Bulldogs nudge past Knights in KSAC opener

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

RIMERSBURG - Want to get noticed in a football game?
No problem, just be the center of attention by reeling off a series of big plays and everybody involved will be saying your name in admiration.
Not all of the big plays could be credited to Redbank Valley's Caleb Smith as the Redbank Valley Bulldogs visited the Union Golden Knights on Friday but the senior wide receiver/cornerback seemed to be in the right place every time Redbank was searching for a game-changing effort.
And he spread it around both offensively and defensively as the Bulldogs got off to a slow start before rallying past the Union for a 20-14 victory as both teams opened play in the Small School Division of the Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference.
With Union putting together a drive after receiving the opening kickoff, Caleb Smith authored his first big play of the game, Intercepting a Taylor Smith pass deep in Bulldog territory to snuff out the threat.
Big play number two came near the end of the second-quarter as the Knights owned an 8-0 lead and were controlling the tempo although not totally taking advantage of their first-half superiority on the scoreboard. With just 61 yards of offense and about two minutes remaining in the half, Redbank looked dead in the water but Caleb Smith gave the Bulldogs some life by taking a pass 48 yards to the Union 12. Although not scoring on the play, Smith ushered in a two-touchdown salvo in a span of 45 seconds as Redbank turned an eight-point deficit into a 14-8 halftime lead.
With the contest tied at 14 in the fourth quarter, it was Caleb Smith time again and big play number three came with his second interception of the game to blunt another Knight march in Bulldog territory. Union was threatening to snap the tie after reaching the RV 15 but Smith made the pick at the Redbank 3 to squelch yet another Knight threat.
But it was seconds later that Caleb Smith came up with what turned out to be the pinnacle of his night's work. With the Bulldogs facing a third-and-7 at their six, Smith hauled in a pass from freshman quarterback Jake Dougherty and raced 94-yards for what eventually became the winning touchdown of the game. Big play number four was the second-longest TD pass in Redbank history, exceeded only by a 97-yard connection by R.J. Dick to Alan Clouse in 1995.
"He (Caleb Smith) played last year with a broken arm and a banged-up shoulder," Redbank head coach Frank Fabian said on his big-play performer. "He's probably one of the toughest kids in the league. He's a kid that has a short memory, nothing fazes him. He just moves on to the next play. That couldn't have happened to a better kid down there, to make that play (interception) and then turn around and beat (Brody) Pollock on a one-on-one (for the winning touchdown)."
But Caleb Smith wasn't the lone Bulldog hero in the victory as Keaton Delp pulled in a pair of touchdown passes and Dougherty made an impressive debut in his first varsity action. Tossing three TD passes, Dougherty hit on five of 12 aerials for 182 yards and also ran the ball 14 times for 66 yards.
Kyle Lee picked up 53 yards on 16 carries as Redbank finished with 125 rushing yards. Smith caught two passes for 142 yards, Delp collected 28 yards on his two touchdown receptions and Mark Strothers added 12 yards on one catch.
For more details, see the September 7, 2011 edition of The Leader-Vindicator.