Aeden Holler helps Loyalsock defeat Warrior Run on Monday night, 52-18, in football
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TURBOTVILLE — Players, coaches and fans watched Aeden Holler explode off the edge, storm into the backfield and take Monday night’s football game over at various times.
They saw the finished product. They did not witness everything Holler did to make a night like this or a season like this possible. They did not see Holler pounding the weights, attending speed training sessions and studying up the entire offseason. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder has the tools, but he has the work ethic as well and what a combination that is becoming.
Holler made a game-high 10 tackles, including five for loss, added a sack and was a third-quarter wrecking machine as Loyalsock defeated Warrior Run, 52-18, winning its second game in four nights. Last night’s game was a makeup after the season opener had been postponed and it helped Loyalsock (3-1) build momentum entering Saturday’s showdown against two-time defending District 4 Class AAA champion Montoursville. It also was a showcase for Holler who has made an area-high 11 tackles for loss in four games this season.
“Not being be able to hit a traditional weight room throughout the offseason is a problem for individuals, but Aeden worked an awful lot on his flexibilities and on the basic things we can do. We set up a weight room outside for the kids and he worked really hard,” Loyalsock coach Justin Van Fleet said. “He’s improved dramatically from last year to this year. Obviously, I’m quite proud of him. The concept wasn’t just the weight room. It’s mental commitment and confidence in himself. It was all that stuff coming together to give him the opportunity to be a very strong player for us this year.”
Quarterback Chase Cavanaugh continued his strong senior season, totaling 208 yards and four touchdowns while Korie Mayer added 68 rushing yards and three touchdowns as Loyalsock built a 22-0 first-quarter lead. The Lancers produced 409 yards and the starters scored on all seven possessions they played. Holler played a major role, starting along the offensive line, but it was his defense which started altering the game in the third quarter.
Warrior Run (1-5) dominated the second quarter and pulled within 28-12 at halftime. Holler played angry, however, and set a ferocious second-half tone as he snuffed out any Defender comeback hopes. On Warrior Runás first six third-quarter plays, Holler recorded a sack, two tackles for loss and two other tackles for no gain and a one-yard gain. He literally appeared unblockable and Warrior Run lost minus-12 yards on those plays and Holler stayed among the district’s sack leaders, recording his fifth.
“Going into halftime we knew we should be playing better. That should have never happened,” said Holler, who has at least one sack in every game this season. “We played a game Friday but that’s not an excuse. We just came out and made the decision that we needed to shut them down and that’s what we did.”
Holler enjoyed a good junior season while playing mostly defensive tackle last season. Back on the outside, Holler is emerging as one of the area’s premier defensive linemen and drove that home last night. He did not play defense again following Warrior Run’s first two third-quarter series. Taking him out of the game seemed to be the only way Holler could be slowed.
“I like the edge a lot more,” he said. “It’s a lot more fun out there.”
Loyalsock had a lot of fun for three quarters, but Warrior Run owned the second quarter and made enormous strides. One of the district’s youngest teams played its best offensive game and held the ball for all but 56 seconds in that second quarter, producing consecutive 11-play scoring drives which covered 122 yards. Hunter Rovenolt capped the first drive with a 13-yard touchdown run before Nathan Michael found Nasir Berry for a 28-yard touchdown on the half’s final play.
The offensive line played its best quarter over those 12 minutes and every Warrior Run ball-carrier ran hard, including Michael, Rovenolt, Justin Blair and Logan Smedley. Blair epitomized Warrior Run’s toughness on a fourth-and-1 play near midfield, breaking free of three Lancers behind the line before dragging a few more the rest of the way on an 11-yard run which set up the Berry touchdown.
“The line started to move some people and we had holes and they sustained blocks and were helping runners out which is what we want to see, blocking to the whistle,” Warrior Run coach Chris Long said. “We were able to spread out the carries so having those threats was good to see tonight.”
