KANE, Pa. – Charlie Krug hit Jack Pete from a yard out with 24.4 seconds left, and Steven Plyer nailed the extra point to lift Brookville to an improbable, thrilling 42-41 win over Karns City in the District 9 Class 2A semifinals Friday night at Paul R. Miller Stadium in Kane.
Also see: Clearfield wins D9 3A Title • D9 1A Quarterfinal Recaps
Watch the game-tying touchdown pass via Mega Rock 105.5 FM/100.5 FM Facebook feed of the game
Watch the game-winning extra point via Mega Rock 105.5 FM/100.5 FM Facebook feed of the game
Pete’s touchdown came on a third-down throw on a drive that went 69 yards in 1:10 after Luke Cramer’s 4-yard touchdown run had given Karns City (5-6) a 41-35 lead with 1:34 to play.
Hayden Freeman had the big play of the game-winning drive catching a 43-yard pass from Krug that set the Raiders (9-2) up at the 1-yard line.
A Tony Ceriani run went nowhere, though, and then a Krug pass into the end zone fell incomplete setting up the third-down play to decide the game.
Even after Brookville took the lead, Karns City had one last chance when Cramer hit Zach Kelly with a 33-yard pass to the Brookville 31-yard line with just under five seconds left.
But Cramer’s Hail Mary into the end zone was picked off by Freeman with no Gremlin receiver in the vicinity to seal the win.
The ending was fitting considering the game had 944 total yards of offense led by 580 from Karns City with 493 yards coming on the ground.
Brookville led 14-0 3:14 into the game on a 40-yard Ceriani run and an 18-yard Charlie Krug to Sam Krug touchdown.
But Karns City answered back scoring the next three touchdowns to take a 21-14 lead on a 79-yard run by Braden SLater, a 19-yard run by Cramer, and a 3-yard run by Hunter Scherer with Scherer’s touchdown coming with 5:27 to play before halftime.
Things, though, were just starting to heat up in the half.
Brookville appeared to forge a 21-all tie at halftime when Pete caught a 5-yard scoring pas from Krug with 9.4 seconds to play in the half.
But, somehow, Scherer got loose for a 54-yard run as time expired in the half putting the Gremlins ahead, 28-21, at the break.
Freeman tied the game at 28 on a 17-yard pass from Charlie Krug midway through the third quarter before Karns City took the air 12 seconds into the fourth quarter to go ahead, 35-28, on a 54-yard Cramer to Troy Nagel touchdown pass.
Brookville answered back with 6:54 left when Pete hauled in a 62-yard strike from Charlie Krug to tie the game at 35 before Cramer’s 4-yard run with 1:34 put Karns City back on top.
But after every extra point had been hit up to that point, Kelly missed the extra point leaving the Gremlins up just six and opening the door for Brookville to seal the win.
Charlie Krug was 17 of 38 passing for 283 yards and five touchdowns with Pete catching eight passes for 151 yards and three scores, Freeman hauling in three for 81 yards and a score, and Sam Krug catching two for 22 yards and a touchdown.
Cramer ran 29 times for 189 yards and two touchdowns for Karns City while going 2 of 4 passing for 87 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Scherer picked up 160 yards on 22 carries with two scores, Slater had four carries for 84 yards and a touchdown, and Kelly went for 58 yards on seven totes.
Brookville, the second seed, will face top-seeded Central Clarion, who had a bye, in the title game next weekend at a site, time, and day to be announced.
