GRATERFORD >> As Perkiomen Valley honored some 38 seniors – soccer gamers, group leaders and cheerleaders – forward of Friday’s recreation, the PA announcer learn every senior’s ‘favourite second’ from their PV sports activities profession.
Not less than one Viking is already trying to redo.
“That is the very first thing one in all our coaches stated to me – new favourite second!” stated working again Brad Curci, whose 36-yard catch-and-run late within the third quarter went up as Perkiomen Valley beat Spring-Ford, 7-6, within the newest bout of the rivalry basic of each colleges.
“Two nice groups – some good defenses,” added Cole Euker, a second-year two-way sort out for PV. “I at all times felt like it will come right down to defence.”
And he did, as Euker’s final massive play of the night time was a sort out on Spring-Ford quarterback Matt Zollers on a possible two-point conversion with 46 seconds left.
Perkiomen Valley holds 2 pt conversion strive!! Vikings maintain 7-6 lead, 0:46 4Q
SF tried a delayed run with Zollers pic.twitter.com/037Fgd0SQw
— Austin Hertzog (@AustinHertzog) October 8, 2022
Perkiomen Valley’s Brad Curci (33) ignited the same old Vikings victory celebration after beating Spring-Ford 7-6 on Friday. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
The tiebreaker got here after the Rams’ first two-point try was known as for an offside penalty in opposition to the Vikings, shifting the ball midway over the objective line for Spring-Ford.
“I wasn’t positive how that [penalty] would have an effect on it,” Euker stated.
The plan, nonetheless, remained easy.
“It wasn’t a lot to say,” Euker stated. “Simply maintain doing what we have been doing all night time.”
And that occurred with massive performs on the proper time. Euker joined Carson Pascoe and Vance Junker up entrance to cease SF within the backfield on a number of events, placing Spring-Ford behind the sticks or stopping beforehand promising drives of their tracks.
Spring-Ford’s Jake Reigh’s booming 65-yard punt pinned PV on their very own 10-yard line halfway by the third quarter of a scoreless recreation. Nonetheless, the Vikings undeterred launched into an eight-play, 90-yard drive that featured working again Jake Stewart (19 carries, 79 yards) earlier than Curci made his first contact of the night time, taking an undamaged 36-yard middle display screen for a 7-0 PV lead.
“Display screen video games are the perfect,” Curci stated, “as a result of the road goes by and all you see is inexperienced in entrance of you.
“I had numerous blocks in entrance of me. My first thought (after scoring) was ‘let’s get the PAT’, however then I see everybody coming in the direction of me, and within the stands, going wild.”
Perkiomen Valley’s Brad Curci carries the ball from the precise facet in opposition to Spring-Ford. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Certainly, the gang was bought out, as regular, at Thomas J. Keenan Stadium after a schedule shake-up led to Perkiomen Valley internet hosting the sport for the second consecutive 12 months. However the perfect was but to return.
The Vikings survived a misplaced fumble, however the defensive battle continued because the Rams compelled a punt earlier than their two-minute assault started to maneuver the ball as successfully as that they had performed all of the night. Matt Zollers (19-33, 179 yards, TD) discovered three completely different receivers, going 6-for-7 on the drive earlier than a protection bust discovered Belal Abdelrahman vast open contained in the five-yard line for a scoring that introduced the Rams inside 7-6 with lower than a minute to play and arrange the decisive conversion.
“Earlier than observe even began,” Spring-Ford coach Chad Brubaker stated when requested when he determined to go for a two-point conversion and the win. “We hadn’t actually moved the ball all night, all our technical workers agreed [on going for two].
“I’d make the identical name once more.”
Perkiomen Valley’s Rasheem Grayson tackles Spring-Ford working again Will Fish for a save on fourth down. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Spring-Ford topped PV 277-175 however was undone by repeated breakage points and different errors.
“Too many penalties,” summed up Brubaker. “[PV] is very fast in protection. It is onerous to simulate in observe and it gave us some issues.
It was not an offensive spectacle, a back-and-forth worthy of two of the strongest offensive models within the area. As an alternative, it was a considerably disjointed recreation at instances, filled with self-inflicted errors and a pair of robust defenses dictating how the competition unfolded.
