Seals stop Wildcats, 33-23
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP, PA – Two teams with solid seasons unfolding met at Malinak Stadium Friday night and the visiting Selinsgrove Seals played a virtually error-free ball game in downing host Central Mountain by a 33-23 score. The Selinsgrove win was the fifth in a row after a 0-2 start for the Seals, now 5-2; the Wildcats dropped to 5-2 with the loss.
Central Mountain led by a 10-6 score early in period two, but the visitors took the lead for good a short while later on a Brandon Hile 35-yard touchdown run. Central Mountain stayed close, moving to within two at 19-17 in period three after Brett Gerlach connected on a 66-yard pass and run with Tyler Weaver. But it was Hile’s 49-yard dash moments later that restored the lead to nine at 26-17 just a moment later. The two teams would trade fourth quarter touchdowns to put the final at 33-23.
Wildcat Coach Shanon Manning said his team has to learn to eliminate mistakes, “there is no margin for error” against a solid opponent like Selinsgrove. He cited three or four missed tackles at crucial times; the team also committed a season-high three turnovers. Manning applauded his team for not backing down and said his squad “has closed the gap” in multiple areas as the season has progressed, mentioning fewer penalties and improved special team play.
In addition to the Gerlach to Weaver touchdown bomb, the Wildcats got a field goal from Weaver, a Gerlach 1-yard touchdown run and a Ryan Pentz 2-yard score.
Gerlach finished 16-for-23 passing for 250 yards, one TD and three interceptions. Pentz paced the Wildcat ground game with 53 yards in 13 carries, Gerlach next with 38 yards on 11 carries.
Meanwhile Selinsgrove showed a mix of veteran and youthful talent. The senior Hile had the two long strikes for scores in limited carries. Seal sophomore Tucker Teats helped break things open for the visitors with a spectacular 69-yard touchdown run in period four, which opened up a 33-17 lead at the time. The Wildcats would close to 33-23 after the Pentz TD with 7:30 to go but would only see the ball one more time the rest of the game.
The Wildcats will be back in action at an improved Mifflinburg team (4-3) next Friday, Oct. 15. Mifflinburg, also the Wildcats, stunned Montoursville, 29-27, on Friday.
CM 3 7 7 6 = 23
S 6 10 10 7 = 33
