CURWENSVILLE – The Curwensville Golden Tide high school football team won its third straight game Friday night in a contest played at Riverside Stadium in Curwensville.
The Tide never even scored a point in the second half and still came away with a 37-21 win over District 9 Small School South Division foe Redbank Valley.
Curwensville racked up all of its points in the first 24 minutes, with 22 tallies in the first quarter and 15 more in the second frame.
Redbank Valley, losing for the third straight time dropped to 4-3 while the Golden Tide improved to 5-2 on the 2018 season.
Senior running back Cole Bressler got things started for Curwensville with a seven yard touchdown run at 7:07 of the first quarter. The extra point try was blocked, but the Tide were in front 6-0.
Jacob Mullins, Curwensville’s freshman kicker, knocked down a 27 yard field goal at the 5:15 point of the opening stanza to make it 9-0,Tide.
There would be three more scores in the final 1:27 of the first quarter starting with the Bulldogs who picked up a two yard touchdown run by quarterback Keaton Kahle with Kristofer Shaffer adding the extra point to pull to within two of Curwensville at 9-7.
The Tide would answer, and answer quickly when Dakota Bloom returned the ensuing kick-off 85 yards to pay dirt to once again cushion its lead to 16-9 as senior Madison Weber tacked on the point after.
An interception return to the Redbank Valley five yard line by Bressler set up the Tide for one final first quarter score which was accomplished by senior back Blake Passarelli, who powered in from the four yard line.
Even though the point after attempt was blocked Curwensville still took a 22-7 edge into the second quarter.
Kahle once again pulled the Bulldogs close on a nine yard touchdown pass to Hunter Buzard with 10:47 to go before halftime. Shaffer added the extra tally to pull Redbank Valley to within eight at 22-14.
Not to be outdone Curwensville added two more scores before the break, the first on a 17 yard Passarelli run at 6:09 of the second and then a 10 yard Passarelli trip to the promised land with 39 seconds remaining before the half.
Along with his three first half touchdowns, Passarelli would pass the century mark for the game with 113 yards. Bressler added 73 yards on 14 carries.
Weber was good on a PAT attempt and Bressler ran in a two conversion that gave Curwensville a commanding 37-14 lead with two quarters to play.
Redbank Valley was the only team to score in the second half, but the lone touchdown just wasn‘t enough to mount a comeback.
Buzard, a Bulldog senior, ran back a 70 yard punt with 2:58 left in the third quarter that would be the game’s final tally.
Shaffer added the point after which was then followed by a scoreless fourth quarter.
Next up for Curwensville, its final regular season road trip, is a battle with Otto-Eldred next Saturday night with kick-off slated for 6:30 pm.
Otto-Eldred fell to 3-4 on the season after getting belted by Coudersport Friday night 47-6.
Listen to Curwensville football on WOKW-FM, 102.9, starting with the pre-game show at 6:10 pm.
SCORING SUMMARY
REDBANK VALLEY 7 7 7 0 21
CURWENSVILLE 22 15 0 0 37
1ST QUARTER
CURW 7:07 Cole Bressler 7 yard run. PAT attempt blocked 6 0
CURW 5:15 Jacob Mullins 27 yard field goal 9 0
RV 1:27 Keaton Kahle 2 yard run. Kristofer Shaffer PAT 9 7
CURW 1:13 Dakota Bloom 85 yard kick-off return. Madison Weber PAT 16 7
CURW :50 Blake Passarelli 4 yard run. PAT attempt blocked 22 7
2ND QUARTER
RV 10:47 Kahle 9 yard pass to Hunter Buzard. Shaffer PAT 22 14
CURW 6:09 Passarelli 17 yard run. Weber PAT 29 14
CURW :39 Passarelli 10 yard run. Bressler two point conversion run 37 14
3RD QUARTER
RV 2:58 Buzard 70 yard punt return. Shaffer PAT 37 21
