19 enemy passes, led by Kahle’s 8 picks and Mason Clouse’s 5. Redbank has tackled the opposition 102 times for a loss in 2023. The top tacklers for RBV are Caden Adams and Brandon Ross.
What Redbank has to do to win is be themselves. Take what they are given on offense and not be too cute. Continue to mix the pass and the run and minimize turnovers. Defensively, they’ll have to stop the Blue Devil run game and not allow any big plays. If the Bulldogs can get the lead and force Cambridge Springs out of their comfort zone offensively, it will bode well for the D-9 champs.
Cambridge Springs (12-1) – The Blue Devils won the District Ten championship last week by beating Lakeview 32-29, who incidentally, was the only team to beat them in the regular season. It is Cambridge Springs’ first title since 1996.
The running game of the Blue Devils has three parts, Brett Kania, Preston Gorton, and Josh Gorton. Among the three they’ve gained almost 2,600 yards and scored 39 touchdowns. Kania has rushed for 1,282 yards and 19 TDs, Preston Gorton 692 yards with 11 TDs, and Josh has 599 yards via the ground game with 9 scores. Preston is also the leading receiver with 21 catches for 388 yards and 7 touchdowns. Brandon Hoover played an integral role last week with 2 TD catches. QB Morgan Applebee has thrown the pigskin for 862 yards and 10 TDs. The Blue Devils average 39.6 points per game.
The Gortons and Zeek Carlson lead the team in tackles as all three have over 100 tackles for the season. The Blue Devil defense has intercepted 12 passes and they only allow 11.5 points a game.
For the Blue Devils to win they’ll need to control the time of possession with their ground game and try to wear out the Redbank Valley defense. On the other side of the ball, they’ll have to find a way to pressure Redbank’s quarterback because to allow him time to find a receiver will be deadly. If Cambridge Springs can do those two things and also not have costly penalties, they’ll have a very good chance of winning.
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