SHAMOKIN – Both Central Mountain and Shamokin were looking to bounce back from disappointing losses last week as the Wildcats and Indians clashed in a Week 3 matchup at Shamokin’s Kemp Memorial Stadium.
For Central Mountain, the Wildcats were looking for their first win of the season, after a respectable performance in a loss to 6A Williamsport in Week 1, followed by a blowout defeat at home to Lewisburg last week. Shamokin was coming off a home loss to North Schuylkill last week in which the Spartans dominated the Indians on both lines of scrimmage, which followed a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Milton in head coach Henry Hynoski’s debut in Week 1.
In the end, it was Shamokin that bounced back, and it did so mainly by asserting itself on both lines of scrimmage as it dominated the Wildcats en route to a 35-6 win. The win improves the Indians to 2-1, and it marks the earliest in a season that Shamokin has won two games since it started 2-0 in 2014, as Hynoski’s rapid transformation of the culture of the Shamokin football program continues.
“The kids responded well after a tough loss last week. They could have folded but that just goes to show the resiliency of this year and the attitude and culture that we’ve developed here,” said Hynoski. “I couldn’t be happier with the effort they gave. They played four quarters 100 percent from snap to whistle.”
The final stat sheet demonstrated Shamokin’s dominance up front both offensively and defensively. The Indians compiled 225 rushing yards, including 129 by Brycen James (on just 13 carries), who had 220 all-purpose yards as he also added two long kickoff returns. Defensively, the Indians held the Wildcats to just 61 rushing yards and 199 total, while also recording three sacks and forcing a pair of turnovers. Collin Bowers threw for a touchdown and returned an interception on defense for another for the Indians.
“We knew Shamokin was better, Coach Hynoski has them playing harder and they were more physical than us in the first half and that’s what I preached to them at halftime,” said Central Mountain coach James Renninger. “I can live with making mistakes and getting beat physically one-on-one but not with not giving great effort and we didn’t in the first half.”
It was a close game until about a three-minute stretch late in the first half in which a slim 7-0 Shamokin lead ballooned into a 28-0 advantage at halftime. Shamokin was helped by two Wildcat turnovers deep in their own territory. Leading 7-0 after a 75-yard touchdown run by James with 10:51 left in the second, Shamokin took its next possession beginning at its own 7-yard line following a Central Mountain punt and an illegal block on the Indians. From there, Shamokin went 93 yards in 11 plays, including a pair of third-down conversions, and took a two-score lead on Max Madden’s 27-yard touchdown run. Madden finished with 60 yards on 11 carries.
On the first play from scrimmage on Central Mountain’s ensuing possession, Zane Probst was sacked at his own 15, and fumbled. It was recovered by Shamokin, and three plays later, Bowers hit Matt Schiccatano in the corner of the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown reception to put the Indians up 21-0.
Central Mountain punted on its next possession, and then Shamokin faked a punt on 4th-and-10 on the Wildcat 42 on its next drive but was stopped a yard shy of the first down, giving the ball back to the Wildcats at their own 33 with just :33 left in the half.
The first play from scrimmage once again proved to be unkind to the Wildcats, as this time, Probst was picked off by Bowers, who returned it 47 yards for a touchdown to give the Indians a four-score advantage.
“We had some bad things happen with the turnovers and had some guys on the field for a long period of time but they need to dig in and find a way,” said Renninger. “Part of that is on me, and we’ll need to condition better next week and be better prepared to play physically and conditioning-wise.”
Although the Wildcats held the ball for over 16 minutes in the second half compared to less than eight for Shamokin, it did not equal any other advantage than the time of possession, as the Wildcats had a 17-play drive that lasted over eight minutes stall at the Shamokin 29.
“Our defense was fantastic tonight with a couple of fourth down stops and the pass coverage overall was excellent and our run defense was also good,” said Hynoski. “It was just a great job all around by our players and coaches.”
Shamokin scored another touchdown on its ensuing possession midway through the fourth quarter to put the mercy rule into effect before Central Mountain scored its only points of the game on a seven-yard touchdown run by Probst with 3:38 remaining.
Shamokin 35, Central Mountain 6
Central Mountain (0-3) 0 0 0 6 – 6
Shamokin (2-1) 0 28 0 7 – 35
Second quarter
10:51 – (S) Brycen James 75-yard run (Jameson Kramer kick), 1-75, :16
3:47 – (S) Max Madden 27-yard run (Kramer kick), 11-93, 4:25
2:12 – (S) Matt Schiccatano 15-yard pass from Collin Bowers (Kramer kick), 3-15, 1:23
:22 – (S) Collin Bowers 47-yard interception return (Kramer kick)
Fourth quarter
8:02 – (S) Mark Wetzel 2-yard run (Kramer kick), 10-71, 4:02
3:38 – (CM) Zane Probst 7-yard run (kick blocked), 7-37, 4:24
Statistics
CM S
First downs 12 18
Rushes-net yards 29-61 42-225
Passing yardage 138 85
Passing 14-26-0-1 7-12-1-0
Fumbles-lost 3-1 2-0
Penalties-yards 4-38 5-27
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Central Mountain: Cameron Sonnie (13-48), Zane Probst (11-8-1), Rocco Stark (3-8), Colin Jones (1-(-2)), TEAM (1-(-1)); Shamokin: Brycen James (13-129-1), Max Madden (11-60-1), Collin Bowers (9-(-7)), Wolfgang Pearson (4-13), Mark Wetzel (3-18-1), Matt Schiccatano (1-7), Seth Hart (1-5)
PASSING: Central Mountain: Zane Probst (14-26-138-0-1); Shamokin: Collin Bowers (7-12-85-1-0)
RECEIVING: Central Mountain: Colin Jones (7-62), John Pentz (3-54), Caleb Shade (1-14), Zach Eck (1-4), Cameron Sonnie (1-3), Zane Probst (1-1); Shamokin: Matt Schiccatano (3-28), Jahleke West (2-34), Joe Masser (2-23)
