https://clarionsportszone.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Bri-ACV-2014-Brendan-1050x700.jpg

Bobcats Open 2014 Football Season With A Victory Over A-C Valley (09/01/14)

The Clarion Bobcats opened the 2014 football season with a 54-0 win over the A-C Valley Falcons, on Friday (August 29) night at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Cats looked solid on both sides of the ball, as they totaled 542 yards of offense while allowing the Falcons to cross midfield only twice in the game.

The Bobcats first score came at 8:27 in the first, with Destin Strauser rushing 18 yards through the middle of the A-C defense. The PAT failed and the Cats led 6-0.

(Bobcat action photos by Bri Nellis) Destin Strauser taking the handoff from Brendan Miller

(Bobcat action photos by Bri Nellis) Destin Strauser taking the handoff from Brendan Miller. The Bobcats first score came at 8:27 in the first, with Destin Strauser rushing 18 yards through the middle of the A-C defense. The PAT failed and the Cats led 6-0.

Clarion scored again later in the quarter. Facing a fourth and six, at the Falcon 20, quarterback, Brendan “Bo” Miller rolled left and followed some fine blocking down the sideline to pay dirt. Miller threw to Ian Corbett for the two-point conversion and the Cats led 14-0 at 3:52. Corbett had a nice 15 yard run in the drive.

Corbett scored on the Bobcats’ next possession, on a 1 yard run up the middle to raise the score to 20-0, with 52 seconds left in the stanza. The big play on the drive was a 59 yard pass play, as Miller connected with Thomas Plummer in the flat, several yards past the line of scrimmage. Plummer took off and ran down to the eight yard line. From there Corbett ran to the one, setting up the score.
The Bobcats shut A-C down on the next possession. Ethan Straffin had a big play during the stand, as he sacked the Falcon quarterback on a second down play as time ran out in the first.

Thomas Plummer racing down the field

Thomas Plummer racing down the field

Following an A-C punt, the Cats set up shop at the Falcon thirty. Miller hit Taylor Smith down the left sideline for a 25 yard gain, to the five yard line. Smith made a nice over the shoulder catch. Corbett finished the driver with a run up the middle. Then Strauser had a punishing run to the left side for the two-point conversion. The Bobcats led 28-0, with 10:44 left in the half.

 

Straffin came up big on defense again, recovering a Falcon fumble deep in A-C territory. And with the Cats facing a second and fifteen, at the Falcon thirty, Corbett, on a screen left, showed some great moves, taking the ball in for his second touchdown. Ty Burford kicked the PAT and Clarion led 35-0, at 8:07 of the second.

Following a 10 yard loss, on a sack by Jacob Troutman, the Falcons were forced to punt again. The Bobcats’ ensuing drive started at the A-C thirty-seven. Corbett followed a great line surge for a 12 yard run, then took a pitch to the left, for twenty yards to the five. After several plays, Miller hit Straffin who was wide open in the back right corner of the endzone, giving the Cats a 41-0 lead with 4:12 left in the half. Clarion took the lead into the locker room.

Ian Corbett running up the sideline

Ian Corbett running up the sideline

The Bobcats took the second half kickoff and set up at their own forty-two. With a second and one, Strauser ran the ball up the middle to the A-C forty-nine. From there, Corbett took a handoff down the right sideline, breaking several tackles, for a touchdown at 11:01 of the third, giving the Cats a 47-0 lead.

Freshman, Colton Rapp scored a touchdown with 23 seconds left in the third, showing some nice moves. Burford kicked the extra point and the Cats led 54-0. There was no scoring in the fourth.

Miller was 5 of 7 for 116 yards, with two touchdowns and another touchdown running, in his first start at quarterback. Three of his passes went for 25 yards or more. Corbett had 129 yards as he led a Bobcat ground attack that racked up 310 yards on the night. He scored four touchdowns.

Rapp had 76 yards on six carries, with the touchdown. Troutman had 57 yards on four carries and Strauser had 19 yards on two carries, with a touchdown.

Brendan "Bo" Miller unleashes a pass

Brendan “Bo” Miller unleashes a pass

Plummer, Smith, Corbett and Straffin each had a catch covering 59, 30, 25 and two yards respectively. Straffin’s went for the touchdown.

Strauser led the Cats’ defense with nine stops. Straffin had 7 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. Luke Nellis and Tyler Finefrock also had 7 tackles each. Finefrock was credited with half a sack. Troutman had six stops and 2.5 sacks. Rapp had 5 tackles. (For more complete stats go to MaxPreps.com.)

Coach Larry Wiser was very pleased with his team’s effort. He said, “Unlike some other first games we’ve played some years, having issues with some people making mental errors, we didn’t seem to have people making mental errors. And other than a few “dumb” penalties, I thought we were pretty penalty free the first half and so forth.

 

“Both sides of the ball, there is no question, the offensive and defensive line controlled the tempo of this game. We got great penetration on defense and didn’t give them a lot of time. I don’t know how many sacks we had, but we had pressure on (the A-C Valley quarterback) the whole time.

“Offensively, when we moved the ball like we did someone up there was doing something obviously. Overall I’m pleased. We had a great chance to get some of the young kids in there to play that second half. And they did a pretty good job coming out there. We made some mistakes. That’s going to happen. They don’t get all the reps that the first teamers do.”

New Clarion Lady Cats Basketball Coach, Ed Baumcratz (sporting Bobcats Football jacket) with son Noah attended home opener

New Clarion Lady Cats Basketball Coach, Ed Baumcratz (sporting Bobcats Football jacket) with son Noah attended home opener

Miller felt that his first start at quarterback went well. “I was nervous at first, but once it started it just felt natural.” On the two TD passes he said, “It was good getting them out of the way, right off the start.”

Miller likes the job the Bobcat Linemen, affectionately known as THE HOGS, are doing, saying, “They’re doing really well. They picked up different defenses, so that came out real well.”

And he’s happy about the job the backs do, “Ian can just take off, Plummer, Destin they can just take the ball and go. It takes a lot of pressure off of everyone.”

Lineman, Alexander Burkhart said, “I thought our line did exceptionally well, blocking all the people. Yes, we made minor mistakes, but I think they will definitely be fixed in the coming weeks, to get better as a team and as a line.”

On driving the opponent off the ball, Burkhart said, “Yea, five yards every play. On how he likes driving and pancaking. “I do. I do. It’s always fun getting those stats up. And putting guys on their back every play for the line, is always a fun thing.”

But there’s more football to play. Burkhart said, “(We’re) always preparing for the next game. This one is gone. It’s time to get focused for the next one.”

Corbett, on his fine performance running the ball said,  “It felt good. At the beginning, I started to cramp up later in the game, but it felt pretty good. For the first game, it felt good.”

And about the guys up front, Corbett added, “The line did great. I was proud of them. A shout out to the line for blocking. Without them I couldn’t do anything.”

The Bobcats will return to action, on Friday (September 5th), as they host the Sheffield Wolverines at Veterans Memorial Stadium, where they will be going for the program’s 475th victory.

Bri Nellis at Bonfire Nighr

Bri Nellis at Bonfire Night

(Very Special thanks to Bri Nellis of Bri Nellis Photography, a major contributor to Clarion Sports Zone,  for the action photos!!!! Check out more of her fine work at www.brinellisphotography.com.)