Scouts go for two, stun Raiders 22-21
(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)
By Jeff Reinhart — LNP/Lancasteronline
In what was easily the best finish so far in Lancaster-Lebanon League play this season, Conrad Weiser stunned Elco Saturday night in Robesonia.
Three plays after watching the Raiders suck up more than 10 minutes off the clock and take the lead after an outstanding 95-yard touchdown march, the Scouts got a 14-yard TD strike from Donovan Gingrich to Trey Dianna with 1:02 to play in regulation.
After a timeout, Weiser kept its offense on the field and went for the two-point conversion and Gingrich again hit Dianna for the go-ahead score in the riveting 22-21 win in the Scouts’ Section 4 debut. The loss was the first for the Raiders.
“They had a funky look on the right side, like trips in a stack,” Elco coach Bob Miller said about Weiser’s two-pointer. “We called a timeout and got them out of that.
“But hey, they made the play. I think they went for two because they knew we’d keep driving the ball inside the 10 in OT. That tells me that they respect our kids.”
The Scouts (1-0, 2-2) punted the ball to the Raiders in a 14-14 game on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Elco proceeded to hog the ball for the next 10-plus minutes, moving the ball 95 yards for the go-ahead score.
Jake Williams, who rumbled for 199 yards on 26 carries, zoomed 12 yards for a TD with 1:49 left.
Weiser went right to work, driving the length of the field and punching in a TD and the game-winning two-pointer.
“We were very confident,” Weiser coach Alan Moyer said of the decision to go for the win. “Talking to my coaches, the consensus was to go for it.
“I’m not sure what the philosophy is? Do you kick it for the tie when you’re at home? Anyway, it worked. It was a great call; but it’s always a great call when you make it.”
Weiser got the ball back with 1:43 to go at its own 42. Gingrich zipped a 44-yard pass to Dianna to get the drive going, and the Scouts continued the momentum all the way into the end zone, when Gingrich hit Dianna on a back-shoulder fade to cut Elco’s lead to 21-20.
Williams was a horse for Elco. His 45-yard TD run down the far sideline with 1:47 to go in the third quarter knotted the game at 14-14, after Weiser had a 14-6 lead at the half.
Ira Gensamer had a pair of first-half field goals for Elco, a 26-yarder for a 3-0 lead, and a 38-yarder to slice Weiser’s lead to 7-6 with 7:11 to go in the first half.
Also of note: Elco receiver Sara Miller — coach Bob Miller’s daughter — had her first career reception, a 27-yarder in the third quarter.
Meanwhile, Gingrich clicked on 13-of-23 passes for 223 yards; Weiser ran the ball only 10 times. The Scouts had the ball for only four plays in the fourth quarter, and one of those was a punt.
Gingrich had a pair of first-half TD passes to Josh Miller, a 51-yarder for a 7-3 lead, and an 8-yard flip for a 14-6 cushion. Dianna had four catches for 99 yards for the Scouts.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Elco | 3 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 21 |
| Conrad Weiser | 7 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 22 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Elco | Gensamer 26 FG | 1:19 |
| 1 | Weiser | J. Miller, 51 pass from Gingrich (Noll kick) | :12 |
| 2 | Elco | Gensemer, 38 FG | 7:11 |
| 2 | Weiser | J. Miller, 8 pass from Gingrich (Noll kick) | 1:59 |
| 3 | Elco | J. Williams, 45 run (J. Williams run) | 1:47 |
| 4 | Elco | J. Williams, 12 run (Gensamer kick) | 1:49 |
| 4 | Weiser | Dianna, 14 pass from Gingrich (Dianna, pass from Gingrich) | 1:02 |
Team statistics
| Elco | Conrad Weiser | |
| First downs | 22 | 6 |
| Rushes-yards | 51-273 | 10-18 |
| Passing yards | 131 | 223 |
| Total yards | 404 | 241 |
| Passes | 7-16-1 | 13-23-0 |
| Fumbles-lost | 3-1 | 0-0 |
| Punts-average | 230.5 | 3-42.7 |
| Penalties-yards | 6-25 | 10-75 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Elco: Williams 26-199, DeJesus 12-35, Thornton 8-23, Frederick 3-12, Yesko 2-4.
Conrad Weiser: Parham 3-11, Conde 4-5, J. Miller 1-1, Dianna 1-2, Gingrich 1 (-1).
PASSING
Elco: Thornton 7-16-1–131.
Conrad Weiser: Gingrich 13-23-0–223.
RECEIVING
Elco: Kreider 4-86, Miller 1-27, Stickler 1-12, Frederick 1-6.
Conrad Weiser: Dianna 4-99, J. Miller 4-65, Rittle 3-51, E. Miller 1-8, Parham 1-0.
INTERCEPTIONS
Conrad Weiser: Rittle.