Clearfield Shuts Out Bellefonte, Wins Mountain League title, Closes in on Playoff Berth

HYDE — Before the opening kickoff, 14 seniors were honored at the Bison Sports Complex for their dedication to the football program.  After 48 minutes, some of those seniors were receiving hugs from their families.  Others walked off looking up into the night sky.

Some even took a moment to shed some tears.

The players weren’t showing emotion for no reason.  It was because on a night where they played their final home game, they and their Clearfield Bison teammates rejoiced in victory.  What was expected to be a very competitive, tight football game turned out to be a rather lop-sided affair.  The Bisons held their opposition, the Bellefonte Red Raiders, to just 72 yards of total offense as Clearfield pitched their first shutout of the 2010 season, blanking Bellefonte 34-0.

With the victory, the Bisons clinched the Mountain League Alleghany Division title outright, and now are one game away from their first undefeated season in six years.

On the field, head coach Tim Janocko was very pleased with his team, and also acknowledged that the game didn’t turn out exactly like he expected.

“Going in, I expected a good game.  Bellefonte has some good people in skill positions.  But, our kids made some big plays when needed,” Janocko said.

The offense had a spectacular game as they exploded for nearly 350 yards, but it was the defense that made a huge impact on this night.  Lineman David Hoover and Clifford Hill combined for three sacks and held the Red Raiders to negative ten yards rushing.  Meanwhile, the secondary kept the Bellefonte receivers on edge, with no player having more than two receptions all game.

“Our kids covered really well.  The defensive line pressured and controlled the line of scrimmage,” Janocko said.  “We were dominating.  Hoover, Hill,  [Corey] Knepp, they came through.  Even [Derek] Danver’s interception was a big play.”

Not only was it big for the guys on the field, it also fired up the sidelines.  With every huge hit, or tackle for loss or sack, the players on the sideline got fired up.

“We were going after each play with pressure, and we blitzed well tonight.  We knew the game was on the defense’s shoulders, and they came through,” Janocko said.

That attitude was very evident on the opening kickoff.  Clearfield deferred the toss, but Bellefonte muffed the return, and the Bisons pounced on the loose ball.  Just seven seconds into the game, Clearfield had possession in Red Raider territory.  They made quick work of the short field as Derek Morgan carried the ball three of the four plays on the drive, concluding with a four-yard plunge into the end zone.  Zach Fannin’s extra point made it 7-0 and the game wasn’t two minutes old.

“That fumble was huge for us.  It really got us going,” Janocko said.

It got them going to the point where the passing game began being just as effective as the running game.  Curtis Frye struggled making good reads early in the game, but found his momentum and finished the night 8 for 16 passing for 130 yards and a touchdown.

Despite Bellefonte using a fake punt on their first drive to get into Clearfield territory, the Bison defense stood tall and forced a turnover on downs.  They then held the Red Raiders to a three-and-out on their next series, something that was common throughout the night.

Unfortunately, the Red Raider defense held their ground when Clearfield got into their territory, forcing a 4th and 11 at the 31 yard line.  After three failed plays, including a pass well over the head of Beau Swales, Frye decided to unload and went for the end zone.  What he found was one of the best catches of the night as Morgan let the ball fall right into his palms and planted both feet in bounds for the second score of the night.  Another extra point, and it was 14-0 as the first quarter came to a close.

During the second quarter of play, another theme for the night began to develop, in that each team began committing penalty after penalty.  Janocko acknowledged that some of the calls he felt were unnecessary, but also said it was a product of how the game went.

“You have two very physical teams out there going at it.  So yeah, you’re going to have mistakes,” Janocko said.

The only touchdown of the second quarter came on Clearfield’s first drive, which lasted a total of 14 plays, mostly consisting of runs.  The long drive was set up when on a 2nd and 23 from the Bison 25, Bellefonte quarterback Tyler Lucas made the pass over the middle to his receiver, but going to the ground the ball bounced out of his hands.

