Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Central's Jason Clark is consoled by one of the Dragon's assistant coaches following the Dragon's PIAA Class 3A state semifinal football match up with Belle Vernon High School Friday at Central Cambria High School.
Central's Jacob Benton reacts to the Dragon's state semifinal loss.
Central assistant coach A.J. Hoenstine consoles his son, quarterback Jeff Hoenstine.
Central's Eli Lingenfelter pulls in a pass in the PIAA Class 3A state semifinal.
Central's Hunter Smith pulls in a pass in the PIAA Class 3A state semifinal.
After making an appearance in the state semi-finals the year prior, the Central Scarlet Dragons were eager to take the next step this year through the match against the Belle Vernon Leopards. Unfortunately, the Dragons fell short once again in a 21-17 loss to the Leopards.
The Dragons began by kicking off to the Leopards, which was immediately returned for a touchdown. Starting off in a seven-point deficit, the Dragons' offense could not make enough headway with the ball, forcing a turnover where the Leopards quickly scored again. Central responded to this with a 10-play, 82-yard drive ending with a 21-yard touchdown reception by Shalen Yingling.
The Dragons picked up the intensity in the second quarter. The Dragon defense came up with a stop, followed by an offensive drive consisting of 78 yards over seven plays, capped with a 30-yard Jeff Hoenstine run for the game-tying touchdown. The Dragons' defense had another stop, which was then followed by a lengthy drive ending with a 28-yard field goal by Hunter Smith to give the Dragons a three-point advantage to end the half. In the second half, the Dragons' offense was killed by fumbles and interceptions alike, which opened the doors for another Leopard touchdown. Trailing by four, the Dragons couldn't overcome the deficit before the final buzzer signaled their defeat.
The Dragons' stats succeeded those of the Leopards in every area except where it mattered most: the score. Central totaled 366 yards to the Leopard's 204. The Dragon defense didn't allow a single passing yard for the Leopards. Central quarterback Hoenstine was 19 for 39 in the passing game for 224 yards. This included six passes to Smith and Rylan Daugherty for 55 and 77 yards respectively as well as four passes to Eli Lingenfelter for 65 yards.
Starting off a season with a 1-2 record is a tough hurdle to jump for any team.
"I don't think I've coached a team that's showed this much improvement from week one till the end," said Defensive Coach Joey Kitt.
This statement holds true for every area of the team. Offense, defense, and special teams all had challenges to overcome. The linemen on both sides of the ball were young and inexperienced but have grown into a state playoff-caliber line. Many state records were set by multiple members of the team.
Congratulations to the seniors of the team, who have had one of the best four-year runs throughout school history. The Dragons end the year with a 12-3 record, coming just short of a state championship title.
Reader Comments(0)