The Kern Valley Freshman Ponies opened the first round of the playoffs against the Bishop Broncos last Saturday and Kern Valley, once again, came out on top 19-12.

The Ponies entered the game with a 7-2 record and the contest was a rematch from earlier in the year when the Ponies handed Bishop a 28-0 loss.

Bishop received the opening kickoff and took it back to the Kern Valley 47 yard line. Bishop immediately set the tone of the game with their first possession rushing three straight times up the middle. The Ponies strength all year has been their rushing defense and they proved it once again as they held Bishop on four downs. The Ponies first possession started on their own 40-yard line and on the third play from scrimmage Keaton Kissack completed a pass to Jordan Jost for 25 yards putting the Ponies in scoring position.

The Ponies went right back to their ground game with Austin Hurley breaking two tackles on his way to a 16 yard touchdown run. The extra point was no good, but Kern Valley went ahead 6-0.

After a Kern Valley kickoff, Bishop went right back to the running game and on the second play from scrimmage the Kern Valley defense over committed, allowing the Bishop quarterback to break loose from a large pile for a 55 yard touchdown run. The extra point was no good to tie the score at 6-6.

Kern Valley stepped up their defense in the second quarter when Quaid Bohn and Colby Ritchison stopped the Bishop ball carrier on three consecutive plays for losses.

This allowed the Ponies good field possession with the ball on the Bishop 33-yard line.

On the Ponies first play from scrimmage Kissack picked up his own fumble and ran it in from 33 yards out to increase the lead to 12-6 to end the half.

The Ponies received the kickoff to start the second half and a stingy Bishop defense held the Ponies on downs, giving Bishop the ball on their own 38.

The Ponies defense stepped up as Hurley made a crushing tackle on fourth down, causing the Bishop ball carrier to fumble and lose 10 yards.

This allowed the Ponies excellent field position on the Bishop 25-yard line.

After a one yard carry by Conrad Miller and a five yard carry by Hurley the Ponies were facing a 3rd-and-4 from the 19-yard line.

With time running out in the third quarter, Kissack took off on a quarterback keeper to score from 19 yards out, a pass from Kissack to Blake Lanterman completed the extra point as the Ponies took a 19-6 lead into the fourth quarter.

Kern Valley fumbled on their only possession in the fourth quarter, allowing Bishop to start on the 44-yard line and with time expiring Bishop completed a 15 yard pass to narrow the score to 19-6.

Offensively the Ponies were led by Kissack’s two touchdowns and 10 caries for 66 yards, Hurley’s one touchdown and seven carries for 38 yard and Conrad Millers six carriers for 15 yards.

Jordan Jost caught one pass for 25 yards and Lanterman one pass for 3 yards.

The leading tacklers were Hurley (8), Lanterman and Ritchison (6), Mullen and Mental (3), Bohn, Kissack, Jost, Darrell Riley, Cameron Stamps and Charles Gholson (2).

The Kern Valley Ponies travel to Mammoth to take on the Cal City Eagles on Saturday. The game starts at 8 a.m.