Danver didn’t give up on the play and grabbed the ball out of mid-air and returned the ball to near mid-field, setting up the long drive.  The balanced running attack from Morgan, Swales and Frye chewed away the field and the clock.  Capping off the drive was Swales punching the ball in from three yards out.  One more extra point gave Clearfield a 21-0 lead.

Unfortunately, the first half wasn’t without two mistakes as Frye made two misreads on his passes, each being intercepted by Bellefonte’s Torin Miller.  However, those would end up being his only two mistakes of the night.

Clearfield got the ball to open the second half, but couldn’t add to their lead and were forced to punt.  But, when the ball went to the Red Raiders, the defense again stood tall and only stayed on the field for three plays, forcing yet another punt.  It was the second drive of the quarter that got the Bisons on the scoreboard.

Using all but one play to run the ball, the Bisons found the end zone thanks to Swales.  One more extra point, and it was 28-0.

Entering the fourth quarter, the Bisons found themselves yet again just outside the end zone, hoping to go up one more touchdown and put the Mercy Rule into effect.  However, Bellefonte made their biggest stand of the night as they stopped Jack Mellgard on fourth down just one yard from the end zone, forcing the turnover.

The Bison defense did their job on the ensuing drive as yet another three and out gave Clearfield the ball once again.  Frye and company were set to take the field, but Janocko called them back, electing to put the underclassmen in despite the Mercy Rule not in effect yet.  Some of his offense was upset, but it didn’t take long for that attitude to change.

Following a false start penalty, the Bisons had a 2nd and 14 at the Bellefonte 35.  On the ensuing play, it was Christian Lezzer getting the call to carry the ball, and he did so all the way to the end zone.

The extra point was botched, but the score was 34-0, more than enough to secure the ninth win of the Bisons’ 2010 season.

But, even with the undefeated record, Janocko is still waiting to hear whether they have secured a spot in the post season.  However, his confidence in his team was evident.

“We don’t know if we have a spot in the playoffs, but this win certainly helps in getting us there,” Janocko said.

Clearfield (9-0) will end its regular season schedule next Friday night with a non-conference match-up as they travel to face Huntington.

See photos of the game at: http://www.clearfieldfootball.org/102910game.html

BOX SCORE

BELLEFONTE     0     0     0     0          0

CLEARFIELD     14   7     7     6          34

SCORE BY QUARTER

1st Quarter

BISONS: 4-yard run by Morgan (Fannin kick), 10:08

BISONS:  31-yard pass from Frye to Morgan (Fannin kick), 2:35

2nd Quarter

BISONS:  3-yard run by Swales (Fannin kick), 6:37

3rd Quarter

BISONS:  2-yard run by Swales (Fannin kick), 2:16

4th Quarter

BISONS:  35-yard run by Lezzer (kick failed), 2:38

GAME STATISTICS

FIRST DOWNS:  BF-6  CF-21

RUSH YARDS:  BF-(-15)  CF-218

PASS YARDS:  BF-87  CF-130

PENALTIES:  BF-5  CF-13

PENALTY YARDS:  BF-50  CF-105

TOTAL YARDS:  BF-72  CF-348

TURNOVERS:  BF-2  CF-2

FUMBLES:  BF-2  CF-1

FUMBLES LOST:  BF-1  CF-0

TIME OF POSSESSION:  BF-16:19  CF-31:41

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING

Bellefonte: Shultz-4 carries, 6 yards; Strubble-1 carry, 3 yards; Quay-1 carry, 2 yards

Clearfield: Swales-18 carries, 86 yards, 2 TD; Morgan-15 carries, 84 yards, TD; Lezzer-2 carries, 53 yards; TD

PASSING

Bellefonte: Lucas-7 completions, 20 attempts, 53 yards, INT; Quay-1 completion, 1 attempt, 47 yards

Clearfield: Frye-8 completions, 16 attempts, 130 yards, TD, 2 INT

RECEIVING

Bellefonte: Watson-1 catch, 47 yards; Miller-1 catch, 35 yards; Quay-2 catches, 9 yards

Clearfield: Morgan-2 catches, 42 yards, TD; Danver-2 catches, 33 yards; Mellgard-2 catches, 24 yards