By BOB MILLER
Daily Herald Sports Editor
— Bellwood-Antis avenged their loss to Laurel Valley in the 1993 district championship game, by posting a 28-7 win over the Rams, on November 5, 1994. In a semifinal win that put the Blue Devils back into the district final for the second straight year B-A overcame a quick 7-0 deficit, racking up 305 yards of total offense and forcing five Laurel Valley turnovers.
— Ryan Hostler scored a nine-yard TD to answer the early Laurel Valley score as each team scored on their first possession.
— That would be all the scoring for the Rams, thanks to the attacking Blue Devil defense, while the B-A offense put four unanswered scores on the board to advance to the district final against Homer Center.
— Chad Swogger gave Bellwood-Antis a lead they would never surrender in the second quarter powering his way in for a one-yard TD after a Jason Reed to fullback Jason Kirkpatrick 16-yard pass completion on a fourth-and-10 call kept the series alive. Reed ran out of time looking for a receiver on the two-point PAT try and ran the ball in himself for a 14-7 lead at halftime.
— The Blue Devils added a pair of second-half scores to ice the win. First, Swogger intercepted a Laurel Valley pass. Then the burley senior fullback grabbed a Reed pass and after a nifty cutback, scored on the 23-yard touchdown.
— Hostler capped the B-A scoring with his second TD of the contest, scooting 26 yards for the six-pointer and Dan Tubbs booted his second extra point.
— Bellwood-Antis set the school’s all-time record for scoring on November 5, 1948, by demolishing Williamsburg 75-0 for coach Duke Burkholder.
— The Blue Devils, who had just suffered a devastating 34-6 loss to Roaring Spring on costly interceptions the week before, turned six Williamsburg interceptions into touchdowns to simply bury the Blue Pirates.
— B-A began early with senior co-captain Roy Pickens tossing a 20-yard TD pass to Gene “Mouse” Moore. Len Hummel rushed for the PAT.
— A few minutes later Williamsburg fullback Emery Stewart, who had played for Bellwood-Antis, but moved out of the district fumbled and Ira Hummel recovered for the Blue Devils at the W-10. Pickens faked a pass, and then skirted left end for the touchdown and used the same play to score the PAT.
— A moment later, it was Pickens again, this time a beautiful 70-yard punt return for a score. Pickens kicked the extra point.
— With the B-A reserves in early, Mike Hoffer scooted 24 yards on a reverse from Paul “Bud” Wertz for a TD and Wertz kicked the PAT for a 28-0 lead at halftime.
— The Blue Devils stepped up the pace with three third-period scores and four more in the final quarter.
— Pickens scored his final TD of the day from seven yards away and senior co-captain Gerry Trees rushed for the PAT. Wayne Snyder intercepted a Williamsburg pass to set up a 20-yard Len Hummel score off a triple reverse one play later and Treese bulled for his second extra point. Melvin Sigle hit Hoffer for 26 yards and a TD, on a score that was set up by a Paul Utz interception. Sanford Nearhoof grabbed a pass for the PAT from Sigle.
— Three Paul Wertz picks set up scores in the fourth quarter. Wertz returned the first one 15 yards for a score. Two plays later, Bud’s second pick gave B-A the ball at the W-26. Sigle wasted no time in finding Hoffer for the team’s ninth TD and Wertz added the PAT.
— Gambling desperately, Williamsburg lost the ball on downs at their own-41. Sigle ran around end for a first down to the Pirates-27 and then found Utz all alone in the end zone for the TD pass.
— On the final play of the game. Wertz intercepted his third pick and sprinted 50 yards for the touchdown. Utz passed to Leo Campbell for the PAT to set the final.
— Bellwood-Antis edged Saxton-Liberty 14-11 in the mud on November 5, 1938 for their seventh straight victory.
— The new Blue Devils were in just their first year of existence and were coached by Harry “Sis” Dinges.
— The game was played on Saxton’s home field and was a sea of mud that held both teams to pretty much straight-forward football. Few passes were attempted and both teams were able to complete just two.
— Saxton drew first blood after holding B-A deep in their own territory forcing a punt that went only to the BA-32. The Blue devil defense held for two plays, but a 30-yard run on third down went for the first TD of the contest.
— Near the end of the opening quarter, Bellwood-Antis returned a punt to the SL-15 and took it to the eight-yard line on the final play of the quarter. After picking up a first down at the SL-5, Blue Devil fullback Ken Ehrisman bulled five yards for the tying score and rushed for the PAT to put Bellwood-Antis into a 7-6 lead.
— Ehrisman completed a pass to end and captain Francis that netted a first down, but B-A stalled and punted to the SL-10.
— Saxton-Liberty fumbled at that point, and Ehrisman, Johnnie-on-the-spot was there tom pick up the ball and step into the end zone for his second score. Ehrisman added the extra-point rush to give Bellwood-Antis a 14-7 halftime lead.
— Saxton-Liberty controlled the ball much of the third quarter, and pushed Bellwood-Antis back into their own end zone for a safety to trim the lead to 14-9.
— Continuing in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats brought the ball to the BA-1 twice and got within inches of the goal line on a third attempt. On all three occasions, the Blue Devil defense held. On the third try to the six-inch line, B-A held and then gave up an intentional safety to further slice the score to 14-11. The safety also allowed Bellwood-Antis to get some breathing rooom, kicking from the BA-20.
— Saxton got the ball back to the BA-10 on just two plays, but fumbled there and the Blue Devils recovered to end the threat and pick up the win.