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h.s. football playoffs

By John Erzar jerzar@timesleader.com
Sports Reporter
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KINGSTON – Northwest’s offense had one final big play left in it on Friday night.

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Northwest quarterback Jeff Moss tries to escape a Riverside player during District 2 Class A football championship Friday at Spartan Stadium in Kingston.

Aimee Dilger/the times leader

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Lucky it did because quarterback Jeff Moss’ 54-yard TD run essentially cut off an improbable rally attempt by Riverside and allowed Northwest to win its first District 2 Class A football title with a wild 40-30 victory at Spartan Stadium.

Northwest, which had lost in two of the last three championship games, improved to 9-3. The Rangers will play District 4 champion Southern Columbia (8-4) at 7 p.m. Friday at Shamokin High School in the first round of the PIAA Class A playoffs. Southern advanced with a 42-12 victory over Line Mountain.

Defending champion Riverside finished its year at 4-8.

“We’ve done something Northwest has never done, won a district title,” Northwest coach Carl Majer said.

“We have a nice matchup there (with Southern), and finally get a chance to show what Northwest could do. We’re looking forward to that matchup, but tonight we’re going to celebrate this win.”

Entering the fourth quarter, Northwest seemed assured of a matchup with the District 4 champion next weekend. The Rangers led 33-8, using three big plays to build the lead.

The first was an 80-yard touchdown run by tailback Bret Rutkoski at 9:10 of the first quarter. The next was a 57-yard punt return for a touchdown by Steve Merth at 5:51 of the second quarter.

Merth added another with 1:07 to play until halftime, hauling in a 59-yard TD throw from Moss after beating a hobbled Corey Talerico down the left sideline.

“I asked him before the play how his ankle was feeling,” Merth said. “He happened to tell me it wasn’t doing so well, so I had to go to coach and obviously tell him. He’s a helluva player, but that happens. The best of us get beat.”

Northwest found that out after increasing the lead to 33-8 entering the fourth quarter.

Riverside freshman quarterback Nick Dranchak spent most of the third quarter flinging long passes with little hope of connecting. His luck and accuracy both improved dramatically in the fourth quarter.

Two TD passes cut the Northwest lead to 33-22 with 8:41 to play. After Moss’ run boosted the lead to 40-22, Dranchak threw his third touchdown pass of the quarter to move the Vikings within 40-30 with 3:23 remaining.

Riverside’s last gasp, though, ended rather fittingly for Northwest. Senior defensive lineman Tommy Noss recovered a fumble, finally putting an end to the rally. Noss had just returned after missing the regular season with a broken femur suffered in a car accident.

“It feels great to be back,” Noss said. “Three months since the season started I’ve been working hard. Glad to be back, glad to be back with my team.”

Dranchak finished 16-of-45 for 241 yards, a majority of the stats compiled in the fourth quarter.

“The cushion got too big,” Riverside coach Harry Armstrong said. “If the game could go on forever, maybe we could eventually catch up. We ran out of time. Northwest played a great football game. Their playmakers made plays.”

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