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FLINTON -- Momentum had shifted from Meyersdale back to Glendale in the blink of an eye on a beautiful Friday night in the season opener at Dr. Roy F. Baker Field.
Down by nine points at halftime, the Vikings scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to take the lead for the first time. The Vikings even recovered the onside kick after the second touchdown.
But when the Red Raiders got the ball at the end of the third quarter, everything changed. Senior quarterback Spencer Whitfield took over the running game and the Red Raiders blocked a punt, leading to the Red Raiders scoring 20 unanswered points en route to a 41-24 win.
"You have to give our guys credit," Glendale coach Chase Hill said. "They came out and answered, didn't hang their heads. We executed our game plan pretty well. Things I was preaching about all week were taking care of the ball, no turnovers, do your responsibility. Those are the things that ended up costing us in the end."
Offensive play of the game: Glendale quarterback Mike Venslosky scored on 1-yard run with 36.3 seconds left in the first half to get the Vikings to within two, 14-12. But then Meyersdale QB Spencer Whitfield threw a 38-yard TD pass to Gavan Steinberg with 18 seconds left.
Special teams play of the game: With the Red Raiders holding a 28-24 lead in the fourth quarter, Meyersdale's Stylz Friend blocked a Levi Hamilton punt, giving his team the ball at the Glendale 8. Whitfield scored on a 2-yard run two plays later.
"We were just setting up a wall," Meyersdale coach DJ Donaldson said. "It's not like we were setting up a block. We coach our kids up to rush opposite of where we're going to return. It was one play that definitely swayed things."
Catch of the game: Glendale's Rhylan Hoopsick-Bell made a fantastic catch in double coverage on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Venslosky in the third quarter.
"He's a freak," Hill said of Hoopsick-Bell. "When you throw in the vicinity of him and there's a good chance he's coming down with it."
Player of the game: Whitfield was 9-of-11 for 147 yards and three touchdowns. He ran for 54 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns. He was also a force on defense, making two stops for negative yardage on two straight plays before the Red Raiders first TD drive of the fourth quarter.
"That's why Spencer is playing where he is," Donaldson said. "It just wasn't offense either. We moved him to middle linebacker. Spencer started two ways as a freshman."
Runner of the game: Glendale's Tanner Ammerman ran for 146 yards on 25 carries and scored one touchdown.
Notable: Last year, Meyersdale beat Glendale, 44-16. ... Glendale outgained Meyersdale, 370-278. ... Hamilton caught three passes for 108 yards. ... Venslosky, making his first start, completed 10 of his 17 passes for 195 yards for a TD and was intercepted twice.
Next week: Meyersdale hosts Moshannon Valley. Glendale hosts Line Mountain.
Records: Meyersdale (1-0), Glendale (0-1)
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Meyersdale 14 7 0 20 -- 41
Glendale 6 6 12 0 -- 24
First Quarter
M--Whitfield 6 run (Fisher kick), 5:24
G--Hamilton 10 run (run failed), 2:17
M--Vogt 50 pass from Whitfield (Fisher kick), :48.4
Second Quarter
G--Venslosky 1 run (run failed), :36.3
M--Steinberg 38 pass from Whitfield (Fisher kick), :18.0
Third Quarter
G--Hoopsick-Bell 25 pass from Venslosky (pass failed), 9:19
G--T. Ammerman 2 run (pass failed), 2:36
Fourth Quarter
M--Vogt 26 pass from Whitfield (Fisher kick), 7:16
M--Whitfield 1 run (kick failed), 4:02
M--Sines 2 run (Fisher kick), 2:08
TEAM STATISTICS M G
First downs 15 15
Total yards 278 370
Rushes-yards 32-131 33-175
Yards passing 147 195
Passing (comp.-att.-int) 9-11-0 10-17-2
Punts-avg. 2-26.5 1-(-11)
Fumbles-lost 1-0 1-1
Penalties-yards2-20 4-53
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Meyersdale, Sines 13-60, Whitfield 16-54, Porter 3-17. Glendale, T. Ammerman 25-146, Hamilton 2-17, Beck 3-10, Brink 2-1, Venslosky 1-1.
PASSING--Meyersdale, Whitfield 9-11-0-147. Glendale, Venslosky 10-17-2-195.
RECEIVING--Meyersdale, Vogt 3-94, Steinberg 1-38, Weber 2-14, Porter 1-3, Sines 2-(-2). Glendale, Hamilton 3-108, Hoopsick-Bell 3-57, Jenkins 2-23, H. Ammerman 1-7, Beck 1-1.