The Funding Zone
 
SAFR: Safer Through Science
 

Mifflinburg crushes Central Columbia 56-0, earns third consecutive victory

Tagged under: District 4, Gameday Hub, News, pfn

| October 12, 2024

MIFFLINBURG – The Wildcats began their season with 5 consecutive losses, 4 of them being by no more than one score. Following two straight road victories over Milton and Southern Columbia, Mifflinburg returned to Wildcat Stadium for their final home regular season game of 2024, and hoped to extend their win streak to 3 straight games. Central Columbia entered the game with plenty of their own momentum, coming off a double overtime win over Milton, the Blue Jays hoped to build a win streak of their own, however they would be without their star running back Ty Regan who was still recovering from the injury he suffered in the fourth quarter of last week’s game.

After winning the coin toss and electing to receive, Mifflinburg began the game with possession at their own 34 yard line. The game’s first action came on a 1st and 20 from the Wildcats’ own 39 yard line, where a pass from quarterback Chad Martin would be completed to wide receiver Landen Murray at the Blue Jays 40 yard line, however a hit and from Central Columbia’s Parker Day knocked the ball free, leading to a recovery by Day. This drive for the Blue Jays ultimately led to no points, and a punt from Dylan Shultz gave the ball right back to Mifflinburg. On their next drive, the Blue Jays pushed the Wildcats back to a 3rd and 13 from their own 26 yard line, where Chad Martin would just barely evade a sack from Gaje Gombert and take the ball up the left sideline all the way to the Blue Jays’ 28 yard line. 4 plays later, Martin connected with junior receiver Jackson Griffith for a 20 yard touchdown, putting Mifflinburg in the lead 7-0.

The next drive for the Blue Jays would be doomed by penalties, driving them from their 41 yard line, all the way back to their own 22, forcing them into another punt. However, Blue Jays’ long snapper Elijah Geedy was injured on the opening drive, leaving Cordell Heggenstaller to have to snap the ball. The snap got past punter Dylan Shultz and almost resulted in a safety, however Shultz was able to grab ahold of it and boot it away. Mifflinburg’s next drive would only last one play, as a broken play led to a fumble recovery by Josh Worthington at midfield, giving the Blue Jays great starting field position again. This time it seemed like the Blue Jays would capitalize, but instead the 50 yard touchdown pass to Alex Zeisloft was called back due to offensive pass interference. More penalties would lead to another punt by the Blue Jays, this time setting Mifflinburg up at the Blue Jay 47 yard line. Only two plays later, the Wildcats would turn the ball over for a third time, this time on an interception by Crue Chipeleski set Central Columbia up at their own 37 as the first quarter came to an end.

The second quarter began with another Blue Jays’ drive that led to a punt, which started to become a theme for Central Columbia. Mifflinburg took over at their own 33 yard line, and the offense finally began to catch their stride as they drove down the field in just 6 plays, capping the drive off with a 19 yard touchdown run from senior running back Radwil Susan, increasing the lead to 14-0.

Mifflinburg’s defense forced Central Columbia to punt once again on their next drive, this time Landen Murray found a hole and took the return from his own 45 all the way down to the Blue Jay 19 yard line. The Wildcats offense only needed two plays to get to the end zone, putting Mifflinburg up 21-0 after the 19 yard pass to Cole Reibsome. The Blue Jays next drive was their most promising of the half, as they made it down inside the Wildcats’ 35 yard line, however a failed 4th and 2 conversion gave the ball right back to Mifflinburg with just over 2 and a half minutes to play in the half. The Wildcats cashed in one more time before the halftime break on a 2nd and 15 play, Chad Martin would launch a beautiful 41 yard pass to the end zone that was even more impressively caught by Landen Murray over Blue Jays’ defender Parker Day.

After the final minute of the first half ticked away, Mifflinburg entered the locker room with a 28-0 lead.

The Blue Jays’ offensive struggles continued in the second half, as the opening drive of the third quarter was a three and out, forcing them into yet another punt. On the other side, Mifflinburg’s offense only got more in rhythm as the game went on. The Wildcats’ opening drive of the second half went for 62 yards on 8 plays and was capped off by a 4 yard touchdown run by senior running back Brian Reeder, increasing Mifflinburg’s lead to 35-0.

Another three and out by the Blue Jays led to yet another Mifflinburg possession, and once again the Wildcats’ offense struck, this time on a 34 yard pass to senior wide receiver James Donlin, making our score 42-0. Chad Martin’s fourth and final touchdown pass put the game into a mercy rule heading into the final frame.

The fourth quarter featured both squads with JV players in the game, for Mifflinburg because of being up by 42 points, and for Central Columbia because the game was too far out of reach. We would see two more scores in the fourth quarter, the first being a 4 yard scramble by Martin, his fifth total touchdown of the game, and 15 yard run by freshman running back Seth Hartman, which was the final nail in the coffin in Mifflinburg’s 56-0 win.

“We obviously started slow, three turnovers in the first quarter, but just talking to the guys at the break, emphasize to them that we have to finish games. And they all came together as team in all three phases,” head coach Cody Botts said on the win. “I think the guys have a lot of confidence right now, and we’re confident as a program and as a staff that we can finish this thing out the right way.”

“Chad (Martin), early season obviously playing some good teams, people would say Chad wasn’t being Chad, but he’s just a heck of an athlete who does a lot of great things for us and he had another great game tonight. He makes plays, whether he’s running the ball, passing the ball, he can just make plays every time he has the ball in his hands.”

Mifflinburg with their win tonight moves to 3-5 on the season, and they will hope to keep this momentum going into next week on the road against Midd-West (0-8) as they search for their fourth consecutive victory. Meanwhile for Central Columbia, tonight’s loss moves them to 2-6 on the year, officially eliminating them from the playoffs, they will hope to rebound next week at home as they’ll welcome in Warrior Run (5-3).

Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews

 
 
QwikCut
 
GoRout
 
Sports Paradise
 
Football Legends board game
 
 
x