Great escape: Eagles win again
By ALLEN SEYBERT aseybert@timesobserver.comArticle Photos
For longtime Youngsville fans, the scene was all too familiar.
In a close game and with momentum squarely in the hands of the opposition, the final seconds ticked off the fourth quarter clock.
Surely, this is a game that the hometown Eagles just don't win - can't win.
Not this team - and not anymore.
Fourth-year coach Tony Tridico's goal of erasing Youngsville's culture of losing and turning the team into a winner got one step closer to fruition Friday as the Eagles held off the Saegertown Panthers, 16-14, at Mike Shine Field.
"It's a whole new world here in Youngsville. We're starting to win the games we never could," said Tridico. "Every season a team goes through a game like tonight where things look good and then turn quickly. But we kept our heads up and kept fighting and got the win. This team has a lot to be proud of."
For three quarters, the final result seemed like a foregone conclusion.
Youngsville's defense stepped up early and helped fend off some early Eagles mistakes. A muffed punt recovered by the Panthers gave Saegertown the ball at the Eagles 26 late in the first quarter. The drive advanced to the Eagles three before Brandon Fox sacked Saegertown quarterback Noah Marvin on fourth down and goal.
With momentum back in their court, the Eagles quickly took advantage.
Using the run game to march down field, Youngsville looked to the air to score the game's first points. Quarterback Cory Craig found Kyle Luther around the line of scrimmage and Luther made a couple of flashy moves, broke into the clear and into the endzone for a 30-yard score and a 6-0 lead.
The score remained that way until halftime thanks in large part to the Youngsville defense. Mike Gibson stopped one drive with an interception and, after another muffed Youngsville punt, the Eagles 'D' was able to keep the Panthers out of the endzone despite excellent starting field position for Saegertown.
"The defensive play was tremendous," said Tridico. "They picked on our young secondary a little bit tonight, but they came up big at the end and rose up to make some big plays."
The third quarter was completely dominated by the Eagles as the hosts stretched the lead to 16-0. Craig's 34-yard scamper to the Panthers 11 was a key play in a drive that ended with T.J. Hardy's 27-yard field goal and Rocco Gatta's 35-yard punt return set up the Eagles for their second touchdown when Craig scored from seven yards out with 1:08 to play in the third.
Then - in what seemed like an instant - things started to go sour for the Eagles.
With 7:13 to play in the game, the Panthers (2-7) got on the board for the first time when Marvin hit Dakota Schultz on a slant pattern for a five-yard touchdown. Marvin's pass to Kyle McCray gave Saegertown the two-point conversion and cut the lead to 16-8.
Still, Youngsville stayed poised and went to work on the clock. On third down, Craig hit Gatta for 31 yards and a first and goal at the seven with just over three minutes to play. However, on the very next snap the Eagles fumbled the ball away for the fifth time.
With new life, the Panthers pounced and Marvin hit Jason Amy on a post pattern that covered 93 yards and made it 16-14 with 3:00 remaining. The potential tying two-point conversion was stuffed by Youngsville and the Eagles kept the slim lead.
The ensuing onside kick was recovered by Dalton Maze and the Eagles again went to work on the clock. Knowing a first down would allow them to run things out, the Eagles went for it on fourth and two at the Panthers 47 only to be stuffed, giving Saegertown the ball back with 1:30 to go.
After three straight incompletions set up fourth and 10, Marvin found Amy for 15 yards and a first down and with time ticking down, Saegertown was just 35 yards from the win. However, two plays later, the freshman Gatta made the biggest play of his varsity career intercepting Marvin's pass and allowing Youngsville to kneel and kill the clock.
The win was the Eagles' fourth of the season - the most for any Youngsville team since the 2004 team won four. Youngsville hosts county rival Sheffield Friday at Mike Shine Field. An Eagles victory would ensure the team of its first non-losing season since 1994 - the last time the Eagles qualified for the playoffs.
SaegertownYoungsville
59Offensive plays 55
9First downs13
38-56Rushes-yards49-186
167Passing yards61
223Total yards247
21-11-1Pass-comp-int6-2-0
1-0Fumbles-lost5-5
4-35Penalties-yards3-20
Score by quarters
Saegertown 0 0 0 14 - 14
Youngsville 0 6 10 0 - 16
Scoring plays
Second quarter
Y- Cory Craig to Kyle Luther 30 pass, 8:57, kick failed
Third quarter
Y- T.J. Hardy 27 field goal, 6:34
Y- Craig 7 run, Hardy kick, 1:08
Fourth quarter
S- Noah Marvin to Dakota Schultz 5 pass, Marvin to Kyle McCray pass, 7:13
S- Marvin to Jason Amy 93 pass, run failed, 3:00
Individual leaders
RUSHING: S-Jason Amy 8 carries for 35 yards, Kurtis Henry 10 for 29, Dakota Schultz 12 for 21, Nate Siple 2 for -6, Noah Marvin 6 for -23; Y-Cory Craig 24 for 99, TD, Jordan Gurdak 13 for 78, Mike Gibson 12 for 9
PASSING: S-Noah Marvin 11 of 21 for 167 yards, 2 TD, INT; Y-Cory Craig 2 of 6 for 61, TD
RECEIVING: S-Jason Amy 4 catches for 123 yards, TD, Dakota Schultz 4 for 7, TD, Clay Dawson 2 for 27, Kyle McCray 1 for 10; Y-Rocco Gatta 1 for 31, Kyle Luther 1 for 30, TD
