HOUTZDALE—The Curwensville football team had its chances against Moshannon Valley Friday evening at CNB Bank Stadium, but the Golden Tide couldn’t find their way to the end zone in a 14-3 defeat at the hands of the Black Knights.
Curwensville equaled Mo Valley in first downs (11), held a 53-42 edge in total offensive plays and ran 21 of them in Black Knight territory. But the closest the Tide came to the end zone was the 8-yard line late in the first half on a 10-play drive that ended in a Mason Lash 28-yard field goal, which were the lone points in the game for Curwensville.
Meanwhile, Rocco Reifer scored on a pair of short touchdown runs for the Knights, and Mo Valley forced a pair of second half turnovers to keep in control of the game.
Reifer opened the scoring with a 3-yard score on the second play of the second quarter, and his 6-yard TD with 3:10 remaining in the fourth basically put the game away for the Knights. Reifer carried 16 times for 122 yards in the contest, recording 73 in the second half.
Curwensville started with the early momentum, forcing a three-and-out on defense before putting together a 10-play drive that began at its 20 and moved to the Knight 34 where it stalled out.
The defenses each forced three-and-outs and punts, but Mo Valley came away with the better of the special teams exchanges, starting its third series of the night at the Tide 40.
Knight quarterback Brady Mihalko completed passes of 19 and 15 yards to Brennan Canner and Jack Moore, respectively, to move Mo Valley to the Tide 3 and Reifer dented the scoreboard with his 3-yard run to break the scoreless tie with 11:29 to go in the first half. JC Smith added the first of his two PATs to make it 7-0.
Both teams turned the ball over on downs on their next possessions — Curwensville at the Knight 42 and Mo Valley at the Tide 25 thanks to a Caleb Hendershot sack.
Curwensville immediately recorded a first down after the change of possession on a 14-yard Lincoln Hoyt run before a pair of Dante Lezzer pass completions — a 5-yarder to Reed Hawkins and a 14-yarder to Lawson Neiswender— moved the chains two more times.
After an 11-yard Sammy Gustafson run moved the ball to the Knight 11, the drive stalled and the Tide had to settle for the Lash field goal with 58 seconds to play in the half, cutting Mo Valley’s lead to 7-3.
The Golden Tide started with the ball in the third quarter and moved to midfield before punting to Mo Valley, which took over at its own 15. Curwensville lost Cael Butler, who carried the ball once for 14 yards on the drive, to injury during the opening series of the second half.
Mihalko hit Mason Abernethy for a 34-yard gain on the second play of the series and Reifer followed with a 17-yard jaunt to the Tide 30.
But Lezzer jumped in front of Cooper Keith two plays later to pick off a Mihalko pass inside the 10-yard line to halt the Moshannon Valley drive.
The Tide were unable to move the ball and, after punting back to Mo Valley, which took over at its 46. gave up a 30-yard run to Reifer, who took the ball inside the visitors’ 25.
But Mo Valley was called for a holding penalty and an unsportsmanlike conduct foul on the same play after advancing to the 19, which pushed it all the way back to the 44.
Mihalko got 20 of those yards back with a completion to Troy Canner to set up a 41-yard field goal attempt by Smith.
But the Tide’s Timmy Gustafson deflected the kick to keep their deficit at 7-3.
Curwensville took over at its 20 and marched to the Knight 49 on 10 plays. Lezzer looked like he converted a fourth-and-1 play from the 49 with an 8-yard push, but the Tide were whistled for an illegal motion penalty to nullify the play.
The Tide fumbled on fourth-and-5 and Smith recovered for the Knights at the Curwensville 48.
Brady Kephart picked up a pair of first downs with runs of 14 and 17 yards on counter plays and Reifer finished off the drive with his 6-yard blast with 3:10 left to play.
Curwensville was able to pick up one first down on the ensuing drive, but Mital, who was crowned Homecoming King at halftime, ended the Tide’s hopes of a comeback with an interception, and Mo Valley ran out the clock.
“It was a tough loss this week, and losing Cael Butler really hurt,” Curwensville head coach Brad Sopic said. “We played well defensively, but offensively we could not pick up blitzing linebackers. We’ll get back to work and get ready for next week.”
Mital led the Mo Valley receivers with three catches for 25 yards. Mihalko ended his night completing 7-of-14 for 113 yards.
Gustafson paced the Tide offense with 64 yards on 19 carries. Hawkins added 47 yards on 11 totes.
Both teams recorded 11 first downs in the game. Mo Valley had 152 yards rushing, while Curwensville picked up 155 on the ground.
The Knights improved to 3-4 this season, while the Tide slipped to 2-5.
Each team plays home games in Week 8.
Mo Valley hosts Claysburg-Kimmel. Curwensville entertains Juniata Valley (5-2).
MOSHANNON VALLEY 14
CURWENSVILLE 3
Score by Quarters
Curwensville;0;3;0;0;—;3
Moshannon Valley;0;7;0;7;—;14
Second Quarter
MV—Rocco Reifer 3 run, (JC Smith kick), 11:29.
CU—Mason Lash 28 FG, 0:58.
Fourth Quarter
MV—Reifer 6 run, (Smith kick), 3:20.
___
;CU;MV
First downs;11;11
Rushes-yards;41-155;28-152
Comp-Att-Int;5-12-1;7-14-1
Passing Yards;36;42-113
Total Plays-Yards;53-191;42-265
Fumbles-Lost;1-1;1-0
Punts;3-32.0;2-45.5
Penalties-Yards;2-10;6-55
___
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
Curwensville—Sammy Gustafson 19-64, Reed Hawkins 11-47, Lincoln Hoyt 8-36, Cael Butler 1-11, Caleb Hendershot 1-2, Dante Lezzer 1-(-5).
Moshannon Valley—Rocco Reifer 16-122, Brady Kephart 7-41, Valent Cervenak 1-1, Chase Mital 1-(-2), Brady Mihalko 3-(-10).
PASSING
Curwensville—Dante Lezzer 5-of-12, 36 yds., 1 Int
Moshannon Valley—Brady Mihalko 7-of-14, 113 yds., 1 Int.
RECEIVING
Curwensville—Lincoln Hoyt 3-17, Lawson Neiswender 1-14, Reed Hawkins 1-5.
Moshannon Valley—Chase Mital 3-25, Mason Abernethy 1-34, Troy Canner 1-20, Canner 1-19, Jack Moore 1-15.
INTERCEPTIONS
Curwensville—Dante Lezzer..
Moshannon Valley—Chase Mital
GOLDEN TIDE SCOREBOARD:
Date Opponent Score Record
08/22 @ Meyersdale 19 – 37 0 – 1
08/29 Windber 22 – 36 0 – 2
09/05 @ Mt. Union 21 – 49 0 – 3
09/12 @ Southern Huntingdon 29 – 26 1 – 3
09/19 CLAYSBURG-KIMMEL 20 – 46 1 – 4
09/26 WEST BRANCH 35 – 12 2 – 4
10/03 @ Moshannon Valley 3 – 14 2 – 5
10/10 JUNIATA VALLEY
10/17 GLENDALE
10/24 @ Tussey Mountain
