Wildcats Football Season Ends In District Nine 2A Championship Game

The Central Clarion Wildcats’ 2025 season came to an end last Friday (November 7th), falling to the Karns City Gremlins 42-14 in the District Nine 2A Championship contest, at Brookville.

The Gremlins opened the scoring at 6:34 in the first quarter, as CJ Emrick recovered a Central Clarion fumble in the Karns City endzone. Brock Dittman kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Nathan Hess extended Karns City’s lead in the second quarter with a three-yard touchdown run and with Dittman’s point after, the score was 14-0 at the 7:36 mark.

Ethan Rex put Central Clarion on the board, with a five-yard touchdown through the middle of the line, at the 1:29. mark. Logan Bish was good on the PAT, closing the gap to 14-7. He finished with 103 yards rushing.

Karns City moved the score to 21-7 as quarterback Cole Johnston threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Galan, coupled with Dittman’s extra point with about half a minute on the clock, before halftime.

The Gremlins struck again, at 9:07 of the third. At the Wildcat nine, a ball carrier lost the handle on the ball, it was grabbed by Hunter Shearer and taken into the endzone. Dittman was good again moving the score to 28-7.

The Wildcats made the score 28-14, with their final points of the contest with 4:57 left in the quarter. Quarterback Carter Hindman hit Brody Beggs on a pass across the middle. Beggs broke a tackle, cut right and down the sideline for a thirty-eight yard score. Bish was good on the extra point.

Hindman finished with 107 yards passing (7-for-15) and Beggs finished with 58 receiving yards.

Karns City set the final, with two scores in the fourth.

Johnston took the ball in from thirty-four yards out at 7:56 and Shane Emrick ran a 15-yard interception in. Dittman was good on both extra points.

Wildcats Head Coach Davey Eggleton shared, “I’m incredibly proud of the way our guys battled all season. We made too many mistakes tonight, and the ball just didn’t bounce our way on several occasions.

“But I’m so grateful to this group of seniors and the lasting impression they’ve left on our program. I told them after the game that the adversity they faced and the perseverance they showed throughout the season will serve them well for the rest of their lives.”

(Congratulations on a fine season, Wildcats. Thanks to Explore Clarion for use of their broadcast and website for information included in this article. Stats are unofficial.)