CATAWISSA — Towanda was able to get some offense going against the defending state champions, but couldn't do anything to slow them down in their 62-28 loss during District IV, Class AA football quarterfinal action Friday.

The game was tied 7-7 midway through the first quarter when the Tigers rattled off six straight touchdowns, and eventually took a 49-14 lead at the half.

The teams traded scores through the second half.

Jazik Brown had six catches for 165-yards and two touchdowns for the Knights as Gage Evans hauled in two catches for 30-yards and a score.

Under center Reese Sluyter was 8-for-15 for 195-yards with three touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Sluyter also had a rushing touchdown.

Evans finished with 81-yards rushing on nine carries, as Curtis Maynard had 12 carries for 35-yards.

Southern finished with 571 total yards, 442 of them coming on the ground.

Joey Williams had five carries for 162-yards and two scores, with Grady Garcia running the ball 12 times for 153-yards and four touchdowns.

Ayden Hockenbroch was a perfect 7-for-7 for 129-yards and two scores under center.

A 10-yard Grady Garcia run put Southern up 7-0 with 8:04 on the first quarter clock.

Towanda struck back as a quick pass from Sluyter to Brown saw him stiff arm a defender then beat three more to the sideline to go 78-yards to pay dirt. 

Brayden Spencer added the point after for the 7-7 score with 7:42 on the clock.

Southern would score 1:30 later behind a 22-yard pass from Hockenbroch to Jace Malakoski, then didn't stop scoring as they added two more touchdowns in the first quarter, and three more in the second.

With 1:30 left in the half Sluyter avoided the rush and found an open Evans for a 20-yard scoring play to make it 49-14 after the Spencer kick.

Southern opened the scoring in the second half with a 20-yard Garcia run, but with 1:37 left in the third Sluyter punched one in from a yard out. Spencer's kick made it 56-21.

Towanda's final score came with 33 seconds left as Brown caught a 42-yard pass from Sluyter for the 62-28 final.

Southern Columbia 62, Towanda 28

 

SC — TW

First Downs: 24 — 11

Rushes-yds: 43-442 — 26-94

Passing yds: 129 — 195

Total yds: 571 — 289

Passing (C-A-I): 7-7-0 — 8-15-0

Penalties: 4-50 — 4-55

Fumbles-lost: 0-0 — 1-0

Towanda (5-6): 7-7-7-7 — 28

Southern (10-1): 28-21-7-6 — 62

1st Quarter

S– Grady Garcia 10 run (Lincoln Billig kick), 8:04.

T– Jazick Brown 78 pass from Reese Sluyter (Brayden Spencer kick), 7:42.

S– Jace Malakoski 22 pass from Ayden Hockenbroch (Billig kick), 6:13.

S– Garcia 1 run (Billig kick), 2:37.

S– Joey Williams 68 run (Billig kick), 1:13.

2nd Quarter

S– Blaise Kissinger 17 from Hockenbroch (Billig kick), 11:41.

S– Garcia 2 run (Billig kick), 5:08.

S– Williams 61 run (Billig kick), 3:46.

T– Gage Evans 20 pass from Sluyter (Spencer kick), 1:30.

3rd Quarter

S– Garcia 20 run (Billig kick), 7:20.

T– Sluyter 1 run (Spencer kick), 1:37.

4th Quarter

S– Jacoby Karlovich 1 run (no attempt), 3:10.

T–Brown 42 pass from Sluyter (Spencer kick), 0:33.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Southern: Joey Williams 5-162, 2 TDs; Grady Garcia 12-153, 4 TDs; Gavin Brown 9-44; Jacoby Karlovich 4-23, TD; Cael Williams 2-17; Gavin Trometter 4-16; Lincoln Barnette 2-10; Will Wojtowicz 2-10; Kane Cecco 3-7.Towanda: Gage Evans 9-81; Curtis Maynard 12-35; Jazik Brown 1-8; Reese Sluyter 4-(-30), TD.

PASSING — Southern: Ayden Hockenbroch 7-7-0, 129 yds, 2 TDs. Towanda: Reese Sluyter 8-15-0, 195 yds, 3 TDs.

RECEIVING — Southern: Blaise Kissinger 4-51, TD; Jace Malakoski 2-43, TD; Grady Garcia 1-35. Towanda: Jazik Brown 6-165, 2 TDs; Gage Evans 2-30, TD.

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