Manheim Central tops Perkiomen Valley in shootout, 43-40
GRATERFORD >> It had to be, without question, the toughest opponent Manheim Central faced yet this season.
The Barons came into Perkiomen Valley’s Thomas J. Keenan Stadium boasting an unbelievable 109-7 scoring edge on their three previous opponents. Friday night, Manheim Central found itself required to go the comeback route to maintain its perfect record and in shootout style.
A 43-40 victory saw the Barons (4-0) first force the Vikings to keep pace with them at the start, then watch the tables turned so they had to match their hosts score for score the rest of the way. The ultimate difference ended up being extra points: While PV missed a kick and a run, Manheim got a two-point pass on its final scoring play.
“Our defense was tested tonight,” MC head coach Dave Hahn said. “They’re the best offense we’ve seen all year.”
Ethan Kohler steered a big-strike PV offense that scored five times on plays ranging from 13 to 68 yards. He had a 48-yard run in-between second-half aerial touchdowns to Dawson Debebe (68 yards) and Michael Poruban (61) that replied to the Barons’ responses to PV scoring drives.
“Kohler is the total package,” Hahn said. “We had guys hanging on him, and he’s putting his arm out to keep them from sacking him.”
Andrew Beck also gave the Vikings (2-2) a 26-yard TD run in the second quarter, one that got them their first lead of the night at the 6:38 mark. And Jeremy Brewer got into the scoring act on special teams in a big way, returning a kickoff after MC’s equalizer in the frame 98 yards inside the two-minute mark of the half.
But Manheim called on its stable of talented runners to keep pace with PV. Justin Heffernan (29 carries, 144 yards) had two rushing touchdowns in the first half, and Jaden Weit (11-61) had three more in the second half. Quarterback Judd Novak, who threw a 42-yard scoring pass to Mason Weaver at the start of the second half, added another 52 on nine totes.
“They played a heck of a game,” PV head coach Rob Heist said. “It was back-and-forth. Our kids played to the last second.”
Getting the ball back twice in the final 3;18, PV turned it over on downs the first time inside the 1-1/2 minute mark. With little more than a minute to go, the Vikes stopped the Barons on downs and got the ball back at their 10. They saw the final possession run out with the clock, a 15-yard pass from Kohler to Poruban the only success in four final passing attempts.
“Punting the ball, pinning them at their 10, was big,” Hahn noted.
Along with his passing numbers — 10-for-20, 198 yards — Kohler had a team-best 77 yards rushing. Ryan Klimek followed with 55 on seven tries while Beck finished with a pair of runs good for 27 yards.
Defensively, Jake Bedouin was credited with a sack of Novak that closed out the first half. and Bradley Curci dropped the Baron QB for a four-yard loss when he was pressured into a run around his right end.
For Manheim, Kahlen Watt picked off Kohler in the final minute of the first half as PV was driving to the Baron 35.
NOTES
Heist, asked to compare the night’s opponent with Pioneer Athletic Conference rival Spring-Ford: “They run different schemes. But both are well-coached, physical teams.” … Klimek tacked conversion kicks on to Perk Valley’s first four scores. … Hahn on his focus with Manheim’s defensive play: “Everyone is practicing the big things, but not the little things. But we’re good on defense.”
