CLARION, Pa. (EYT/D9) – After surrendering the first touchdown of the game, the Central Clarion football team erupted for 57 unanswered points to roll past visiting Port Allegany, 57-6, to make current coach Dave Eggleton happy on a night when the school honored former coach Larry Wiser.
PHOTO ABOVE: Larry Wiser with his family. Photo by Dave Cyphert of ProPoint Media Photography.
(PHOTO ABOVE: Larry Wiser and his family are recognized on the newly christened Wiser Field. Photo by Dave Cyphert of ProPoint Media Photography.)
Before the game, the renovated field behind Clarion Area High School was christened as Wiser Field during a ceremony in honor of Wiser, who won 237 games during his long tenure with the Bobcats and lone season with the Wildcats after Clarion-Limestone joined the co-op to form Central Clarion.
Larry Wiser in the huddle with Central Clarion. Photo by Dave Cyphert of ProPoint Media Photography.)
Port Allegany wasted little time dashing the festivities, driving 80 yards for the game’s opening touchdown.
Nick Wilfong connected with Aiden Bliss on a 44-yard pass play on the first play from scrimmage. The two would later hook up on a 30-yard pass play before Bliss finished off the drive with a 2-yard run. A bad snap on the extra point forced Wilfong to try and throw for the 2-point conversion, but it fell incomplete, leaving the score 6-0 at the 10:25 mark.
“I think the pregame ceremony may have had a little to do with how we came out,” Eggleton said. “They had a couple (of) gadget plays there that we weren’t quite ready for. After that though we played pretty well.”
Central Clarion football coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.
Central Clarion (2-0) came right back, scoring on its opening possession to take the lead for good. Jase Ferguson connected with Mason Burford from 40 yards out. Thomas Uckert made the first of seven PAT kicks for a 7-6 lead with 7:10 to play in the opening quarter.
Ferguson completed 13-of-19 passes for 230 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions.
(Pictured above, Central Clarion quarterback Jase Ferguson tossed five touchdown passes in a rousing win over Port Allegany/photo by Kirkland Photography)
“We got the passing game going a bit tonight,” said Eggleton. “We ran the ball enough to keep them honest. We just felt we had some things outside that could go in our favor and for the most part it did.”
After a punt, the Wildcats took over at their own 34-yard line.
Six plays later Ferguson and Burford connected on a 15-yard pass play giving Central Clarion a 14-6 lead after one quarter.
Brady Quinn caught a 38-yard pass during the drive. Quinn finished with four catches for 107 yards. Mason Burford caught five passes for 78 yards.
After trading a turnover on downs by Port Allegany and a punt by Central Clarion in the second quarter, the Gators took over at their own 4-yard line.
Port Allegany drove to its own 42-yard line in 12 plays before Ferguson intercepted a Peyton Stiles pass and returned it 20 yards to the Central Clarion 49.
On the first play from scrimmage, Ferguson connected with Quinn on a 51-yard touchdown pass for a 21-6 lead.
Port Allegany put together a drive late in the second quarter, but after Stiles hauled in a 22-yard reception at the Wildcats one, it was ruled time had expired on the half before Port Allegany could call their last timeout to set up a final play.
Burford returned the opening kickoff of the second half 37 yards to the Central Clarion 47. Ferguson rushed 23 yards on the first play from scrimmage. Noah Naser added a 25-yard run. Two plays later Ferguson connected with Dawson Smail from four yards out for a 28-6 lead with 9:54 left in the third quarter.
Following a short eight-yard punt, the Wildcats took over at the Port Allegany 33.
Four plays later Ferguson connected with Kohen Kemmer from 19 yards out for a 35-6 lead with 4:20 to play in the third.
“I’m glad Jase is on my team with what he can do on the football field,” said Eggleton. “He works so hard over the summer, and he trusts those guys on the outside and they trust him. They know they have to be ready because the ball can be coming their way at any moment. I’m just glad other teams have to chase him around and not my players during games.”
Following the kickoff, Bliss gained six yards, but fumbled and Ferguson picked up the fumble and ran 20 yards for a touchdown giving Central Clarion a 42-6 lead after three quarters.
Ferguson scored on a four-yard run with 6:15 left for a 49-6 lead.
Ethan Rex completed the scoring on a 27-yard run followed by an Alex Love run for the two-point conversion to set the final score of 57-6.
Ferguson rushed seven times for 63 yards with a score. Naser added 49 yards on four carries.
Bliss rushed 15 times for 59 yards to lead the Gators while Stiles finished with 17 carries for 47 yards.
Nick Wilfong completed 8-of-16 passes for 124 yards, while Bliss completed his only pass for 11 yards. Stiles was intercepted on his only pass attempt of the contest.
Bliss caught five passes for 104 yards while Stiles caught three passes for 31 yards.
The Central Clarion defense held Port Allegany to just seven yards of offense in the second half.
The Wildcats did commit 11 penalties for 103 yards while Port Allegany committed four penalties for 38 yards.
“That’s definitely one thing we have to work on is cutting down on those penalties,” said Eggleton. “If we can do that we can be even more of a dangerous team.”
Central Clarion is scheduled to travel to Union/A-C Valley next Friday at Rimersburg.
Larry Wiser with his family. Photo by Dave Cyphert of ProPoint Media Photography.
Larry Wiser with State Representative Donna Oberlander. Photo by Dave Cyphert of ProPoint Media Photography.
Central Clarion football coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.
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