The Lumberjacks’ Casey Pingley rushed for 99 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns, but Valley couldn’t stop the big play and lost to Clarksburg Notre Dame 49-32 in football action Sept. 16 at Bridgeport High School. Notre Dame scored 28 fourth-period points to secure the win.

The Lumberjacks took their first posession into Irish territory before loosing the ball on a fumble. A few plays later, Notre Dame scored, but the PAT kick was blocked and the ‘Jacks were down 6-0 early in the first period of play.

On its first possession after ensuing the kick, Valley coughed up the ball once more. ND recovered the football and took it to the house for a 21-yard touchdown. The conversion kick was on the money and Notre Dame stunned the Lumberjacks with a quick 14-0 lead in the first period.

Later in the frame, Pingley put the Lumberjacks on the scoreboard with a 68-yard touchdown scamper. He also scored the game’s only points in the second period on a 16- yard touchdown run to narrow the gap to 14-12 going into the locker room. At the break, Valley held the Irish to negative yardage, but still trailed on the scoreboard.

Notre Dame scored first in the second half on a one-yard run and conversion to put them up 21-12. However, ‘Jacks quarterback Hunter Ring aired it out and connected with Clay Ueltschy twice for TDs in the third period to take the lead 26-21 after a two-point conversion run by Pingley.

In the final period, the Irish scored a trio of TDs before Pingley galloped into the end zone for the final Valley tally. Notre Dame scored a very late 50-yard touchdown run, while Pingley’s sizzling 70 yard run was called back on a penalty.

“We just can’t give up big plays and expect to win ball games,” said Valley Head Coach Tom West.

Valley had a few big plays themselves. They benefitted from a pair of interceptions by Drew Wade and Collin Bates, while Jon Smallwood laid the Irish quarterback to rest four times on sacks, including a sacking each by Spencer Mason, TC Long and Tristen Kocher.

Smallwood led the Lumberjacks with 12 tackles, while Ueltschy hauled down 10 Irish ball carriers.

Offensively, Pingley netted 99 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns, while Smallwood, Ring and Wade each added yardage on the ground. In the air, Ring was 7-14 for 182 yards. He hit Wade twice for a 100 yards, while Ueltschy grabbed five for 82 yards and a pair of touchdown catches.

The Lumberjacks will host Toronto, Ohio on Friday, Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. in their homecoming night, with festivities taking place before the game.