Wildcats Host Undefeated ‘Shore in 2014 Finale
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – About 9:30 or so this Friday night the first chapter in coach Mike Nines’ Central Mountain football rebuilding effort will come to an end.
It’s been a difficult first year highlighted, in retrospect, by the first game, a scintillating 34-33 win at Williamsport. What followed were eight straight losses by margins as few as 14 (21-7 at Shikellamy) and as many as 61 (61-0 at Tyrone).
All in all it’s been a trying year in a rebuilding program and it certainly won’t be any easier in Friday’s concluding home game with 9-0 rival Jersey Shore.
But if there is one thing from which coach Nines and his squad can draw inspiration for the future, it is the massive turnaround by the visiting Bulldogs.
Yes, Jersey Shore had an even bleaker short-term past in football, from 2009 through 2012 compiling a 3-37 record.
2012 was the year Tom Gravish took over the ‘Shore program and the turnaround has been remarkable: 0-10 in 2012, 6-7 a year ago and this year’s perfect 9-0 slate, a berth in the District 4 Triple-A playoffs awaiting next month.
‘Shore continued its Cinderella season with a 33-0 shutout of Bald Eagle Area (2-7) last Friday and they did as they have much of the year, a stout defense, the running of junior tailback Levi Lorson and the quarterbacking of senior Logan English.
Lorson (5-8, 180) was again the workhorse, piling up 189 yards on 30 carries, giving him 1,319 yards rushing on the season. English (6-1, 193) had another good night throwing, going 8-of-14 for 182 yards and two touchdowns; he is 64-of-121 on the year, good for 958 yards and 12 touchdowns versus four interceptions.
Gravish and his veteran team have given the young Wildcats a roadmap for the future, this year’s Bulldog seniors 0-10 as sophomores, 9-0 so far this year, an impressive reversal in a short period of time.
The Wildcats meanwhile were no match for the powerful Southern Columbia Rams (9-0), the District 4 small-school power opening up a 42-0 halftime lead and coasting home.
Central Mountain did put up two late scores, one a 21-yard run by Hunter Weaver, the other a 5-yard pass from quarterback Bryce Bitner to wide-out J.J. Harris.
Weaver picked up 144 yards rushing, giving him 975 yards in his junior season, coach Nines stating a team goal for Friday will be to get Weaver to the 1,000 yard plateau.
