Clearfield Perseveres Against University Prep and Wins D8-9 Class 4A Sub-Regional
Tagged under: District 8, District 9, Gameday Hub, News, Playoffs
Phil Myers | November 9, 2024
The Clearfield Bison overcame outstanding performances by University Prep’s Daimere Adair and Zion Hauser to defeat the Wildcats 34-24 at Brookville Saturday afternoon in a very entertaining football game. The game was in doubt until 2:23 of the last quarter when Clearfield’s Carter Freeland took a direct snap and found a hole up the gut for a 51-yard touchdown jaunt. The Bison triumph propels them into a state playoff game with District 10 representative, General McLane, next Friday in Clearfield.
Zion Hauser on left and Daimere Adair on right had one heck of a game in a losing effort for University Prep.
“Just a lot of great athletes on both sides. Just two tremendous teams fighting it out. It was a great game,” stated a very happy Clearfield head coach Myles Caragein. University Prep’s coach Lou Berry echoed those sentiments and said Clearfield “is an excellent team.”
This was a game where both teams had to dig deep as both had their star players injured. Clearfield was without Brady Collins for most of the first half after he had a couple of nice kickoff returns, one going for 85 yards and a touchdown. Early in the second half, USO lost their University of Buffalo recruit and one of the heroes from their defeat of Punxsy last week, Xair Stevenson. Collins came back and had a large impact in the second half, Stevenson could not come back. Yet both teams continued to punch and counter punch, haymakers here and jabs there.
Clearfield won the toss and deferred to start the game. University Prep came out smoking hot scoring twice in the first quarter, sandwiched around Collins’ kickoff return touchdown. The first Wildcat drive took five minutes off the clock as they drove 71 yards to score the game’s first points. The big plays were Stevenson’s 19-yard run on the first play, Adair’s 21-yard and 26-yard passes to Micah Saunders, and the freshman quarterback’s 4-yard touchdown toss to Hauser.
After the Collins touchdown, USO ate up four and a half minutes to score again and go up 12-7. This time the drive covered 80 yards. Adair’s 57-yard pass to Hauser to open the drive was the spark. Amir Pollard eventually carried the rock into the end zone from 2 yards out on a fourth down play. That gave the Wildcats 30 yards rushing in ten plays in their first two possessions. For the rest of the game the Bison defense smothered the USO run game and contributed four quarterback sacks to hold University Prep to -33 yards on 15 more run plays. From then on it was the Adair to Hauser show that kept the Wildcats within striking distance when they fell behind in the second quarter.
Clearfield’s punt to the USO ten, after a 38-yard kickoff return by Collins failed to produce fruit, actually set up the score that would put the Bison up for good. The Clearfield ‘D’ with the aid of a bad snap sent University Prep back to the three after a trio pf plays. The subsequent punt was caught and downed by a USO player at the Wildcat 19. Xavier Curry found Cooper Broad for the 21-yard touchdown on a third and 11 to send the black clad Bison into the lead 14-12.
On their next possession, USO gambled on a 4th and one at their own 36. Again the Bison defense rose up, stood tall, and smacked the opposing running back down for a yard loss. It took Clearfield six plays to score, and score they did when Curry flung a pass to Colton Ryan who hauled it in and fell into the end zone on a third and goal from the 12-yard line. Clearfield recovered the short kickoff at the University Prep 34, but the Wildcat defense stiffened and held their ground forcing a turnover on downs.
Colton Ryan with the touchdown for Clearfield.
The Wildcats eventually punted and Clearfield got the ball back with 34 ticks left on the clock. A couple of completions around a 10-yard run by Curry put the football at the UPrep 20 when time ran out in an entertaining first half with the Bison leading 21-12.
Clearfield started the second half at the 20 after the kickoff went into the end zone and they drove to the USO 17 before turning the ball over on downs once again. Big plays along the way were Collins’ 14-yard run, and a pair of passes to Freeland and Ryan that totaled 45 yards.
The Wildcats opened their possession with a short run by Stevenson, the play in which he got hurt. Then the Adair to Hauser connection garnered 53 yards. A run play lost 3 markers, but Adair hit Saunders with a nice pass and the touchdown on the next play to bring USO to within three, 21-18. Another thing to note is that University Prep scored 4 touchdowns and failed on all 4 two-point conversions. Last week against Punxsy they made all but one two-point conversion.
Micah Saunders touchdown grab for University Prep.
Clearfield again went on a long drive that was stopped in the red zone by an inspired Wildcat defense. The big play that helped the drive was a 41-yard pass from Curry to Bryce Frushour. This time the Bison defense forced a punt from the eleven and they took over at the UPrep 43. Collins had come back into the game offensively more regular on the previous series carrying the ball four times for 29 yards. On this series, Collins broke free on the second play and outraced the defense for a 41-yard touchdown. Clearfield now led 27-18 with 8:38 remaining in the game.
