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THE CENTRE COUNTY GAZETTE
NOVEMBER 8-14, 2012
Tough night Eagles can’t stop Ligonier Valley rushing attack in 48-6 loss By DAN SCIFO For the Gazette
LIGONIER — The Bald Eagle Area football team just couldn’t stop Ligonier Valley’s rushing attack. Rams’ senior running back Ryan Torrance combined with junior quarterback Scott Fennell to lead the charge. Ligonier Valley, ranked third in District 6 Class AA, pulled away early by scoring on its first four possessions. One touchdown came after a surprise onside kick in the first half, for a 48-6 exhibition rout of Bald Eagle Area last Friday at Weller Field. “We weren’t able to slow them down offensively,” said Bald Eagle Area head coach Jack Tobias. “They were able to run the ball when they wanted to run the ball, which obviously set up their play-action pass.” That was the case on Friday as Ligonier Valley (9-1) punished Bald Eagle Area (6-4) on the ground, gaining 303 yards on 50 carries. Torrance did most of the damage, finishing with 161 yards and a touchdown on 28 touches while Dereck Croyle also had 85
yards on eight carries, including a 54-yard touchdown to close out the game. Fennell did his part, figuring in on five touchdowns as the LV junior quarterback was an efficient five of six passing for 74 yards and two touchdowns to Alec Bloom, the Rams’ leading receiver with three catches for 50 yards. Fennell, who had nine carries for 31 yards, also scored three rushing touchdowns, two from one-yard out, and a six-yard score that gave Ligonier Valley a 26-6 halftime lead. “Unless we’re able to stop people, it’s kind of tough to make things happen,” Tobias said. Ligonier Valley totaled 377 yards while Bald Eagle Area was only able to manage 145 yards of offense. Running back Dakota Bartley led the Eagles with 66 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries while Bryan Greene and Kaleb Weaver combined for 43 yards rushing on seven carries. Quarterback Cole Long completed three passes for 22 yards while Jason Jones had a pair of completions for 18 yards. Greene’s only pass attempt was
and give it everything they’ve got, and that’s all I can ask of them.” Bald Eagle Area advanced to the LV 30-yard-line on its opening possession thanks to a pair of Rams’ penalties, but the drive stalled and the Eagles’ turned the ball over on downs. Ligonier Valley responded running the ball nine times during a 10-play, 70-yard series. The Rams capped the series with a pass after Fennell found a wideopen Bloom in the back of the endzone for a 12-yard touchdown. A blocked extra point gave Ligonier Valley a 6-0 edge. Bald Eagle Area went three and out on its next series, and Ligonier Valley marched right back down the field, making it 14-0 after Fennel’s one-yard run and two-point conversion. The Eagles started the next series with a 35-yard run from Bartley and another first down before the Bald Eagle Area junior running back capped the series with a 13-yard run, trimming the deficit to 14-6. But just when it looked like the Eagles were about to climb back into the game, Ligonier Valley extended the lead. Bloom
an interception, which eventually resulted in a Ligonier Valley touchdown. Despite the lopsided loss, the Eagles are still headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2008 and ready to put Friday’s game in the past. “They’ve worked hard to get to this point, and like I told them, we have a 0-0 record going into this,” Tobias said. “It’s win and you’re in for the next week, and everybody is in the same boat. “There’s nothing to hold back, so we have to go out, have fun, and make sure we play fast.” The Eagles, after starting the season 4-0, suffered their fourth lopsided loss in six games. Tobias isn’t worried, though, considering the four teams BEA lost to – Central Martinsburg, Tyrone, Clearfield and Ligonier Valley – own a combined 31-6 record. “I’m not really disappointed,” Tobias said. “We’ve played four quality teams. It’s not like they’re terrible programs. “They’re teams that are going to be in the top of the district fighting for the top spot. We’re not playing cupcakes. Our guys play hard, show up every week,
pulled in a 30-yard pass and capped the series with his second touchdown of the game, this one from eight yards away as the Rams led, 20-6, after another blocked extra point. A surprise onside kick gave Ligonier Valley possession and Torrance followed with three straight runs, setting up Fennell’s second rushing touchdown, which put the Rams ahead, 26-6, at halftime. “When you come out in a 14-0 ballgame and get it back to 14-6, and then they score again, it’s tough to get that back,” Tobias said. “We’re a run team, so it’s hard to come back at that point.” But the Eagles will live to fight another day with a District 6 Class AA playoff game next week for the first time in five years. However, the Eagles will make the same trip to Ligonier as they face off with Rams for the second time in two weeks. “I’m happy with the guys and what they’ve done this year,” Tobias said. “We’ve got some big games ahead of us and they have an opportunity to win a playoff game, which we haven’t done in a while, either.”
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