Valley View’s Brady Bachman runs toward the end zone after catching a pass in the second quarter during Friday night’s District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal game at Honesdale. JESSE CAREY / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Honesdale’s Gabe Duda celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter during a District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal game against Valley View at Honesdale. JESSE CAREY / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Valley View’s Cash Roe (22) runs toward the end zone after a catch as Honesdale’s Max LaBruno tries to tackle him during Friday night’s District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal game at Honesdale. JESSE CAREY / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Show Caption
1 of 3
Valley View’s Brady Bachman runs toward the end zone after catching a pass in the second quarter during Friday night’s District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal game at Honesdale. JESSE CAREY / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
HONESDALE — Gino Patrisso recovered an onside kick to give Honesdale life, as the Hornets trailed by two touchdowns midway through the fourth quarter.
Two plays later, Valley View’s Colin Witkowski intercepted a pass to end any hope of a Honesdale comeback.
“I just saw they spread out on offense, and I just dropped back, I saw that ball in the air and I just went up and got it,” Witkowski said.
The rest of the night belonged to Cash Roe and Colin Dempsey.
The Cougars will visit No. 2 North Pocono, a 42-7 winner of Carbondale Area, in the semifinals next week.
“I thought we played great,” Roe said. “It was big all week, especially for a good team like Honesdale. They have a great coach in George Howanitz and we just had a good game plan and we just came out and executed. We all played great.”
After Valley View forced a three-and-out on the first possession and stymied a fake punt, Roe scored his first touchdown on a 5-yard run to give the Cougars a 7-0 lead with 8:48 left in the first quarter.
Then, Honesdale (8-3) drove into the Valley View red zone, but the Cougars forced a fumble and Mason Mitchell jumped on the loose ball.
Facing third-and-19, Dempsey hit Roe for 25 yards to extend the drive. Six plays later, Dempsey hit Brady Backman in the middle of the field for a 37-yard touchdown with 5:45 left in the second quarter. Bobby MacDowell blocked the extra point to keep the score at 13-0.
The teams traded three-and-outs before MacDowell got his hands on another kick, this time a punt, to set up the Hornets on the Valley View 22.
Gabe Duda capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 13-7 with 36 seconds left in the half.
Jonathan Anuszewski ran for 15 yards, before Dempsey threw a back-shoulder pass to Roe, who leaped and came down with the reception for a 33-yard gain to put Valley View at the Honesdale 26. However, two plays later, Duda intercepted Dempsey’s pass to keep the score at 13-7 at the half.
The Cougars (6-5) faced a fourth-and-4 after the third-quarter kickoff, and Dempsey once again turned to Roe, as he hit the receiver on a quick slant and Roe sprinted for a 42-yard touchdown to give Valley View a 21-7 lead with 8:39 left in the third quarter.
“We’ve been working all summer, and that’s just the connection we have,” Roe said. “Growing up, he’s always been my quarterback, and I always know we’re always on the same page and we’re always going to get that.”
After Jeffrey Wasilchak stopped Dontae Joseph for no gain on third-and-2 to force a punt, Dempsey hit Roe down the left sideline, and Roe bowled over a Honesdale defender before he was tackled at the Hornets 5 for a 79-yard gain.
Dempsey capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Ben Evans for a 28-7 lead with 3:50 left in the third quarter.
Honesdale answered when Joseph ran for a 26-yard touchdown with 11:10 left in the fourth.
However, Dempsey once again hit a diving Roe in the corner of the end zone for a 7-yard TD, as Valley View pushed the lead to 35-14 with 6:30 left in the fourth.
“That’s big on the team,” Roe said. “In practice, we always rely on each other and I know they’ve got my back, so the least I can do is make plays for them.”
Thirteen seconds later, Abe Bryant hit Jake Ramos, who finished with five catches for 137 yards, down the left sideline for an 80-yard score.
Patrisso recovered the ensuing onside kick, but Witkowski put the game away with his interception.
Tristan Smith added a 33-yard touchdown run, and Nico Castellani tacked on an interception for the Cougars.
Duda tried to play through an injury to his right arm that he suffered in the third quarter, but ultimately left the game just before the start of the fourth. The star senior running back finished with 81 yards rushing and a touchdown on 19 carries, an interception and a sack. He ends his season with 1,750 yards rushing and 30 touchdowns on 182 carries.