Sports

8- PENNYSAVER - Pequea Valley Edition - November 17, 2021 SPORTS Conestoga Valley • Donegal • Elizabethtown Garden Spot • Hempfield Lampeter-Strasburg • Manheim Central Penn Manor • Pequea Valley • Solanco MORE SPORTS PICTURES and other high school sports news at

Pequea Football Dominates Biglerville, 57-0

BY ARA GRIGORIAN

The Pequea Valley football team closed out the 2021 season with a decisive victory over Biglerville on a Thursday night version of Friday night football. The Braves attacked on all fronts - passing, rushing, special teams and defense - to shut out the Canners 57-0 at Kinzers on November 4.

“This was a truly dominant game by defense, offense and special teams,” said Jeff Werner, the Braves head coach.

Peyton Temple completed four passes for 122 yards, including a 31-yard scoring pass to Dominic Wallace to open the scoring. The junior quarterback also accounted for the game’s final score - a one-yard sneak over the goal line in the fourth quarter.

Jonathan Carter was another testimony to the Braves being able to score in multiple ways. The senior scored on an 11-yard run and, to start the second half, returned a kickoff 86 yards to give Pequea Valley a 36-0 lead early in the third quarter.

Ricky Esh, who led the Braves in rushing with 80 yards on eight carries, scored the team’s second touchdown of the third stanza, breaking out into the open for a 28yard dash to the Canners’ endzone.

The remarkable part about contributions Esh has made to this offense is that he was not on the roster for the start of the season. He played another form of football prior to the pigskin variety of the game.

“Ricky Esh joined the team about a month ago,” Werner noted. “He was a soccer player, who decided he wanted to play football. He missed the preseason workouts.”

Evan Stoltzfus added a defensive touchdown, scooping up a fumble on the Braves’ side of midfield and running 54 yards for a score. It came at the 11:35 mark of the fourth quarter - six minutes prior to Temple’s rushing TD.

The Braves also had rushing touchdowns from senior Xavier Padilla (22 yards) and from Darrell Beiler, who finished the day with 61 rushing yards on eight carries.

“Beiler is a slashy runner, who has good vision,” Werner remarked. “Ricky Esh is 5foot-11, 200 pounds and is more of a power runner.

“Padilla is one of the fastest and most athletic guys on the team,” continued the coach. “He and Jon Carter will be missed next year.”

Pequea scored two touchdowns in each of the four periods in this game.

With the non-league victory, the Braves finished the year 2-8.

Werner was asked what the victory meant to the program in terms of wrapping up the season with a W.

“That win for our program is huge going into next year,” he replied. “I’m returning 17 or 18 kids from this team next year.”

Werner did point out that the game was a make-up game from what was originally scheduled as the season opener.

“This game was the biggest margin of victory Pequea Valley has ever had,” Werner said. “If we had Biglerville to start the season, I believe the momentum would have carried into the Hanover game.

“This win was a coach’s dream,” he added. “We came out 30-0 at halftime.

“Most of the guys - nine out of 11 - on defense are back,” he added. “We have our running backs and our quarterback returning.”

The defense returning so many starters could be significant as the players buy into the schemes of coordinator Dave Fedorshak

“He and I coached together at Ephrata,” Werner said. “He brings a pressure style defense. The kids weren’t used to it. It is a simple defense, but you have to play the right gaps. The kids are starting to get it and it culminated Thursday night.

“All of the guys practiced hard all week,” he added. “They seemed focused. When Thursday night came, they were firing on all cylinders.”

photo by Mona Steinhauer

The Braves’ Dominic Wallace rushes uncontested in non-league action against visiting Biglerville Thursday, November 4.

5406 Lincoln Hwy. P.O. Box 189 Gap, PA 17527

(717) 442-9234 Auto Home Business Farm Life Health

Affordable Insurance

Local Service That Makes a Difference

www.beilerinsurance.com

R078165

Deadlines for December 1 issues of this paper will be advanced at least 24 hours

Our offices will be closed on Thursday, November 25.

For more information, please contact your advertising consultant or email advertising@engleonline.com or call 717-492-2528.

photo by Mona Steinhauer

Xavier Padilla keeps his eye on the ball as Biglerville’s Caden Althoff defends in the last game of the season, Thursday, November 4 in Kinzers.

The 2021 Best of Lancaster Readers' Survey Results are in! online and in print now!