Bobcat Varsity Football Team Wins Season Opener (09/08/15)

The Clarion Area Football Team had a delayed start to their 2015 season. On Friday night (September 4th) they traveled to Foxburg to face the Falcons of A-C Valley, only to have the game postponed after a storm knocked out the power.

(Photo by Bri Nellis) Brendan Miller running the ball

It was back to Foxburg again on Saturday, and this time the Bobcats and Falcons got the game in, with the Bobcats earning a hard fought 46-0 victory. If that sounds sarcastic, it isn’t. Yes there was a major point differential at the end of the game.

But final scores don’t always tell the whole story. The Bobcats faced  a Falcon team that was probably physically bigger than they were. And the kids from A-C Valley played a very physical game and Clarion’s kids had to answer back with their own usual brand of physical play.

Clarion drove well into Falcon territory on there first possession, only to be stopped on downs. This was the start of nine or ten consecutive possessions (both teams totaled) ending without a score. Hard rock ’em, sock ’em play by both teams.

Finally, the Falcons turned the ball over on downs, when their punter had to run the ball after a bad snap and was stopped short at their own fourteen, with only 6:02 left in the first half.

Then, on the next play, sophomore running back, Colton Rapp took a pitch down the left side for the first score of the game. Sophomore place kicker Cam Craig split the uprights on the PAT and the Cats led 7-0, with 5:56 to go.

The Falcons were pinned deep in their own territory, on their next possession. The quarterback faded into the end zone while attempting to pass and lost the ball. Bobcat lineman Zack Huet recovered for the Cats’ second touchdown. The PAT was good and Clarion led 14-0 with 4:40 left in the half.

A-C Valley’s next possession ended with a tackle for loss on fourth down. On the next play, Rapp bounced off of left tackle and ran in for a 25 yard touchdown. The Cats scored a two-point conversion, as holder Spencer Miller picked up a low snap, rolled right and found Ty Burford in the end zone, moving the score to 22-0, at 2:25. The score would hold through the rest of the half.

The second half opened with the Bobcats going for the onside kick, which was successfully recovered by Kyle Patterson at the Falcon 38 yard line. Three successive runs by Rapp moved the ball to the A-C three yard line. Fullback Luke Nellis found a nice seam in the middle of the line and went in untouched. The PAT was good and the Cats led 29-0, with 10:39 on the clock, in the third quarter.

Josh Kriebel scored on a 26 yard run down the sideline with 3.9 seconds left in the third. The PAT was good making the score 37-0.

Craig hit a 34 yard field goal, with 5:09 left in the game, moving Clarion’s lead to 40-0.

History was made with 3:08 left in the game, when sophomore Keeven Weaver closed out the scoring,  getting between the quarterback and receiver on a screen pass, leaping and making the interception and taking it in from 25 yards out, to set the final at 46-0. This marked the first time that a Bobcat, from North Clarion has scored a touchdown in a Varsity game. CONGRATULATIONS KEEVEN!!!!

Key Bobcat Stats: Colton Rapp – 13 carries for 120 yards, 2 touchdowns, 3 sacks for -30 yards; Luke Nellis – 4 carries for 16 yards, 1 touchdown, 10 tackles; Josh Kriebel – 3 catches for 32 yards, a 25 yard touchdown; Zack Huet – 14 tackles; Kyle Patterson – 10 tackles; Alex Burkhart – 10 tackles; Tom Wurster – 1.5 sacks for -22 yards.

The Bobcats will travel to Sheffield on Saturday (September 12th) to take on the Wolverines at 1:30PM.

(Great Job Cats!!!!)

CAT QUOTES

Coach Wiser: I’m going to give them some credit. They came out to play us today. They played hard the entire game. What I’m most proud of is that you don’t want these situations to occur, but they occurred tonight and my kids kept their composure, stayed in the game and then just made some big plays on special teams and defense. And then offensively, we got some rhythm and got into the game.

The downside is, tonight, some of the penalties that pull you back and forth. But one positive thing, I said to them, is we were 0-0 at the end of the first quarter. We never want to underestimate another team. They (A-C Valley) are going to be a solid team, the rest of the year.

We had some kids make some big plays. Our kicker (Cam Craig)… I can’t remember our last field goal. It’s been awhile. But he seems to be the real deal.

Coming back out in the second half Coach Weber recommended that little onside dump kick. We got the ball there and went right down and scored. I thought that was a key point in the second half, right there. And obviously, being the defensive coordinator, I’m pretty pleased with people getting to the football and the number of turnovers.

We made mistakes. Our tackling wasn’t perfect. There were some assignments that we may have missed, in every area, which is what you would expect for our first game. Overall, everything can be better next week. We can come out and improve the things we need to work on. That’s what we’ll do.

Overall, our running backs ran hard. Our team speed was pretty good. Not very often we run into a team that is bigger than us. They are big and physical.

I’m pleased how our kids responded. And everyone got in the game, so that’s always a good thing. Some younger kids had to step in there tonight. They just seemed to go in there and we were moving the ball. So we had to be doing something right.

Lineman Alexander Burkhart: I honestly feel the line came in underestimating this team. They (A-C Valley) came out and showed us what they were all about. But I feel like our linemen adjusted well and we fought back and were able to overcome the adversity that they were able to put on us. When we got the fire, we’ll do anything. We’ll move mountains, if need be.

When we’re all in it, we’ll move anything. We’re starting to have that chemistry, free forming. Now we’re just able to work at coming out as a team.

We have Colton Rapp, Keeven Weaver. Josh Kriebel is an amazing athlete; we have a well rounded team.

Keeven Weaver: (On scoring player from North Clarion to score a touchdown in a Bobcat Varsity game). It’s nice. It actually feels good. (On the players from both schools jelling as one team) They accept us as family pretty much. They don’t think we are outsiders. (About the touchdown) I knew that play was coming because they ran the bubble the other way. I just cut it and they threw the ball and I caught it.

Colton Rapp: I was happy (with his performance). We started a little slow. We were making some errors, but then we started firing on all cylinders. (On the offensive line) They were opening up holes well. That was key – having the line step up there in the second quarter and the second half. (On Weaver’s touchdown) That was a pretty sweet play. He’s an athlete. He plays pretty good. I saw him out there, getting between the pass. I kind of had a feeling, He was going to take it to the house. He plays hard in practice. He’s good to have on scout, because he gives us a really good look.

(On the North Clarion players) We really try to include them. It’s just like they go to school at Clarion. I don’t see them any differently at all. I love having more guys on the team. It’s great. We need everybody we can get. We’re a small school, so everybody helps.

(On younger players contributing) We’ve got a lot of young kids playing pretty well. Nick Cherico stepped up tonight, playing the line. Zack Bauer got in there. He was doing a good job on the offensive line. I was happy. I thought it went pretty well.

(Thanks to Matt Buchanan for his help with this article.)