LEHIGHTON — Lansdale Catholic pulled away in the second half to defeat Williams Valley on Friday evening, winning 33-7 and advancing to the PIAA Class 2A semifinals.
“It’s not the result we wanted but I couldn’t be more proud of this group of seniors and it was a full team effort to come out as district champions,” Williams Valley coach Ben Ancheff said. “They have nothing to hang their heads about.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Vikings (12-2) trailed just 13-7 at halftime, but lost three turnovers in the second half as Lansdale Catholic (12-2) went on a 20-0 scoring en route to the victory.
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Williams Valley sophomore Koen Zilinski (75) celebrates a tackle as Williams Valley and Lansdale Catholic face off during the PIAA class 2A quarterfinals at Lehighton Area High School, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Williams Valley sophomore Fletcher Thompson (27) makes a catch as Williams Valley and Lansdale Catholic face off during the PIAA class 2A quarterfinals at Lehighton Area High School, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Williams Valley junior Colin Crisswell (2) tackles Lansdale Catholic senior Yeboa Cobbold Jr. (6) as Williams Valley and Lansdale Catholic face off during the PIAA class 2A quarterfinals at Lehighton Area High School, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Williams Valley senior Brady Shomper (7) finds a gap as Williams Valley and Lansdale Catholic face off during the PIAA class 2A quarterfinals at Lehighton Area High School, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Williams Valley sophomore Koen Zilinski (75) celebrates a tackle as Williams Valley and Lansdale Catholic face off during the PIAA class 2A quarterfinals at Lehighton Area High School, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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SEE FULL PHOTO GALLERY: Williams Valley’s football season ends with loss against Lansdale Catholic
It was the third time in three seasons that the Vikings failed to advance past the state quarterfinals.
“To have a top eight team in the state for the third year in a row was pretty special,” Ancheff said. “There’s only one team happy at the end of the season and that’s the state champion.”
Lansdale Catholic has a chance to be that team, as the Crusaders advanced to next weekend’s state semifinals to take on Southern Columbia.
Quarterback Yebboa Cobbold Jr. led Lansdale Catholic’s offense with two touchdown passes and 168 passing yards, along with 110 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Crusaders forced four turnovers in the game, including three interceptions and a fumble recovery, and made three fourth down stops.
Lansdale Catholic struck first when Cobbold threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Darren Jackson, capping off a 93-yard drive to take a 6-0 lead.
“Their best player is number 14 (Darren Jackson) and he was all over the field tonight and we didn’t have an answer for him,” Ancheff said. “He’s one of the best I’ve seen in a long time.”
Williams Valley got the ball back and ate up over four minutes of game clock, taking a 7-6 lead on a 4-yard touchdown run by Fletcher Thompson with nine minutes left in the first half.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCobbold came surging back for the Crusaders, and took off for a 51-yard touchdown to retake the lead.
“We were able to throw the ball down the field, and we were able to keep a good pace on offense, and we were able to run the ball, too,” Cobbold said. “Our line played really great, and it starts with them up front. If they keep playing well, then our offense just rolls.
The Vikings turned the ball over on downs on their next possession, but got the ball back when Achenbach intercepted a pass in the red zone.
Williams Valley couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity, and turned it back over when Lansdale Catholic’s Nick O’Brien intercepted a pass.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Crusaders drove down the field, but were unable to connect on a field goal, and the score remained 13-7 at halftime.
“They just came out and played a better second half than us,” Ancheff said. “We came up with a big stop and had an interception at the half and 13-7 is still a game.”
Lansdale Catholic extended the lead on its first drive of the second half as Cobbold found James Webb for a 6-yard touchdown pass to go up 19-7.
Williams Valley turned the ball over on downs near midfield, and the Crusaders came up with another interception, this one by Asher Thickening.
“Once we stopped blowing coverages, we kind of shut it down defensively and kind of got a handle on it,” Lansdale Catholic coach Dom D’Adonna said
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe interception set up a 2-yard touchdown run by O’Brien to make the score 26-7 lead with 10 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Vikings came close to pulling back within two scores, but Thickening secured his second interception at the Crusaders’ six-yard line.
“Our defense plays great every game,” Cobbold said. “Our defense is a really good group. We got a lot of great athletes on defense, and they just play together, and that’s all you can ask for.”
That turnover resulted in O’Brien’s second touchdown run, this one from 6 yards out to put the game out of reach with 2:50 left in the game.
Lansdale Catholic forced one more turn over on Williams Valley’s final possession when Brandon Maison recovered a fumble around midfield.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“We were up for the task in the first half and then it just wasn’t there in the second half,” Ancheff said. “There’s nothing for these guys to hang their heads about.”
Dylan Callaghan-Croley contributed to this story.
WV (12-2; 8-1);0;7;0;0;—7
LC (12-2; 5-1);6;7;13;7;—3
1st Quarter
LC — Cobbold to Jackson 11-yard TD pass (2:24)
2nd Quarter
WV — Thompson 4-yard TD run, Smeltz PAT (9:19)
LC — Cobbold 51-yard TD run, PAT (5:50)
3rd Quarter
LC — Cobbold to Webb 6-yard TD pass (9:11)
LC — O’Brien 2-yard TD run. PAT (0:10)
4th Quarter
LC — O’Brien 6-yard TD run, PAT (2:50)
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