DUBOIS-The latter part of the 2023 season for the Clearfield Bison has been one of the most grueling and challenging in many years. It possibly was the toughest of all the teams in the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference. Three road games against undefeated squads, plus a home finale against a two-loss team, all decided by one possession. Yet, the squad persevered and made it to the District IX Championship once more, making the trip to Dubois and E.J. Mansell Stadium to take on another talented squad, the Punxsutawney Chucks.
A game that was highlighted with long drives, time of possession, and splash plays ended with a kneel down as the Bison stuck to what got them through the season, and took home the plaque following a 20-14 victory to secure the first district title in the Myles Caragein era.
“That was an absolutely great game. Punxy is one excellent team, with a great game plan, and they came to play tonight,” Caragein said afterwards. “These kids just would not quit, kept fighting, and it paid off.”
An evenly matched game started out with the Chucks electing to receive the opening kickoff, and hold onto the ball for almost 75 percent of the quarter. Each play they chipped away at the Clearfield defense, enough to keep the chains moving and the clock ticking. Feeling they could take away the powerful offense by keeping the Bison defense on the field, it seemed to be working as they would work their way inside the Clearfield 10. However, the second play with the goal line within grasp saw Jonathan Rowles break through the line and force a sack. A third-down pass was nullified by a holding penalty, then a false start made what was 2nd and 6 a 3rd and 29. Punxustawney quarterback Maddox Hetrick tossed his first incomplete pass, and on fourth down went to the well once more, only to be picked off by Brady Collins just inside the five. After 15 plays and just over eight minutes, the Chucks had nothing to show for it, and now Clearfield had a turn.
Despite not using up the same amount of time, Clearfield still would pound the ball at the opposition, using nine runs at the Chucks’ defense to make it into the red zone. After switching sides following a scoreless opening quarter, the Bison punched the ball in from five yards out on a sweep by Carter Freeland to the right pilon to put Clearfield on the board. Warren Diethrick was true with his right foot, putting the score at 7-0 with over 11 minutes till halftime.
The Chucks punted on their next drive, but the Bison would give the ball back to them as Domico had a 3rd-and-5 carry get punched out after gaining the first down, and saw the fumble returned near mid-field to give Punxsutawney a short field.
Ten plays later, faced with 4th-and-5 at the Bison 12, Hetrick would lob a pass to Noah Weaver in the end zone for the score, and the extra point kept the game even with just over a minute before heading into halftime. Both the Chucks and the Bison would get their opening scores after turnovers, showing how evenly matched both squads were.
Clearfield pushed into opposing territory right before halftime, and gave Diethrick a chance at a long field goal, hoping to get the lead with a potential double-dip opportunity. However, his kick from 45 yards out sailed hard left like a golf swing, and the teams headed to the locker room knotted up, just as the game began.
“Our defense came together. We just kept fighting, and made key plays when we needed to that kept them from scoring,” Caragein said. “We easily could have gotten frustrated, but they just kept rallying.”
The Bison were not able to escape the turnover bug, as the opening possession in the second half saw Domico, who gained 98 yards on the night, see his second fumble lost after making it into the red zone. Luckily for him, his teammates stood tall in the face of the opposition, forcing a three-and-out to give the ball right back to the Bison. On the ensuing possession, Domico’s legs would pay dividends as he would gain gain a pair of critical first downs before punching the ball into the end zone for the second Bison score on the night. The 14-7 gap remained entering the final quarter, and the defense was beginning to feel like the championship was within their grasp.
Every down began to matter more and more, and the defense for Clearfield needed to make a stand when it mattered, and would do just that on the following drive. Punxsutawney again pushed into Bison territory, namely on the legs of Landon Martz, who finished with a team-high 112 yards rushing. But, a bad exchange on 1st-an-10 at the Bison 31 yielded the fourth, and ultimately final, turnover on the night as Clearfield pounced on the loose ball.
It would be then that the Chucks knew they had to start considering airing the ball out, as time was going away quickly. Punxsutawney made it into Clearfield territory late, and seemed to be having some fortune as an incomplete pass on fourth down fell their way courtesy of defensive pass interference. All the Bison coaches were baffled since the pass seemed to be high, but just as quickly got calmed down and refocused so the players kept their heads in the game. They would do so, and forced another fourth down call at the Bison 16. Hetrick looked to his right, aiming for Zach Presloid. The pass was on target, but so was Freeland who laid one of the biggest hits on the night right into the chest of Presloid, knocking the ball from his grasp, and also knocking the breath out of the Chucks’ wideout. The turnover on downs with just under two minutes remaining put Clearfield in the seat to possibly run out the clock.
