RIDGWAY, Pa. – Any thought that Karns City would have a hard time focusing for its game at Ridgway a week after watching teammate Mason Martin collapse on the field, went away in the blur of Hunter Scherer returning the opening kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown.
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Scherer’s kickoff return helped set the tone in the Gremlins’ first win of the year, 35-14, at Ridgway Friday night.
While Ridgway actually answered back to take a 7-6 lead, the night was about Karns City with five different Gremlins scoring in securing the first victory of the year for Joe Sherwin’s squad.
It was a team-wide effort with Martin’s replacement at quarterback, Cole Johnston, throwing a touchdown pass to Shane Peters that gave Karns City the lead for good, 12-7, and touchdown runs from Luke Cramer (13 yards), Zach Kelly (29 yards), and Owen Heginbotham (10 yards).
Scherer led a balanced rushing attack for the Gremlins with 12 carries for 92 yards with Kelly and Heginbotham each rushing for 42 yards and Cramer 30 yards.
Johnston was 4 of 15 passing for 79 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions with Taite Beighley catching three passes for 44 yards.
Ridgway got an 8-yard touchdown pass from Cameron Larkin to Jackson Kilpeck and a 6-yard Rocco Delhunty run.
Delhunty ran 12 times for 44 yards while Larking was 13 of 21 passing for 124 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Larkin also ran 15 times for 32 yards while Brock Kudrick had four catches for 88 yards.
