5th seed Karns City Gremlins (8-3) met 1st seed Ridgway Elkers (9-1) in District 9 2A second round playoffs on Saturday at E. J. Mansell Stadium, Dubois.
Heading into this game, Ridgway had lost only to Kane. Karns City fell to Ridgway in October, but had given Ridgway their toughest battle in regular season play. Both teams have been described as evenly matched, well-grounded in fundamentals’ and physical squads. Fans across the region eagerly awaited the rematch of good, hard, old-fashioned football play and they were not disappointed.
Saturday’s game saw a scoreless first quarter. A 2nd quarter 25-yard run by Ridgway’s Matt Dush, put the Elkers on the scoreboard first. Karns City responded with a nine-play, 61-yard drive that Luke Garing finished off with a Gremlin touchdown. With 2 minutes remaining in 2nd quarter play, Ridgway’s Jake Wickett kept the momentum going with a touchdown bringing the score to 14-7. Gremlins’ quarterback, Anthony Kamenski, then found Kaden Scherer open in the end zone and this successful 31-yard pass and extra point kick by Owen Colwell tied the game 14-14 with just 40 seconds left in the first half.
The Elkers took the lead again, 21-14 in 3rd quarter play with a touchdown by Wickett. The Gremlins responded with a 75-yard drive, finished off by a 3-yard carry by Kamenski bringing the score to 21-20. A botched extra point attempt kept Karns City from tying the game and gave Ridgway possession again in the 3rd quarter. Ridgway took advantage of this opportunity and with a 52-yard reception touchdown by Dush and a touchdown by Bon, the Elkers pulled ahead 34-20.
A Gremlin touchdown by Garing, with 1:37 remaining in the game, just wasn’t enough to seal the deal as the Karns City Gremlins fell to the Ridgway Elkers for a second time this year with a final score of 34-27.
Ridgway will face Clarion in the District 9 title game on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 6pm at Mansell Stadium, Dubois. The Elkers beat the Bobcats, 42-0, during regular season play.