KARNS CITY — It took a minute, but Karns City football put its foot on the gas and never picked it back up in a 63-27 win over Brockway at Diehl Stadium on Friday.

Early in the game, it had the makings of a slugfest where the last team holding the ball may be the one that comes out on top. But the Gremlins ensured it wouldn’t be.

The game opened with five straight touchdowns scored. It took until the sixth drive of the game when Karns City’s defense recorded a tackle for loss and caused two incompletions to force a punt.

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“It’s senior night, so there was a big break before the game so I think it was settling and just getting back into the game mode because you had practice, then you went and got pictures, and I think you just had to get back into the game-mode mentality,” Karns City running back and defensive end Nathan Hess said. “After a drive or two, I think the whole team was able to group together and get the job done.”

Following the stop, the Gremlins (6-2, 2-2 District 9, Region 1) rallied for a seven-play scoring drive, opening up a 28-14 lead with just under three minutes remaining in the half.

“That fourth touchdown that we got that put us up those two scores really helped the momentum going into halftime,” Karns City quarterback Cole Johnston said.

The Rovers (5-3), who deferred after the opening coin toss, had a chance to score before half and again out of the break to bring the game back to a tie.

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Karns City’s defense stood tall once again, forcing another punt. The Gremlins’ offense rewarded their efforts with a two-play scoring drive highlighted by a 40-yard touchdown run from Johnston.

“I think he’s making a lot of nice reads, I think he’s making great strides,” Karns City head coach Joe Sherwin said. “He’s a threat running the ball. He’s a threat throwing the ball.”

Already up 34-14, Karns City delivered another gut punch at the outset of the third quarter. A Karns City sack forced a fumble, and the Gremlins’ C.J. Emrick scooped the ball up and carried it 8 yards into the end zone.

“That’s just a bonus. When those points come you’re like, ‘We’ll take them.’ You’ll take them any way you can get them,” Sherwin said. “I’m happy for C.J. He’s worked super hard and he deserves those types of things.”

“You can’t turn the ball over coming out of the half,” Brockway head coach Jack Heigel said. “I still felt like we had an opportunity to try and dig ourselves back into that game, and you do that coming out of half, it’s almost impossible.”

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The Gremlins’ next drive, though, ended with a spark for Brockway. Multiple exchanges in the backfield resulted in a fumble, and the Rovers recovered the ball and turned it into six points just four plays later.

The Rovers scored one more time on a Skyler Logan run with just over seven minutes remaining in the third quarter.

The Gremlins responded quickly with a 44-yard rushing TD courtesy of Hess, opening up a 49-20 lead with 6:05 left in the third quarter.

“I was a little cautious at first, and I talked to my coaches and they told me some things I needed to adjust,” Hess said. “I think that everyone else had a few things, a few kinks to work out themselves, and I think they just needed a few plays to settle in and get used to the rhythm. And from there I think everyone did good.”

Hess amassed 111 rushing yards on just five carries thanks to two long touchdowns.

“First thing’s first, I’ve got to thank my line,” Hess said. “Every single hole was wide open. They did all the work and I just was able to meander into the end zone.”

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Karns City visits Punxsutawney in Week 9 for a rematch of a Week 5 game the Gremlins lost.

“We just want to be playing good football right now, and you know, the season is winding down, we want to be playing our best football,” Sherwin said.

Brockway 7 7 6 7 — 27

Karns City 7 27 22 7 — 63

First Quarter

KC — Hunter Scherer 24 pass from Cole Johnston (Brock Dittman kick)

B — Caleb Daugherty 4 pass from Aiden Patton (Daugherty kick)

Second Quarter

KC — Nathan Hess 56 run (Dittman kick)

B — Daugherty 60 pass from Patton (Daugherty kick)

KC — Trevor Geibel 47 pass from Johnston (Dittman kick)

KC — Johnston 8 run (Dittman kick)

KC — Johnston 40 run (kick failed)

Third Quarter

KC — C.J. Emrick 7 fumble return (Scherer run)

B — Carter Himes 5 pass from Patton (run failed)

KC — Hess 44 run (Dittman kick)

KC — Keagan Schrecengost 24 pass from Johnston (Dittman kick)

Fourth Quarter

KC — Owen Heginbotham 2 run (Dittman kick)

B — Skyler Logan 1 run (Daugherty kick)

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Karns City, Owen Heginbotham 9-24, Hess 5-111, Hunter Scherer 9-63, Bryce Galan 2-12, Johnston 7-78, Riley Hamilton 1-11, Zac Neal 1-(-1), team-(-24). Brockway, Collin Weir 10-47, Aiden Patton 10-(-13), Matthew Winnings 4-19, Logan 2-8.

Passing: Karns City, Johnston 8-12-185-0. Brockway, Patton 12-22-189-0.

Receiving: Karns City, Hamilton 2-17, Scherer 1-24, Trevor Geibel 1-47, Keagan Schrecengost 2-57, Heginbotham 1-31, Owen Kaufman 1-9. Brockway, Carter Himes 4-68, Kolton Kahle 3-16, Caleb Daugherty 3-75, Weir 2-30.