Bobcats Fall To Tide In D-9 Football Playoffs (11/15/15)

The venue was the same… Memorial Stadium. The teams were the same… the Clarion Area Bobcats versus the Curwensville Golden Tide. The situation was the same… the Cats hosting the Tide in the opening round of the District Nine Class-A Football Playoffs. But the outcome was a reversal from last season’s 34-13, Bobcat win, as Curwensville came out on top 46-14, on Friday night (November 13th), to move on to the semifinals against Kane.

(Photo by Bri Nellis – Bri Nellis Photography) Colton Rapp carrying the ball

Though the Cats had an early exit from the playoffs, this season, with the injuries contended with, and the young, inexperienced players who were forced major rolls, along with other factors, making the post-season was an accomplishment in itself.

The Tide scored first. They recovered a Bobcat fumble, at the Clarion thirty-five. Four plays later, Jakob Terry hit Eli Jacobs with a 26 yard touchdown strike, at 10:18 in the first quarter. The conversion attempt failed and Curwensville held a 6-0 lead. The Tide scored again, at 2:47 in the first, when Nick Stewart had a one yard scoring run, moving the lead to 12-0.

The Bobcats answered with a touchdown of their own, on the first play of the next possession, with Josh Kriebel  running 60 yards for a Clarion touchdown. Cam Craig’s extra point moved the score 12-7, with 2:29 left in the opening stanza.

With exactly two minutes left in the half, Terry hit Quamone Newkirk with a six yard touchdown pass, moving the Tide’s lead to 18-7.

But the Cats scored on their next possession, on a 15 yard halfback option, from Adrian Weber to Kriebel. And with Craig’s kick the Bobcats moved to within four, 18-14, with fifty seconds left in the half.

The second half was all Curwensville, as they scored 28 unanswered points. Hunter Johnson scored on a three yard run, with 8:33 left in the third. Stewart, who had 227 yards rushing, scored on a 23 yard run, at 11:56 of the fourth and had a reception from Terry for the conversion.

Terry hit Avery Francisco with an 8 yard touchdown pass at 6:46 and Kaleb Witherite had a 27 yard run for the Tide’s last touchdown. Jared Bakaysa kicked the PAT after both touchdowns.

Rapp led Clarion with 93 yards rushing on eleven carries. He also had fifteen tackles. Brendan Miller had 14 tackles and Colt Stimmell and Alexander Burkhart each had twelve.

Seniors who represented the Bobcats for the last time, on Friday, were: Michael Bartley, Caleb Bailey, Alexander Burkhart, Zack Huet, Brendan Miller, Luke Nellis, Tyler Smith, Will Staub and Adrian Weber. Congratulations on your Bobcat careers and All the Best in your future endeavors!!!!

(Thanks to Bri Nellis for the photo and to Matt Buchanan for spotting for me for this article and other games, throughout the season.)