Kohler, Perkiomen Valley deal Spring-Ford first PAC loss in 3 years

September 25, 2021

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GRATERFORD >> Over his four-year Perkiomen Valley career, Ethan Kohler’s done plenty to earn his unofficial title as the area’s top quarterback.

On Friday night, the senior showed there’s much more to holding such a moniker than gaudy passing statistics.

Kohler passed for 139 yards and a score, but his legs were the story as he ran for another 148 and a TD as the Vikings put an end to Spring-Ford’s two-year winning streak in the rivalry with a 28-22 victory in the Pioneer Athletic Conference opener at a packed Thomas J. Keenan Stadium.

Ryan Klimek’s two-yard run was his second score of the game and gave the Vikings the lead for good with 7:02 to play after Spring-Ford rallied from 14 down to tie the game in the second half.

Spring-Ford linebacker Ryan Horvath dives to try to tackle Perkiomen Valley quarterback Ethan Kohler on a long run in the second quarter. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)

The deciding drive was set up by Jeremy Brewer’s long kickoff return and following a Spring-Ford personal foul, the Vikings were able to start inside the Rams’ 30. An eight-play drive featured an even mix of runs and passes as Perk Valley reclaimed the lead.

“This is my senior year,” said Kohler. “Credit to them [Spring-Ford], they did not quit. But there was no way I was leaving here without a win. I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.”

At no time was that more evident than the run that more or less clinched the game. Kohler kept on a read and broke about a half-dozen tackles, en route to a 44-yard gain to set up PV with a first and goal.

Three plays later, he sealed it with a one-yard sneak to put PV ahead 28-14 with 2:46 to play.

“Coach Heist and I talk about it all the time — I’ve become a runner. My first two years, I was just a lanky kid who threw the ball. But adding that [running] ability opens up so many dimensions for our offense,” said Kohler.

Kohler keeper! Perkiomen Valley seals it! 27-14, 2:46 4Q, pat pending pic.twitter.com/l13ovHnlGP

— Austin Hertzog (@AustinHertzog) September 25, 2021

Perkiomen Valley’s Jeremy Brewer (8) defends a pass intended for Spring-Ford’s Zach Zollers in the second quarter. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)

Perk Valley (3-2, 1-0 PAC Liberty) travels to Norristown as the newly minted division front-runners next week, while Spring-Ford (2-3, 0-1 PAC) tries to snap a three-game slide when they host Boyertown.

Both squads move forward with the knowledge that the winner of this matchup has won the PAC title each of the last six years. For Perkiomen Valley, it’s a trend they intend to continue. For Spring-Ford, it adds a little urgency for a team that got up off the mat repeatedly on Friday night.

Perkiomen Valley’s Ryan Klimek rushes into the end zone for a three-yard touchdown in the second quarter against Spring-Ford. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)

The opening quarter saw the Rams throw numerous personnel looks at PV, with no fewer than three Spring-Ford taking the snaps. Ryan Freed remained the starter and took the majority of the snaps at quarterback, but freshman Matt Zollers mixed into various situation, twice pinning the Vikings inside their own 10-yard line with quick-kick style punts. Once the Vikings’ offense took the field, their best option was Kohler’s legs, which got them 37 yards on seven early carries. Unable to cross midfield, however, the teams settled into a field-position battle that yielded a scoreless opening 12 minutes.

But Kohler quickly found Ryan Klimek to open the second stanza and move into SF territory for the first time, and two plays later he hit senior WR Dawson Debebe on a quick hitch, with Debebe doing the rest for a 30-yard score that put PV on the board first, just a minute into the quarter.

The two sides exchanged punts before PV’s Jake Beaudoin administered the first of his two drive-ending sacks. From there, PV moved the ball methodically to double their lead on Ryan Klimek’s three-yard plunge with 1:11 left in the opening half.

PV’s defense was the story of the first half, holding the Rams under 100 total yards — though SF didn’t help matters with some untimely penalties.

Meanwhile, Spring-Ford was unable to complete either of their sustained drives, both ending on Beaudoin sacks of Zollers, who continued to alternate at QB with starter Freed as the Rams tried to get something going on offense.

“I was able to get it done on those plays,” said Beaudoin. “Our senior class has never experienced this [beating Spring-Ford], so it’s a great feeling to bring the win back to the Valley.”

Big sack on 4th down by Beaudoin for PV to regain ball at own 35 and hold 7-0 lead pic.twitter.com/uJROUbRVfM

— Austin Hertzog (@AustinHertzog) September 24, 2021

But the tide changed after the half when Rams running back Harry Adieyefeh (23 carries, 121 yards, 2 TD) burst through the line halfway through the third quarter, escaping for a 50-yard TD run. A blocked punt capped the quarter for resilient Spring-Ford, who was able to tie the contest at 14 with 10:39 left on Adieyefeh’s second score, followed by a two-point conversion run from Matt Zollers.

“We’re banged up, and I just told the kids in the locker room how proud I am of the effort,” said Rams coach Chad Brubaker. “They left it on the field, with everything going against them. You can’t ask for any more than that.”

Spring-Ford running back Harry Adieyefeh is forced to the outside on a carry in the second quarter. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)

Zach Zollers led the Rams in receiving with five grabs for 80 yards, plus a two-point conversion.

Matt Zollers and Freed combined for 150 yards passing, with Zollers throwing a late TD pass to Payton West. The freshman also delivered a half-dozen punts for a 40-yard average, announcing his presence in this rivalry much as his opposite number, Kohler, did in 2018 — the last time PV topped the Rams before Friday night.

Notes: Before the game, Perkiomen Valley retired jersey number 22 in honor of Grant Wiley, one of the school’s all-time gridiron greats. Wiley played in the Big 33 game in 1998 before going onto West Virginia University, where he was recognized as a 2003 All-American. Wiley played for the Minnesota Vikings in 2004 and 2005.