Caden Bennett's long kick return was halted in the red zone and the Tigers pulled off a defensive stand to pick up a 24-20 come-from-behind Section IV non-division victory.

Tioga found itself trailing, 20-17, with 5:50 remaining in the game. What ensued was an 11-play, 73-yard march that chewed all but 52.1 seconds off the clock. Tiger quarterback Brady Worthing, who carried the ball six times for 44 yards during the drive, burst into the end zone on a 9-yard keeper, then converted the PAT kick for a 24-20 lead.

The game-winning drive was typical of Tioga head coach Nick Aiello's power offense.

"The game wears on, you find a couple plays that work," he said. "You go to your go-to guys, you find a couple matchups that work and that's really all it was. We were churning it out.

"I think that does show too that we're in pretty good shape, better shape than we usually are at this point in the season. In the past, I always thought that was my fault for not getting these guys in shape. To churn out a fourth-quarter drive like that is big."

Tioga, which averted disaster during the drive when Emmett Wood recovered his own fumble, nearly witnessed a disastrous ending on the ensuing kickoff. Worthing booted the pigskin right to NV speedster Caden Bennett, who took the ball at the 20 and raced up the sideline, breaking a tackle attempt by Gavin Godfrey along the way. However, it would disrupt him just enough for Worthing to bring him to the ground at the Tioga 14.

"Basically, at the end of the game, Tioga made one more play than we did," said NV head coach Ted Hardenstine. "Boy, Caden came awfully close to making a special one there at the end."

Cardinals QB Mike Wandell's fourth-down pass to tight end Jake Armstrong in the back of the end zone would be broken up by none other than Worthing with 20.2 ticks remaining on the clock. NV would pick up just one yard during the final series as the Tioga defense tightened up.

"That was big," Aiello said. "I told Brady beforehand, whatever you do put it on the ground on the kickoff, so he kicks a line drive right to one of their best players and put us in position to have to make a stop like that. It just shows a little grit and a little perseverance on our part to have a short memory and just get the job done."

Despite the loss, Hardenstine witnessed some positive progression from his charges.

"It was a little bit different dynamic this week. I thought our kids grew a lot this week," he said. "Every year when we play Tioga, I've always felt that we make each other better going out of it. I'm glad we were able to play them and I think it's the same this week that we're going to be better for it this game."

At the onset of the game it appeared the clash would be a high-scoring affair as both teams scored on their opening possession.

The Cardinals chose to receive the kickoff and went 78 yards in just under five minutes with Radyn Ford scoring on a 9-yard run and Dawson Moncalari's PAT kick gave NV a 7-0 advantage.

A 29-yard Wandell-to-Armstrong pass down to the 25 helped set up the score.

The Tigers around and drove 65 yards in nine plays with Wood scoring on a 15-yard jaunt and Worthing splitting the uprights with the PAT to tie the game at 3:22. An 11-yard run  by Wood and a 12-yard keeper from Worthing highlighted the possession.

Back-to-back tosses by Wandell of 20 yards to Ford and 29 yards to Armstrong quickly moved the Cardinals into scoring position at the Tioga 8. Three plays later, Bennett scored from two yards out and NV went up, 14-7, with 30 seconds left in the period.

Newark Valley would hold Tioga in check and a bad snap during the punt attempt gave NV the ball at the Tioga 25. With a strong wind at his back, Wandell overthrew two receivers and the Tigers Dom Wood stopped Bennett for no gain on fourth down. 

Tioga would move the rock 75 yards in nine plays to tie the game at 14 on Emmett Wood's 1-yard plunge with 5:18 on the clock. He would carry the ball six times for 61 yards, including a 35-yard gallop on the first play of the possession. 

The Cardinals advanced the ball 53 yards to the Tioga 14 in seven plays, but shot themselves in the foot with a holding penalty. The Tigers took over at the 21, but a three-and-out forced a punt. NV took over near midfield, but only had enough time left in the half for one play, an incomplete pass.

Tioga took the second-half kick at its own 49 and Emmett Wood bolted 31 yards on the first play from scrimmage. A Tiger fumble would force a 21-yard field goal attempt which Worthing converted, giving the home team its first lead of the game, 17-14, at 8:20 of the quarter.

About 1/12 minutes later, Mason Booser made a diving interception at the NV 44, but Tioga was unable to capitalize. The Tigers advanced the ball down to the 18, but were flagged for holding and turned the ball over on downs.

The Cardinals capitalized on the opportunity, chewing up the final 3 1/2 minutes of the third quarter and half of the fourth before scoring on Bennett's 3-yard sweep in which his speed beast the Tioga defense to the corner of the end zone. NV opted to go for the two-point conversion and was unsuccessful, and was left with a 20-17 lead with 5:58 remaining in the game. 

The 24-20 score marked the fourth time in five years in which the outcome was decided by four points or less. The only time the final score was lopsided came in 2016 when the Cardinals won the Class C state title and the defending Class D state champion Tigers went 3-7.

"I think we're really fortunate, because we're not in the same class every year, so I always love when we get this game, because I do feel like it's a rival, in-county with it," Hardenstine said. "We've had so many memorable games and matchups. As it is every single year, we always say the same thing, hats off because coach Aiello and the staff, they always have the guys prepared and to play, and it makes our guys get better.

"Hopefully, we can continue to learn and grow and show up next week."

Tioga ended the skid against NV without deviation from its game plan. The Tigers chalked up 259 yards on the ground and just 11 passing. Emmett Wood was a workhorse, toting the pigskin 26 times for 191 yards and two TDs. Worthing ran the ball 11 times for 69 yards and a TD. Sloan Manuel added 13 yards on five carries and David MacWhinnie carried twice for 12 more. Worthing was 2-for-6 passing for 11 yards. Booser had one reception for 11 yards and Kyle Lunger made one catch for no gain.

"We mixed it up a lot at fullback, but Emmett had the night we needed him to have," Aiello said. "It was a physical game. I thought he took a lot of big shots, but when we needed him to get tough yards he did. I thought they held him in check pretty well, but he was able to get his yards that he needed."

NV mixed it up on offense, rushing for 152 yards and passing for 131. Bennett had 13 carries for 57 yards and two TDs, and two receptions for five yards. Ford ran the ball 10 times for 45 yards and a TD, and snagged two passes for 32 yards. Andrew Obregon added eight runs for 25 yards, Wandell had three for 14 and was 8-for-18 passing for 131 yards with one pick. Armstrong caught three passes for 79 yards.

Tioga visits Bainbridge-Guilford Friday and NV hosts Susquehanna Valley Saturday.

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IN PHOTO 1: Newark Valley's Brenton Rosenberg. ... PHOTOS BY TIM  TAYLOR