Wildcats Fall to Shik 21-7
SUNBURY – It will go into the books as a fifth consecutive loss for the Central Mountain football team but the Wildcats took some steps forward in a 21-7 Friday night road loss to Shikellamy.
Central Mountain (1-5) stayed with the favored Braves (4-2) for much of the game but the visitors were ultimately done in by several big plays.
The ‘Cat defense particularly gave a good account of itself, holding Shik to 216 yards overall, including just 50 in the second half. Central Mountain had an overall statistical edge, 17-7 in first downs and 241 to 216 in total yardage, but a few mistakes proved the difference between victory and defeat.
The first occurred on Central Mountain’s second possession of the game, Braves defensive back Shawn Turber picking off a Bryce Bitner pass and taking it back 43 yards to the Wildcat two, Brett McCreary running in the score; with the extra point Shik led 7-0.
The second quarter saw the Braves’ Matt Splitt go 78 yards on a counter, putting the score at 13-0.
Central Mountain would respond with a 68-yard drive, culminated in Bitner’s 9-yard t-d pass to Tyler Zablocki, Clayton Butler’s extra point making it 13-7 at halftime.
Shik’s final score came midway through the third quarter after a high snap on a Wildcat punt attempt saw the home team gain possession on the Wildcats’ 10-yard line. Turber took the ball across the goal line on the next play and a 2-point conversion made it 21-7 for Shikellamy.
Justin Neff almost broke the ensuing kickoff, the Wildcat sophomore returning the kick to Shik’s 31 yard line but a fourth down pass at the 19 was no good and the scoring was over.
Hunter Weaver led CM in rushing with 75 yards on 25 carries while Bitner was 9-for-23 passing for 120 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Neff led the receivers with 62 yards on three catches.
It was improved play for the Wildcats, the defense producing season lows in points and yards given up. They will hope to build on that next Friday when another team of Wildcats with an exactly the same 1-5 record will come to Malinak Stadium. It will be a first-ever meeting with Mifflinburg, that team of Wildcats losing to Selinsgrove 42-7 this Friday. Miff’s only win came earlier this season, 32-7 over Danville.
| October 3, 2014 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| CENTRAL MOUNTAIN | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| SHIKELLAMY | 7 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 21 |
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