Game of the Week: Homecoming Brings C-K to Williamsburg Field

Patience is a virtue, but, over the course of a high school football season, one can only be patient for so long.

Claysburg-Kimmel High School Junior Reece Replogle understands that.

“We want to do things right. We want to take strides in the right direction,” said Replogle, one of two holdovers from the Bulldogs’ starting offensive line after last season. “We’ve got to take it one play at a time, but, in these next couple of weeks, I want to get some wins so we can make a run in the playoffs.”

If there’s anyone who can relate to Replogle and the Bulldogs’ situation, it’s Juniata Valley. Both teams are endeavoring to return to the District 6 Class 1A playoffs this fall in the face of some significant graduation losses from 2021. Both teams opened the season with wins but have dropped their last two games against better competition. Both teams have had a difficult time putting points on the board while they try to work out the details, especially along the line.

Either the Bulldogs or Green Hornets will be back to .500 after the teams square off in a big Inter-County Conference match-up on Friday night, which will be played at Veterans Memorial Field as the Williamsburg students celebrate homecoming as part of the co-op agreement with Juniata Valley. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

“It just boils down to we have a lot of youth on our team, especially up front. They’re predominantly underclassmen, and they’re undersized, as well,” said C-K coach Matt Bilchak, whose Bulldogs are trying to return to the win column after dropping games to 2-1 Southern Huntingdon and 3-0 Conemaugh Township. “We’ve had to put extra game-planning in to put our kids in the best position to succeed.

“We’re further ahead now in terms of the kids understanding some of the nuances of our schemes. I think that confidence is starting to show. Rather than not knowing what to do, it’s polishing. It’s getting all five linemen on the same page. It’s the running backs making the right cut at the right time.”

Although Claysburg lost to Conemaugh Township last week, the Bulldogs had their best game of the season running the ball. Cole Claycomb ran for a season-high 77 yards on just 10 carries. Hunter Ehredt added 43 yards on the ground, more than doubling his total from the first two weeks.

Bulldog quarterback Caleb Oakes hit on half his passes for 76 yards; he’s thrown for 393 yards and four touchdowns this season.

It didn’t result in any points, though. Almost half of Township’s yardage in the 28-0 outcome came on three long scoring plays. Claysburg, though, couldn’t sustain drives.

“We watch the film and say, ‘Why didn’t this work?’ It’s this one guy missed this one play that just set a chain reaction off,” Bilchak said. “We’re so reliant on staying ahead of the sticks, one play puts you in second and 12 or 13, and the other team can just pin their ears back.”

Juniata Valley coach Bill Musser is very aware of just how much of a handful the Bulldogs can be if they get into an offensive rhythm — Claysburg actually outgained his Hornets last year, but Valley used four takeaways and two punt return touchdowns to prevail, 42-18. Musser thinks it’s imperative his Hornets keep Claysburg off-schedule.

“They have a quarterback who has the ability, if you give him time, to throw the ball and throw the ball well. They have some smaller, quicker (skill players) who can make you look silly,” Musser said.

The Hornets were three points shy of winning the District 6 title last year, but that team was senior-laden, and now Musser’s squad is being reforged. Valley only managed 90 yards last week in a 28-14 defeat at Southern Huntingdon — both Hornet touchdowns came on first-half returns.

“We have not been consistent on offense. We haven’t been able to establish a particular play and been able to build off of it,” Musser said.

Junior Andrew McMonagle, part of the Williamsburg co-op agreement, ran for 79 yards on 16 carries last game to give him 376 yards this season, including a pair of 100-yard performances. He’s scored three touchdowns.

“We need to play hard. I think our main problem is we’re just not together as a team,” said Hornet senior Alex Brantner, another Williamsburg player who is starting at offensive tackle and defensive end. “We need to focus on good communication and on getting a good win. We need to get back on track.”

Both teams hope this game can be the launching pad they need.

“Slowly but surely, we’re starting to get it figured out,” Replogle said. “We need to give our quarterback time and our running backs a little room to run.”

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