Dragons dominate Devils
Central cruises to first title in 18 seasonsBy John Hartsock,jhartsock@altoonamirror.com
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A frosty Friday night at Mansion Park left the Central High School football team celebrating a ton of firsts.
Making their first appearance in a district championship game in 12 years, the Scarlet Dragons won their first district title in 18 seasons, while also celebrating their first 11-win season ever, along with their first-ever berth in the PIAA state playoffs.
And it was also a masterful 95-yard, 17-play first-quarter drive on the Dragons' first possession of the night that set the tone for Central's all-around dominant performance in an eye-opening 41-6 shellacking of a solid Central Cambria team in the District 6-AA championship game.
Central, which entered the 6-AA playoffs as the third seed, improved its record to 11-2 and will meet the winner of tonight's District 10 championship game between Wilmington and Slippery Rock next Friday night in a first-round PIAA playoff game at Slippery Rock University's Thompson Stadium.
"I couldn't be happier for our kids,'' Central coach A.J. Hoenstine said. "Our defense held a very talented team in check tonight, and our offense gave us contributions from several different players. Everybody made plays when they had to tonight. Everybody did their part.''
Central attacked the Red Devils from all angles on offense, as do-it-all sophomore Lucas Runk rushed for 116 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns, while completing five of seven passes for 55 yards and another touchdown.
Runk, along with Central senior Derek Forshey, befuddled Central Cambria out of the Dragons' wildcat spread formation all night long. Forshey threw a pair of touchdown passes to junior tight end Shane Cafferty, caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Runk, and rushed for 50 yards on seven carries while catching three Runk passes for 33 yards.
"Derek made great reads, Lucas made great reads, and they hit the open man every time,'' Hoenstine said. "We ran out of that spread formation and we just kept going, going and going tonight.''
Central took control on its first possession, covering 95 yards to the end zone on Mansion's snow-tracked surface. Derek Forshey's third-down touchdown pass to Cafferty from 10 yards out capped the titanic eight-minute march with 1:34 left in the first quarter.
"Derek got a pre-snap read on defense, and he knew I was going to be open,'' Cafferty said. "I just made the play.''
Making plays was something he had in common with a majority of his teammates Friday.
"At the beginning of the year, nobody expected us to be close to where we are now,'' Forshey said. "But everybody on the team had faith in one another, and everybody did their jobs tonight.''
Runk, who made a night of turning heads with his dazzling play-making, found Forshey open in the end zone with an 8-yard touchdown pass 3:58 before halftime to help Central to a 14-0 lead.
Runk promptly turned around on defense and intercepted a tipped Central Cambria pass, returning it 36 yards to the Red Devils' 5. Three plays later, Runk burrowed under a pile of linemen into the end zone from 1 yard out, sparking Central to a 20-0 lead at halftime.
"It was a goal of ours to win districts, although a lot of people outside our program never expected us to do it,'' Runk said. "The coaches got us pumped up in the locker room, and we came out and showed people what we're made of tonight.''
Both offensively and defensively.
Central monopolized the football on offense, and defensively, the Dragons nearly pitched a shutout, allowing only Jeff Wasilewski's consolation 13-yard touchdown pass to Ben Ridgeley with 3:22 remaining.
"We just wanted to keep hitting people tonight,'' Central senior defensive tackle David Ellis said. "This is a great feeling after all the time we put in the weight room and during summer practices.''
Central picked up in the second half right where it left off in the first. Khryi Deterline's 45-yard kickoff return to start the third quarter, and Runk's 24-yard sprint, paved the way for fullback Casey McConahy's 2-yard touchdown blast.
Runk swept left end for a 7-yard touchdown run to polish off Central's 45-yard scoring march later in the third quarter, and Cafferty caught Forshey's 12-yard touchdown pass with 9:02 left in the game to put Central ahead, 41-0 and put the mercy-rule clock into effect.
Central Cambria coach Ken Bussard's fifth-seeded Red Devils (9-4) ousted top-seeded Tyrone a week ago, but had no answers for Central.
"It was a royal butt-whoopin','' Bussard said of the Scarlet Dragons' effort. "Central won every aspect of this game. They really took it to us.''
Hoenstine has no doubts that his team can carry over the type of intensity it exhibited Friday night into the state playoffs.
"We're going to leave our hearts on the field, and see what happens, just like we do every week,'' he said.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Central Cambria0 0 0 6 - 6
Central7 13 14 7 - 41
First quarter
C-Cafferty 10 pass from D. Forshey (Miller kick), 1:34.
Second quarter
C-D. Forshey 8 pass from Runk (Miller kick), 3:58.
C-Runk 1 run (kick failed), 2:05.
Third quarter
C-McConahy 2 run (Flaugh pass from Runk), 10:40.
C-Runk 7 run (kick failed), 4:56.
Fourth quarter
C-Cafferty 12 pass from D. Forshey (Miller kick), 9:02.
CC-Ridgeley 13 pass from Wasilewski (kick failed), 3:22.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Central Cambria-O'Saben 22-99, Wasilewski 5-21, Shirk 1-2, Team 1-0. Central-Runk 20-116, D. Forshey 7-50, McConahy 6-11, Ayers 3-10, Saylor 1-10, Blattenberger 1-(-1), Team 1-0.
PASSING: Central Cambria-Wasilewski 3-15-2-52. Central-D. Forshey 8-10-0-108, Runk 5-7-0-55.
RECEIVING: Central Cambria-Ridgeley 2-42, Lipnic 1-10. Central-Cafferty 5-67, Flaugh 3-34, D. Forshey 3-33, Runk 1-24, Saylor 1-5.
INTERCEPTIONS: Central 2-Stonerook, Runk.
TEAM STATISTICSCCC
First downs1020
Rushes-yards29-12239-196
Passing (comp.-att.-int.)3-15-213-17-0
Yards passing52163
Total yards174359
Fumbles-lost3-00-0
Penalties-yards5-305-45
Punts-avg.3-28.31-41
