ON TAP TODAY: ATHENS GIRLS, BOYS HOST PLAYOFF DOUBLEHEADER, WILDCAT FOOTBALL ON THE ROAD (2020-10-31)

Valley Sports Report
THE VALLEY "” Athens teams are featured in a trio of District 4, Class AAA semi-final playoff games Saturday afternoon, including a rare home soccer doubleheader at Alumni Stadium.

The two-time defending District 4 champion Lady Wildcats host Mifflinburg at 1 p.m., while the Athens boys, who have won two District 4 titles in the last four years, host Jersey Shore at 4 p.m.


FOOTBALL
District 4 Playoffs
Class AAA Semifinals
3-Athens (5-1) at 2-Danville (6-1), 1 p.m.: The Wildcats steamrolled Montgomery, 35-7, last week, while the Ironmen received a forfeit from Mount Carmel, which canceled its season early this month due to a hazing incident.

It appears Athens can get ready to play some pass defense. Danville's senior QB Kayden Riley has completed 89 of his 142 pass attempts (62.7 percent) this season for 1,481 yards (247 yards per game) and 18 TDs, with five interceptions.

Riley's top target is Carson Persing has 38 grabs for 668 yards (17.6 yards per catch) and seven TDs. Senior Jagger Dressler has 22 receptions for 403 yards (18.3 yards per catch) and seven TDs, and senior Ian Persing has 18 catches for 245 yards (13.6 per catch) and four TDs.

Senior Ty Stauffer leads the Ironmen ground game, which averages 150.8 yards per game and 5.3 yards per carry, with 261 yards on 36 carries and four TDs, but he has not played since Week 3.

Riley has rushed for 236 yards and seven TDs on 46 carries, and sophomore Zach Gordon has 194 yards on 36 carries.

 The Ironmen outscore their opponents by an average of 38.1 to 15.8. Their lone loss was a respectable 42-28 defeat at the hands of state-ranked, top-seeded, and unbeaten Montoursville, which won its other five games by an average of 41.2 points.

For Athens, sophomore QB Mason Lister has completed 52 percent of his passes (70 of 135) for 786 yards and three TDs, while being picked off just once.

Lister's top receivers are junior Karter Rude (26 catches for 356 yards), junior Shayne Reid (20-159-1), and junior J.J. Babcock (11-106-2).

Reid leads the ground game with 607 yards and seven TDs on 101 carries. Sophomore Caleb Nichols has 176 yards and three TD, on 36 carries, and Listed has five rushing TDs.

BOYS SOCCER
District 4 Playoffs
Class AAA Semifinals
3-Jersey Shore (9-5-2) at 2-Athens (11-2), 4 p.m. @ Alumni Stadium: The Wildcats are coming off a 6-0 win over Sayre Saturday, while the Bulldogs are coming off a 3-1 win over Hughesville.

This is the fourth consecutive season the two teams have met in the Class AAA semifinals, and the fifth time in six years. Athens is 4-0 in the four previous meetings.

Last year, Athens edged Jersey Shore, 1-0, in overtime in the semifinals. In 2018, Athens breezed to an 8-0 win in the semifinals, and in 2017, Athens topped the Shore, 3-2 in the semis. The Wildcats also won, 5-1, in 2015 in the quarterfinals.

Sophomore Breck Miller leads the Bulldogs with eight goals, and junior Connor Cornelius has six goals and a team-high seven assists. Senior Ezra Miller has five assists.

Junior Nate Quinn leads the Wildcats in both goals (13) and assists (7), while junior Daniel Horton has eight goals, and senior Joey Toscano and sophomore Jared Ammerman have scored seven goals apiece. Seniors Tyler Chambers and Travis Reynard, and junior Jason Gao have dished out four assists apiece.

Athens' senior keeper Asher Ellis has allowed just nine goals in 13 games, and has seven shutouts.

Jersey Shore keeper Logan Bailey, a senior, has allowed 22 goals, and has five shutouts.