NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. (D9Sports) — Running for 430 yards, Clarion-Limestone dominated on the line of scrimmage to pick up a 42-16 win at Redbank Valley Friday night in a game that was cut 2:36 short because of lighting.
(Photo of C-L offensive lineman Justin Goodman, the Hager Paving Player of the Game for the Lions)
Austin Newcomb ran for 261 yards and two touchdowns (he also caught two passes for 37 yards and a score) on 28 carries to lead the way for the Lions (4-1 overall, 3-0 D9 League Small School South).
Ayden Wiles was also over 100 yards on the night on the ground for C-L with 108 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.
Offensive lineman Justin Goodman, who was named the Hager Paving Player of the Game for the Lions after helping to open many of those holes, talked about the play of the offensive line and the win.
C-L rolled out to a 24-0 lead on a Colby Himes to Ian Callen touchdown pass (15 yards), a Wiles run (1-yard) and a Himes to Newcomb pass (12 yards) with the Newcomb TD coming with 15.9 seconds left in the first half.
Redbank Valley (4-1, 2-1) made it a little closer at halftime when Keaton Kahle hit Hunter Martz on a 45-yard Hail Mary pass on the final play of the half where Martz got loose behind the C-L defense to make it 24-8 at halftime.
But C-L responded with a defensive stop early in the third quarter and then made it 30-8 on a 26-yard Kyle Bottaro touchdown run with 7:06 to play in the third quarter.
Redbank Valley had one last gasp in it when Kahle connected with Hunter Buzzard on a 8-yard scoring pass two minutes later to make it 30-16, and then the Bulldogs took over inside the 30-yard line when C-L muffed the ensuing kickoff.
But the Lions defense came up big and stopped Redbank Valley on five plays (a pass interference call gave the Bulldogs an extra play but not an automatic first down) when the home team was facing “and-goal-to-go) from right around the 10-yard line.
Pressure from No. 56 Chase Makray on the fourth-down play helped with the stop, which came with just over two minutes left in the third quarter.
C-L’s offense then went the length of the field behind some more great blocking before Newcomb put the game away with a 15-yard run right up the gut with 9:39 left to make it 36-16.
The Lions had one last touchdown in them when Newcomb busted loose on a 65-yard run with 3:07 left to set the final score, which came less than a minute later when lighting was seen over the Redbank Creek.
Kahle led Redbank Valley running for 53 yards on 14 carries while going 8 of 17 passing for 116 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Martz (3 catches, 52 yards, 1 TD) and Buzard (5 catches, 73 yards, 1 TD) were the top receivers for the Bulldogs. Buzard, who also ran for 11 yards, was named the Hager Paving Player of the Game for Redbank Valley.
C-L is back in action at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at Otto-Eldred. The game was originally slated for Friday, Sept. 28, but was moved to Saturday because of an officials shortage in northern District 9.
Redbank Valley will try to rebound at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, when it travels to Smethport.
