Keystone Oaks鈥� rides ball-control offense to win at Waynesburg
WAYNESBURG 鈥� Keystone Oaks鈥� offense didn鈥檛 produce many chunk plays on Friday night.
Instead, like a methodical machine, it kept gradually churning out first downs and wore Waynesburg Central down in the process on the way to a 27-7 Century Conference win on the Raiders鈥� field.
鈥淚 give them a lot of credit,鈥� Waynesburg coach Aaron Giorgi said. 鈥淭hey came out here and just played ball-control offense, and they were able to capitalize on some long drives. That took us out of our rhythm on offense and put us on our heels a little bit.鈥�
The second-place Golden Eagles (4-1, 4-3) rode a huge advantage in time of possession, holding the ball for 11:24 longer than the Raiders (2-2, 4-4) while running 16 more plays, and clinched a playoff spot in the process.
Waynesburg now sits alone in fourth place. The Raiders still control their own destiny with upcoming games at Charleroi and at home against Sto-Rox.
Billy Bricker led the way for Keystone Oaks with 20 carries for 120 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Brenden Quarles was a perfect 8 for 8 in passing for 107 yards and a TD while also running for a score.
The Golden Eagles had the ball for just one possession in each of the first three quarters but each produced a long, time-consuming touchdown drive, the third covering 72 yards in 16 plays while eating 11:33 off the clock to give the visitors a 21-0 lead.
The march included a 12-yard run by Bricker on a direct snap to convert a fourth and 10.
鈥淭hey came out in the second half and took 11 and a half minutes off the clock, pretty much the whole third quarter, and scored,鈥� Giorgi said, 鈥淭hat was the killer for us. We pushed them back once with a couple penalties in a row and they were still able to convert a long fourth down (and 10) on a quarterback counter and that helped them eat up even more time.鈥�
The Raiders were out-gained 291 yards to 109 and their running attack was limited to 24 yards on 18 attempts, although that total included four sacks of quarterback Jacob Stephenson for minus-34 yards. Stephenson produced 50 yards on his other nine carries and completed 9 of 15 passes for 85 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Keystone Oaks鈥� longest running play was just 12 yards as it averaged 4.6 yards per carry but that, along with a passing attack that got the most out of nine throws, was enough to propel the Golden Flashes to victory.
鈥淎t the end of the day we didn鈥檛 execute well on offense, and defensively we couldn鈥檛 get off the field,鈥� Georgi said. 鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 really hit any big plays, they just kept chipping away a few yards at a time and moving the sticks.鈥�
Waynesburg chalked up two first downs on its opening drive and advanced to the Keystone Oaks 24 but Owen Gearhart鈥檚 interception on fourth-and-3 play gave the Golden Flashes possession at their own 20.
They proceeded to move 80 yards in 13 plays while taking 6:19 off the clock with Quarles鈥� 1-yard touchdown plunge capping off the drive. Iuc Phillistine鈥檚 extra point made it 7-0 with 1:30 left in the first quarter.
The Raiders again moved the sticks twice on their next possession but a holding penalty and a 7-yard sack of Stephenson left the hosts with a fourth and 26 from the Keystone Oaks 36 and a disguised punt by Stephenson just snuck into the end zone for a touchback.
Keystone Oaks then drove 80 yards in 12 plays while taking up 5:40 off the clock. The Golden Flashes scored on a spectacular catch by Sean O鈥橞rien on a Quarles pass for a 26-yard touchdown with 14 seconds remaining in the half for a 14-0 advantage.
Keystone Oaks鈥� back-breaking drive to open the third quarter, which Bricker finished with a 3-yard run, left just 27 seconds on the clock.
Waynesburg鈥檚 offense finally came alive when it got the ball back and produced a six-play, 59-yard touchdown drive capped by Stephenson鈥檚 28-yard pass to Zachary Jiblits. Dalton Taylor made the extra point then hit almost a perfect bouncing onside kick that Jack Ricciuti recovered for the Raiders at their own 41 with 10:20 remaining in the game.
With a chance to get back in the game, Waynesburg鈥檚 offense, hindered by a holding penalty, came up empty with Stephenson being sacked for 10-yard loss on fourth and 20.
鈥淛ake made a fabulous throw there and we had a hell of a catch in the end zone,鈥� Giorgi said of his team鈥檚 attempted comeback. 鈥淭hat gave us a little life. I thought the onside kick was a huge play for us after the touchdown. But then their defense shut us down.鈥�
The Golden Flashes sealed the win with a six-play, 45-yard drive that ended with Gearhart鈥檚 halfback option pass to O鈥橞rien for a 23-yard touchdown.
Quarles ran 16 times for 56 yards and O鈥橞rien wound up with four receptions for 71 yards.
Teagan Crouse had two catches for 29 yards for Waynesburg.
Keystone Oaks rang up 18 first downs to just eight for the Raiders.
鈥淲e just talked about we didn鈥檛 do our job tonight,鈥� Giorgi said of his postgame talk with his players. 鈥淚 think everybody feels like that on the team.
鈥淲e said we can鈥檛 fix tonight so we have to move forward and concentrate on Charleroi and Sto-Rox and winning out to get into the playoffs.鈥