KARNS CITY — Glenn Toy likes wide open spaces.

The Karns City junior running back got plenty of them Friday night.

Toy scored on a 60-yard touchdown run in which he made several open-field moves and also found the end zone on a 77-yard TD reception from Tyler Kepple as the Gremlins eked out a 24-21 home win over Brookville.

“He's just a great football player,” said Karns City coach Ed Conto of Toy, who had 182 yards from scrimmage in the game. “Toy's a guy who never quits.”

Karns City (4-3, 2-1) needed two keys stops from its defense, however, to win this game.

Leading 24-21 after Toy's long TD reception, the Gremlins forced a fumble by Brookville quarterback Steve Kennedy at the Karns City 5.

The ball popped out of Kennedy's grasp and Ethan Williams plucked it out of the air to end that threat.

The Raiders (3-4, 0-3) drove to the Karns City 10 with 29 seconds remaining, but stalled there. A 27-yard field goal failed as the attempt by Cam Yard came off his foot low and ricocheted off his offensive line and into the Gremlins' end zone to end the game.

Brookville coach Chris Dworek said the plan was always to attempt a field goal in that situation.

“They almost talked me into a fake,” Dworek said. “Good thing we didn't. They had it covered. These things just happen.”

There were two ties and three lead changes in the game.

Karns City jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a perfectly executed fake and run by quarterback Brady Ellenberger.

But Brookville answered with a 4-yard TD run by Brodie Zacherl to tie the score at 7-7.

Toy's long run put the Gremlins up 14-7 just 21 seconds after Zacherl's score, but the Raiders got a 17-yard touchdown pass from Kennedy to Vroman to send the game into halftime at 14-14.

Karns City took the lead on a 30-yard field goal by Adam Garing in the third quarter, but Brookville took it back on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Kennedy to Derek Shattenberg for a 21-17 lead for the Raiders.

Karns City had trouble containing Kennedy all game. The quarterback passed for 123 yards and two scores and also rushed for 169 yards on 18 carries.

“I thought they fought like wild animals out there,” Conto said of Brookville. “(Kennedy) made plays. We had guys there and he'd break a tackle. Or we'd take a bad angle and he just zoomed right around it. That's why we're so upset. We had guys where they should have been and they didn't make plays.”

Brookville was particularly good on fourth down. The Raiders converted 4-of-4 fourth-down plays, including a touchdown.

This was a must-win for both teams. Even though the Gremlins were able to pull it out, Conto has no idea what to expect from his team going forward.

“I don't understand this team,” Conto said, smiling. “I wish I was a mind reader. I think we have some talent to do things.”