Connor Hilling and Camryn Higgins led a 426-yard ground attack that carried Valley View to the District 2 Class 4A football championship with a 42-7 rout of visiting North Pocono Friday night.
Hilling ran for the game’s first three touchdowns, then added another to begin the second-half scoring on the way to picking up 163 yards on 14 carries. Higgins added 103 yards and a touchdown on 7 carries while Colin Skeen rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown on 3 carries.
The Cougars, ranked first among Big Schools in the Gaughan Auto Store Super Six Power Rankings of Lackawanna Football Conference and Wyoming Valley Conference teams, handled the No. 3 Trojans. They opened leads of 14-0 after one quarter, 29-0 at halftime and 42-0 after three quarters.
The game reached the Mercy Rule on Hilling’s 43-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Valley View forced a three-and-out to begin the game, then scored in six plays. Hilling had 19 yards on his first 3 carries, before breaking a 52-yard touchdown run down the left sideline.
Matt Cole, who went 4-for-4 on extra-point kicks, made it 7-0.
Taheed Jewell set up the next score on an interception. The end of his long touchdown return was negated by a penalty, but the Cougars still took over at the Trojans 20.
Three plays later, Hilling went in from the 11 for a 14-0 lead.
The scrambling of Will Soma, who rushed for 99 yards on 17 carries, helped North Pocono put together a threat on its next possession, but A.J. Kucharski’s fourth-down sack ended that.
The Cougars went 57 yards, using their only pass to pick up 34 yards to the 5 when Dominic Memo found tight end Zack Rudalavage. Hilling scored from the 2.
Jordan Rebar’s interception led to the next score.
Skeen ran 46 yards to set up his own 11-yard run, powering off the left side and dragging the pile the last few yards into the end zone as the wildcat quarterback. Sean Mackinder passed to Rudalavage for the two-pointer with 59 seconds left in the half.
Hilling and Higgins, who scored from the 5, added third-quarter touchdown runs.
Soma broke the shutout by scoring on a 6-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Valley View (12-1) did not punt in the game while gaining 460 yards.
The Cougars advance to play District 1 champion Bishop Shanahan from Downingtown in the western suburbs of Philadelphia. Valley View hosts the game Friday night at 7.
MORE FRIDAY FOOTBALL COVERAGE
Old Forge-Williams Valley: https://nepasportsnation.com/old-forge-sets-up-1-2-showdown/.
State College-Delaware Valley: https://nepasportsnation.com/state-college-stops-del-valley/.
Bulletin recap: https://nepasportsnation.com/bulletins-cavs-cougars-romp/.
Scranton Prep-Wyoming Area Photo Gallery: https://nepasportsnation.com/scranton-prep-wyoming-area-football-photo-gallery/.
Valley View-North Pocono Photo Gallery: https://nepasportsnation.com/north-pocono-valley-view-football-photo-gallery/.
Scoreboard: https://nepasportsnation.com/fridays-football-scoreboard-7/.