Loyalsock, however, recovered a fumble on the third-quarter’s opening kickoff and Mayer scored his third touchdown three plays later. Holler then put on his defensive clinic and two more quick touchdowns clinched the win. Holler was part of a strong offensive line, joining up with Dre Taylor, Jeff Hamilton, Dominic Cellini and Julian Wilson to help Loyalsock gain 348 yards on those first seven scoring drives before exiting late in the third quarter.
Cavanaugh topped 100 yards rushing for a second straight game, gaining 126 and also hitting Rian Glunk for a 46-yard touchdown which made it 40-12. Clayton Vogel added 68 yards on 10 carries and Nate Bauman capped Loyalsock’s scoring with a 2-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run. On its first six series, Loyalsock averaged 11.8 yards per play, scoring six touchdowns on 23 plays.
“The concern wasn’t offensively. The concern was going back to back which just doesn’t happen in football,” Van Fleet said. “Warrior Run played great. Both sides are coming out with a lot of positivity and things that we can continue to grow on.”
Warrior Run kept battling and Xander Beaver returned a kickoff 79 yards in the fourth quarter, setting up Ryan Newton’s 1-yard touchdown. Smedley made eight tackles, continuing his strong junior season and Warrior Run reached a season-high in points.
The Defenders have faced a tough schedule thus far with four opponents being a combined 16-3. They are seeing their hard work start to pay off, however, and take some momentum into Friday’s game against Mifflinburg.
“I told them after the game we went down fighting,” Long said. “Even in the third quarter when they scored on us we kept fighting which what I asked of them tonight.”
Loyalsock 52, Warrior Run 18
Loyalsock 22 6 18 6–52
Warrior Run 0 12 0 6–18
First Quarter
L-Chase Cavanaugh 3 run (Chase Cavanaugh pass to Rian Glunk), 10:27
L-Korie Mayer 5 run (run failed), 3:32
L-Cavanaugh 26 run (Cavanaugh pass to Logan Bastian), 0:00
Second Quarter
W-Hunter Rovenolt 13 run (kick blocked), 6:10
L-Mayer 8 run (pass failed), 5:14
W-Nasir Berry 28 pass from Nathan Michael (pass failed), 0:00
Third Quarter
L-Mayer 3 run (run failed), 11:13
L-Glunk 46 pass from Cavanaugh (pass failed), 8:20
L-Cavanaugh 1 run (pass failed), 1:07
Fourth Quarter
L-Nate Bauman 2 run (run failed), 9:38
W-Ryan Newton 1 run (pass failed), 7:16
TEAM STATISTICS
L W
First Downs 20 7
Rushes-yards 36-318 42-112
Passing yards 91 42
Total yards 409 154
Comp-Att-Int 5-6-0 3-9-0
Fumbles-lost 3-1 3-1
Penalties-yards 5-45 8-40
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Loyalsock, Chase Cavanaugh 10-126, 3 TDs; Clayton Vogel 10-68; Korie Mayer 9-68, 3 TDs; Nate Bauman 3-39, TD; Gage Patterson 1-11; JerVal Weeks-Shuler 1-8; Malachi Coleman 1-5; Team 1-(-7). Warrior Run, Justin Blair 14-39; Hunter Rovenolt 4-38, TD; Logan Smedley 6-17; Xander Beaver 3-6; Roman Pierce 3-6; Nathan Michael 9-6, Ethan Litchard 1-4; Ryan Newton 2-(-4), TD.
PASSING: Loyalsock, Cavanaugh 4-5-0, 82 yards, TD; Bauman 1-1-0, 9 yards. Warrior Run, Michael 1-4-0, 28 yards; Newton 2-5-0, 14 yards.
RECEIVING: Loyalsock, Rian Glunk 1-46, TD; Logan Bastian 1-15; Naz Smith 1-14; Jalen Andrews 1-9, Weeks-Shuler 1-7. Warrior Run, Thomas Royles 2-14; Nasir Berry 1-28, TD.
SACKS: Loyalsock, Aeden Holler, Mayer 1/2; Dre Taylor 1/2.
RECORDS: Loyalsock 3-1. Warrior Run 1-5.