Big Fourth Quarter Leads Brookville to Win Over Central Clarion

STRATTANVILLE, Pa. – For three quarters Brookville and Central Clarion played on even terms until the Raiders scored 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to come away with a 49-30 victory over the Wildcats spoiling Clarion-Limestone’s homecoming game at the C-L High School football field.

(Brookville’s Jack Krug. Photo by Kyle Yates Photography.)

Statistically for the game the two teams were fairly even in every category. Brookville held a 163-120 advantage in rushing yards, and a 243-223 advantage in passing yards. Each team only punted once in the game.

“These guys as players and we as coaches have been here a while,” said Brookville head coach Scott Park. “We have a lot of seniors which is a plus and with that, we have a lot of senior leadership. It feels good to get one on Clarion.”

The focus coming into the game figured to be which quarterback would perform best would probably decide the game. Brookville’s Jack Krug finished the game 19-of-32 for 243 with four touchdowns and one interception. While Central Clarion’s Cal German completed 15-of-34 pass for 223 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. Krug got injured during the game these two teams played last season which Clarion ended up coming out on top.

“We can’t say we would have won last year,” said Park. “I would have liked to have him in there, but injuries happen, and you have to deal with it. We didn’t get the job done but tonight we did.”

Braiden Davis caught two touchdown passes while rushing for another. He finished with 107 yards on 15 carries with a touchdown while catching five passes for 39 yards with two scores.

Brayden Kunselman was Krug’s top target catching five passes for 74 yards with a score.

Cutter Boggess finished with six catches for 117 yards with two scores to lead Central Clarion.

“With the way the schedule works out this year we’ll get another shot at them,” said Central Clarion head coach Larry Wiser. “Sometimes it’s tough to recover from a loss like this. We’ll see whether our team grows from this or if it goes the other way. Are we going to commit ourselves to get better or are we going to point fingers.”

After a touchback on the opening kickoff, Brookville took over at their own 20. Eight plays later, Robert Keth scored from two yards out. Keth also ran in the two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead at the 8:35 mark. Krug completed three passes for 32 yards on the drive.
Clarion would answer five plays later when German connected with Boggess on a 35-yard touchdown pass. The two-point try failed and Brookville led 8-6 with 6:49 to play in the quarter.

Krug completed 3-of-4 passes on the Raiders’ next possession which ended in a 10-yard pass from Krug to Davis for a touchdown. Keth again ran in the two-point try giving the Raiders a 16-6 lead with 5:39 left in the quarter.

The Wildcats would run the remainder of the quarter with a 12-play drive moving from their own 40 to the Raiders 11-yard line by the end of the first quarter.  On the first play of the second quarter German connected with Breckin Rex on an 11-yard touchdown pass. Rex ran in the two-point conversion to cut the lead to 16-14 with 11:53 remaining in the first half.

Brookville answered with Davis capping an eight-play drive with a seven-yard scoring run. The two-point try failed giving Brookville a 22-14 lead with 9:32 to play.

A defensive holding penalty wiped out an interception on fourth down which kept the drive alive for Brookville.

A Cal German to Christian Simko connection from 16 yards out finished off a six-play 67-yard drive. Once again, the two-point try failed leaving the Raiders ahead 22-20 with 7:22 to play.

Brookville gained one first down on their next possession but were forced to punt for what turned out to be the only time of the evening.

Central Clarion took over at their own 31. The Wildcats would move the ball to the Raiders 10 where kicker Beau Verdill connected on a 27-yard field goal to give Central Clarion a 23-22 halftime lead.

Ethan Burford intercepted a pass and returned it to near midfield with four seconds to play in the half. German’s Hail Mary pass fell incomplete with the Wildcats holding a 23-22 halftime lead.

Brookville forced a three and out on Central Clarion’s opening possession of the second half.

After the punt, Brookville proceeded to march on a 12-play drive which ended on a Krug six-yard pass to Davis. Krug connected with Keth for the two-point conversion for a 30-23 lead.

German closed an eight-play drive with a three-yard scoring pass to Boggess. Verdill added the PAT kick to tie the score 30-all after three quarters.

A 10-play drive which chewed up the remainder of the third quarter and into the fourth ended on a nine yard pass from Krug to Kyle Macbeth giving Brookville what would turn out to be the lead for good at 36-30 with 11-50 to play in the game.

Krug then intercepted a German pass giving Brookville the ball at their own 40. Krug then connected with Brayden Kunselman from nine yards out to cap an eight-play drive for a 42-30 lead with 4:22 to play.

Being down two scores, Central Clarion was then forced to go for a first down from their own 16-yard line. The pass from German was dropped giving Brookville the ball at the Wildcats 16.

Three plays later Keth scored from five yards out. Macbeth kicked the PAT for the 49-30 lead.

“We moved the ball well for much of the night,” said Wiser. “I thought coming out at halftime we get the ball, and we could get momentum, but it didn’t happen. We just overall made too many mistakes at the wrong time. We had penalties called against us a couple times that gave them a first down on either third and long or fourth down. We’re young in positions and we’re going to get better. Our focus now is to try and get healthy and get ready for Moniteau.”