Wildcats Wild 24-21 OT Win over Shamokin (Video Report)

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BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP — There were plenty of thrills and plenty of heroes in Central Mountain’s wild and wildly entertaining 24-21 overtime win over visiting Shamokin Friday night.

First off the Wildcats had to hold on through the first period. Playing without several starters for the first 12 minutes because of team policy issues, Central Mountain fell behind 14-0 midway through the opening period. But sophomore quarterback Austyn Carson, pressed into service as the varsity starter, got the Wildcats back into the game with a 56-yard scoring pass to wideout J.J. Harris, Carson kicking the extra point to put the score at 14-7 after one.

Both teams traded possessions through periods two and three and then it turned wild. The Wildcats used a 47-yard drive into the start of the fourth period, scoring on a Justin Neff to Hunter Baker 18-yard touchdown pass, Carson’s extra point tying things up at 14-14.

Central Mountain began to assert itself in the final period but coughed up a punt return fumble at the Shamokin 35 yard-line and the visiting Indians went on a 65 yard clock-killing drive, using a deflected pass to help set up a go-ahead four yard touchdown pass with 7.7 seconds remaining. The Indians converted the extra point to take a 21-14 lead and looked to send the Wildcats to a crushing last second loss.

The ensuing kickoff went to the Wildcats’ Harris; he caught the ball at about the 20 yard line and tossed a lateral to Neff who was near the home team sideline. Neff streaked up field, through a number of Shamokin tacklers near midfield before breaking free and scoring from 80 yards out after the clock had gone to zero, the score at that point 21-20 Shamokin. But the Wildcats were penalized for their post t-d celebration, forcing Carson to try a 35 yard extra point; it was wide but Shamokin was called for roughing the kicker, giving the Wildcat sophomore another chance 10 yards closer. He drilled this one for the tie, forcing overtime.

Shamokin got the ball first at the 10-yardline and was stopped when the Wildcats’ Cordell Muthler intercepted a pass.

The Wildcats got their chance at the 10 and after gaining a couple yards on two running plays called on Carson for a game-winning field goal try. He responded out of the hold of his cousin Bryce Bitner, the kick good from 22 yards for an improbable 24-21 win.

The defensive struggle saw Shamokin finish with 208 yards, the Wildcats 204. Neff paced the Wildcat ground attack with 65 yards on 16 carries, followed by Hunter Weaver with 61 yards on 19 carries and Bryce Mansfield with 7 carries for 13 yards.

Carson had one completion, the 56 yard touchdown pass to Harris while Neff completed two for 48 yards, including the scoring strike to Baker.

The loss ended a 10-game losing skid, the first Wildcat win since their season-opener in 2014 over Williamsport. It also was their first win over a Heartland Conference opponent since entering the league a year ago.

The ‘Cats will go for a second straight win at Central Columbia next Friday. The Blue Jays lost their second straight game Friday, falling to Loyalsock by a 35-7 score.

Other Friday night scores included Jersey Shore, 43, Shikellamy 28; North Penn 46, Bucktail 0; Williamsport 41, Mifflin County 15; and Meadville 107, DuBois 90.

Video Report