TOWANDA — Towanda overcame penalties to pull away from Cowanesque Valley, 35-7, during NTL football action on Friday.

"We came out pretty flat, I thought, but we started getting a little bit of momentum there in the second quarter," said Towanda coach Jamie Wecker. "We shot ourselves in the foot over and over again, and that stuff we're going to have watch on film. We're playing a little sloppy, a little undisciplined - those are all things that are very fixable. We just have to have the kids work a little bit harder to be more disciplined, and do their jobs. A lot of those penalties are not moving their feet and getting a hold, or hitting up high instead of tackling low."

Still, after a 3-game skid - all on the road - Wecker will take a win at home.

"It feels really good," he said. "I think for the kids it got a monkey off their back. They don't want to lose a game, and they start getting frustrated and get down on themselves and things like that. It was a good win for us, I think we out played our opponent in all three phases, so I'm happy with that."

It was the three-headed monster for Towanda's ground game that racked up 313-yards.

Jazick Brown had 11 carries for 172-yards and two scores, Gage Evans had 13 touches for 107-yards and two touchdowns, and Curtis Maynard finished with 92-yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.

Through the air Reese Sluyter was 4-for-8 for 39-yards wth Maynard (two catches, 15-yards) his top receiver.

The Black Knights broke through with 1:36 left in the opening frame with an Evans 6-yard run. Brayden Spencer hit the point after for a 7-0 lead.

CV would tie things up with 6:55 left in the second quarter as Gavin Churchill hit Max Millard for a 9-yard strike. Mason Wonderlich's kick was good for a 7-7 ball game with 6:55 left in the half.

A late flurry of touchdowns in the second saw Towanda get some breathing room. Maynard had a 4-yard run with 1:26 on the clock, while Evans followed with a 7-yard run with 50 seconds to play.

Spencer hit the point after on the Maynard score, while Joey Montonya ran in the 2-point conversion on the second score for a 22-7 lead at the half.

"A great play by our defense," Wecker said about the fumble recovery that led the touchdown just before the half. "And being able to capitalize on it. I think we probably left two or three touchdowns on the field because we had some penalties here, that was a big one. It swung the momentum."

It was a scoreless third quarter in large part to a goal-line stand from the Black Knight defense. Towanda then went on a 99-yard drive that ended with a 6-yard Brown run with 10:17 left in the game.

"That was a really big one, too, that maybe started to break their back," Wecker said.

The kick was blocked but it was a 28-7 Towanda lead.

The Knights finished the night off with a 39-yard Brown run with 1:42 left to play. Spencer's kick made it a 35-7 final.

Towanda returns home on Thursday as they host Wellsboro.

Towanda 35, Cowanesque Valley 7

First Quarter

T - Gage Evans 6 yd run (Brayden Spencer kick), 1:36

Second Quarter

CV - Gavin Churchill 9 yd pass to Max Millard (Mason Wonderlich kick), 6:55

T - Curtis Maynard 4 yd run (Spencer kick), 1:26

T - Evans 7 yd run (Montonya run), :50

Fourth Quarter

T - Jazick Brown 6 yd run (kick blocked), 10:17

T - Brown 39 yd run (Spencer kick), 1:42

Individual Stats

Towanda

Rushing

Brown 11-117-2, Evans 13-107-2, Maynard 13-92-1

Passing

Sluyter 4-8-39

Receiving

Maynard 2-15, Evans 1-13, Brown 1-11, Sluyter 2-(-3)

CV

Passing

Churchill 6-17-113-1-1

Rushing

Dave Hess 8-22, Millard 1-1, Churchill 8-(-25)

Receiving

Hess 3-88, Millard 2-18-1, Cam Stahli 1-7

Team Stats  

CV/Towanda

Rushes/Yards 20/(-2) 39/313

Passing Yards 113 39

Interceptions - Towanda: Maynard

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