STRATTANVILLE, Pa. (EYT/D9) — For all the accolades the Central Clarion offense has gotten this season — and rightfully so with the massive point totals week in and week out — the Wildcats’ defense has been equally impressive with another game of holding their opponent under 100 total yards while not allowing any points in a 59-0 victory over St. Marys on Friday night on Senior Night at the Clarion-Limestone football field.
(Pictured above, Central Clarion’s Thomas Uckert, who made all eight extra points and also boomed a 42-yard field goal, was name the Hager Paving Incorporated Player of the Game/photo by Kirkland Photography)
“We were able to pretty much do what we wanted tonight,” said Central Clarion head coach Dave Eggleton. “We had a couple of drops, but part of that could have been the conditions we were playing in, but both teams were dealing with it. I was really happy with the way we controlled the line of scrimmage. We just dominated up front.”
Defensively the Wildcats (9-0) allowed just 51 yards on the ground with 38 coming on one play against the junior varsity players in the second half. They allowed 44 yards passing for a total of 95 yards while only allowing four first downs, one of which came on a fake punt in the first quarter.
“We’ve been throwing the ball a lot this season, but we know our line is capable of blocking for both the pass and the run,” said Eggleton.
Central Clarion football coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.
Jase Ferguson continues to put up some gaudy numbers as he rushed six times for 126 yards with three touchdowns. He also completed 9-of-15 passes for 189 yards with four touchdowns, which allowed him to have a hand in seven of the eight touchdowns the Wildcats scored.
Noah Harrison scored the first touchdown of the game from 30 yards out on the Wildcats’ second play from scrimmage following the opening kickoff. Thomas Uckert would make the first of eight PAT kicks for a 7-0 lead just 51 seconds into the game at 11:09.
St Marys would punt after three plays that went for minus 11 yards.
Two plays after the punt, Ferguson would score his first rushing touchdown from 37 yards out for a 14-0 lead.
The Dutchmen (4-5) would gain their initial first down on a pass from Cameron Coudriet to Lucas Bauer for 14 yards on the first play of their next drive. However, Brady Quinn would intercept a Coudriet pass on the very next play.
Central Clarion would embark on an eight-play scoring drive which would turn out to be their longest drive in terms of plays for the night. Ferguson capped off the drive on an 11-yard run for a 21-0 lead.
Hayden Hindman would recover a Dutchmen fumble on the next drive at the St Marys’ 10-yard line.
Ferguson would connect with Dawson Smail from 10-yards out on the first play to give Central Clarion a 28-0 lead.
St. Marys would gain their second first down late in the quarter on a fake punt when Brendan Paul completed a 28-yard pass to Tristan Dilley. However, the drive would stall, and St Marys would turn the ball over to the Wildcats at the Central Clarion 26-yard line.
Ferguson completed a pair of 27-yard passes, one to Smail and the second to Mason Burford for a touchdown, to bump the lead to 35-0 with 10:49 to play in the second quarter.
After another punt, the Wildcats would take over at their own 44. Four plays later Brady Quinn would score on a 7-yard shovel pass giving Central Clarion a 42-0 lead.
Ferguson would add a 59-yard run near the end of the second quarter for a 49-0 halftime lead.
After another St Marys punt that put the ball at the Dutchmen 37, the Wildcats would have their only blemish offensively of the night. A pair of dropped passes to the end zone on third and fourth down turned the ball over.
St. Marys would turn the ball back over on downs on their next series.
Three plays later, Ferguson would connect with Burford from 44-yards out for a 56-0 lead and would signal the end of the evening for Ferguson at quarterback.
“Jase is just a phenomenal football player and athlete and I’m glad he’s on my team,” said Eggleton. “The plan all week was to have our starters go at least three quarters. Sometimes it’s tough when the score is the way it is, but we need these guys to get ready to play a full game because they haven’t had to do so in quite a few weeks.”
T
he final score of the evening was probably the most exciting play as Thomas Uckert booted a 42-yard field goal with 6:58 left in the contest to close out the scoring.
“I called a timeout because the play clock was running down and I didn’t want him to rush the kick,” said Eggleton. “He actually got a practice swing as the timeout was being called which came up a bit short. I gave him the option because we know he has the leg. He booms them all the time in practice from 40-plus yards. I left it up to him and he wanted to do it and he just hammered it. I think it would have been good from 52 yards. A lot of guys at the next level probably would have had trouble making that kick in these conditions.”
Noah Naser rushed three times for 50 yards on his Senior Night game. Harrison rushed three times for 33 yards.
Quinn caught four passes for 44 yards with a score while Burford caught two passes for 71 yards with both going for touchdowns. Smail caught two passes for 37 yards with a score.
Matthew Davis rushed 21 times for 62 yards for St Marys.
Unbeaten Central Clarion will travel to unbeaten Redbank Valley next week in a game that’s been building for several weeks.
“Everyone has been waiting for that game next week,” said Eggleton. It’s probably the biggest football game that doesn’t really mean a whole lot. They are just a phenomenal team from what I’ve seen of them. They have tons of speed and athleticism. They are playing great football right now. It is going to be quite the challenge.”
PORT ALLEGANY 50, KEYSTONE 13
Peyton Stiles rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns and Aiden Bliss added 181 yards on the ground and two more scores as the Gators jumped out big and cruised to a home win over the Panthers.
Stiles had five touchdowns total in the game. He also caught two touchdown passes from Nick Wilfong.
Port Allegany (7-2) led 31-7 at the half.
Wilfong got things going with a 4-yard run. Bliss then rumbled 52 yards for a TD, followed by a 54- and 33-yard runs by Stiles.
It was 31-0 before Keystone dented the scoreboard on an 15-yard touchdown reception by freshman Eli Nellis from another freshman, Dom Corcetti.
Corcetti then hit Drew Keth for a touchdown pass for Keystone (3-6) to make it 31-13.
Port then scored three more touchdowns in the third quarter to cap the scoring.
Stiles found the end zone on an 8-yard run and 14-yard pass and Bliss bulled in from 12 yards out.
Corcetti was 17-of-34 for 179 yards. Drew Slaugenhaupt caught seven passes for 82 yards and Keth hauled in three catches of 69 yards,
Rayce Weaver led Keystone on the ground with 26 yards.
BROOKVILLE 14, PUNXSUTAWNEY 7
After a scoreless first half, Charlie Krug found Hayden Freeman for a 64-yard touchdown pass and Jack Pete returned a fumble 68 yards to give the Raiders a 14-0 lead in the third quarter on the way to this rivalry win.
It’s the seventh straight win for Brookville (7-2) after an 0-2 start.
Punxsutawney cut the lead in half late in the fourth quarter on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Maddox Hetrick to Noah Weaver, but time ran out on the Chucks.
Krug finished 6-of-13 passing for 141 yards. Freeman had two receptions for 64 yards and Jack Pete caught two passes for 29 yards.
Tony Ceriani led the Raiders on the ground with 48 yards on 17 carries.
Maddox Hetrick was 8-of-21 passing for 132 yards. Weaver caught three passes for 72 yards and Landon Martz rushed for 141 yards on 22 carries to lead the Chucks.
Central Clarion football coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.
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