Fast Start by Shik Shuts Down Wildcats
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP — A 21 point deficit proved to be too much for the Central Mountain football team to overcome in their Homecoming contest Friday night.
The Wildcats spotted visiting Shikellamy 21 first half points and while the home team battled back, the hurdle was too high, the final score 34-22 in favor of the Braves.
Central Mountain struggled early on both sides of the ball and didn’t pick up their first first down until well into the second period. And by that time Shik had piled up a 21-0 lead, using speedy running back Gabe Tilford (two touchdowns) and veteran quarterback Christian Schlegel (one score) and a dominating offensive line to do so.
The Wildcats would battle back, starting with an Austyn Carson to Justin Neff 52 yard touchdown pass late in the second period, followed by Carson’s extra point to make the deficit 21-7 at halftime. Shikellamy all but iced the game early in the third period when Shawn Thurber returned a punt 75 yards to put the score at 28-7. The District 4 team would use another big play, a Schlegel to Turber 65 yard scoring pass to go up 34-7 early in the final quarter.
Carson would lead the Wildcats for two final period drives, one of 69 yards, the other 81 yards: , one on a 5-yard run from Hunter Weaver, the other an 86 yard Carson to J.J. Harris touchdown pass. Weaver would run in the two-point conversion to put the final score at 34-22.
Neff returned to action after missing last week’s Lewisburg game with a shoulder injury. But his offensive snaps were limited, utilized mostly as a wide receiver and on defense. The sophomore Carson meanwhile had quite the coming out in his third start at quarterback, completing 14 of 22 passes for 267 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Wildcats would put up 327 yards of offense. Hunter Weaver was the top ground-gainer with 68 yards on 13 carries. Weaver and Mahlik Houtz led the defense with eight tackles each, followed by Tyler Zablocki, Cordell Muthler and Harris with six each.
Friday was homecoming for Central Mountain and gridder Eli Bechdel was selected homecoming king and Sierra Martin the queen for 2015.
Central Mountain fell to 2-4 with a third straight loss. The Wildcats will try to end the skid at winless Mifflinburg (0-6) next Friday night. Shik is now 2-4 after its victory.
Other Friday night scores included Canton 60, Bucktail 35; Tyrone 42, BEA 7; Central Dauphin 35, State College 17; Clearfield 42, Bellefonte 7.
| Oct. 9, 2015 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | TOTAL |
| SHIKELLAMY | 21 | 7 | 6 | 34 | |
| CENTRAL MOUNTAIN | 0 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 22 |
