Karns City beats Ridgway to capture District 9 Class 2A championship
BROCKWAY — Every now and then, things just need to be simplified. Why complicate it when the answer is to go straight-forward?
In the second half of a matchup with Ridgway at Brockway’s Varischetti Field, Karns City (11-1) got back to the basics and staked claim to its second straight District 9 Class 2A crown by a 35-7 decision.
“The score does not indicate the type of game this was,” Karns City coach Joe Sherwin said. “It was a battle.”
Courtesy of rushing strikes by Nate and Luke Garing, Karns City powered out to a 13-point advantage early in the second quarter. Instead of folding like it had in the two teams’ meeting last month, Ridgway (8-4) showed signs of life.
One play after Jack Benninger ended an 11-play drive with a missed field goal try, the Elkers’ Camron Marciniak came up with an interception and, soon after, would pull in a Dominic Allegretto touchdown pass to get Ridgway going.
Down six coming out of halftime, the Elkers’ momentum carried them as far as the KC 14-yard line. The march ended with another unsuccessful field goal attempt and, from there on, the Gremlins took hold.
“We went back to normal Karns City football,” senior tailback Luke Garing said. “Running the ball.”
Like a sledgehammer pounding away, the Karns City offense repeatedly slammed into the Elkers’ stacked defensive front. On a 17-play series — all runs — the Gremlins moved 80 yards and picked up a half-dozen first downs. Garing put the exclamation mark on the possession with a three-yard scoring surge with under 11 minutes to go.
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