By Michael Boytim

mboytim@altoonamirror.com

WINDBER — Northern Bedford probably played its worst half of football of the entire season last week against North Star, but the Black Panthers made up for it Friday night at Windber Stadium by likely playing their best half of the season in a 35-6 rout of the team that beat them for the District 5 Class 1A title a year ago.

Northern Bedford outgained Windber, 294-7, in the first half and didn’t allow a first down while it picked up 15 of its own and built a 28-0 lead.

“(A fast start) was a big goal of ours coming in,” Northern Bedford coach Garry Black said. “We talked pregame that this is the team that took an opportunity from us last year. It’s a great football team and a great football program. We knew we had to come out here and be ready to play. We made some mental mistakes on the first drive, but we were able to finish it, and that was really important.”

Play of the game: Northern Bedford quarterback Eion Snider connected with Adam Johnson, who broke a tackle and stretched the football out to gain a first down on fourth-and-9 deep in Windber territory on the first drive of the game. One play later, Ashton Detterline scored the first of his two touchdowns to put the Panthers ahead for good.

“We had to show that last week was just a bad half and that was the only reason we were pushing the offense like we were tonight,” Snider said. “It feels really good to beat Windber. They were down a few players, but I don’t think it makes that much of a difference.”

Player of the game: Snider ran for two touchdowns and 73 yards and passed for 184 yards and connected with Aaron Bowers on a 42-yard score.

Unsung hero: The Northern Bedford defensive line allowed just 7 rushing yards in the first half and 89 for the game on 31 Windber attempts.

“We challenged our front,” Black said. “We said if we want to be a championship team, it starts up front. Offensive and defensive lines have to rise to the occasion, and I thought they did. I couldn’t be happier with our guys up front. I challenged them, and they rose to the challenge.”

Most vital statistic: Despite a late 51-yard touchdown drive against Northern Bedford’s backups, the Panthers outgained the Ramblers, 419-89.

Big boot: Windber punter Bryson Costa uncorked a 65-yard punt from his own 34 to the Northern Bedford 1-yard line in the first quarter.

Injury bug: Windber was missing several starters due to injury, including starting quarterback Tanner Barkley and leading rusher Luke Hostetler.

Black: “With the guys that we have, we have a lot of weapons at any point. We know we can score, but we want to limit the mistakes. Luckily tonight things went our way, but they don’t always do that.”

Windber coach Matt Grohal on the injuries: “I think we probably get a couple guys back this week. But (Luke) Hostetler is probably done for the season, and he’s our best football player on both sides of the ball. If you take (Eion Snider) out of their lineup it would be tough for them. At the Class A level, if you lose your best player, it’s tough. We have lost four or five of our best players. That’s not an excuse. We didn’t play well. We didn’t tackle well, and we made some mental mistakes. Northern Bedford is a very good football team, and they whooped our butts tonight for sure.”

Snider: “Our line is really firing off the ball right now. We’re all working together, working hard at practice and I think it’s going to pay off well.”

Grohal on Windber’s first year in the Inter-County Conference: “It has been good. Everyone has been welcoming. It has been a little extensive travel, but I’m happy to have a schedule, and we know going forward that we have a schedule and don’t have to go all over the state to play football games. It’s a good conference. Our section, especially, is really good this year with four really good teams. It has been fun.”

Notable: Rece Dibert had an interception for Northern Bedford. … Midway through the third quarter, Northern Bedford’s cheerleaders made their way to the Windber side of the field and combined with the Windber cheerleaders, who were wearing sweaters supporting cancer research, and band members for a cheer all together. … Despite a constant rain, Northern Bedford did not have a turn over or fumble. Windber fumbled five times and lost one.

Records: Northern Bedford (9-0); Windber (6-3).

Next week: Windber is at Juniata Valley, and Northern Bedford travels to Glendale next Friday.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Northern Bedford 14 14 7 0 — 35

Windber 0 0 0 6 — 6

First Quarter

NB–Ashton Detterline 4 run (Aiden Wadel kick), 5:47.

NB–Detterline 26 run (Wadel kick), :50.

Second Quarter

NB–Eion Snider 33 run (Wadel kick), 8:23.

NB–Aaron Bowers 42 pass from E. Snider (Wadel kick), 8:01.

Third Quarter

NB–E. Snider 6 run (Wadel kick), :27.

Fourth Quarter

W–Dylan Woodruff 3 run (pass failed), 4:36.

TEAM STATISTICS NB W

First downs 20 5

Total yards 419 89

Rushes-yards 33-235 31-89

Yards passing 184 0

Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 14-21-0 0-4-1

Punts-avg. 0-0 5-33.2

Fumbles-lost 0-0 5-1

Penalties-yards 5-35 2-20

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–Northern Bedford, Johnson 11-77, E. Snider 8-73, Detterline 3-37, Blark 4-23, Gable 2-15, Donaldson 1-5, N. Snider 1-4, Pittman 2-1, Singer 1-0. Windber, Woodruff 11-50, Strick 7-19, Oleska 2-11, Rummel 2-10, Marx 2-7, Chicarell 3-6, Mash 1-0, TEAM 1-(-5), Brady 2-(-9).

PASSING–Northern Bedford, E. Snider 14-21-0-184. Windber, Kolson 0-2-0-0, Brady 0-2-1-0.

RECEIVING–Northern Bedford, Bowers 5-88, Gable 3-50, Dibert 2-17, Johnson 2-17, Detterline 2-12. Windber, none.