Eight points and 99 yards.
After Kutztown defensive back Ethan Lafferty came down with an interception at the Hamburg 1-yard line and the Cougars’ offense trotted onto the field, that is all that separated Kutztown from ending its seven-year losing streak against Berks opponents.
After 32 consecutive losses to teams in the county, the Cougars began their possession with just over nine minutes remaining and a singular goal.
“Everyone knew it,” Lafferty said. “It was our last opportunity to keep fighting. We used everything we had on that last drive.”
Kutztown orchestrated a 16-play, game-winning drive that lasted nearly eight minutes and ended with a 2-yard touchdown run from fullback Brenden Ackley and a two-point conversion run from Lafferty to lift the Cougars to a 35-34 victory over the Hawks in a Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 5 game on Friday night at Kutztown.
“We all believed we could do it,” Ackley said. “There was something down in us that we knew we could win this game.”
The victory is the Cougars’ first over a Berks team since they defeated Fleetwood in a non-league game to conclude the 2016 season. Additionally, the win is Kutztown’s first over a Berks team in a league game since it beat the Tigers in the final week of the 2009 season in an old Inter-County League Section 2 matchup.
“It just represents us turning this program around and really just starting to play some heavy-duty football,” Ackley said.
Trailing 34-27, the Cougars took the field following the interception and turned to their staple power-rushing attack, methodically working their way down the field.
“The men up front really did some work,” Ackley said. “They took advantage of the (Hamburg) defensive line not having enough stamina. They took over.”
Kutztown (1-1, 2-3) converted a fourth-and-1 at midfield with less than three minutes to go and eventually moved into the red zone before Ackley bowled his way into the end zone with 1:14 remaining.
“I didn’t care who ran it, I just wanted those two yards,” Ackley said.
Kutztown, down one, opted to go for the two-point conversion after the kicking unit had struggled with snaps and holds throughout the game. The decision paid off, as Lafferty powered his way into the end zone for the winning points.
“It felt amazing,” Lafferty said. “I felt amazed that Coach gave me the opportunity to run it.”
The Cougars then stopped the Hawks on their next possession, forcing an incomplete pass on fourth-and-9 near midfield with 56 seconds remaining to seal it. Kutztown held Hamburg scoreless in the second half and scored 22 unanswered points in the final 22 minutes.
“We got it today,” Cougars coach Larry Chester said. “It feels great.”
Hamburg (0-2, 3-2) opened the scoring early in the first quarter thanks to a 3-yard touchdown run from quarterback Tyler Shuey. The junior finished with 57 yards and the score on 12 carries.
The Hawks doubled their lead late in the first quarter when Shuey found wide receiver Alex Bentz for a 12-yard touchdown. Bentz, a senior, led Hamburg with 70 yards and two touchdowns on three receptions.
The Hawks continued to move the ball through the air, as Shuey found wide receiver Cohen Correll for a 14-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. The ensuing extra point was no good.
Down 20-0, the Cougars got on the board with a 46-yard touchdown run from Mason Sherry midway through the second quarter. The sophomore finished with 163 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries.
“They started expecting us to come up the middle and then we just hit it outside every once in a while,” Ackley said. “That was the game plan.”
Hamburg responded with just over one minute remaining in the half with a 44-yard touchdown pass from Shuey to Bentz to make it 27-7. Shuey finished 14-for-21 passing for 248 yards and four touchdowns with one interception.
Kutztown scored 33 seconds later when Sherry broke loose for a 21-yard touchdown run. Unable to get the kick off, holder Josh Kimpland threw an incomplete pass on the two-point conversion attempt.
The Hawks fired right back, as Shuey hit wide receiver Ty Werley on a screen pass and the junior took it 58 yards to the end zone with 13 seconds remaining. With the extra point, Hamburg led 34-13 at the half.
The Cougars took control in the second half, opening the third quarter with a 16-yard touchdown run from Lafferty. The senior finished with 24 yards and the score on five carries.
After another miscue on the point-after attempt, Kimpland improvised and found his way into the end zone for the two-point conversion to cut Hamburg’s lead to 34-21. A tight end, Kimpland also recorded Kutztown’s only reception of the game, which was good for 14 yards.
Late in the third quarter, Ackley scored on a 10-yard run to cut it to 34-27. Trying to make the most of another broken point-after attempt, Kimpland was unable to score for two points.
“Ackley is old school,” Chester said. “He’s a great kid. He’s our tempo-setter. I’m always proud of him.”
The Hawks got the ball back and were driving early in the fourth quarter, but a leaping interception from Lafferty just shy of the goal line ended the drive and gave Kutztown new life.
When the Cougars needed the two points on the game-winning conversion attempt, Chester turned to the player who created the momentum-shifting play.
“Lafferty is from a long line of football players,” Chester said. “He knows the game, he understands the game. That’s who you give the ball to.”
Kutztown ran for 287 yards on 48 carries and committed no turnovers. After finishing 3-7 a year ago, the Cougars have two wins this season and believe that they can compete with — and beat — teams in Berks and beyond.
“We’re building a culture that’s here to last,” Ackley said. “We’re excited about it.”
