CURWENSVILLE – The Curwensville Area High School football team opened a new chapter in Golden Tide gridiron history as it entered the Inter-County Conference Friday night with a home game against visiting Everett in both squads’ season opener for 2021.
At the end, the Tide picked up a confidence building victory with a fourth quarter score to down the Warriors by a 7-6 score.
Curwensville had three keys to the win. A staunch defense that was tested time and time again. A kicker named Jake Mullins. A running back named Thad Butler.
The defense for the Golden Tide was on the field well over half of the 48 minutes played, and in the first half stopped Everett at the four yard line and again at the 12.
Everett did notch the game’s first score on a one yard quarterback sneak by senior Malex Akers with just 18 seconds to play before the half.
In what turned out to be a huge play was the point after attempt for the Warriors as the snap was botched, which they then turned into a two point conversion attempt that failed. But at the half it was 6-0 in favor of District 5 AA Everett.
The third quarter was a repeat of the first 12 minutes of the battle when both teams couldn’t find the end zone. And, once again, the Curwensville defense was tested, holding on until the Tide offense could get it going.
Curwensville did get some offense mid-way through the fourth quarter as senior Thad Butler cut left and ran virtually untouched to pay dirt on a 42 yard play knotting the game at 6-6 with the all important extra point attempt coming up at the 7:28 mark.
On the first snap of the PAT try the Warriors were called for offside that inched the ball closer to the goal line. And Tide head coach Jimmy Thompson stuck with one of the area’s best kickers in Jake Mullins, also a senior, to put the Tide in front. And Mullins did just that, which proved to be the game winner.
Mullins was a true weapon for Curwensville with two kick-offs that went for touchbacks and booming punts that went beyond the Everett return man.
Butler ran hard all night, and was the go to man with game on the line. Unofficially, Butler had 11 carries for 85 yards and two receptions for 45 yards.
Quarterback Dan McGarry was 10 of 18 passing for 117 yards, with Mullins being the leading receiver with his three catches for 47 yards.
The Golden Tide, 1-0, are home once again next Friday night as the Trojans of Mt Union pay a visit with a 7 pm kick-off.
Listen to Tide-Trojan football, as always, on WOKW-FM, 102.9, starting with the pre-game show at 6:45 pm.
SCORING SUMMARY
EVERETT 0 6 0 0 6
CURWENSVILLE 0 0 0 7 7
CURW EVERETT1ST QUARTER
NO SCORING 0 02ND QUARTER
EVERETT :18 Malex Akers one yard run
Two point conversion attempt failed 0 6
3RD QUARTER
NO SCORING 0 64TH QUARTER
CURW 7:28 Thad Butler 42 yard run
Jake Mullins PAT 7 6
