(Oakland) SW Valley continues to find ways to win. The Timberwolves leaned once more on a big performance from their defense in a 15-12 win at Riverside in Week 7.
SW Valley was relieved to notch one in the win column against a foe that had outscored 102-0 over the last three years. “They’ve really just taken it to us. They seem to catch us when we aren’t playing our best football.” Says coach Anthony Donahoo. “Having this one tonight I told the guys in the huddle iron sharpens iron and right now you got tested by one of the better teams and you’re going to get tested again next week.”
Each team moved the ball well, but was unable to finish drives in a quick moving, scoreless opening quarter. SW Valley used a 17-play drive that spanned over 8:00 to score the game’s first point. Brendan Knapp’s first of two rushing scores came with 8:35 to go in the 2nd quarter and put SW Valley in front 8-0. They initially lined up for a PAT, but an offsides penalty moved the ball half the distance to the goal and they converted on a two-point try. The Timberwolves converted on a pair of 4th downs on the TD march.
Knapp was at it against less than five minutes later. His longest run of the night was a winding and weaving 36-yarder up the left sideline for a score. Evan Timmerman’s kick made it 15-0 in favor of the visitors with 3:47 left in the half. Knapp, as he typically does, carried the load with 29 carries for 110 yards.
Riverside’s passing game, which had been just 5/15 for 57 yards at the half, sparked to life after the break. The Bulldogs showed more urgency and scored on their first possession of the 3rd quarter. Austin Kremkoski hit on throws of 15, 15, and 11 yards before running one in from four yards out. The two-point try was stuffed and score stood at 15-6 with 6:56 to go in the 3rd.
Kremkoski drew the home squad closer late in the 3rd. His five yard pass to Grady Jeppesen made it a 15-2 game. The experienced Bulldog QB completed nine of his first 13 passes in the 2nd half and finished with 160 yards through the air.
Riverside had a pair of chances down the stretch, but SW Valley’s defense got the job done. Guys like Hunter Crill, Dillon Inman, and many others were applying good pressure on Kremkoski to deter any comeback hopes. Riverside had a sneak on 4th and one inside the five yard line in the final few minutes that got stuffed.
The Bulldogs got the ball again with about :30 to go and moved as close as the SW Valley 30 yard line, but the Timberwolve’s defense forced four straight incompletions late in the game and preserved a huge win.
A victory over Mount Ayr next Friday night would make SW Valley district champions. They are 6-1 overall. Riverside drops to 5-2 overall and will have a key game with Earlham next week to try and improve their playoff positioning.
SW Valley hasn’t given up more than two scores in a game since their Week 1 loss to Central Decatur. Coach Anthony Donahoo calls that early season setback perhaps the best thing that could have happened to them. “It probably was. Central Decatur took it to us and we were licking our wounds and went back to film and saw so many things that we could just do better. Our offensive and defensive line took that to heart and really took it personal. They’ve come out every single week and tried to re-establish that they want to be the focal point. We’re playing great football.”
Three of their last four district wins are by a combined seven points. Outside of tight decisions over AHSTW, Earlham, and Riverside they’ve pitched shutouts vs Sidney and St. Albert.
