It said time and time again that all good things must come to an end.
For the Clearfield Bison players, coaches, and fans the end perhaps
came too soon. The Bisons watched their storybook season slowly slip
away from them while Strong Vincent lined up to take a knee and come
away with a 34-14 victory. The Bisons held their own against the
number one ranked team in AAA by Pennsylvania Football news, forcing a
handful of \”three and outs\” along with recovering two fumbles on defense.
Strong Vincent, who had yet to be tested all season, took the opening
possession of the game and marched quickly downfield and scored the
first points of the game in under three minutes as Deonte Flemmings took a
sweep around the right end of the line for an 18-yard touchdown rush.
With the momentum of the game swinging the way of the Colonels to start the
game, Bison senior quarterback Jarrin Campman knew a big play must be
made. Campman rolled to his right and found senior receiver Brandon
Sass making a break for the corner of the end zone. Campman delivered a
perfect strike that split two Colonel defenders, and Sass made a Randy
Mossesque catch dragging his feet before going out of bounds for a 21-
yard touchdown. After a failed PAT try on a bad snap, the Bisons
trailed 7-6.
As a number one team is expected to do, the Colonels struck right back
with one more score in the quarter on a 17-yard Darrell Brooks touchdown
run. At the end of the first quarter Clearfield trailed 14-6.
After the teams traded punts and failed fourth down conversions, the
Bisons put another shocker on the Colonels. The Bisons opted to run the
famous “double bubble” which has provided Clearfield offenses throughout
the year with a much needed spark. Campman threw a backwards
lateral to Sass who found a streaking Trey Campman down the right
sideline for a 51-yard touchdown pass. After a 2 ponit conversion run by
Jarrin Campman the Bisons tied the game at 14 at the half.
This was the first time all season that Strong Vincent had not been
leading into the half and their second lowest first half score of the
season.
Many fans wondered how the Colonels would respond. Unfortunately they
responded with a bang. Strong Vincent came out in the second half and ran off 20
unanswered points on 3 touchdown runs by senior everything man Deonte
Flemmings.
The Bisons were unable to really get their offense going in the second
half, having only one more red zone possession, with that coming in the
games closing minutes. The red zone trip was setup by a 30 yard
completion on the last “Campman Connection” between Jarrin and Trey
Campman. The elder Campman tried to hit his younger brother one last
time on fourth down, but the ball was knocked away by a Strong Vincent
defender.
Heading into this game much doubt surrounded the Bison squad as most
prognosticators predicted the game to be an all out blowout. The Bisons
quieted the doubters showing they deserved to make it as far as they did by
playing the Colonels in their closest game of the season.
I would like to congratulate the 2008 Clearfield Bisons football team on
a spectacular season that provided numerous memorable moments including
the victory over state ranked Tyrone, defeating Brashear in the state
playoffs, Jarrin Campman becoming the district\’s first ever 1,000 and
1,000 player, Isiah Morgan claiming the district rushing title, numerous
players playing their heart out every snap of every game, and playing
the state\’s top team to the hilt. Thank you for a memorable season
Bisons, this is a season that will be remembered for a long time in
school history.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing – Strong Vincent: Darrell Brooks 18-124, Deonte Flemings 13-167,
Emari Tangle 11-119, DJ Barney 3- -10
Clearfield: Jarrin Campman 23-53, Isiah Morgan 12-37, Trey Campman 1- -1
Passing – Strong Vincent: DJ Barney 1-5, 26 yards.
Clearfield: Jarrin Campman 4-11 89 Receiving – Strong Vincent: Brandon Marlow 1-26.
Clearfield: Trey Campman 2-81, Brandon Sass 2-52, Josh Rippey 1- -3
