Football

Heights takes lead in Heritage

Highlanders top Colts in Coal Bowl

NORTHERN CAMBRIA -- Cambria Heights stands alone.

Marshall Eckenrode's 2-yard touchdown run with 4:01 remaining lifted the Highlanders to a hard-fought 21-14 victory against host Northern Cambria in the annual Coal Bowl game at Duffy Daugherty Stadium on Friday night.

The win gave Cambria Heights sole possession of first place in the Heritage Conference at the halfway point of the season.

The winning score by Eckenrode, followed a pass interference penalty on fourth and 12, advanced the Highlanders to the Northern Cambria 15.

Play of the game: Cambria Heights defensive tackle Braylon Rydbom stuffed quarterback Ty Dumm for a loss of 10 yards on fourth and 2 with 3:09 left in the final quarter and the Highlanders nursing a one-touchdown lead.

Player of the game: Cambria Heights senior Jaxxon Jones led all rushers with 88 yards on 23 carries.

Unsung hero: Garrett Jasper found Trey Trybus for an 18-yard gain on a halfback option during Cambria Heights' second possession. The Highlanders advanced to the Northern Cambria 13, and Stephen Nelen scored five plays later to tie the score at 7.

Most vital statistics: Cambria Heights limited the versatile Dumm to 46 rushing yards and 102 passing yards.

Cambria Heights coach Jarrod Lewis: "I'll tell you what; they are a tough team. That quarterback's special, and they have some weapons around him. They fought hard the entire game. That's a good football team."

More from coach Lewis: "That's a shame that somebody had to lose tonight. It was a well-played football game. They kept their emotions in check. And (we had) two teams that battled."

Northern Cambria coach Sam Shutty: "I'm proud of our guys. I think they battled from the start to the finish. They didn't want to lose this game; they gave everything they had. Unfortunately, our backs were up against the wall a lot of the drives we had. Defensively, we were playing with a short field most of the game. And you can't do that against a

good team like that."

Shutty on the crucial pass interference penalty: "That penalty down there really killed us. I think that was the determination of this game. It was definitely a key point to this game."

Rydbom: "All week we were looking at it, and most of the time when he goes under center, it was a QB sneak. And when I went up to the line, I saw a big hole and I just shot it. And I didn't bite for the fake, and I just went for him. I knew No. 10 was getting the ball."

Cambria Heights guard/defensive end Tristan Weakland: "We came out; we tried to punch them in the mouth. They counterpunched. It came down to who wanted it more, and I feel like it was us."

Notable: Dumm's first-quarter scoring run marked the first time Cambria Heights had fallen behind this season .... Nelen's second-quarter touchdown run came after a Colts player inadvertently blocked Reese Wagner's punt attempt. The Highlanders began the six-play drive at the Northern Cambria 31. Kline (1-yard run) and the Colts' Gage Shonsky (8-yard run) scored third-quarter touchdowns. ... Nelen added 46 rushing yards for the Highlanders. ... The Colts' Caleb Dolney (85 yards) and Trybus (32) shared the game lead with three pass receptions apiece. ... Neither team committed a turnover.

Records: Cambria Heights (5-0), Northern Cambria (4-1).

Next week: Cambria Heights plays host to Portage, and Northern Cambria plays host to Marion Center on Friday.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Cambria Heights 0 7 7 7 -- 21

Northern Cambria 7 0 7 0 -- 14

First Quarter

NC -- Dumm, 13 run (Pershing kick), 3;54.

Second Quarter

CH -- Nelen, 4 run (Abrams kick), 6:20.

Third Quarter

CH -- Kline, 1 run (Abrams kick), 1:45

NC--Shonsky, 8 run (Pershing kick), :59.

Fourth Quarter

CH--Eckenrode, 2 run (Abrams kick), 4:01.

TEAM STATISTICS CH NC

First downs 14 7

Total yards 174 205

Rushes-yards 54-145 26-93

Yards passing 29 102

Passes-comp.-int. 4-1-0 5-15-0

Punts-avg. 4-35.0 5-25.2

Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-0

Penalties-yards 5-35 7-45

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Cambria Heights, Kline 23-88, Nelen 11-46, Eckenrode 10-16, Jasper 5-5, Mulraney 2-6, Trybus 1-(-3), Weiland 1-(13). Northern Cambria, Northern Cambria, Dumm 11-46, Shonsky 11-32, Farrell 3-16,

PASSING -- Cambria Heights, Jasper 1-1-0-18, Weiland 4-9-0-11. Northern Cambria, Dumm 5-15-0-102.

RECEIVING -- Cambria Heights, Trybus 3-32, Eckenrode 1-(-3). Northern Cambria, Dolney 3-85, Farrell 1-12, Wagner 1-5.