Williamsport spoils CM football homecoming, 48-16
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP, PA – Try as they might, the Central Mountain football team had no answer for Williamsport’s big-play offense, the Millionaires scoring early and often on the way to a 48-16 win in the Wildcats’ Friday night homecoming contest.
Williamsport couldn’t be stopped in the first period, piling up 28 points, all on long scores. The first score came on the visitors’ first play from scrimmage, senior Nasir Hennigan bolting 60 yards for the touchdown. Connor Poole kicked the extra point and Williamsport led 7-0.
Central Mountain wasted no time in answering as junior Rocco Serafini took Poole’s kickoff 89 yards up the visitors’ sideline; after Peyton Jones’ extra point the game was only 35 seconds old, and the score was tied at 7-each.
But the Millionaires were far from done in the opening 12 minutes. On their next possession quarterback George Whaley, on a fourth down and 6, hit Jakiha Kline for a 34-yard TD pass. Shortly thereafter Hennigan went 55 yards for his second touchdown in the opening period. On their next possession, Billtown’s Whaley, on another fourth down play, broke off a 39-yard touchdown run and with 54 seconds remaining in period one, the Wildcats were down 28-7.
That was it for scoring in the first half until the very end. Wildcat defensive back Brady Myers intercepted a pass which set up a Jones’ 26-yard field goal with 9 seconds to go. But Williamsport answered when Jamaire Harden launched an 89-yard kickoff return as the clock hit zero. Poole’s extra point made it 35-10 at the half.
Williamsport would add two third period touchdowns to send the game into the mercy rule: Harden with a 21-yard interception return and Hennigan with an 8-yard run; the score 48-10 after three.
The Wildcat reserves punched across a touchdown as time expired, sophomore quarterback Isaiah Maldonado taking it in from the one, capping off a 53-yard drive, much of its on carries from sophomore Jake Weaver and freshman Cornell Noone.
Serafini led the Wildcats in rushing with 64 yards on 12 carries. Hennigan had a career night for Billtown with 149 yards on 12 carries. The Wildcats were penalized 11 times for 90 yards.
Central Mountain drops to 0-6 with the loss, the Millionaires now 2-4. The Wildcats start a three-game road trip next Friday at Selinsgrove. The Seals are now 4-2 after a 19-0 road loss at Mifflinburg (5-1) on Friday night.
The homecoming game saw Ella Lamey selected queen and Nate Helms as king in a halftime ceremony. The Wildcat band performed with an alumni band prior to the contest.
W 28 7 13 0 = 48
CM 7 3 0 6 = 16
