WRIGHT TWP. — Just over four minutes stood between Crestwood and a district championship and there was no secret what was about to happen Friday night.
Everyone on the Crestwood sideline knew. Everyone on the Valley View sideline knew. And any fans paying attention in the 28-degree temperature knew as well.
The Comets were going to put the ball in the hands of 2,ooo-yard running back Noah Schultz.
Schultz delivered, running eight times for two first downs as Crestwood ate up the final 4:07 to defeat Valley View 12-7 for the District 2 Class 4A championship.
Crestwood (12-1) advances to the PIAA quarterfinals against the winner of the game between District 1 champ Interboro (10-2) and District 12 champion Bonner-Prendie (10-1). Those teams play at 1 p.m. Saturday at Ridley High School.
Valley View ended its season at 10-3 in a season that started and ended with losses to the Comets.
Schultz finished with 183 yards and touchdown runs of 6 and 43 yards on 31 carries. Valley View clawed and tugged at the ball on nearly every one of Schultz’s carries during the game-clinching drive in a failed attempt to create a turnover.
“They were doing some messed up stuff in there,” Schultz said, “but you just have to keep going. We did what we did and got it done. This is the best feeling ever.”
Schultz’s 2-yard run gave Crestwood a first down with 1:17 left. Quarterback Jaden Shedlock took a couple kneeldowns to run out the clock and send the Comets to their second D2-4A title in three years.
“Who else would you give it to?” Crestwood coach Ryan Arcangeli said of Schultz. “Number 6, what a full-circle moment for him. I’m so proud for him and you can see it in his eyes, you can see it in his face.
“That whole drive, he wanted it more than anyone else, and that’s why we were able to put it away.”
The defense played a huge role as well.
Valley View had just 57 yards of offense in the first half, but opened the second half with a 13-play drive that placed the ball at the Crestwood 11-yard line after a pass interference penalty. Quarterback Adam Howanitz got the ball to the 5 with two runs.
Crestwood, though, stuffed running back Connor Hilling for a 1-yard loss on third down, setting up a fourth-and-5 from the 6.
Howanitz wanted to throw a quick pass, but with everyone covered he tried to work to his left where Crestwood cornerback Robert Knight came up and stopped him for a 1-yard gain.
“Howanitz was rolling out and we had everything covered,” Knight said. “I saw him starting to scramble, so I just came up and made a play.”
Crestwood couldn’t get out of the hole afterward and punted, giving the Cougars the ball at the Crestwood 37. The Comets got the ball back two plays later when Knight recovered a fumble.
Crestwood then went to Schultz, who scored on a 43-yard run — breaking a tackle 25 yards from the end zone — with 10:26 left in the fourth quarter. The two-point run failed, giving Crestwood a 12-0 lead.
Valley View answered the score, using a 37-yard kick return by Camryn Higgins to set up a 20-yard TD run by Hilling to cut the deficit to 12-7 with 9:12 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Cougars got the ball back four plays later when Taheed Jewell emerged from a dogpile with a fumble. They drove to the Crestwood 26-yard line, but things stalled there.
After an incompletion, Hilling tried to circle back after finding the left side gummed up and was tackled for a 5-yard loss. Two incompletions — the second coming after heavy pressure on Howanitz — were the last two plays of the game for the Valley View offense.
“Our defense is outstanding,” Knight said. “We make plays on every single down. That’s why we won. Defense wins games.”
Linebacker Lincoln Bibla also recovered a fumble and safety Nick Miscavage recorded his eighth interception of the season.
Crestwood took a 6-0 lead when Schultz scored on a 6-yard run on the fourth play of the second quarter. His numbers at the break were below his standards — 15 carries for 55 yards.
PIAA Class 4A Championship
Crestwood 12, Valley View 7
Valley View`0`0`0`7 — 7
Crestwood`0`6`0`6 — 12
Second quarter
CRE — Noah Schultz 6 run (kick failed), 10:28.
Fourth quarter
CRE — Schultz 43 run (run failed), 10:26
VV — Connor Hilling 20 run (Jacob Nielsen kick), 9:12
Team statistics`VV`CRE
First downs`12`14
Rushes-yards`37-123`50-242
Passing yards`60`24
Total yards`183`266
Passing`6-14-1`2-2-0
Sacked-yards lost`1-6`0-0
Punts-avg.`2-36`4-33.8
Fumbles-lost`2-2`2-1
Penalties-yards`4-21`8-62
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Valley View, Hilling 20-74, Adam Howanitz 11-27, Preston Reed 6-22. Crestwood, Schultz 31-183, Jaden Shedlock 10-48, Robert Knight 1-(minus-1), Brendan Dennis 5-28, team 3-(minus-16).
PASSING — Valley View, Howanitz 5-13-1-43, Dominic Memo 1-1-0-17. Crestwood, Shedlock 2-2-0-24.
RECEIVING — Valley View, Taheed Jewell 2-10, Reed 1-4, AJ Kucharski 1-17, Kyle Rupp 1-20, Peyton Pazzalia 1-9. Crestwood, Logan Rolles 1-19, Schultz 1-5.
INTERCEPTIONS — Crestwood, Nick Miscavage 1-0.
MISSED FGs — none.
