Dragons Rally for 5th Victory

Big plays and some trickery Friday night, Oct. 9, helped the Central football team keep its unbeaten record intact.

The Dragons rallied from a 21-13 deficit and pulled out a 25-21 Mountain League win while playing on their home turf for the first time in 2020.

Central improved to 5-0 on the season while Clearfield slipped to 2-1. The win assured the Dragons – ranked first in the district’s Class 3A rankings with 550 ranking points – of one of the top two seeds in the District Class 3A playoffs, which are scheduled to begin Friday, Oct. 23.

On the game’s first play from scrimmage, Central sophomore quarterback Jeff Hoenstine fired a 52-yard scoring pass to freshman Hunter Smith. Austin Keith added the PAT, giving the Dragons a 7-0 lead just 18 seconds into the game.

In the second quarter, sophomore Eli Lingenfelter caught a backward pass from Hoenstine and then tossed a 19-yard touchdown pass to junior Devon Boyles. The PAT failed, leaving the score 13-0 with 6:54 to play before halftime.

Clearfield scored two touchdowns in the final 5:57 of the half to take a 14-13 lead at halftime. Junior Oliver Billotte scored on a 34-yard run and threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to junior Jake Lezzer. Senior Graeson Graves hit both PATs for the Bison.

Junior Mark McMonigal stretched the Bison lead to eight with a 2-yard run with 6:02 remaining in the third quarter. Graves’ PAT made it 21-13.

Less than a minute later, Hoenstine teamed with Demetrious Harbaugh on a 59-yard strike. The 2-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the score 21-19.

With time winding down in the game, Central used a trick play – a hook-and-lateral play – to rally past the Bison. Junior Josh Biesinger caught a 4-yard pass from Hoenstine, then Biesinger lateraled to junior Parker Gregg who took it to the house on a 36-yards run with 1:04 to play. The 2-point conversion attempt failed.

The Dragons outgained Clearfield in total yards, 367-312. Hoenstine completed 13-of-21 pass attempts for 258 yards and three touchdowns. Harbaugh had two catches for 86 yards and Smith three receptions for 80 yards. Gregg had 12 carries for 60 yards.

The Dragons will host Penns Valley (1-2) at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at Roaring Spring Athletic Field.