NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Port Allegany coach Justin Bienkowski is a history teacher.
He hopes history repeats itself this week against Redbank Valley.
(Photo by Madison McFarland)
In the first round of the District 9 Class A playoffs last week, his Gators ran 35 offensive plays in the first half to just nine for Keystone. By the end of the game, Port Allegany won the time of possession battle, 34 minutes to 14.
And the Gators also won the most important stat — the final score — 14-12.
That kind of ball-control formula would do wonders for Port Allegany’s chances to win on the scoreboard again against the potent Bulldogs when the two teams meet in the semifinals Friday night.
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
“You see it on Saturdays and you see it on Sundays,” Bienkowski said. “With any high-powered offense, the number one way you want to try in minimize that is to keep them on the sidelines, or in ironman football terms, keep them on defense.”
Redbank Valley (9-1) can put up points with the best of them. First-year quarterback Bryson Bain, a senior, has completed nearly 60% of his passes for 1,451 yards and 25 touchdowns to just four interceptions.
Bain, who just signed his National Letter of Intent to play baseball at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, has a bevy of weapons at his disposal on an offense that has put up 43 points per game.
Keeping that offensive machine off the field as much as possible is paramount for Port Allegany’s chances.
“Bryson Bain can’t throw the ball all over the yard to his guys if he’s not on the field,” Bienkowski said. “I like our chances if we stick to our game plan like our guys executed the game plan last week.”
Port Allegany (6-4) ran the ball 52 times against Keystone with Blaine Moses getting 32 of those attempts for 96 yards. Noah Archer added 97 yards on 16 carries for the Gators, the No. 5 seed.
Top-seeded Redbank Valley had a bye.
“It was good timing,” said Bulldogs coach Blane Gold. “We were already relatively healthy, but our entire ninth- and 10th-grade class went to Washington D.C. for that week on a field trip.”
Gold is hoping his defense can have a field day against Port Allegany.
The Bulldogs have been formidable on that side of the ball as well, giving up a mere 7.2 points per game.
Joe Mansfield has been quietly — well, as quietly as a player with Mansfield’s credentials can be — wrecking offenses this season.
Mansfield, a senior defensive end, is second on the team with 52 tackles. He leads the team with 8.5 sacks, 15 hurries and a staggering 19 tackles for a loss.
He’s also blocked a punt.
Mansfield will see more time on offense this week with senior Marquese Gardlock out of the game because of disciplinary reasons.
“As much attention as offenses are paying to him, I think this may be his most impressive year statistically,” Gold said. “He’s still racking up those kind of number. Offensively, we’re always trying to get away from the guys like (Carter Terwint at Union/A-C Valley) and (Zander McHenry at Keystone) — guys along those lines. Teams are having the same mindset with Joe and he’s still putting up those statistics.”
Bienkowski said his young team isn’t intimidated by Redbank Valley or the big stage they will play on Friday night.
The stakes are high.
“That’s the benefit of a young team — they don’t know enough about it to get stressed out or intimidated,” Bienkowski said. “On paper, Redbank is intimidating, but when it comes down to it, they’re lacing their shoes up the same way we are, they’re putting their pants on one leg at a time like we are, they’re playing on the same field that we are.
“We’re in this dance for a reason,” Bienkowski said. “We might as well go out and boogie.”
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
