CLARION — Redbank Valley was in the end zone celebrating for the third time in the first quarter, but its 21-0 lead wouldn't last for long.

The game started out with Redbank putting up 21 straight in the first quarter, and it seemed as if the game was going to turn into a blowout. It took just two plays for Bryson Bain to find Chris Marshall for a 64-yard strike. The next drive, the Bulldogs took 13 plays and went 66 yards in a drive that was capped off by Ray Shreckengost III one-yard touchdown.

The final touchdown of the quarter came off of a blocked punt that was returned by Carsen Rupp, and the Falcon Knights had dug themselves a quick hole. It was one they would dig out of, though.

“21-0, they scored and so we talk about it all the time, football is such a game of momentum, and you have to find a way to stop momentum,” Redbank Valley coach Blane Gold said. “We had a hard time stopping that momentum up until, really, the fourth quarter.”

After the blocked punt, Redbank didn't score again until the final minutes of the game. The Falcon Knights offense went to work behind Brody Dittman, who came in and led them to three scoring drives, with the first coming towards the end of the second quarter. Dittman hit Skyler Roxbury for a 12-yard touchdown pass, and a Redbank fumble gave them the momentum they needed going into the second half.

The third quarter was all Union/AC Valley. Dittman and Co. opened up with a scoring drive that saw Ryan Cooper catch a contested ball for a touchdown and convert for two points on a botched extra point snap. Another fumble gave the Falcon Knights the ball back and Dawson Camper took it in for six from the one-yard line, but the point after was no good. All of a sudden, a game that had the makings of a blowout was coming down to the wire.

“I'm proud of our offense, we wanted to make plays when we could and we started off slow there,” Union/A-C Valley coach Brad Dittman said.

In the end, it would be the Bulldogs who had the last laugh after Shreckengost punched the ball in on fourth and goal from the one-yard line to give Redbank a 28-21 lead that would hold as the final score in the Class A District 9 title game.

“To be down 21-0, and for these guys to respond and claw and fight, and the heart and the character these guys showed, there is no words to say how proud I am of these guys,” Dittman said.

Union/ACV 0 7 14 0 — 21

Redbank Valley 21 0 0 7 — 28

First Quarter

RV — Chris Marshall 64 pass from Bryson Bain (Derrick Downs kick), 11:11

RV — Ray Shreckengost III 10 run (Downs kick), 4:18

RV — Carsen Rupp 38 blocked punt return (Tyson Adams kick), 2:44

Second Quarter

U/ACV — Skyler Roxbury 12 pass from Brody Dittman (Colton Murray kick), 4:27

Third Quarter

U/ACV — Dawson Camper 1 run (Ryan Cooper run), 9:09

U/ACV — Cooper 10 pass from Dittman (kick failed), 4:49

Fourth Quarter

RV — Schreckengost III 1 run (Downs kick), 4:39

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Redbank Valley, Ray Schreckengost III 16-80, Gunner Mangiantini 4-21, Tate Minich 1-1, Brenden Schreckengosdt 2-(-1), Bryson Bain 2-(-10), Aiden Ortz 1-7, Chris Marshall 1-(-8), TEAM 3-(-3). Union/ACV, Caden Rainey 7-36, Dawson Camper 12-25, Bailey Crissman 1-8, Ryan Cooper 2-4, Andrew Verostek 2-7, Brody Dittman 1-(-3).

Passing: Redbank Valley, Bryson Bain 14-21-269-0. Union/ACV, Brody Dittman 14-20-151-1, Bailey Crissman 0-1-0-0, Zac Cooper 1-1-38-0.

Receiving: Redbank Valley, Chris Marshall 5-100, Tate Minich 4-30, Aiden Ortz 2-23, Mason Clouse 1-11, Brenden Schreckengost 1-47, Ashton Kahle 2-58. Union/ACV, Ryan Cooper 6-93, Skylar Roxbury 3-53, Caden Rainey 5-29, Mikey Card 1-14.