CURWENSVILLE — The Curwensville Golden Tide picked up their first win of the 2024 campaign Friday night when they defeated the visiting Southern Huntingdon Rockets 52-20.
Tide senior quarterback Tyler Dunn was just too much for the Rockets all night as he ran for 234 yards and four touchdowns and added 160 yards and a scoring pass through the air.
The game didn’t start out that well for the Tide as the visitors drove right down the field on the opening drive. That drive, though, was ended by an Andrew Pentz fumble recovery at the Tide 13 yard line.
However on the first play from scrimmage for the Tide, the Rockets got the ball right back via a Gage Reed interception. That led to an Aeden Crowell to Nate Flood touchdown pass. After the Rockets tacked on the two point conversion, it was 8-0.
As it turned out, that was the last offensive score the Rockets would put up until about three minutes remained in the game. The Tide put the next 40 points through the next two quarters to put the game away.
Their biggest lead was at 52-14 a couple of minutes into the fourth quarter when the Tide finally invoked the Mercy Rule and a running clock to finish out the game.
Southern Huntingdon’s other score was a 58 yard interception return for a touchdown by Elijah Oswald, otherwise the Tide turned in a sterling defensive performance other than the Rockets’ first and last drives of the game.
The defensive highlight for the Tide was a 92 yard pick-six by Hunter Tkacik at the start of the second quarter that gave the Tide the lead for good. In all the Tide forced four turnovers, but also committed five of their own.
Dunn’s lone touchdown pass of the game was a 40-yard catch and run to Pentz that made the score 22-8 at the time. Sammy Gustafson put up the Tide’s final score early in the fourth quarter with a 4-yard run.
Lincoln Hoyt scored two 2-point conversions for the Tide, who were without kicker Everett Addleman for the game.
The Tide (1-3) will travel next Friday to face the Claysburg-Kimmel Bulldogs (2-2).
Natalie Wischuck and Alex Murawski were crowned Curwensville Golden Tide Homecoming Queen and King in pre-game festivities.
GOLDEN TIDE SCOREBOARD:
Date Opponent Score Record
08/23 MEYERSDALE 6 – 34 0 – 1
08/30 @ Windber 0 – 44 0 – 2
09/06 MT. UNION 7 – 49 0 – 3
09/13 SOUTHERN HUNTINGDON 52 – 20 1 – 3
09/20 @ Claysburg-Kimmel
09/27 @ West Branch
10/05 MO VALLEY
10/11 @ Juniata Valley
10/18 @ Glendale
10/25 TUSSEY MOUNTAIN