Leechburg takes down Springdale to clinch 1st .500 season since ’91

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, October 27, 2018 | 12:27 AM

Despite the playoffs being out of reach, this wasn’t just another game for the Leechburg Blue Devils. Knowing a win would clinch a .500 record for the first time since 1991, there was something extra on the line.

Backed by a dominating performance on the ground by senior running back Jake Blumer, Leechburg defeated Springdale, 44-21, in a Class A Eastern Conference matchup at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Blumer rushed for 220 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries. He also added two receptions for 55 yards and another score.

“I’ll tell you what, it feels really good right now,” Leechburg coach Mark George said. “I’m very proud of these boys and what they accomplished. It’s been such a long time and you get to a point where you’re like, when is this going to happen? We just had the right group of boys, the right leaders and the young men that wanted to do it.”

Leechburg (5-5, 2-4) started fast offensively. Springdale (1-8, 0-6) went three-and-out on the opening drive of the game. Two plays later, Leechburg sophomore quarterback Dylan Cook hit Blumer out of the backfield, and he took it 44 yards for a touchdown to give the Blue Devils a 7-0 lead early.

Leechburg would block a Springdale punt on the ensuing drive, setting the offense up at the Springdale 32. Senior running back Bret Kardos capped off the three-play drive with a 4-yard touchdown run to make the score 13-0.

Another Springdale punt on the next drive set Leechburg up with another short field at the Springdale 21. It took one play for Cook to connect with senior receiver Tanner Dudek for a 21-yard touchdown giving Leechburg a 20-0 lead with 4:09 left in the first quarter.

With all the momentum on Leechburg’s side, Springdale needed the offense to step up. Senior quarterback Josh Jones was up to the task. A seven-play drive was capped off by a 23-yard run by Jones to get the Dynamos on the board and the lead was cut to 20-7. He also added runs 24, 9 and 5 yards.

Leechburg responded on the following drive with a 4-yard touchdown run by Blumer that made the score 26-7.

“I tell you what, Jake is a heck of a running back,” George said. “He’s a heck of a football player. He has good vision, and good balance and really good speed. He’s really determined. He was really determined tonight.”

With the score 32-14 in favor of Leechburg just before halftime, Springdale looked for a final spark heading into the half. Junior running back Christian Vokes responded with a 47-yard touchdown run that made the score 32-21 with nine seconds left in the half.

“He’s an explosive kid,” Springdale coach Seth Napierkowski said. “We were at the end of the first half there running a play, and I told the guys if we get a first down, and you don’t get out of bounds to run up and spike it and try to run one more and he takes it to the house. That’s the explosion you can get out of a kid like that, and fortunately for us he’s coming back next year.”

Jones led Springdale offensively, rushing for 125 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. Cook paced the Leechburg passing game, going 6 for 7 for 116 yards and three touchdowns.

D.J. Vasil is a freelance writer.

Tags: Leechburg, Springdale