Week 5 football roundup: QBs lead Seneca Valley, Union/A-C Valley to comeback wins; Slippery Rock routs Sharpsville
Andrew Loebig carried Seneca Valley in comeback fashion to a 31-23 win at home over Moon.
The Raiders improved to 2-3 (0-1 WPIAL Section 1-6A) with the win, overcoming a 13-0 deficit in the first quarter. Loebig was the key to the turnaround, firing three touchdown passes and finishing with 147 yards passing (9 of 12) and 85 rushing (12 carries).
Loebig spread the wealth, hitting Danny Drennan, Cayden Parker and Adam Gehm for TD scores of at least 20 yards each. Loebig threw the first two TDs in the first half to cut into the deficit, as SV trailed 16-14 at the break.
Parker, who finished with three receptions for 33 yards, broke off a 3-yard TD run and finished the night with 22 carries for 118 yards. Max Eisenhut nailed a 41-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to seal the game.
Union/A-C Valley 13, Ridgway 9 — The Falcon Knights gave up a safety, threw an interception that was nearly returned for a last-minute touchdown and fought for every yard. And in the end, they improved to 5-0.
Freshman QB Andrew Kifer was impressive in leading a go-ahead touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, floating a 16-yard pass to a wide-open Logan Skibinski to make it 13-9. But he threw a nearly back-breaking interception in the end zone that was returned into Falcon Knights territory with about two minutes left.
However, Union/A-C Valley’s defense buckled in, forcing a turnover on downs inside its own 15-yard line.
Kifer finished 10 of 14 for 167 yards in the win. Senior Max Gallagher rushed for 66 yards and 2-yard TD on 12 carries, and added two catches for 59 yards. He led the defense with 14 tackles.
Ridgway scored on a safety in the opening quarter off a bad snap when U/ACV attempted to punt while backed up near its own end zone, then took a 9-6 lead on a 1-yard run by Nate Steger.
Falcon Knights freshman linebacker Micah Kindel intercepted a pass late in the game and finished with 11 tackles.
Freeport 34, Burrell 7 — Amos Glenn scored on runs of 24, 24, 15 and 39 yards, finishing with nearly 200 rushing yards on the night in leading the undefeated Yellowjackets in a comfortable win.
Judah Thompson connected on field-goal attempts of 31 and 25 yards.
Slippery Rock 42, Sharpsville 13 — QB Doug Popovec threw a touchdown pass, ran for two more and led the Rockets (2-3, 0-2 District 10, Region 4) to a blowout win that was 42-0 at one point.
Popovec was 5 of 7 for 74 yards passing and carried the ball four times for 67 yards, including a 42-yard dash to pay dirt. He hit running back Kole Scott for a 14-yard score in the second quarter. Scott also added a 1-yard scoring run, and Logan Schlobohm ran in a 16-yard TD after Slippery Rock forced a turnover in the first quarter.
Owen Long added five carries for 44 yards.
Keystone 62, Moniteau 8 — The Panthers jumped on the Warriors (2-3) early and didn’t relent.
Weston Cook threw a late touchdown to tight end Aidan McLean to get points on the board for Moniteau. Aidan Shakley and Brendin Sankey led the run game, combining for 22 carries and 81 yards. Cook finished 5 of 16 passing for 65 yards, a TD and two interceptions.
North Catholic 62, McGuffey 8 — The Trojans (5-0) made it five straight games with 45-plus points and their third with at least 60. They led 56-0 at the half.
North Catholic returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for the first touchdown of the night and never looked back. Then it was QB Joe Felitsky tossing a perfect ball to Ryker Kennedy for an 83-yard TD not even three minutes later to make it 14-0 early.
Logan Schade scored twice in the first quarter inside the red zone. Felitsky and Kennedy connected again on a diving reception inside the 10-yard line, setting up Schade’s second TD.
The defense also got in on the act, returning an INT for a score to make it 35-0 before the first quarter had ended. A Felitsky pass to Will Waskiewicz inside the 10, a screen pass to Preston Simko and another toss to Tommy Arth wrapped up the first-half scoring.
