Smith

RIMERSBURG — The screams of victory rang through town Friday night as Union, led by the versatile Taylor Smith, defeated Keystone, 24-20, in a wild high school football game.

Smith, a junior wide receiver, strong safety and kick returner, was responsible for three of his team's four touchdowns.

"I was pumped all day," Smith said. "I was telling everybody, 'Let's get this one.'"

Smith's first score came on an 84-yard kickoff return.

"I had two of my fast blockers down there and I would have been caught at the 1 if it wasn't for them," Smith said.

He scored his second touchdown in the third quarter on defense, when he recovered a Keystone fumble and returned it 54 yards, giving his team an 18-14 lead.

"I've never returned a fumble," Smith said, barely hiding his smile. "It was a great experience."

With the Golden Knights down by two points with less than two minutes remaining, Smith took a handoff at the Keystone 22 and appeared to be tackled at the line.

To the Panthers' surprise, Smith emerged from the pile and sprinted for the touchdown, securing the victory for the Golden Knights.

"I was held up and was about to go down, but I got my balance, I went through a bunch of guys and was gone," Smith said.

Though Smith was the standout of the game, other key players included senior quarterback Trent Corle and junior fullback Austin Davis. Corle was 6-for-10 passing for 49 yards. Davis rushed five times for 58 yards and scored Union's first touchdown on a 19-yard run in the first quarter.

The Golden Knights (2-4, 2-2) were elated by the victory. Union head coach Dave Louder, formerly an assistant at Keystone, said he thinks this victory is a turning point for his squad.

"These were the games we'd lose in the past," Louder said. "We'd come up short of getting that big lead. Scoring every way we can tonight really helped."

Louder, whose Golden Knights hadn't defeated Keystone since 1996, described his team's enthusiasm best after the game.

"I had nothing left. I was screaming as much as I could," he said.