Struggling ‘Cats Face a Major Challenge

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – The last thing the struggling Central Mountain football team needs this weekend is a matchup with one of the storied Pennsylvania small school programs over the last several decades.

But that is what the Heartland Conference schedule-makers have dealt the Wildcats (1-7), a first-ever trip to Catawissa this Friday night for small school strong-boy Southern Columbia, the same Tigers who own six PIAA titles, the same Tigers who are 32-2 over the last two-plus years, including 8-0 this year, their closest game by 17 points, last Friday’s 31-14 win over Lewisburg.

And the Tigers Friday night will do what they have done for years under coach Jim Roth; run the ball, run the ball, run the ball.

The win over Lewisburg was actually close for a while, Southern Columbia turning the ball over an uncharacteristic three times in the first half to produce a 7-7 halftime score; in fact the Green Dragons were in the contest into the final period but the Tigers put up the final 10 points to put the final at 31-14.

All Southern Columbia did was run the ball 43 times for 394 yards, an average of better than nine yards a carry. Senior fullback Matt Jeremiah led the way with 117 yards on 22 carries, followed by sophomore Hunter Thomas with 14 carries for 105 yards and junior Blake Marks with 59 yards on 9 rushes, Marks leaving the game with a third quarter knee injury, his status for this Friday’s game with Central Mountain in doubt.

Central Mountain meanwhile went to Blair County last Friday and ran into a buzz saw: The home-standing Tyrone Golden Eagle football team played like a team on the rebound from the previous week when its hopes for an undefeated season went down the drain in a first-of-the season loss to Clearfield.

The Golden Eagles (7-1) went out and put on a first half clinic against undermanned Central Mountain, scoring from all over the field in building a 55-0 lead and coasting to a 61-0 victory over the struggling Wildcats.

For Central Mountain it was a lackluster performance, the squad again depleted by the absence of a number of its younger skill players; they were simply no match for the resurgent Golden Eagles.

The Wildcats never got untracked and Tyrone launched 28 first period points, two of the scores coming on Silas Crawford punt returns of 73 and 67 yards. Tyrone added four more touchdowns in period two in taking a 55-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Eagle coach Jason Wilson played reserves the entire second half but Central Mountain was still unable to get its offense untracked, shutout for the first time this season.
Reserve wingback Devin Yandell led Central Mountain in rushing with 33 yards on 3 carries. Leading rusher Hunter Weaver was kept in check all night, held to 26 yards on 15 carries.

And it won’t get any easier for the Wildcats after this Friday’s trip to Southern Columbia. They finish up Halloween night, Oct. 31, the Wildcats hosting undefeated Jersey Shore, the Bulldogs winning a 16-10 showdown over Selinsgrove (6-2) last Friday.