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NTL FOOTBALL: VANDERPOOL GOES OFF FOR SIX TOUCHDOWNS, LEADS TOWANDA PAST BLOOMSBURG (2024-11-02)

Northern Tier Sports Report
TOWANDA — Towanda’s Riley Vanderpool put together a historically good performance to lead the Black Knights to a 42-20 win over Bloomsburg for their first playoff win since 2014 in District IV, Class AA Football quarterfinal action Friday.

Vanderpool finished with 236-yards rushing and scored all six Towanda touchdowns on 21 carries to propel them to a semifinal match-up with Warrior Run next weekend.

“It was a good start,” Vanderpool said, remarking on his opening touchdown run of 73-yards. “Both teams were scoring. The linemen really picked it up in the second half, they helped me out a lot tonight. I was looking to throw the ball, but couldn’t really get the ball in the air that much, but we made up for it.”

After falling down 20-14 midway through the second quarter Towanda rattled off 28 straight points to get their sixth straight win of the season.

“They don’t want the season to end,” Towanda coach Jamie Wecker said. “They’re really starting to gel, like I said, the last few weeks. I think if this game took place week three, week four we lose this game. We got that score to get up 21-20 at halftime, that was really big. The momentum went their way, our kids did what we had to do, scored a touchdown, then halftime we’re up there and just coaching them up. The kids are talking, discussing what we’ve got to do, there’s no screaming, there’s no hollering - that’s the sign of a mature team.”

Defensively the Knights had three picks, two by Tahshon Garner and one by Vanderpool.

“I think the first half we kind of had a slump,” Garner said. “They completed a lot more than they should have. We talked about it, we just came out with that same energy that we kind of kept in the first half but had a little bit more in us.”

Vanderpool’s opening scoring run of 73-yards made it 7-0 after Jack Wheaton’s kick with 7:50 on the clock.

“I’m just seeing the line making my little blocks,” Vanderpool said. “It doesn’t even need to big a block for me to get by them, but the corners blocking all the way down field.”

Bloomsburg came back with a 27-yard goal out of Justin Pegg with 3:39 on the clock.

Vanderpool came back with a 30-yard scoring run to make it 14-3 after Wheaton’s kick.

The Panthers controlled things much of the second quarter, beginning with a 26-yard Pegg field goal.

Brosius then had back to back touchdown passes to Jharee Moore-Stewart, the first for eight yards, the second for 13.

They didn’t get the 2-point conversion the first time, but the Brosius to Moore-Stewart connection got them the second conversion for a 20-14 lead with 5:44 left in the half.

Towanda responded as Vanderpool ripped off a 41-yard scoring run with 2:13 on the clock for the 21-20 lead at the half after Wheaton’s PAT.

The second half was all Knights as Vanderpool used a 27-yard scoring run with 4:23 on the clock in the third to extend their lead to 28-20.

Then a pair of Vanderpool scoring runs in the fourth - one for seven yards, the other for 24 - shut door on Bloomsburg. Wheaton made both PAT’s for a perfect 6-for-6 day kicking the ball.

“They stopped respecting anybody else in our run game and still couldn’t stop him,” Wecker said about Vanderpool. “That part of that is the offensive line, too, but he’s got that whatever it is. He’s got that quickness, and he’s great body balance, stronger than kids think he is. He’s just got great vision, he’s got every thing you need.”

Wecker also credited his offensive coordinator for their 300-yard game.

“Coach (Ryan) Larcom calls a great game,” Wecker said. “He understands the game so well, he knows how to put a game plan together like nobody else that I know of, and you can see that on the field.”

This is Towanda’s first playoff home win since 2011, and they’ll get a chance for another one this Friday as they welcome the Defenders, who upset Loyalsock 21-7 in the other quarterfinal this side of the bracket.

“It’s exciting,” Wecker said. “This is my 31st year coaching at Towanda, and it’s been a long time. I was part of that staff when we had the run in the 2000’s, and had some success here with playoff games. It’s really nice to get us back there, it’s great for the school community. You saw the student section, they were great tonight. When you’re winning, when you’re competing, when you have this excitement, it makes the whole school better a better place.”

TOWANDA 42, BLOOMSBURG 20

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

T: Riley Vanderpool 73-yard run (Jack Wheaton kick), 7:50

B: Justin Pegg 27-yard field goal, 3:39

T: Riley Vanderpool 30-yard run (Wheaton kick), 2:45

Second Quarter

B: Justin Pegg 26-yard field goal, 10:23

B: Wyatt Brosius 8-yard pass to Jharee Moore-Stewart (2-point failed), 8:00

B: Wyatt Brosius 13-yard pass to Jharee Moore-Stewart (Brosius pass to Moore-Stewart), 5:44

T: Riley Vanderpool 41-yard run (Wheaton kick), 2:13

Third Quarter