Brady Collins #3, one of the top running backs in PA this year.
Another short kick or onside kick was recovered this time by a University Prep player at the 49. After a yard gain, Daimere Adair found his favorite target of the day, Zion Hauser, for a 50-yard scoring strike and it was game on again. It was looking like the Pittsburgh City League school was putting themselves into the position for their second consecutive playoff comeback.
That gut punch feeling among the Bison faithful appeared to rear its head when, on the next possession, Clearfield was forced to punt and the snap sailed over the punter’s head where he downed the ball at the 20. University Prep now had the momentum and the ball at Clearfield’s 20 with just under five minutes left in someone’s season.
But after an incomplete pass, Adair’s first of the day believe it or not, Donnie Moorefield was hit in the backfield and fumbled the ball. Hunter Ressler was Johnny on the Spot for the Bison, recovering the ball and releasing some of the tension that had built amongst the fans and players, and let’s be honest, the coaching staff. “We kept fighting and never gave up,” said Caragein about his team’s play.
Three straight runs by Collins netted 20 yards. He had 123 for the day with 117 coming in the second half. Freeland then iced the game for Clearfield when he took the direct snap, found a seam up the middle and outran USO defenders for the 51-yard touchdown. Frushour kicked his 4th extra point of the day and Clearfield came away with the 34-24 win. University Prep drove down field 54 yards but Freeland intercepted Adair in the end zone with only seconds left to keep the score at 34-24.
Carter Freeland #5 on his way to the house.
University Prep outgained Clearfield in total yards 346 to 327, but 349 came on Adair’s passing skills. The young man was 18 of 20 in the passing department with 3 touchdowns and the one interception. Hauser caught 9 passes for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns. “I have to give major props to our quarterback, Daimere Adair. His parents are phenomenal and he came to us ready to go. His dad did a great job with his youth development,” said Coach Berry. He added, “Zion Hauser I had the opportunity to speed train in the winter and spring.” He also told us that he taught both kids in elementary school.
Freeland rushed for 77 yards for the Bison and Curry was 8 of 15 passing for 153 yards and a couple of scoring pitches. Including his three kickoff returns, Collins had 258 all-purpose yards.
University Prep finishes their season with a 4-6 record, but that is a bit deceiving since they lost to Hickory, Westinghouse, Steubenville, OH and Clearfield. Hickory (10-1) is ranked #5 in Class 3A. The House (8-1) is the #1 team in Class A. Steubenville is 12-0 and ranked as the 17th best team in all of Ohio. Clearfield is 11-0 and ranked #6 in Class 4A.
Score by Quarters:
USO (University Prep) – 12 0 6 6 – 24
Clearfield – 7 14 0 13 – 34
Scoring Summary:
First Quarter:
USO – Zion Hauser 4-yard pass from Daimere Adair, (2-pt. run failed), 6:50
C – Brady Collins 85-yard kickoff return, (Bryce Frushour PAT), 6:37
USO – Amir Pollard 2-yard run, (2-pt. run failed), 2:07
Second Quarter:
C – Cooper Broad 21-yard pass from Xavier Curry, (Frushour PAT), 8:36
C – Colton Ryan 12-yard pass from Curry, (Frushour PAT), 3:41
Third Quarter:
USO – Micah Saunders 30-yard pass from Adair, (2-pt. pass failed), 5:40
Fourth Quarter:
C – Collins 41-yard run, (PAT no good), 8:38
USO – Hauser 50-yard pass from Adair, (2-pt. pass failed), 7:47
C – Carter Freeland 51-yard run, (Frushour PAT), 2:23
Individual Stats:
Rushing: USO – Xair Stevenson 11-26, Zion Hauser 2-(2), Me’Laun Stamper 4-0, Amir Pollard 1-2, Daimere Adair 5-(14), Donnie Moorefield 1-(9), Team 1-(6). Totals: 25-(3). C – Brady Collins 14-123, Carter Freeland 15-77, Xavier Curry 3-6, Team 2-(32). Totals: 34-174.
Passing: USO – Daimere Adair 18-20-1, 349 yards, 3 TDs. C – Xavier Curry 8-15-0, 153 yards, 2 TDs, Carter Freeland 0-1-0.
Receiving: USO – Zion Hauser 9-220, Micah Saunders 7-123, Xair Stevenson 1-1, Me’Laun Stamper 1-5. Totals: 18-349. C – Cooper Broad 3-40, Carter Freeland 2-48, Colton Ryan 2-24, Bryce Frushour 1-41. Totals: 8-153.
Follow Phil Myers on Twitter: @Protime_PFN
Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews
You must be logged in to post a comment.