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Bisons get past Bearcats in OT
Saturday, October 31, 2009
By Rich Murawski Assistant Sports Editor
HYDE - Despite a one-sided first half that saw Clearfield dominate time of possession and more than triple visiting Huntingdon in total yards, the Bisons only held a 6-0 lead on the scoreboard.
That nearly came back to haunt Clearfield Friday at the Bison Sports Complex, as the hosts needed overtime to turn back the Bearcats, 21-14.
Clearfield outgained Huntingdon, 126-35, in the first half and held a large edge in time of possession, marching the length of the field three times while taking 17:22 off the first-half game clock.
But one series ended with a missed 28-yard field goal and another came to a close on the Bearcat 29 after the Bisons couldn't convert a fourth-and-3.
Still Bison head coach Tim Janocko was pleased going into the half with a 6-0 advantage.
"I felt good," he said. "We were controlling the line of scrimmage and wearing them down. Then we came out and had a great drive in the third quarter."
Clearfield marched 64 yards in 12 plays and chewed up another 5:42 of game clock on the opening drive of the third quarter.
Derek Morgan plowed in for a 4-yard touchdown run to cap the drive, and Trey Campman ran in the 2-point conversion to stake the Bisons to a 14-0 lead.
At that point in the contest, Clearfield's lead in time of possession was 23:04 to 6:38.
"I thought we wore them down," Janocko said. "Our offensive line played very well. Curtis Frye had a huge game. Derek Morgan ran hard. Trey Campman ran hard. Our entire offensive unit played very well.
Clearfield piled up 217 yards on the ground on 52 carries with Frye leading the way. He gained 93 yards on 25 totes and completed 11 of 18 pass attempts for 118 more. Morgan added 89 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.
"Defensively, even though we held them (to 14 points in regulation), our tackling wasn't crisp," Huntingdon head coach Jim Zauzig said. "Did the field conditions have anything to do with that? Possibly. It was like playing in quicksand. They had kids turning four-yard runs into 10-yard gains. Credit Clearfield ... they were breaking tackles."
The Bearcats responded with their own third-quarter touchdown drive.
Nathan Mykut returned the ensuing kickoff 33 yards, and Huntingdon set up shop at its own 45-yard line. The Bearcats then moved 55 yards in seven plays, almost doubling their first-half offensive output in one drive. Mykut finished off the series with a 7-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Nathan Betts with 2:49 left in the quarter.
Clearfield looked to answer the Bearcat score, and went on another long drive. The Bisons moved from their 35-yard line to the Huntingdon 23 before stalling out and turning the ball over on downs.
The turning point in the drive was a holding call against the Bisons on a first-and-10 from the Huntingdon 22. Clearfield was moving the ball with relative ease before putting itself in the first-and-20 hole.
"I thought we pretty much outplayed them the whole game," Janocko said. "But we had a couple costly penalties that we had a hard time overcoming. We had penalties on each of our last two drives where a touchdown could have sealed the game."
After the teams traded punts, Huntingdon set up at its own 24-yard line with 3:27 left on the clock.
On Huntingdon's possession, Bison defensive lineman Dustin Kemp came up with a big sack on third down to force the kick.
"Dustin is the unsung hero of the line," Janocko said. "Andre (Buck) gets a lot of the credit - and it's deserved credit - but Dustin is a warrior. He's a fighter."
The Bearcats converted one fourth down on the series to keep the sticks moving and got a crucial 15-yard completion from Betts to tight end Sean Houck.
Then Huntingdon set up a middle screen, catching a ferocious Bison pass rush too deep in the backfield. Betts hooked up with Mykut, who scampered 47 yards for the score. Andrew Hallahan's extra point tied the game at 14-14 with 1:03 left to play.
"You have to catch the middle screen at the right time," Zauzig said. "Clearfield was fired up. Their defensive linemen were going to be coming after us. It was a matter of timing. And we want to try to get it to Mykut in the open field."
After Campman returned the kickoff 23 yards to the Bison 37-yard line, Clearfield went to work.
