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Kish and Juniata play epic battle into OT, Kish wins CKFCL title

By Kenny Varner

LEWISTOWN – Down to the wire.

This year’s Central Keystone Football and Cheer League Pee Wee Championship game went into overtime before a winner would be crowned.

It would be game three on the season for the Juniata Indians against the Kish Indians, the series was tied at one.

The game would come down to a Kish PAT that would break a 32-32 stalemate, giving the “Maroon and White” the victory.

Sawyer Albert muscled his way into the end zone and captured the win for Kish.

“I’m so happy for the kids. They fought all year. They didn’t give up,” said Kish coach Justin Hower. “ I saw some heads down but our coaching staff got them back together and we made a stand and we scored the touchdown.”

After a low scoring first half that saw a Juniata touchdown by Bryson

Summers and a Kish touchdown by Albert, things would heat up in the second half.

Leading the rushing game for Juniata was Summers with over 150 yards on the ground while Kish got a 100-yard-plus effort by Sawyer.

Coming out of the intermission, Juniata came out and struck first as Summers took a the ball on a reverse  and blazed his way down the field for the 59-yard touchdown run. With the touchdown Juniata led 12-6.

Kish responded with a reverse of their own as Sawyer would take the hand off and take it 58-yards to the house, tying the game at 12.

Kish was successful on its PAT and took the lead at 13-12.

Things really started to heat up as the fourth quarter got underway.

Just three plays into the stanza, Juniata punched in another TD.

Again, the call went to Summers and he did not disappoint cashing it from three yards out.

On the two point conversion, Jaxon Dowling found Summers wide open in the end zone for the conversion.

On the ensuing kick off trailing 20-13, the Kish special teams got into the act when Clayton Fultz took the kick and broke free on a 55-yard kick off return.

On the extra point attempt, the Juniata defense stood up and kept the ball from going in the end zone, keeping their lead, 20-19.

As the clock wound down in regulation, Juniata’s defense once again came to the forefront as Sunmers stood in front of a Kish receiver and intercepted the ball and finished it off by scoring from 5-yards out.

Kish had one last chance to work they way down the field.

With only 2:40 left and on their own 45, Kish was able to work its way downfield. Sawyer provided the spark as his offensive line did a strong job getting him yardage.

Facing a 1-10 on the Juniata 15, Kish had just 1:08 left to try to tie.

They did just that.

Kish went to Fultz once again and he broke free and as the Juniata defenders converged, he lunged with the ball into the end zone, sending the game into overtime.

In the overtime period, Juniata got the ball first and gave it to Summers. Summers made his way out around the end for the 10-yard score, giving Juniata a 32-26 lead.

On their turn on offense, Kish moved the ball down to the three.

On third and three, Fultz blasted his way into the end zone, tying the game.

On the PAT, Albert was handed the ball and got himself free of the defenders and into the end zone, ending the game and giving Kish the hard fought victory.

It was a game that both teams should be proud of their efforts.

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