Edward Kiesendahl wasn’t just having a good night, he absolutely refused to be denied, running for a monstrous 231 yards on 31 carries with three touchdowns to lead No. 7 Wallenpaupack to a 27-13 victory over No. 6 Valley View. That dominant performance, capped by a late fourth-quarter interception, clinched the No. 4 seed for the District 2 Class 4A playoffs for the Buckhorns, earning them their first home playoff game since 2018.
Kiesendahl Was Simply Unstoppable
When you need a senior leader to step up, Edward Kiesendahl answered the call and then some. Bouncing off tacklers and running with pure, relentless desire, his 231 yards and three scores were the engine driving Wallenpaupack’s offense. He set the tone early, scoring on an 18-yard run on the game’s opening drive, then followed it up with a breathtaking 67-yard sprint in the second quarter. But it wasn’t just offense, he secured the win with an interception late in the fourth, sealing Valley View’s fate. Kiesendahl’s passion for this team is clear: “This season is truly unbelievable. This team and this culture that we have built this year is great. We talked all year about how we had to build this team chemistry and build a tight unit. We have, and we have had guys step up in roles they probably didn’t know they would be in, so it’s special. To get that home playoff is truly great. One more at the lake, that is my home, and there is nothing like it.”
Defense Shut Down, Offense Finished Strong
Wallenpaupack’s punishing running attack and physical defense built them a commanding 17-0 lead by halftime. Freshman linebacker Billy Motz was a beast, leading a defensive charge that held Valley View to just one first down in the entire first half, which didn’t even come until 34.9 seconds were left in the half. “Our defense is always ready,” Motz said. “We are always ready to work. The defense played phenomenally.” Colby Bonagura also chipped in with a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Valley View, however, wasn’t going down without a fight in the second half. Brady Bachman scored their first touchdown on a 1-yard sneak, making it 17-7. Bonagura answered with a 43-yard field goal, pushing the lead to 20-7. The Cougars’ Cash Roe started making plays in the passing game, catching six of his nine receptions in the second half for 157 yards. He even had a 21-yard reception that was fumbled, but teammate Colin Witkowski scooped it up for a touchdown, pulling Valley View within 20-13. Quarterback Colin Dempsey completed 14 of 21 passes for 212 yards, trying to keep them in it. But when the Buckhorns needed it most, Motz intercepted a tipped pass to swing momentum back. Four plays and a facemask penalty later, Kiesendahl plunged in for a 1-yard score, making it 27-13 with just 2:32 left. Wallenpaupack finished with a staggering 272 rushing yards on 43 carries. As lineman Niko Bowers put it, “We always keep driving on our blocks to the whistle. That was probably the most physical game we have played all season.”
Wallenpaupack (6-4 overall, 4-3 Division I) will now host No. 5 Berwick (5-5) next week in the quarterfinals. For Valley View (5-5, 3-4), the loss marks their third straight, and they fall to the No. 6 seed, heading on the road to play No. 3 Honesdale (8-2) and former head coach George Howanitz in their quarterfinal matchup. For Wallenpaupack, this home playoff game is a massive moment for the program and the community. Let’s see if they can keep this special season rolling!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply