Union/AC Valley Surprises Redbank Valley 26-22

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Phil Myers | August 29, 2025

On a cool, damp night with moisture in the air, the Union/AC Valley Falcon Knights surprised Redbank Valley’s Bulldogs 26-22 before a nice crowd in Rimersburg at Vidunas Stadium.  Some hard running by a pair of senior backs, a perfect pass, ball control, and a tough defense were the keys to UACV’s success.

“We have a special group of leaders in the senior class and we have some really talented underclassmen, but this year’s senior class is really special,” stated Falcon Knight head coach Dan Reed.  He continued by talking about Max Gallagher and Logan Skibinski, “I’ve been preaching all summer and since last year about these two running backs.  They’re dudes.  Both of them could be the feature back in anybody’s offense.  They run really hard.”

Gallagher ran for 151 yards on 24 carries and scored three times including a brilliant 46-yard dash to the end zone in the third quarter.  Skibinski tallied 62 yards on 18 totes.  A lot of those yards were after contact yards by both runners as time and again the initial hit by Redbank defenders did not bring them down.

Max Gallagher (#23) finds some room to run.

Union/AC Valley scored the game’s first two touchdowns in the opening quarter to take a 14-0 lead after one quarter.  Gallagher broke the plane of the goal line on a 4-yard run at the 4:27 mark.  Then with 40 seconds left Parker Bish hauled in a perfect pass from freshman quarterback Andrew Kifer and raced in for the score to complete a 53-yard touchdown.  Stephen Hepler booted both PATs.

Coach Reed had this to say about his QB, “It was a big play.  I don’t know if you guys can tell, but the kid can throw the football, and he’s very smart.  He’s really talented.”  Kifer finished the game going 6 for 10 for 131 yards and the one touchdown.  He did throw two interceptions.

Parker Bish hauls in the Andrew Kifer pass that goes for a touchdown.

The second quarter found Redbank threaten twice but the Bulldogs were thwarted twice, once by turning the ball over on downs at the Falcon Knight 23 and the other time Nick Ielase picked off a Redbank pass in the end zone.  Union/AC Valley threatened themselves, but a Bulldog stepped in front of a Kifer pass in the end zone on fourth down.

With less than three minutes left in the half, the home team drove 48 yards in three plays to Redbank’s 32-yard line.  But then Kifer threw his second pick with a minute to go.  That was enough time for Redbank’s potent offense led by all-state QB Braylon Wagner, to finally put some points on the board.

The Bulldogs, with the help of two penalties totaling 20 yards, drove 69 yards in 44 seconds and scored when Wagner found Easton Magagnotti for a 28-yard TD with 16 seconds left before the intermission.  Wagner threw a pass to Jace Clowser for two points and all of a sudden Redbank only trailed 14-8 at halftime.

The third quarter found Union/AC Valley come out of the gate and drive 73 yards for another score to go up 20-8.  Gallagher scored his second TD on a nice 46-yard dash to answer Redbank’s score right before the half, and to get the crowd back into the game with his electric run.

After driving twice into Union/AC Valley territory only to come up empty, Redbank found the third time was a charm as they capped a 75-yard drive with a touchdown of their own.  Wagner pitched a 4-yard scoring toss to Jaxon Huffman to complete the drive.  Wagner followed that by running in the two-point conversion.  Now, with 38 seconds remaining in the third, it was UACV 20 Redbank 16.

Redbank’s Jaxon Huffman with the TD.

The Union/AC Valley offense refused to allow the momentum to switch to the Bulldogs.  For the second time they answered.  This time it took them 8 plays to go 65 yards as Gallagher took a short plunge into the end zone.  The big play of the drive was Gallagher’s 34-yard scurry.

Redbank closed the gap again and scored on a Wagner to Carson Gould pass play with 3:22 remaining.  A couple of UACV penalties and Wagner to Huffman for 37 yards were keys on that possession.  That made the score 26-22.  The subsequent on side kick did not travel the required ten yards.  The Falcon Knights were then able to get a first down before the Redbank ‘D’ stopped Union/ACV one of the few times all night.

As well as Union/AC Valley played and dominated in much of the game, here were the dangerous RV Bulldogs with a chance to win even though they had to go 74 yards in 79 seconds.  The home team defense, playing inspired football all night, turned the lights out on any Redbank hope of a come back by stopping a Bulldog pass three yards short of a first down with less than 20 ticks left on the clock.  And the celebration began.  “I thought our secondary was great,” said Coach Reed.

Coach Reed also stated his team expected to win this game and that the offensive line did a really nice job.  Union/AC Valley outgained Redbank Valley 401 to 369.  They also held the time of possession advantage.  The Falcon Knights, now 2-0, will journey to Keystone next Thursday for another important early season game.

Wagner finished the game by going 23 of 44 for 317 yards, throwing three touchdown passes.  Jaxon Huffman caught eight balls for 133 yards and a score.  Clowser grabbed 6 for 89 yards.  Redbank visits Brockway next Friday.

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