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Fredonia holds off G/PV with late interception

By Christian Storms 7 min read

FREDONIA -- Fredonia and Gowanda/Pine Valley exchanged scores all game, but it was the Hillbillies getting on the scoreboard first and last to secure a 24-22 Class C South football victory at the Orange Bowl on Friday night.

"One time we were talking about trying to make the playoffs and it was going off point to try and get in," Fredonia head coach Greg Sherlock said about how important the league wins are. "I think that's hard in our division this year. I think there are a lot of closely contested games between a lot of teams in our division, disregarding C/S/P and maybe Salamanca. I think it's really important to be able to run and pass, and today we showed off passing pretty good, but that kind of went out the window when Lavonce (Donaldson) got hurt. It was important to get back to running the ball a little bit more with Ayden Wronski and Markel Davis; they're two stud running backs."

After some inconsistency in the offense over the course of the game, Fredonia responded to Gowanda/Pine Valley's fourth-quarter touchdown by placing the ball in the hands of Wronski. The senior running back collected a couple of solid gains before breaking free up the middle for a 46-yard touchdown run and a 24-22 lead.

Gowanda/Pine Valley sought out a quick response through the air, but the very first play of the ensuing drive was intercepted by Ryan Johnson with just over four minutes left to play.

The Hillbillies got right back to what was working the previous drive and handoffs to Wronski eventually iced the game.

"It was a big drive to say the least," Sherlock said about the game-winning drive. "They were moving the ball on us pretty easily at times. We would tighten up, do well on first and second down and they'd get a big play. When they came out in that tight formation they thought they had us beat, we had two guys that were on the ball and RJ just made a great catch and that really did it. I thought our line at times started blocking much better for the run and that's kind of what we went with down the line."

Fredonia started the game just as strong as it finished with sophomore quarterback Noah Palisin hitting several targets to move the sticks. The big play came after the catch when Palisin found Donaldson cutting across the middle and he fought off his defender to race to paydirt for a 28-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

Gowanda/Pine Valley struggled to get its offense going early on even with the benefit of favorable field position courtesy of an Elliott Graham fumble recovery and Kyan Austin interception.

The Panthers eventually matched the Hillbillies on the board at 5:45 in the second with Austin replicating Donaldson's touchdown, but instead of shaking off the defender he shimmied and cut back for a 29-yard touchdown reception from Jayden Fish. Cayden Redford rushed in the point after attempt and Gowanda/Pine Valley led 8-6.

However, that lead did not last long as Davis stepped up for the struggling Fredonia offense. The Hillbillies immediately had an answer on the kickoff as Davis returned it 65 yards to the house for the 12-8 lead.

"We were struggling moving the ball," Sherlock said. "That kickoff came at the perfect time. Markel, he's done that the last two years. He sees things we don't see and I'm excited for him because he works hard and does a great job and he's come a long way."

Gowanda/Pine Valley got right back to work after the big play and eventually punched in a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Fish and a 14-12 lead.

Fredonia didn't get the big play from special teams on the next kickoff and with the offense struggling, Gowanda/Pine Valley earned possession again with 1:57 in the half.

The game of inches did not go in the favor of Gowanda/Pine Valley, which has now found itself on the wrong side of two heartbreaking losses in a row.

With eight seconds left in the second quarter, Fish connected with Reggie Irion and the senior receiver went 41 yards tip toeing down the sideline until he reached paydirt.

Or so Gowanda/Pine Valley thought.

On a close play, it was deemed he stepped out of bounds on his way to the end zone and ended the half with the lead at 14-12, not 20-12.

"We had an iso call with Reg," Gowanda/Pine Valley head coach Brett Ebling said about the play before halftime. "He's a senior, he's been with me three years now as a starter. It was close, I mean the ref did a great job, he called him out. Reggie made a great play, quarterback threw a great ball, it's just one of those things where you come up short and it's OK because that's what happens sometimes."

Instead, it was Fredonia scoring next in the third quarter when Palisin finished off a nice drive that included a big conversion to Graham Putney on third down with a 7-yard touchdown run and the 18-14 lead.

Irion eventually got his touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 4-yard run and his conversion gave the Panthers the 22-18 lead with 6:48 left.

"We just keep working," Ebling stated. "That's always my message to the guys. The day no matter anything I just tell them we focus on us and make today your best day and make that your goal. Was today our best? No, and that's what's frustrating."

Irion's touchdown would not hold for Gowanda/Pine Valley as Fredonia found some rhythm on the line opening up space for Wronski, who eventually rewarded his team with his big game-winning run of 46 yards with 4:39 in the game.

"Two weeks in a row we just draw up short," Ebling said. "Last week we lost by four, this week we lost by two, hopefully next week it doesn't end in a tie and we win if we're going to go by that two-point trend. These kids battled to the end of the whistle, that's their expectation, we focus on us, we don't care what the score is, we don't care what the result is, we just battle to the final whistle."

Johnson's interception proved to be the dagger and delivered Fredonia the narrow league win.

"That was huge," Sherlock said about the interception. "It's a young team and they've got to feel confident in what they're doing and seeing maybe their work is paying off. I think if you take a step back in this game they start questioning themselves going on another losing streak we know all so well the last two years. I believe this was huge for us and it's kind of deflating for Gowanda/Pine Valley to lose like they did the last two weeks. They've got a lot of good athletes and this is a good win."

Gowanda/PV 0 14 0 8 -- 22

Fredonia 6 6 6 6 -- 24

Fre--Donaldson 28 catch from Palisin (kick failed)

G/PV--Austin 29 catch from Fish (Redford run)

Fre--Davis 65 yard return (pass failed)

G/PV--Fish 1 run (run failed)

Fre--Palisin 7 run (pass failed)

G/PV--Irion 4 run (Irion run)

Fre--Wronski 46 run (run failed)

Starting at /week.