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Karns City football expunges last week’s demons with rout of Redbank Valley; Braden Slater scores 6 TDs

NEW BETHLEHEM — It’s impossible to measure the level of frustration shouldered by Karns City’s football team following last week’s 65-0 loss to Central Clarion.

But Friday night, the Gremlins passed it on to Redbank Valley and forced the Bulldogs to wear it on their home field.

Running back Braden Slater scored six touchdowns, including one on a kickoff return, and paced the team’s prideful ground attack with 194 yards on just 10 carries in a 67-7 win.

“Last week was tough. That wasn’t us. That wasn’t Karns City football,” Slater said. “But we came in here fired up and ready to go. We started strong and kept it going from there.”

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Karns City running back Hunter Scherer (23) jumps over a Redbank Valley defender and lands in the end zone during a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Redbank Valley High School. Karns City won 67-7. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle

KC (4-2) amassed 399 rushing yards in the first half, after which the Gremlins led 47-7. For the game, they tallied 514 yards on the ground.

Defensively, they wreaked havoc on quarterback Braylon Wagner and the Bulldogs’ usually lethal passing attack.

He totaled 135 yards on just 11-of-25 passing and spent much of the game running from KC’s pass rush.

“We went with a three-man front, had the underneath stuff sealed off with five guys,” KC coach Joe Sherwin said. “We gave up a few plays downfield, but contained it for the most part.”

KC began the game by attempting an onside kick, which Troy Nagel recovered for the Gremlins.

“We were fully expecting them to try an onside kick there, but they executed it perfectly,” Redbank coach Blane Gold said. “Their kid recovered it at exactly 10 yards.”

Six plays into their first drive, the Gremlins opened the scoring with Slater’s 12-yard run.

Cole Johnston tallied a second touchdown later in the first quarter when the Bulldogs (5-2) bit on a fake handoff and the quarterback raced 31 yards to the end zone.

KC had established the run early, and its front of Kolby Blair, CJ Emrick, Shane Emrick, Aaron Walker, Cam Ealy and tight end Nagel never did let up.

Slater scored four more rushing touchdowns. Hunter Scherer scored twice while chewing up 115 yards yards on just seven carries and Bryce Galan found paydirt in the fourth quarter.

Redbank’s lone score, a 15-yard pass from Wagner to Drew Byers, cut KC’s lead to 14-7 late in the first quarter.

Karns City's Brennan Harmon (13) and Braden Slater (20) celebrate Slater's second touchdown during a football game against Redbank Valley on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Redbank Valley High School. Karns City won 67-7. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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But the defensive line of Nagel, Scherer and Davantae Doughty held the Bulldogs in check afterward.

“When the other team is getting pressure with just three guys, that’s a bad sign,” Gold said. “Nobody has more respect for Karns City than I do. They are a much better football team than we are.”

Riley Hamilton picked off a Wagner pass to halt a drive in the second quarter. Slater opened the second half with a 93-yard kickoff return.

Redbank was held to 29 yards rushing on 26 attempts.

The Gremlins travel to Bradford next Friday.

Karns City 14 33 14 6 — 67

Redbank Valley 7 0 0 0 — 7

First Quarter

KC — Braden Slater 12 run (run failed), 9:51

KC — Cole Johnston 31 run (Hunter Scherer run), 5:11

RV — Drew Byers 15 pass from Braylon Wagner (Kieran Fricko kick), :56

Second Quarter

KC — Slater 55 run (kick failed), 11:34

KC — Scherer 20 run (run failed), 8:48

KC — Slater 69 run (run failed), 6:37

KC — Slater 40 run (Scherer pass from Johnston), 5:03

KC — Slater 10 run (Slater kick), 1:22

Third Quarter

KC — Slater 93 kickoff return (Slater kick), 11:39

KC — Scherer 64 run (Slater kick), 4:52

Fourth Quarter

KC — Bryce Galan 5 run (run failed), 2:48

Individual Statistics

Passing: Karns City, Cole Johnston 0-2-0-0, Trevor Geibel 2-2-25-0. Redbank Valley, Braylon Wagner 11-25-135-1, Sean Yeany 0-1-0-0.

Rushing: Karns City, Hunter Scherer 7-115, Owen Heginbotham 7-77, Riley Hamilton 1-12, Braden Slater 10-194, Cole Johnston 5-64, Owen Kaufman 2-14, Ronald Szczygiel 1-7, Bodey Anderson 3-1, Bryce Galan 4-30. Redbank Valley, Drew Byers 5-(-2), Braylon Wagner 15-(-5), Austin Eastlick 1-1, Jaxon Huffman 1-26, Riley Schrecengost 4-9.

Receiving: Karns City, Keagan Schrecengost 1-18, Tyson Frazer 1-7. Redbank Valley, Drew Byers 3-27, Broc Monrean 1-16, Rylan Rupp 2-15, Jaxon Huffman 3-51, Breckin Minich 1-10, Carson Gould 1-16.

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