Shenandoah Valley head coach Dave Bench won’t allow his team to get too ahead of itself. The Blue Devils are 2-0 – for the first time in a long time – on the young 2026 season after last night’s 52-13 victory over Pine Grove Area.
“We just tell the kids, it’s good to get the momentum and confidence with winning football games,” Bench says with a caveat. “I remind them of our seasons in the past. Every week is a new battle. We have to focus on week to week. Celebrate the weekend and on Monday, we’re back to zero wins again.”
This weekend, the Blue Devils will be able to celebrate a balanced team victory over the Cardinals. They spread the wealth on offense, with six players scoring touchdowns and no rusher or receiving eclipsing the 100-yard mark.
Junior quarterback Ethan Bench threw for 237 yards and 4 scores for Shenandoah Valley, which improved to 2-0 on the season. Much of that yardage came in the third quarter, when the Devils were able to pull away from the Cardinals.
Bench hit Gene Sinkus on a 68-yard pass shortly after halftime. And later in the third, he found Todd Seiger with a strike and a 63-yard score. Sinkus also found the end zone after a Bench pass later in the 21-point quarter.
David Burrous scored another touchdown through the air and Mike Elchisak, Joel Nunez, and Jonnuel Reyes all scored on the ground for the Blue Devils Friday night.
“We have a lot of weapons,” Bench says while giving credit to the offensive line. “Our line has been doing a fantastic job, giving Ethan plenty of time to throw the ball.”
After Shenandoah Valley took an early lead, the Cardinals held their own and had a chance to tie the game late in the first quarter but a 9-play drive in Devils territory was cut short by a turnover.
Pine Grove was able to get the ball back soon after that fumble when Blaze Dower made an incredible diving catch to pick off a Bench pass in Shenandoah’s red zone. But the Cards offense was unable to move out of Devils territory and gave their opponent a short field, on which they capitalized.
Shenandoah Valley punched in two scores over the course of six minutes in the second quarter to create some distance, taking a 24-0 lead into the break.
The Cardinals first score came after an 8-play, 80-yard drive in the third quarter. On the march down the field, Pine Grove leaned heavily on running back Logan Troup – who carried the ball 34 times for 186 yards on the night – and he took in a run from 8 yards out. Quarterback Cody Fedechko found Kolbey Buffington on a 48-yard pass to flip the field and set up that score.
Troup added another score early in the fourth quarter for Pine Grove.
MILITARY AND FIRST RESPONDER NIGHT: Prior to Friday’s game, Pine Grove Area honored members of the military and first responders in a special ceremony. They, along with several elected officials, carried a garrison flag to midfield for the playing of the National Anthem. A large American flag flew between two extended ladder trucks near an end zone at Cardinal Stadium.
Special recognition was given to the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as well as the 15th anniversary of devastating flooding to hit Pine Grove.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SV | 7 | 17 | 21 | 7 | 52 |
| PG | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 13 |
| Player | Car | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elchisak | 6 | 58 | 1 |
| Sinkus | 1 | 23 | |
| Nunez | 4 | 22 | 1 |
| Reyes | 3 | 12 | 1 |
| Solano | 3 | 6 | |
| Hernandez | 1 | 5 | |
| Mentusky | 1 | 2 | |
| Getz | 1 | 2 |
| Player | C-A-I | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench | 10-18-1 | 237 | 4 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seiger | 3 | 86 | 1 |
| Sinkus | 2 | 83 | 2 |
| Burrous | 2 | 41 | 1 |
| Nunez | 3 | 27 | |
| Elchisak | 1 | 15 |
| Player | FG | XP | Lg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mentusky | 1-1 | 5-5 | 29 |
| Player | Car | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Troup | 34 | 186 | 2 |
| Buffington | 3 | 12 | |
| Kurtz | 1 | 3 | |
| Dower | 1 | 1 |
| Player | C-A-I | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fedechko | 4-8-1 | 60 | 0 |
| Player | Rec | Yds |
|---|---|---|
| Schneck-Haines | 3 | 22 |
| Buffington | 1 | 48 |
| Player | XP |
|---|---|
| Herber | 1-1 |
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