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By Rich Rhoades
DuBOIS — The Clearfield Bisons are back
again.
After last week’s come-from-behind 29-23
win over the Johnstown Trojans in a PIAA play-in game, the
District 9 Class AAA champion Bisons (11-1) take on the District
4 champion in the first round of the state playoffs for the
second straight year.
Last year, the Bisons knocked off
Shikellamy, 42-26, to advance to the state quarterfinals. This
year, they’ll need to beat Shamokin Area (5-7) to get to the
next round. Unlike last year, this matchup will be played much
closer to home as the Bisons and Indians square off Friday night
at DuBois’ E.J. Mansell Stadium starting at 7 p.m.
Bisons head coach Tim Janocko captured his
District 9-record 205th win last week. He was tied
with Coudersport’s Paul Simcoe. If the Bisons beat Shamokin this
week, Janocko would improve his state playoff record to 7-8.
Clearfield found itself down 20-7 after one
quarter against Johnstown before rallying. It all came down to
the end when running back Beau Swales scored on a 1-yard run
with 22 seconds left in the game.
As he’s done all year, Swales was big when
it mattered most. He ran for 159 yards on 29 carries, turning in
his 10th 100-yard rushing effort of the season. He’s
up to 1,838 yards on 258 carries, averaging an impressive 7.1
yards per carry with 23 touchdowns.
Shamokin can’t totally overlook the rest of
the Bisons offense. Christian Lezzer has rushed for 666 yards
and 11 touchdowns and quarterback Curtis Frye has passed for 734
yards while rushing for 427 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Bisons weren’t the only one to pull out
a dramatic win to advance last week. The Indians needed a 1-yard
run by Josh Dunn with 36 seconds left in the game to beat Milton
for the District 4 title, 21-20.
Shamokin’s record could be a little
misleading. Two
teams that beat the Indians are still in the playoffs — longtime
Class A power Southern Columbia and Mount Carmel (in District 4
Class AA finals this week). The Indians lost to Milton, 26-21,
in Week 6 before getting revenge last week.
This week’s winner takes on the winner of
the Allentown Central Catholic (7-5) vs. Valley View (11-1) game
in the state quarterfinals next week at a site and time to be
announced.
Last year, the Bisons lost to Allentown
Central Catholic, 55-20.
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