Jays blank Ironmen
SOUTH CENTRE TWP. — Danville co-coach Brian Raup was out to prove the Ironmen were not the same team that suffered a 34-point loss to Central Columbia in Week 6.
The Ironmen did show that, especially defensively, but couldn’t sustain offensive drives in a 21-0 loss to the Blue Jays in the District 4 Class 3A quarterfinals.
The Blue Jays (8-3) advance to the semifinals where they will square off with Loyalsock. The Lancers defeated Mifflinburg, 38-0.
The Ironmen finish the season 4-7 and on a six-game losing streak, but Raup was quick to point out the record doesn’t speak for the team.
“I want this team to be remembered as a team fighting through a lot of adversity and getting through it,” he said. “It has been tough, but the kids never wavered, not one day. They never lost faith in the coaching staff, never lost faith in each other.
“It was just too much. I think you take a look at the cup that overflows. It was just one drop, two drops too much, and that’s kind of how it’s been all year for us. I tip my cap, though, not a lot of teams would be able to handle this adversity.”
After a bit of a slow start defensively, the Blue Jays settled in and made life hectic for the Ironmen —who started the game with 11-play and 8-play drives — for the remainder of the game. Danville moved the chains twice in the second half.
“I thought coach (EJ) Smith did a good job making adjustments from the first time,” Central Columbia coach Scott Dennis said. “But I think the pressure was the biggest reason. Our secondary played excellent and made some great adjustments to the ball in the air. Certainly the pressure didn’t give him a lot of time to throw.”
The Ironmen were held to one or less yards on 27 plays after their success on the opening drives, and K.J. Riley had a tough go with things behind center, completing 11 of 29 pass attempts and throwing two picks — both to Troy Johnson.
Riley’s biggest incompletion occurred in Danville’s second possession when he overthrew a wide open Jagger Dressler in the end zone.
And if that wasn’t a hit to their confidence, Riley missed a 35-yard field goal by mere inches to the right on the next play to keep the game scoreless.
Raup, though, wasn’t one to not give credit where it was due.
“(Riley) got hit early and he got a little antsy, a little gun shy,” Raup said. “He doesn’t want to get hit and so he got rid of the ball a little early rather than sit in the pocket a little bit. I think that cost us a little bit because he under threw, over threw and wasn’t quite as sharp as he usually is.
“But I take nothing away. We had guys, but they played very good defense over the top. They were very good on the pass so I tip my cap to Central for sure.”
The Blue Jays weren’t pulling away, though, struggling just as much offensively as the Ironmen were quick to the ball in the secondary and filled any gaps on the line.
Central, though, caught a big break late in the first half when Johnson’s first interception — one play after Garrett McNelis threw an interception to Danville’s Colton Sidler — set up shop at the Ironmen 30.
McNelis cut the field in half on a 15-yard scamper, and after being stuffed on three straight plays, the Blue Jays were forced to settle for a 33-yard field goal by Mason Yorty for the game’s first points.
The lead and halftime break gave the Blue Jays a new life as Jacob Reifer played the role of hero.
He returned the half’s opening kickoff 66 yards to put the Blue Jays on the cusp of the red zone at the Ironmen 26-yard line.
The Blue Jays proceeded to make Reifer the focal point of the offense, going Wildcat and giving him six consecutive carries. It was capped off with a 4-yard touchdown on a keeper.
“We ran (the Wildcat) the last two weeks previous to this game and had some success with it,” Dennis said. “We felt like we needed a spark and Jacob gives that to us. He’s pretty athletic kid that is quick and strong so it worked for us.”
Central stuck to what was working as Reifer found a lane for a 40-yard rush on the its next possession. The drive ended in three points as Yorty was good from 40 for his second field goal of the contest.
Reifer lit up the Ironmen for 102 yards on 16 carries.
The Blue Jays struck again on their next possession, this time needing just one play when McNelis connected with Zander Bradley — as an Ironmen defender fell playing the ball — for a 46-yard touchdown. It was the longest play from scrimmage for either team.
As Central advances in the tournament, Dennis hopes the team can clean up its play as the Blue Jays gave up more yards on seven penalties (65) than they did on 26 rushing attempts (48).
Danville 0 0 0 0 — 0
Central Columbia 0 3 18 0 — 21
Second quarter
C — Mason Yorty 33 field goal, 0:02
Third quarter
C — Jacob Reifer 4 rush (Dylan Devlin pass from Zach Smith), 8:55
C — Yorty 40 field goal, 3:23
C — Zander Bradley 46 pass from Garrett McNelis.
D C
First downs 9 12
Rushing-yds. 26-48 37-180
Passing 11-29-2 4-15-1
Passing yds. 85 88
Total yds. 133 268
Fumbles-lost 2-1 0-0
Penalties-yds. 3-15 7-65
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Danville: Joey Harris, 9-24; Jagger Dressler, 4-23; K.J. Riley, 9-7; Jack Smiley, 1-(-1); Carson Persing, 2-(-2); Ty Stauffer, 1-(-3). Central Columbia: Jacob Reifer, 16-102, TD; McNelis, 6-40; Troy Johnson, 14-39; Auston Rainier, 1-(-1).
PASSING — Danville: Riley 11-29-2, 85 yds. Central Columbia: McNelis, 4-15-1, 88 yds., TD.
RECEIVING — Danville: C. Persing, 4-41; Dressler, 4-19; Ian Persing, 2-14; Joey Harris, 1-11. Central Columbia: Zander Bradley, 2-58, TD; Garrett Carter, 2-30.
