Wildcats vs. Wildcats Friday Night at Mifflinburg

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – The Central Mountain football team, after a 2-1 start, has fallen on hard times in recent weeks, now carrying a 2-4 mark and a three game losing streak southward this Friday night for a 7 p.m. matchup at winless (0-6) Mifflinburg.

Coach Mike Nines and his Wildcats are hoping a struggling Mifflinburg team will be the antidote to right the Wildcats’ fortunes. But there is no guarantee, as Central Mountain found out last Friday, losing 34-22 to a Shikellamy team that came to Malinak Stadium with a 1-4 mark and went home 2-4.

And while Mifflinburg is but 0-6, the Wildcats’ (yes, they are also Wildcats) closest game was a 27-14 loss to Shikellamy on Sept. 25. And a year ago, in the first ever Wildcats versus Wildcats matchup, the Mifflinburg team went home with a 42-20 victory, despite CM’s 458 yards of total offense.

Mifflinburg is coming off a 54-26 loss to undefeated Selinsgrove and the Seals led from the get-go, scoring on all six first half possessions to take a 41-0 halftime lead, allowing the victors to get everyone into the game in the second half. Mifflinburg was able to answer with 26 points, highlighted by a 90-yard kickoff return from Tristan Martin.

Afterwards Mifflinburg coach Jason Dressler told the media, “It’s been a brutal schedule for us. Right now, we have to focus on getting guys healthy and come back next week and go at the schedule. We have four weeks left to play and we can be competitive in these next four weeks.”

That next opportunity is Central Mountain, coming off its Homecoming loss to Shik last week; a 21 point deficit proved to be too much for the Wildcats to overcome, falling by the 34-22 final.

The Wildcat trip to Mifflinburg will be the last long one of any consequence, but a tough closing slate awaits CM: Friday, Oct. 23 home with 5-1 Tyrone; Friday, Oct. 30 home with 6-0 Southern Columbia; and Friday, Nov. 6, at 5-1 Jersey Shore.