Already a third of the high school football season is in the books, and with the calendar showcasing a change from summer to fall signals that the season of football is fully in session.
For the Clearfield Bison, the fall season has a lot of meaning as their schedule has more difficulty and more challenges with each passing week. Week one the team got its first taste of action, the second week was a shut-out victory, and last week was a back-and-forth triumph. The fourth week of the season is yet another challenge in hopes of keeping an undefeated season intact as the Bison hit the road for a second time this year, this time making the trip to Huntingdon to face off with the winless Bearcats.
The last two seasons, the Bearcats have been unable to defeat the Bison, as last year they fell 35-7 at the Bison Sports Complex and the year prior were on the wrong end of a 12-0 shutout when Clearfield was on their way to a 13-win season.
Once again, on paper, it seems as though the Bisons have the big advantage.
Last week, Tim Janocko’s team had to earn every yard, every point, and make every tick of the clock count against the Central Dragons. After falling behind early, the Bison would pull out a late 34-33 victory, handing Central its first loss on the season. But the Bison are not looking at how they performed last week as a guide for how the next game is to go.
What can be said for sure is if last week is any indication, the big leader on this year’s team is Christian Lezzer. The junior quarterback had a breakout game against the Dragons, rushing for 114 yards, passing for another 165, and four total touchdowns, three on the ground and one passing. His big night helped keep the Bison in the game for all 48 minutes, keeping team morale up and the confidence high.
But the one hero that Janocko gave credit to on that night was Spencer Herrington, the sophomore kicker. The young man plays no other positions on the team except punter and kicker, and last week he was superb when it counted the most.
His two field goals were ultimately the deciding factor in the game, as his boot before halftime gave Clearfield the lead, and his final one in the fourth quarter became the game winner.
If Huntingdon keeps it close, Herrington could be the hero once again.
At the same time, Huntingdon needs to get some momentum on their side as they are not only winless on the season, but are coming off a 71-6 thrashing by the Tyrone Golden Eagles.
The Bearcats kept the first two games of their season competitive, barely falling to Mt. Union, and then losing to Bellefonte by a two-touchdown margin. The Bearcats now are again facing another uphill battle against the Bison, one that if they win will be a huge upset in the first month of the season.
Statistically, the players to watch are Rhett Stetchock on the ground, and then Josh Foster throwing the ball.
It is a game that seems to be lopsided when looking at the statistics, and looking at which team has the momentum. But, as has been seen in the NFL and college, anything is possible once the game kicks off.
Kickoff in Huntingdon is at 7 p.m. For directions to the football field, visit the link available at ClearfieldFootball.org.