By BILL ALBRIGHT
EasternPAFootball.com Senior Writer
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MILL HALL — For the second game in a row, the Jersey Shore football team struggled early before coming on strong down the stretch to keep its unbeaten streak intact.
One week ago, the Bulldogs scored seven points in the first period that held up for a 7-0 lead over Shikellamy heading into the fourth quarter. While the Shore offense sputtered, the defense didn’t, as the Bulldogs trimmed the Braves 16-0.
Friday night, the Dawgs fell behind not once, but twice during the game before finishing strong for a 21-9 win over arch-rival Central Mountain at Malinak Stadium.
The Bulldogs once again had their problems taking advantage of scoring opportunities, giving up the ball on downs no less than three times inside the red zone.
Central Mountain opened up the scoring by putting together a nice drive that resulted in a 29-yard field goal courtesy of the foot of Tyler Weaver. With the Wildcats holding the 3-0 lead, it was the first time this season the Bulldogs trailed at any point in a game.
Obviously awakened by facing their first deficit of the season, the Bulldogs promptly marched down the field, and with slightly more than a minute remaining in the opening period, Shore led 7-3 thanks to a Brandon Wheary-to-Owen Anderson 10-yard scoring strike. For Anderson, it was his first of three touchdowns in the game. Wheary finished the game with 13 completions on 27 attempts and the one TD.
Not to run away and hide, the ‘Cats clawed right back at the Dawgs on Military Appreciation Night when standout running back Ryan Pentz got the edge on a sweep play and outraced the Shore defenders for a 61-yard touchdown.
With the Pentz score, CM held its second lead of the game at 9-7, but from that point on, it was all Orange & Black.
Anderson gave Shore the lead for keeps with a 2-yard burst to paydirt before he all but put the game on ice as a Shore “W” when he fielded a CM punt and 37 yards later set the final at Shore 21, Central Mountain 9. For his efforts, Anderson completed his scoring trifecta by tallying a six-pointer rushing, one receiving, and one on a kick return.
Now 6-0, Shore will open District IV Class AAAA playoffs either Friday or Saturday, while Central Mountain (4-3) also qualified for the post-season and will face Hollidaysburg at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mansion Park in Altoona in a District VI Class AAAAA contest.
Jersey Shore 7 0 7 7 — 21
Central Mountain 3 0 6 0 — 9
