By Michael Bullock:
Pine Grove trio bounces off with record haul
While Pine Grove closed out its 10-game schedule last weekend with a 25-0 conquest of Columbia, the Cardinals dispatched a trio of seniors to the next level or elsewhere, their arms stuffed with an assortment of school records. We’ll start with wide receiver/defensive back Shea Morgan, who owns career (117), single-season (64) and single-game (10) marks for receptions. The explosive Morgan also set a single-season record for receiving yardage (1,019). QB/DB Josh Leininger claimed single-season records for passing yards (1,470), completions (93) and pass attempts (188), as well as single-game marks for completions (16) and passing yardage (264). And despite missing two games, Leininger’s passing yardage was part of Pine Grove’s single-season total (1,612). LB/RB Brody Robinson left his imprint on the Pine Grove history books by establishing a single-game mark with 26 tackles and a single-season record with 144 stops. Well done, guys. As for the season finale, Leininger rushed for 119 yards and one score, while Robinson added 67 ground yards and two touchdowns for Frank Gaffney’s club (4-6). Leininger (11-22-1) also passed for 146 yards, while Robinson’s 10 tackles paced the Cardinals. Morgan also made his presence felt, catching nine Leininger passes for 96 yards and rushing once for 10 yards. He also swiped a pair of Columbia pass attempts.
Williams Valley-Tri-Valley put on hold
Striking just days before they were scheduled to play the District 11 Class 1A championship game, a COVID-19 flare-up put the backyard scrap between Williams Valley (8-1) and Tri-Valley (5-1) on hold. As a result, these feisty rivals will try to play Nov. 27 at North Schuylkill High School. A noon kick is planned. While Williams Valley thrilled the U.S. 209 corridor by rallying for a 35-28 triumph in the regular-season meeting — the Vikings trailed 21-7 at the break — Tim Savage’s club downed Tri-Valley in last year’s 11-A final. Williams Valley is carrying a seven-game winning streak, a 27-22 win over Mahanoy Area stretching that run and propelling the Vikings into yet another 11-A championship. Tri-Valley has been the adversary in the last three 11-A title games, claiming District gold in 2018. Jeff Sampson’s Bulldogs fired up the Hegins-Valley View Metroplex by downing Nativity 28-14 in the 11-A semifinals at home.
