LOYSBURG — Northern Bedford has come so near pulling out a win the final couple of weeks solely to shoot itself in the foot late in the sport.
On Friday evening at Panther Community Stadium, the NBC offense put up all its factors in the opening half and led by two scores on the break earlier than going chilly after halftime — punting on three possessions, after which turning the ball over on an interception and on downs.
Fortunately, whereas North Star got here again to tie the competition to ship the sport into time beyond regulation, the offense received the performs and rating it wanted in the additional session, whereas the particular groups delivered with a key Cougar blocked conversion try earlier than the Panthers received a Weston Hart additional level to steal victory with a 27-26 stroll off win to snap a seven-game dropping streak.
“Nothing, in more ways than football, has gone our way for about six weeks. We really needed this tonight,” Northern Bedford coach Garry Black stated. “This is part of the healing process that the community needs. I can’t thank our guys enough for putting the effort into it like they did.”
Hart, whose major Fall sport is soccer, wasn’t even the beginning kicker till just a few weeks in the past.
“He (Hart) asked if he could join (at the beginning of the season) and he was terrible. He came up, he tried and he was terrible,” Black stated. “… Adam Berry was our kicker until he lacerated his liver against Berlin (Sept. 19), and he’s out for the season. Weston Hart has to step into this role and be the guy to make that kick and he delivered. That’s the definition of nothing easy.”
Overtime sequence, North Star possession: The Cougars, who received most of its offense from quarterback Kasey Yoder in the second half, stayed with the new hand because the junior ran for two yards on first down, seven on second after which crossed the objective line up the center from 1 yard out to place his crew up 26-20. On the PAT try, the snap was and earlier than the NS holder Bryson Durst had an opportunity to set it, the kicker, Sean Hemminger bailed on the try inflicting Durst to have to face up and run. Fortunately for Northern, Nolan Snider stopped him in his tracks because the senior got here up with the deal with on the two-point conversion run.
Snider: “It’s something our team always strives to do (because) we may have been 0-7, but you’ve just got to bring it every single play. When you’ve got heart and you bring it, good things will happen.”
Overtime sequence, Northern Bedford possession: After the offense struggled mightily in the second half to maneuver the ball (33 whole yards gained), the primary down play didn’t begin off on a very good word as QB Trace Baker was hit for a 5-yard loss. However, on second down from the 15, Baker rolled out proper and fired to Connor Donaldson who was transferring from left-to-right. Donaldson caught the ball in stride and beat the North Star defender to the nook of the top zone to tie the competition at 26-26. Hart got here on for the all-important additional level. The snap from Zach Bowers was dealt with simply by Ben Cottle who positioned it and allowed Hart to ship the game-winner.
Hart: “It feels really good. I wouldn’t have been able to do anything without my line — they blocked really well. Most of the time I just try to stay calm and keep my breathing down to keep myself from getting nervous.”
Player of the sport: Baker, who completed with 88 speeding yards and 60 passing, performed an element in three of the 4 TDs for Northern Bedford as he tossed a 24-yard move to Bowers, who made an acrobatic catch between two defenders at 10:19 of the second quarter. The sophomore then known as his personal quantity and shook off an ankle deal with earlier than transferring alongside the best sideline en path to an 81-yard rating to place the Panthers up 20-6 with 3:34 remaining in the opening half.
North Star coach Bob Landis: “I’m proud of the effort — our guys didn’t lay down at halftime. We came out and fought in the second half. Close games like that, you’re going to second-guess a lot of things. But we’ll watch the film and make the adjustments. But, the bottom line is our guys played four quarters tonight, and a little bit more.”
Unsung hero: North Star’s Kasey Yoder threw for 206 yards and rushed for 122 on the bottom. He made the rating 7-6 with a 3-yard run at 5:47 of the primary stanza, then reached paydirt on an 11-yard run in the third earlier than discovering John Michael Steltzer on a 15-yard passing landing with 38.7 second left in regulation whereas his two-point conversion run on the following try knotted the competition at 20-20.
Black: “We had the lead, we were up two scores, but there is going to be nothing easy this season. Kudos to our guys for continuing to fight because the way that went, it could have been very difficult to get yourself back up (after being held scoreless in the second half and letting North Star tie the game late).”
Most very important statistic: Carter Love returned the opening kickoff 79 yards to place Northern Bedford up 7-0 proper out of the gate.
Records: North Star (3-5); Northern Bedford (1-7).
Snider: “It (winning tonight after losing the lead late the last two weeks) is something you can’t describe. It’s a joy I personally have never felt before. It just means more with all the things that are happening around this community.”
Next week: North Star hosts Berlin Brothersvalley subsequent Friday; Northern Bedford travels to Windber the identical evening.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
North Star 6 0 6 8 6 — 26
Northern Bedford 7 13 0 0 7 — 27
First Quarter
NB — Love 79 kickoff return (Hart kick), 11:45.
NS — Ok, Yoder 3 run (kick blocked), 5:47.
Second Quarter
NB — Bowers 24 move from Baker (kick blocked), 10:19.
NB — Baker 81 run (Hart kick), 3:34.
Third Quarter
NS — Ok. Yoder 11 run (move failed), 7:51.
Fourth Quarter
NS — Steltzer 15 move from Ok. Yoder (Ok. Yoder run), 38.7
First time beyond regulation
NS — Ok. Yoder 1 run (run failed), 0.0
NB — Donaldson 15 move from Baker (Hart kick), 0.0
TEAM STATISTICS NS NB
First downs 17 8
Total yards 365 262
Rushes-yards 41-159 28-165
Yards passing 206 60
Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 10-20-1 5-12-2
Punts-avg, 4-33.8 4-35.0
Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-0
Penalties-yards 4-30 6-38
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — North Star, Ok. Yoder 25-122, Eshleman 8-27, Scott 1-4, Lasky 5-11, Durst 1-(-4), TEAM 1-(-1). Northern Bedford, Clark 15-46, Baker 7-88, Bowers 2-13, Donaldson 1-9, Swanseen 3-9.
PASSING — North Star, Ok. Yoder 10-20-1-206. Northern Bedford, Baker 5-12-2-60.
RECEIVING — North Star, Hawkins 3-124, Lasky 1-17, Durst 1-13, Steltzer 3-36, Scott 2-16. Northern Bedford, Clark 2-19, Br. Cottle 1-2, Bowers 1-24, Donaldson 1-15.