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Wyomissing Outlasts Danville in a thriller

Tagged under: District 3, District 4, Gameday Hub, pfn, Playoffs

| November 25, 2022

This game is a “Circle it on your calendar” type game, and it lived up to its billing tonight. The 12-0 Wyomissing Spartans traveled to Danville to take on the 12-0 Ironmen. With stars on both sides of the ball, future D-1 players, and two amazing teams, it was sure to be a thriller.

The magnitude for this one was a trip to the 3A Semi-Finals next weekend. The winner would become one of the four teams to still be alive for a State Title. Both of these teams were worthy of the trip to Chapman Field to play for a state title, but only 1 team will continue those dreams past this game.

Entering Friday night, Danville had allowed just 4.5 points per game throughout their 12 games played. They Shut out 8 of their first 12 opponents. They had cruised to a perfect 12-0 record, and their playmakers had a big part of it. Entering this matchup, QB Zach Gordon had tossed 32 TDs, to just 3 INTs. WR Carson Persing caught 22 of Gordon’s 32TD passes. And RB Ty Stauffer had scored it 19 times on the ground. Danville had a great recipe to get them here, but can they keep it up?

Wyomissing is also led by their phenomenal defense. Entering tonight, the Spartans had allowed just 7.5 points per game, including shutouts in 4 of their 12 games. The Spartans have made one thing clear this whole season, they want to run the ball. And when you have two of the best O-Linemen in the state in Jven Williams and Caleb Brewer, can you blame them?

So the stage is set, and there is only one thing left to do, play ball.

The first bit was quiet, two heavyweights feeling each other out, but Wyomissing landed the first blow. Ethan Blickley scored on the pass from Ben Zechman to put the Spartans up 7-0.

And the story of the first half, Wyomissing controlling the line of scrimmage. It seemed like in every play the Ironmen were getting outmatched down in the trenches. And the physicality of Wyomissing was not just with the big boys, RB Drew Eisenhower showed off some “grown man strength” to get in for 6. After 1 Quarter it was Wyomissing 14, Danville 0.

Danville was not just going to throw away their 12-0 season like that and continue to let Wyomissing dominate them. The way the Danville Ironmen played in that first quarter, you would think never in a thousand years the game would come down to the final play, but it did.

Wyomissing would add another score late in the 2nd Quarter, the scoreboard read, 21-0 Spartans. Danville looked dead in the water.

Danville would battle back though, as that last Wyomissing TD would be the last time the Spartans would put up points in this game. Carson Persing, who dropped his first two targets of the night, responded nicely with this TD catch to get Danville on the board.

So they entered the halftime locker room 21-6, and Danville would play a great second half. Zach Gordon delivered his 2nd TD pass of the night as he found Cameron Kiersch for the score, 2PT was no good, it was 21-12 Wyomissing.

That is how we entered the 4th Quarter, at 21-12 Wyomissing. Danville would wind up giving Wyomissing their first scare of the season down the stretch in this one. Zach Gordon found the Endzone on the ground this time, to bring Danville within 2.

And the score would remain 21-19 until there were only 8 seconds left on the clock. Danville at Wyomissing’s 14-yard line. A 31-yard kick for all the marbles and being one step closer to the State Title. The Kick was up, and no good. Wyomissing celebrated as Danville mourned in agony.

As the focus goes to Wyomissing, give props to Danville they rallied from 21 down to get it to a game where they can win. And for the poor young man who missed the kick, it is not the end of the world and that whole town is proud of you and your team’s efforts to get to this point.

So Wyomissing to the Semi-Finals and the road for Danville comes to an abrupt stop. Folks we only have 2 more weeks of High School football, and then, as always, the season is over before you know it. Enjoy these last few weeks guys, as you will not have much High School Football for a long time.

 

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