Morgan went for 13 yards on the first play before a Frye incompletion stopped the clock. Frye then hooked up with Scott McKenrick for a 23-yard pass reception, giving Clearfield a first down at the Bearcat 27.
McKenrick showed great concentration on the play, juggling the ball after a Huntingdon defender got his hand on it, As he fell to the ground, he corralled the ball.
"It was nice for Scott to get a catch on Senior Night," Janocko said. "And it was a big catch."
Frye caught the Bearcats in a prevent defense on the next play, shooting up the middle for 16 yards and another first down. After a 4-yard Frye run and an incomplete pass, Clearfield chose to line up for a 23-yard field goal attempt with 17 seconds left on the clock.
Unfortunately, Chad Zurat's kick was wide right, and the game went to overtime.
"The field conditions tonight were hard on the kickers," Janocko said.
It only took Clearfield two plays to find the end zone in overtime, as Morgan ran for four yards before Frye went six for the go-ahead touchdown. Zurat added the PAT to put the Bisons ahead, 21-14.
Then the Bison defense took center stage.
Huntingdon's Houston Riley was dropped for a 2-yard loss by a herd of Bisons on first down. On second down, Andrew Redden pressured Betts and hit him as he released the ball, sending it directly into the turf.
On third down, Derek Danver fired in from the left of Betts and buried the Bearcat quarterback for a 13-yard loss. After a 5-yard delay of game penalty pushed the ball all the way to the 30, Huntingdon's last gasp fell 18 yards short and the Bisons had their sixth win of the season.
"Danver's sack was just huge," Janocko said. "He has the knack for making big plays at crucial times.
"That's two pretty good teams we've beat in the last couple weeks. This win sealed a winning season for us. That's a huge accomplishment for these kids."
Seniors Buck, Campman, Daniel Coll, Jared Davis, Braden Dixon, Dustin Kemp, McKenrick, Ryan Renaud and Zurat were honored in pre-game festivities.
Clearfield (6-3) travels to St. Marys Friday in a game with major District 9 playoff implications.
NOTES: Clearfield ran 70 plays to Huntingdon's 37 ... The Bisons outgained Huntingdon, 335-184 and had 22 first downs to the Bearcats' 7 ... Huntingdon did not record a first down until Mykut caught a 31-yard pass with 45 seconds left before halftime. Until that play, the Bearcats had only four yards of offense ... Betts was 8-for-15 for 123 yards and two touchdowns ... Mykut caught three passes for 95 yards ... Campman had four receptions for 47 yards and intercepted a Betts pass ... Jack Mellgard added four catches for 35 yards. Clearfield 21
Huntingdon 14 (OT) Score By Quarters
Huntingdon 0 0 7 7 0-14
Clearfield 0 6 8 0 7-21 Second Quarter
C-Morgan 3 run, (kick failed), 8:43.
Third Quarter
C-Morgan 4 run, (Campman run), 6:18.
H-Mykut 7 pass from Betts, (Hallahan kick), 2:49.
Fourth Quarter
H-Mykut 47 pass from Betts, (Hallahan kick), 1:03.
Overtime
C-Frye 6 run, (Zurat kick). TEAM STATISTICS
H C
Total First Downs 7 22
Rushes-Yards 22-61 52-217
Comp-Att-Int 8-15-1 1 1-18-0
Passing Yards 123 118
Total Plays-Yards 37-184 70-335
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 0-0
Punts-Avg 4-39.5 1-33
Penalties-Yards 10-75 6-50 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Huntingdon-Riley 8-57, Minor 3-13, Yoder 1-3, Team 1-(-1),Betts 9-(-11).
Clearfield-Frye 25-93, Morgan 18-89, Campman 7-32, Mellgard 1-4, Team 1-(-1)..
Passing
Huntingdon-Betts 8-of-15, 123 yds., 2 TD, 1 Int.
Clearfield-Frye 11-of-18, 118 yds.
Receiving
Huntingdon-Mykut 3-95, Marter 2-15, Houck 1-15, Bennett 1-3, Minor 1-(-5).
Clearfield-Campman 4-47, Mellgard 4-35, McKenrick 1-23, Redden 2-13.
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