By Nate Ritchey

nritchey@altoonamirror.com

LOYSBURG — Northern Bedford went into the half in opposition to Meyersdale up two scores.

The Black Panthers’ offense wasn’t precisely clicking on all cylinders within the opening half, they usually have been seeking to flip issues round popping out of the locker room.

NBC did simply that because it received contributions from all sides — offense, protection and particular groups — in placing up 21 factors within the second stanza.

The Panthers turned the shut contest on the half right into a mercy-rule affair with the three touchdowns in lower than a 5 minute span in what was finally a 35-14 victory over the Red Raiders on Friday night time in District 5 Class 1A semifinal motion at Panther Community Stadium.

“They (Meyersdale) geared up to stop the run, so we had a couple of pass plays that we were trying to dial up. We went for them there in the first half, and they weren’t working,” Northern Bedford coach Garry Black stated. “In the second half, they worked quickly. We got good field position and took advantage of it. Aaron (Bowers) had a really nice punt return to set up one of them. … Then (he) brought a lot of momentum there in the third quarter (with the interception return too).”

Sequence of the sport: Leading 14-0 on the half, Northern Bedford kicked off to Meyersdale to open the second half. The protection pressured a three-and-out and a punt that Bowers fielded and returned it 40 yards to the MY 23. A 5-yard facemask penalty tacked on a further 5 extra yards, and the Panthers have been in enterprise on the Meyersdale 18. On first down, quarterback Eion Snider discovered Ben Gable on the correct aspect of the tip zone for a landing to make the rating 21-0 at 10:06 of the third.

Gable: “We knew we just needed to keep their (Meyersdale) confidence down. And, we knew that we needed to stop them the first drive (after the half), and if we answered that we would have a lot of momentum and it would have been hard for them to stop us.”

Player of the sport: Gable had simply two catches on the night time however the senior made each of them rely for factors. In addition to the 18-yarder, he hauled in a 27-yard move that Snider threw to the again of the tip zone. Gable needed to set his toes to determine place within the subject of play, after which attain out over the tip line to haul the ball in for the rating that put Northern up 33-0 with 5:22 to go within the third. Gable then caught the two-point conversion move from backup quarterback Vaughn Schleinkofer to kick the working clock into impact with a 35-0 lead.

Gable: “We knew that he (Snider) struggled the first half. But he just came back and put it where it needed to be, and we had success from there. … Well, I didn’t think I was open and was really surprised when I saw the ball. So, as I was tracking, I wasn’t expecting to get it but I just came down with it — I don’t know how really.”

Unsung heroes: Bowers and Snider. In addition to the large momentum-swinging punt return, Bowers intercepted Red Raider QB Lance Jones on the following drive after NBC went up 21-0. The junior returned the choose 25-yards untouched to offer his staff a 27-0 edge with 8:14. Bowers additionally uncorked his solely punt of the night time 47-yards within the second quarter that backed Meyersdale up at their very own 11. He additionally caught one move for 16 yards.

Bowers: “I got a good bounce right to me. I picked it up, made the first guy miss and saw a lane on the outside and just hit it. … They ran that play (on his interception return) earlier in the game, and the coaches said it was pretty open. So, I was looking for it, read it right away and just did my thing.”

Snider, who missed observe all week resulting from successful he took within the season finale, misfired to a couple open receivers within the first half, however bounced again within the second half with the one two throws he wanted. He completed by finishing 5-of-8 passes for 112 yards and the 2 landing passes to Gable. He additionally ran the ball 4 occasions for 31 yards, together with the sport’s opening rating when he powered throughout the objective line from 1-yard out on a third-and-goal with 8:06 on the primary quarter clock.

Black: “We had some stuff open in the first half and were just missing it. Eion took a shot last week and wasn’t really able to practice all week. Our trainer is phenomenal — give a shoutout to Mrs. (Katina) Gibbner. She kept working with him, and she came in with him on Monday when we weren’t here at school just to help him get to the point where he could play tonight. I think him not practicing he was a little bit rusty, and I told him, ‘don’t worry about it. Just throw the ball and we’ll score and let’s get out of here.’”

Most very important statistic: Northern Bedford was extraordinarily environment friendly within the third quarter as they solely ran two offensive performs that each resulted in touchdowns. Meanwhile, Meyersdale had 24 performs with the ultimate one accounting for its first factors of the night time on a Spencer Whitfield 5-yard TD run with 4.3 ticks left within the quarter.

Meyersdale coach Ryan Donaldson: “We were not satisfied for being down 14 at the break. But we felt like with us getting the ball, and taking 14-0 into the halftime, we could figure some things out. We tried that after halftime. The problem is, Coach Black’s team is very, very good. We knew that if we didn’t put something together there right when we got the ball after halftime that it was going to be even harder the last 24 minutes.”

Notable: The two groups met again in Week 7 with Northern Bedford claiming a 43-6 victory on the highway. … Adam Johnson, who ran the ball 9 occasions within the first half for 29 yards, gave the Panthers their second landing when he simply scored from 1-yard out with 3:18 left within the first half. … Black was in a position to unload his bench following the 35-0 lead, which allowed the 2 scores by Meyersdale. … Malachi Carr got here up with an interception of Schleinkofer on the primary play of the ultimate stanza that led to the Red Raiders second landing when Tucker Lapp scored on a 12-yard run at 5:24 of the fourth.

Records: Meyersdale (6-5); Northern Bedford (11-0).

Next week: Meyersdale’s season is full; Northern Bedford will play Windber on Thursday night time at Somerset Area High School for the District 5 Class 1A championship at 7 p.m.

Donaldson: “I’m very proud. I just told them that they turned the corner based on what has happened to us in the past. They’ve never been to a playoff game. They’ve enjoyed and were thankful for the opportunity. We came up short — we battled tonight. I’m proud of every single one of them.”

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Meyersdale 0 0 7 7 — 14

Northern Bedford 7 7 21 0 — 35

First Quarter

NB–Snider 1 run (Kochara kick), 8:06.

Second Quarter

NB–Johnson 1 run (Kochara kick), 3:18.

Third Quarter

NB–Gable 18 move from E. Snider (Kochara kick), 10:06.

NB–Bowers 25 interception return (kick blocked), 8:14.

NB–Gable 27 move from E. Snider (Gable move from Schleinkofer), 5:22.

MY–Whitfield 5 run (Ohler kick), 4.3.

Fourth Quarter

MY–Lapp 12 run (Ohler kick), 5:24.

TEAM STATISTICS MY NB

First downs 14 9

Total yards 240 203

Rushes-yards 35-147 24-84

Yards passing 93 119

Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 12-22-1 6-10-1

Punts-avg. 3-21.0 1-47.0

Fumbles-lost 2-0 0-0

Penalties-yards 6-43 4-30

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–Meyersdale, Brenneman 17-50, Schurg 3-16, Whitfield 12-76, Lapp 1-12, Jones 1-(-8), Ohler 1-1. Northern Bedford, Johnson 9-29, E. Snider 4-31, Detterline 5-23, Gable 2-1, N. Snider 2-0, Clark 1-1, TEAM 1-(-1).

PASSING–Meyersdale, Jones 12-21-1-93, Whitfield 0-1-0-0. Northern Bedford, E. Snider 5-8-0-112, Schleinkofer 1-2-1-7.

RECEIVING–Meyersdale, Carr 7-69, Brenneman 3-9, Schurg 1-0, Sellers 1-15. Northern Bedford, Johnson 1-13, Pittman 1-38, Bowers 1-16, Gable 2-45, N. Snider 1-7.