Trending
Senior running back Bo Sheptock scored four touchdowns on Friday night, leading Danville to next week's District 4 Class AAAA championship with a 35-10 win over visiting Montoursville.
Sheptock, who had 195 total yards and four total touchdowns, scored the game-sealing touchdown with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, setting Danville up for a head-to-head against Lewisburg next Friday. Sheptock also broke the school's all-time rushing record with 127 rushing yards.
The Ironmen scored 35 unanswered points after falling behind 10-0 to Montoursville early in the game, their largest deficit of the season.
"We try to go through adversity, pay attention to the little things, and when things like that happen, we move on to the next play," Sheptock said.
Montoursville's early 10-point lead was set into motion by recovering a fumble from Sheptock in Danville territory. Their offense took advantage of the fumble as senior Gavin Hawley sent a 30-yard field goal through the uprights to take a 3-0 lead.
The Ironmen extended their lead on the very next drive as sophomore Braxtyn Girardi recovered a fumble, returning it for a 56-yard defensive touchdown. Hawley's extra point gave them a 10-0 lead.
On the next drive, Danville was set up by a 29-yard completion from Madden Patrick to Cole Duffy, who lost the fumble on the previous drive. A few plays later, Patrick found Sheptock in the endzone for a spectacular 26-yard touchdown -- an extra point by Garrett Hoffman made it 10-7.
"When we need something big, (Sheptock) just comes through with it," Danville head coach Carl Majer said. "He's willing to sacrifice his body, jump through the holes, and fly like Superman."
Midway through the second quarter, Sheptock came through again for the Warriors, giving them a 14-10 lead with a 24-yard rushing touchdown.
Montoursville senior Todd Crawford and Danville senior Cameron Kiersch traded interceptions late in the second quarter as both offenses stalled heading into halftime.
Two defensive stops early in the third quarter gave Danville the field position they needed. Junior linebacker Landon Kehoe batted a ball down with five minutes remaining in the third quarter and sniffed out a fake punt attempt on the following fourth down attempt, giving the Warriors the ball near midfield.
The Danville defense held Montoursville to 145 total yards of offense and just 18 passing yards.
"We have great confidence in (our defense) and I think that's what took over--we just wore them down," Majer said.
Sheptock then led Danville into scoring position with two consecutive first down rushes before Patrick connected with Kole Harvey to extend the lead, 21-10.
Two drives later, danville junior receiver Carter Raup made a diving, 43-yard catch in the beginning of the fourth quarter, moving the Warriors' offense past midfield. The next play, Madden found Sheptock in the endzone to extend the lead to 28-10.
Sheptock's game-sealing touchdown that came late a few drives later put the game away and allowed Danville to set its sights on Lewisburg, who defeated Mount Carmel on Friday night, 39-7.
"Lewisburg is a great team coming in ... We're just going to have to focus up this week at practice, do our things, and come ready on Friday," Sheptock said.
Danville 35, Montoursville 10
(District 4 Class AAA semifinals)
Montoursville 10 0 0 0 -- 10
Danville 0 14 7 14 -- 35
First quarter
M--Gavin Hawley 30 field goal, 4:16.
M--Hayden Harvey 46 fumble return (Hawley kick), 2:36.
Second quarter
D--Bo Sheptock 27 pass from Madden Patrick (Garrett Hoffman kick), 9:10.
D--Sheptock 24 run (Hoffman kick), 7:30.
Third quarter
D--Kole Harvey 13 pass from Patrick (Hoffman kick), 2:23.
D--Sheptock 32 pass from Patrick (Hoffman kick), 9:54.
D--Sheptock 6 run (Hoffman kick), 2:27.
TEAM STATISTICS
M D
First downs 7 16
Rushes-yds 29-163 28-151
Passing yards 36 229
Comp.-Att.-Int. 6-20-3 15-30-2
Total yards 199 380
Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-2
Penalties-yards 6-56 4-40
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- Montoursville: Christian Banks 19-76; Hayden Harvey 5-50; Alex Felver 3-27; Elijah Eck 1-6; Chase Jones 1-4. Danville: Sheptock 21-122, 2 TDs; Landon Kehoe 4-18; Cameron Kiersch 2-9; Patrick 1-2.
PASSING -- Montoursville: Eck 6-20-3, 36 yards. Danville: Patrick 15-30-2, 229 yards, 3 TDs.
RECEIVING -- Montoursville: Todd Crawford 2-14; Kane Moore 1-9; Michael Reeder 1-8; Banks 1-4; Harvey 1-1. Danville: Sheptock 4-73, 2 TDs; Carter Raup 3-54; Cole Duffy 2-34; Kehoe 2-25; Harvey 2-24, TD; Kiersch 2-19.