Keystone Uses Running Game For Successful Victory Against Columbia

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Keystone Senior QB Zach Shackelford ran for 125 yards and had three rushing touchdowns in Keystone’s 20-7 victory over Columbia.

Early on, the game would seem neck and neck from the jump as both teams would score in their first drives. For Keystone, it only took them four plays to march 73 yards. Shackelford ran for 27 yards on the first play from scrimmage. After the next two plays would net a negative yard, Shackelford showed off his arm, finding senior RB Grady Whitacre for a 55-yard touchdown pass to give the Wildcats an early 7-0 lead.

Columbia would then get the ball and run thirteen times straight. Of the thirteen runs, junior RB Jose Rivera would get the ball six times and run for 25 yards on the drive. Columbia’s senior quarterback Gage Maruna would be the ball carrier on four carries, including a one-yard touchdown run that would tie the game at 7-7.

In a game where both offenses scored early, they would only score on rare occasions, or in the case of the Columbia offense, not score again. Both team’s defenses would stop points from going on the board in the second and third quarters through various means. From turnover on downs to forcing punts, recovering fumbles, and intercepting passes, it was a back-and-forth battle as neither offense could score against a defense.

In the fourth quarter, after Keystone recovered a bad Columbia snap in Raider territory, Keystone would get the ball at the Columbia 35-yard line and get to work. Shackelford completed his only pass of the drive to Whitacre before a combination of runs from sophomore Wyatt McKee and senior Lucas Hurley would culminate in a four-yard touchdown run by Shackelford, making the score 14-7.

Columbia junior Jimmy Stofey would have a considerable return to put the Raiders with the ball at the Wildcats 30-yard line. After two runs by freshman Xavier Henton would get the Raiders six yards, the Raiders would then hand the ball to Stofey, who would run the ball 14 yards, only to fumble the ball. The Wildcats would recover the fumble at their 10-yard line.

The Wildcats went on a 90-yard drive, including a run of 20 yards from McKee and runs of 27 and 35 yards from Shackelford; the 35-yard run would be worth six points and would put the Wildcat lead to 20-7, which would be the final score.

With this win, Keystone improves to 3-1 on the season (their week three game was moved to October 22nd due to safety concerns at Clearview) and 1-0 in LC8 play. They will play host to Black River next week. As for Columbia, the loss puts them at 3-2 on the season, and 1-1 in LC8 play. They look to bounce back on the road next week at Oberlin.

Player of the game: Zach Shackelford, Keystone. The senior QB did great work through the air and on the ground. He finished 7 for 11 through the air with 105 yards and a touchdown pass. On the ground, he finished with 125 yards on 16 carries.