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Clearfield routs Bald Eagle Area, 49-8
Saturday, October 20, 2012
By Travis Johnson For The Progress
WINGATE - Tim Janocko and his staff know they're witnessing something special.
For now, they'll sit back and watch, enjoy the show and give thanks that Christian Lezzer is only a junior.
Led by the do-it-all quarterback, Clearfield (8-0) scored on its first seven possessions to trounce Bald Eagle Area 49-8 on Friday.
Lezzer, who finished with 303 total yards, added a sack and another tackle for loss, threw for a score and ran for two more and helped set up Clearfield's first three scores with big plays down the field.
"He's a special player," Janocko said. "He had a great year last year as a sophomore and we've watched him come on and he just continues to get better every week."
Lezzer took off down the right sideline for a 41-yard gain on the first play of the game. The longest run of the night from any player set up a 13-yard touchdown run from Tyler Stratton on the next play.
After forcing the first of eight BEA punts, the Bison turned the ball back over to Lezzer and he threw deep for 75 yards to Trey Jordan three plays into what would turn out to be a quick drive to give Clearfield possession inside the BEA 5-yard line.
Stratton plowed in again for a short score.
Another BEA punt preceded a third straight Clearfield scoring drive. After getting flagged for holding at midfield, the Clearfield offense appeared to have stalled, but with a flick of his wrist, Lezzer uncorked another deep ball, this one to Dylan Graham for a gain of 36 yards.
A 19-yard run from Lezzer set up Stratton, who scored easily from two yards out to give Clearfield a 21-0 lead just nine minutes into the game.
Lezzer got on the board himself with a 1-yard run to begin the second quarter then hit Jordan down the seam for an 84-yard passing score to trigger the running-clock mercy rule with 9:46 to play in the first half.
The Eagles managed just two first downs and forced Clearfield into only two third down situations in the first half.
Dakota Bartley handled much of the load for BEA. Bartley managed to rip off two 22-yard runs in the first half but was held in check by an aggressive Clearfield defense for much of the night.
The Bison notched four sacks and four tackles for lost yardage.
"We played really good defense," Janocko said. "They had a couple of times where they made a run here and there, but pretty much we swarmed all night. I thought we went to the ball really well."
Lezzer scored on an 11-yard run in the second quarter before reserve running back Seth Ford capped Clearfield's scoring with 18 seconds to play in the first half.
Afterward, Janocko sent in his reserves to spell his starters.
Ford was efficient, pumping out 29 yards on just four carries while shifty sophomore Jesus Rosa showed glimpses of his potential playmaking ability with 20 yards on five carries.
"At this point of the season it's nice to be able to catch a little bit of rest in the second half there, too," Janocko said. "It's plusses all around because our younger kids want to get out there and show what they can do, too."
Moving the ball in small increments on offense and not able to stop Lezzer on defense, BEA was relegated to making plays on special teams.
Bryan Greene, who made three touchdown-saving tackles on big Clearfield gains, continuously cut around Clearfield's kickoff coverage unit. Greene muffed the initial kickoff, but was stellar afterward, setting up his team past the 35 six times.
Punter Tony Riley had to be on his game, and he responded well. Riley, constantly faced with pressure on punts, narrowly had four punts blocked but still managed a 32-yard average.
Riley's best punt came early in the second with the Eagles trailing 35-0. Riley booted a ball from his own territory all the way to the Clearfield 1-yard line where Greene downed the ball.
But the Eagles' defense couldn't capitalize and yielded a 34-yard gain to Stratton on the next play.
"When you're going against a team and you've got a guy like Lezzer there, he's just Mr. Everything and he does a great job," Bald Eagle Area coach Jack Tobias said. "It's tough because you've got to stop him and then you've got guys on the outside who can run. They're a great football team. They're (8-0) for a reason."
The Bison host Philipsburg-Osceola on Friday.
Clearfield 49, Bald Eagle Area 8
Score By Quarters
Clearfield 21 28 0 0-49
Bald Eagle Area 0 0 0 8-8 First Quarter
C-Stratton 13 run, (Herrington kick), 9:58.
C-Stratton 3 run, (Herrington kick), 6:15.
C-Stratton 2 run, (Herrington kick), 2:51.
Second Quarter
C-Lezzer 1 run, (Herrington kick), 11:55.
C-Jordan 84 pass from Lezzer, (Herrington kick), 9:46.
C-Lezzer 11 run, (Herrington kick), 4:25.
C-Ford 19 run, (Herrington kick), :18.
Fourth Quarter
BEA-Tice 2 run, (Tice pass from Jones), 4:35. TEAM STATISTICS
C BEA
Total First Downs 17 6
Rushes-Yards 42-265 34-102
Comp-Att-Int 3-6-0 1-8-0
Passing Yards 195 25
Total Plays-Yards 48-460 42-127
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 4-1
Punts-Avg 2-14.5 8-31.8
Penalties-Yards 5-45 3-30 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Clearfield-Lezzer 9-108, Stratton 10-92, Ford 4-29, Rosa 5-20, Sellers 4-11, Kovalick 2-4, Woomer 3-2, Williams 1-0, Beck 4-(-1).
Bald Eagle Area-Tice 11-60, Bartley 11-59, Jones 2-13, Weaver 2-7, Shreffler 2-2, Greene 2-0, Long 3-(-17), Team 1-(-22).
Passing
Clearfield-Lezzer 3-of-6, 195 yds., TD.
Bald Eagle Area-Jones 1-of-1, 25 yds.; Long 0-of-7.
Receiving
Clearfield-Jordan 2-159, Graham 1-36.
Bald Eagle Area-Shreffler 1-25.
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