However one factor has not modified – a wide ranging end. 4 of the final 5 “Battle of the Horns” video games have resulted in a single rating. Coming down to at least one level, one play, one yard, in actual fact, was a brand new twist.
Early on, the theme was these missed alternatives, and it began instantly when Ryan Klimek kicked off the opening kick from 57 yards on the SF 34 for the Vikings. However a foul shot pushed PV again into his personal territory earlier than a punt.
That punt, nonetheless, gave the Vikings their finest early subject place after a Spring-Ford fumble. The Rams protection held agency, nonetheless, as Zach Zollers made the primary of a number of massive first-half performs by defensive linemen when he stopped PV’s Owen Peterlin on a variation of the well-known ‘Philly Particular’ .
From there, the defenses remained in test all through the half, as Spring-Ford’s Mike Bendowski recovered a fumble to finish the Vikings’ high risk, whereas Vance Junker scored a sack QB on Zollers at HP 30 to thwart the Rams.
Spring-Ford’s Will Fish, middle, dives deep into SF territory in opposition to Perkiomen Valley on Friday. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
After the groups traded punts to start out the second half, it grew to become clear that the primary rating could be paramount in figuring out the result.
And it wasn’t as vital because the two-point play that adopted the second rating.
Cole Euker has two brothers on the group – Carter and Grant – and a brother Gavin who graduated in 2019. Presently, he’s the one member of the household to be undefeated in opposition to the Vikings rivals.
“After all it is particular,” he stated. “It is at all times the sport you need to win.”
The win gave Perk Valley (6-1, 3-0 PAC Liberty) the division’s solely first-place possession, in addition to the all-time collection lead by the slimmest of margins, 20-19. .
Perkiomen Valley can cement a second consecutive PAC Liberty title with a victory subsequent week in opposition to Norristown.
Spring-Ford (4-3, 2-1 PAC Liberty) appears to be like to rebound when it hosts Methacton.
Other than his passing numbers, Matt Zollers added 25 speeding yards, a quantity diminished by his want to leap on a couple of errant snaps. He saved the day on not less than one event, correcting a foul shot and giving himself time to toss the ball for an incomplete quite than lose vital yardage.
The visceral reactions to the last-second loss on the Rams sideline and even within the scholar part confirmed simply how a lot the rivalry means to either side.
“It hurts,” Brubaker stated succinctly.
The ache of what may need been for the Rams was outweighed by pleasure and the unofficial “biggest second” of Brad Curci’s soccer profession – a becoming portrayal of the ultimate chapter of the area’s finest rivalry.
Perkiomen Valley 7, Spring-Ford 6
Spring-Ford — 0 0 0 6 — 6
Perkiomen Valley — 0 0 7 0 — 7
HIGHLIGHTS
VP — Curci 36 move from MacDonald (kick from Klimek)
SF — Abdelrahman 25 move from M. Zollers (missed run)
TEAM STATS
FS PV
First makes an attempt 14 12
Rushed programs 98 88
Exceeding course 179 87
Complete meters 277 175
Cross CAI 19-33-0 8-12-0
Fumbles-Misplaced 1-1 3-2
Penalties-Yards 7-55 8-60
Punts-Avg. 4-44.3 6-33
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Sprint
Spring-Ford – Fish 13-47, Mr. Zollers 10-25, Bendowski 5-26.
Perkiomen Valley – Stewart 19-79, Klimek 10-39, MacDonald 10-12, Staff 2-(under-31), Peterlin 1-(under-11).
Who handed
Spring-Ford – M. Zollers 19-33, 179 yards, TD.
Perkiomen Valley – MacDonald 7-11, 88 yards, TD; Peterlin 1-1, -1 yard.
Obtain
Spring-Ford – Z. Zollers 5-54, Kerchner 5-20, Scott 4-51, Abdelrahman 4-48; TD, Swanger 1-6.
Perkiomen Valley – Poruban 3-36, Curci 2-35; TD, Keough 1-9, Corridor 1-5, Peterlin 1-2.
Luggage: Spring-Ford – Pajovich 2, Undercuffler.
Perkiomen Valley – Junker, Sturges.