Close call or not, Conestoga Valley reaches 5-0
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)
By Logan Moyer — LNP/Lancasteronline
SPRING GROVE — A 90-minute bus ride, looking ahead to future opponents, or an injury to their best player — whatever it was, the Conestoga Valley Buckskins weren’t quite ready to play Thursday night.
Nevertheless, the Bucks pulled out a 13-7 win over upset-minded Spring Grove in a non-league game at Papermakers Stadium.
“It’s a win,” Conestoga Valley coach Jon Scepanski said. “We didn’t come out and execute the way that we wanted. We’ve got to get better at the mental side of the football.”
The two squads traded scores in the first half; Sawyer Esbenshade and Konner Fisher put the Buckskins (5-0) on the board with a 4-yard TD connection in the first quarter; Holden Golbrecht answered for the Rockets (2-3) with a 5-yard TD run late in the second frame.
Thursday was the first time all season the Buckskins weren’t leading by at least multiple scores by halftime.
“We’ve got to able to sustain a drive,” Scepanski said. “We can’t just have a big play here and there that keeps us going.”
The Buckskins undoubtedly felt the impact of missing all-league athlete Jayden Johnson, who is dealing with a leg injury. Nobody felt that impact more than Esbenshade, a rookie quarterback who had been off to a scorching-hot start to the season. He entered with the second-highest completion percentage in the league but went just 5-of-18.
“There’s a lot of variables that you could say played a factor,” Scepanski said of his team’s offensive struggles. “It doesn’t always go the way that you draw it up on the board.”
Conestoga Valley had quite a few opportunities to break the tie in the second half, but a pair of turnovers — both in the red zone — kept the Bucks off the scoreboard.
It wasn’t until the final five minutes that Teagan Ruble rumbled for an 18-yard run to put the Bucks on top, which was followed by a tipped, no-good PAT. On the ensuing drive, Jackson Byers intercepted a tipped pass on fourth down to secure the win.
The Conestoga Valley defense has allowed just 27 points in five games. Had it not been for their impressive performance Thursday the Buckskins likely wouldn’t remain undefeated.
“They’re a crazy group of dudes that fly around and have fun,” Scepanski said of the unit that surrendered just 183 yards of total offense. “Hats off to them and the defensive coaching staff that put the game plan together.”
Close call or not, the Buckskins are 5-0 to start the season for the first time in at least two decades.
“We’ve got to focus on one (game) at a time,” Scepanski said. “I think this game certainly opened some eyes that every game does matter and that we’re going to get everyone’s best.”
