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By Todd Irwin
sports@altoonamirror.com
FLINTON -- When Windber and Glendale met in last year's season opener, the Ramblers destroyed the Vikings by 45 points at home.
But when they played again in this year's season opener at Glendale's Dr. Roy F. Baker Field, it was shockingly different.
The Vikings held the Ramblers' potent running game, which amassed more than 300 rushing yards last season, in check.
In a tie game, Glendale and responded to a Windber's tying touchdown with a Cameron Dreibelbis 76-yard kickoff return that set up a Logan Skebeck 3-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Vikings' defense held from there for a stunning 14-7 upset of the Ramblers.
"I'm just so happy for the kids," Glendale coach Dave "Spank" Trexler. "They've worked so hard and this group is really tight. It showed not only are they good football players. but they stood in there and weathered the storm against one of the top programs in central Pennsylvania. It came down to a couple plays, and we were on the better side of it."
"We knew they were a good football team," Windber coach Matt Grohal said. "The score was lopsided (last year), but I said those kids are big, strong, physical and tough. They were the better team tonight, and they absolutely deserved to win this football game. We made way too many mental mistakes, but give all the credit to those guys."
Play of the game: After the Ramblers tied the game with 1:03 left in the third quarter, Dreibelbis reeled off his kickoff return, turning the momentum back toward to the Vikings.
Player of the game: Glendale's Rhylan Hoopsick-Bell, a 6-foot-2, 160-pound sophomore, caught the first-quarter touchdown pass from quarterback Skebeck and intercepted Lucas Oleksa at the Glendale 1 with the Ramblers driving in the third quarter.
"You sort of forget how young he is," Trexler said. "He's only a sophomore but physically he looks older and he makes plays like he's been playing forever. He has the capability to make those big plays. He's just started to show what he's capable of.
"He's been playing in and out on defense. We put him in on a passing situation. He has a nose for the football."
Unsung heroes: Glendale defensive stars Landen McGarvey, who recovered a fumble, and Daniel Williams gave the Ramblers fits in the running game.
Luke Hostetler, who ran for more than 300 yards in the opener last season but missed most of last season with an injury, had 12 carries for 62 yards. R.J. Tallion led Windber with 100 yards on 17 carries.
"We tried a lot of different things," Grohal said. "It was a guessing game sometimes about where they were going to line up 21 (Landen McGarvey) and 51 (Daniel Williams). 21 and 51 were really a problem for us tonight."
Trexler on Skebeck's 3-run touchdown on a sneak with 11:54 left: "We're pretty solid up front. Logan has a great arm and is a great quarterback, but he's probably one of the better running backs we have. Any time he gets his hands on the ball he's a threat.
"He sneaked behind that line. I wouldn't mind trying it myself one time. I think I'd at least get a yard."
Notable: Windber outgained Glendale, 213-156. ... The Ramblers fumbled five times, losing one. ... Jimmy Sutton led Glendale in rushing with 58 yards on 15 carries.
Next week: Windber hosts Curwensville. Glendale hosts Meyersdale.
Records: Windber (0-1), Glendale (1-0)
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Windber 0 0 7 0 _7
Glendale 7 0 0 7 _14
First Quarter
G--Hoopsick-Bell 30 pass from Skebeck (Krise kick), :00
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
W--Tallion 36 run (Krause kick), 1:03
Fourth Quarter
G--Skebeck 3 run (Krise kick), 11:54
TEAM STATISTICS W G
First downs 10 8
Total yards 213 156
Rushes-yards 52-213 37-156
Yards passing 30 44
Passing (comp.-att.-int) 3-8-1 2-7-0
Punts-avg. 3-28.3 5-29.8
Fumbles-lost 5-1 2-0
Penalties-yards 3-30 4-31
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Windber, Talliion 17-100, Hostetler 12-62, Chicarell 9-18, Rummel 1-5, Oleksa 5-(-2). Glendale, Sutton 15-58, Skebeck 11-47, Dreibelbis 3-8, TEAM 1-(-1).
PASSING--Windber, Oleksa 3-8-1-30. Glendale, Skebeck 2-7-0-44.
RECEIVING--Windber, Hostetler 2-17, Mash 1-13. Glendale, Hoopsick-Bell 1-30, Dreibelbis 1-14.