Yet, all the while, the Bison offense kept hoping to break that big play, as they could not get too many runs on the ground over the 10-yard mark except on a few occasions. After the Chucks took a second timeout after a first-down run by Domico, Collins decided to put his own stamp on the night. The front line created an opening, and he found the lane past the linebackers, into the secondary, and down the sidelines for a 78-yard explosive touchdown run to put the Bison at a two-score gap.
“I kept telling the guys that eventually we would break one,” Caragein said of the long run. “We needed that run because the offensive line just kept after it, and I knew eventually it would pay off.”
Still, the quick score left opportunities for the Chucks, and with a minute and a half remaining plus one timeout, they took full advantage. Six consecutive pass plays led the Chucks to just outside the goal line, and Hetrick capped it off with another touchdown pass, this one to Beau Thomas. The extra point, plus the missed P.A.T. by Diethrick on the prior possession, still gave hope to the Chucks and a chance with one more possession.
The onside kick would tell the story, but for the team clad in white, it was a disappointing chapter. The ball failed to make the designated 10 yards, and when it was touched by one of the Chucks’ defenders, it sealed the fate for the Punxsutawney faithful, and lit the jubilation on the Bison sidelines.
With everything that the Bison have been faced with in the last month, Caragein felt as though it was worth it in the end, going right back to the mantra the team has taken on for the season.
“We’ve had a tough schedule, one of the toughest in the league. But these kids, they just kept fighting. We preach it every day, bend…but don’t break,” he said. “Tonight is another example of that, because we easily could’ve gotten down and gave up a score a couple different times. But the kids kept after it, and it paid off.”
In his first season as head coach, Caragein put his own stamp on the Bison program, much like his predecesor, Tim Janocko, had done for several years. However, much like Janocko, he was quick to point out that the success wasn’t about him, but about his team.
“As much as I appreciate the accolades, it’s really about those kids,” he said. “They put in the work, they believe in the system, and each other. We’re ready to go again.”
Clearfield (8-3) will actually have a chance to catch a breath, and get healthy, over the next week as they will receive a bye into the District 6/9 regional final. Caragein noted that the off-week is going to be nice for them as they can clean a few aspects up, and watch extra game film. The Bison will take on the winner of next week’s District 6 championship game in class 3A between Penn Cambria, who advanced with a 32-28 win over Tyrone, and the Central Dragons, who won the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference title one week earlier over Richland. Central was idle this week.
The District 6/9 regional will take place tentatively on Friday, November 17, but could happen the following day as well. The game will take place at a neutral site to be announced later.
SCORE BY QUARTER
Punxsutawney 0 7 0 7 – 14
Clearfield 0 7 7 6 – 20
BOX SCORE
1st Quarter
- No Scoring
2nd Quarter
- BISON: Freeland 5-yard run (Diethrick kick), 11:09
- CHUCKS: Hetrick 12-yard pass to Weaver (White kick), 1:09
3rd Quarter
- BISON: Domico 1-yard run (Diethrick kick), 1:46
4th Quarter
- BISON: Collins 78-yard run (kick failed), 1:29
- CHUCKS: Hetrick 5-yard pass to Thomas (White kick), 0:29
GAME STATISTICS
Punxsutawney/Clearfield
- First Downs: 15/15
- Rush Yards: 136/306
- Pass Yards: 110/56
- Penalties-Yards: 6-40/6-55
- Total Yards: 246/362
- Turnovers: 2/2
- Time of Possession: 27:11/20:49
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
- Punxsutawney: Martz-19 carries, 112 yards; Thomas-12 carries, 32 yards; Weaver-2 carries, 7 yards; Team-2 carries, (-16) yards; Nesbitt-1 carry, 9 yards; Hetrick-1 carry, (-8) yards.
- Clearfield: Domico-10 carries, 98 yards, TD; Chamberlain-10 carries, 46 yards; Collins-9 carries, 117 yards, TD; Freeland-5 carries, 37 yards, TD; Bell-2 carries, 10 yards; Team-1 carry, (-1) yards.
Passing
- Punxsutawney: Hetrick-12 for 19, 110 yards, 2 TD, INT.
- Clearfield: Domico-6 for 11, 56 yards.
Receiving
- Punxustawney: Thomas-6 catches, 44 yards, TD; Weaver-4 catches, 57 yards, TD; Moore-1 catch, 12 yards, Nesbitt-1 catch, (-3) yards.
- Clearfield: Bell-3 catches, 31 yards; Freeland-2 catches, 22 yards; Chamberlain-1 catch, 3 yards.
