Tobias, Penns Valley’s defense lead the charge over Central in Mountain League Grid Iron action

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: September 14, 2019

Penns Valley 41, Central 21

C – 7 7 0 7 – 21

PV – 13 6 8 14 – 41

Scoring

First Quarter

PV- Aaron Tobias 9-yard TD pass to Gage Ripka (Gage Ripka kick),7:19.

C – Jeff Hoenstine 2-yard run (Austin Keith kick), 1:26.

PV – Tobias 17-yard TD pass to Austin Fisher (kick blocked), 1:03.

Second Quarter

PV – Tobias 10-yard TD pass to Gage Ripka (conversion failed),10:22.

C – Braden Kitt 33-yard TD pass to Dalton Metzger (Keith kick), 13.9

Third Quarter

PV – Tobias 17-yard TD pass to Fisher 43.4 (2-point conversion)

Fourth Quarter

PV – Tobias 19-yard TD pass to Stephen Ripka (2-point conversion),9:52.

PV – Tobias 24-yard touchdown pass to Stephen Ripka (kick failed), 8:52.

C – Kitt 16-yard TD pass to Hunter Klotz (Keith kick), 3:59.

Team statists C PV

First downs 15 22

Rushes-Yards 21-17 19-113

Passing -yards 17-240 23-348

C-A-I 17-29-2 23-31-0

Fumbles 2-1 1-0

Penalties -yards 5-42 8-83

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Rushing: C- Zach Imler 3-6, Ben Smith 3-(-1), Braden Kitt 5-(-13), Parker Gregg 2-2, Josh Beisinger 1-2, Jeff Hoenstine 7-21. PV – Aaron Tobias 2-17, Seth Baney 8-63, Tanner Ilgen 3-40, Aidan Brinker 2-17, Ian Duffield 1-7, Dylan Homan 1-5, Kyle Lucas 1-13, Rylee Brungart 1-1.

Passing: C – Kitt 16-23 234, Hoenstine 1-6 6. PV – Tobias 23-31 334.

Receiving: C – Imler 1-(-2), Gregg 3-9, Beisinger 4-96, Hoenstine 1-12, Hunter Klotz 8-58, Dometrious Harbaugh 2-38, Dalton Metzger1-32. PV – Logan Snyder 9-101, Gage Ripka 3-54, Austin Fisher 4-61, Baney 1-3, Ilgen 1-27, Stephen Ripka 4-78.

Interceptions: C – None. PV – 4th quarter Conner Ryan, 11:51.

4th – Stephen Ripka, 8:58.

By Kenny Varner

SPRING MILLS – Fresh off an impressive victory I’ve Bald Eagle Area last week,the Penns Valley football team welcomed in another legendary program in Central.

Penns Valley quarterback Aaron Tobias lit it up again, posting 334 yards through the air and six more touchdown passes en route to the 41-21 victory over the Dragons.

“I was really proud of the defense tonight. We had a few break downs that resulted in a few big plays for them (Central). But overall I thought we played very sound,especially against the run. We were concerned about their running game coming into this week,” said Penns Valley coach Martin Tobias. “We worked hard on the formations that they ran. Our kids executed the game plan well.”

Defensively, the Rams held the Dragons running game to just 17 yards on the ground.

The game was close up until late in the third quarter when the Rams were able to overcome their early penalty problems and roll back down the field.

Going into the third quarter Penns Valley held a very slim 19-14 advantage.

Both defenses cane out of the intermission to make a statement and did just that as it would be scoreless in the period until the clock hit the 1-minute mark.

The score would change at 43 ticks left in the period when Tobias hit Austin Fisher on a 17-yard hook up for the score. The 2-point conversion was successful and the Rams increased its lead to 27-14 as the two teams went into the final stanza.

The defense stood tall on the Dragons next possession when it picked off a Braden Kitt offering, giving the Rams the ball at the Central 46.

With the momentum in their corner, the Rams increased its lead to 35-14 when Tobias found a wide open Stephen Ripka for a 14-yard TD pass with 9:52 left.

Ripka came up large once again for the Rams as he intercepted another Central pass minutes later.

Ripka reaped the benefits of the interception when Tobias once again hit the wide out on a 21-yard touchdown reception.

Central would get in the end zone late in the game but it would be too little, too late as the Rams picked up the victory.

Tobias lit it up in the first half completing 13 passes for 190 yards and three touchdown passes.

Offensively, the Rams’ offense churned out 230 yards of total offense.

Penns Valley defense kept the Dragons offense in check for most of the first half as it forced a fumble and notched three sacks on Central quarterback Braden Kitt, holding him to -5 rushing yards.

However, he was still able to air things out for 11 completions for 162 yards.

After holding Central to a 3-and-our on its first drive, Tobias and company went right to business going only six plays for their first score.

Tobias hit Gage Ripka on a 9-yard TD pass. Ripka added the extra point to give the home team the 7-0 lead with 7:19 left in the opening period.

Dragons running back Jeff Hoenstine marched it minutes later culminating a Central 66-yard drive, tying the contest at seven.

On the following Ram possession, Tobias went right back to work. This time the drive was just 2-plays that ended in a Tobias to Austin Fisher for the 17-yard score. However, the extra point was blocked.

As the second quarter got underway, the Penns Valley defense once again stood tall and got it to its suddenly sizzling offense.

Tobias, who didn’t have an incomplete pass until his eighth throw, found Ripka again, this time on a 25-yard TD hook up, making it 19-7.

Penns Valley decides to go for a 2-point conversion but fell inches short.

But the Rams still enjoyed a 19-7 lead until the final minute.

Getting the ball after a failed field goal attempt, the Dragons has two minutes to cut into the Penns Valley lead.

They did just that as Kitt found Dalton Metzger for 33 yards and a touchdownwith 13.9 ticks left on the clock.

As the two teams went into the intermission, Penns Valley led 19-13.

Penns Valley will look to keep they’re winning ways going next week when it plays on the road at Huntingdon.