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McCort takes advantage of CC miscues

JOHNSTOWN — Central Cambria got off to a disastrous start Friday night and Bishop McCort was able to capitalize and take a commanding early lead en route to a 42-6 win at Johnstown’s Point Stadium.

The Red Devils (1-8) suffered a botched punt snap on the fourth play of the contest and gave the Crimson Crushers (6-2) possession at the Central Cambria 8.

McCort quarterback Levi Cook took it in on the next snap for a 7-0 Crusher lead just over a minute into the game, and that advantage eventually expanded to 21-0 at the end of one quarter and 34-0 at the half.

“We played soft, with no aggression in the first half,” said Central Cambria coach Bill Corrente. “We looked like a 1-7 team, but we battled them a little better in the second half.”

Bishop McCort racked up 398 rushing yards against the Red Devils, with 265 of those coming in the first half. Andre Nash rushed for a game-high 166 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries, and he also caught a 23-yard touchdown pass.

“It was senior night and homecoming, so we knew we had to go out and take care of business,” Bishop McCort coach Brian Basile said. “Andre (Nash) has done the job for us all year on offense, defense, and special teams, and it was nice to see him have a game like this on senior night.”

After falling behind, the Red Devils drove into Crusher territory following three completions covering 56 yards by Justin Bezek, but a red-zone interception by Imil Britt ended the Central Cambria threat.

Following the turnover, runs by Britt of 16 and 18 yards led to Cook’s 23-yard touchdown pass to Nash, and on the next possession Kristian Fleming’s 18-yard scoring run sent the Crushers into the second quarter with a 21-0 advantage.

Nash’s 12-yard dash up the middle at the 9:35 mark of the second added to McCort’s advantage, and after an 11-play drive for the Red Devils was stopped on downs at the Crushers’ 35, Nash took it the distance on the next snap to make it 34-0.

“That’s been our MO all year,” Corrente said. “We can’t finish drives.” “McCort is a good, well-coached team and you can’t have letdowns or make mistakes against them.”

The Red Devils got on the board after forcing a Bishop McCort turnover to open the third quarter. Central Cambria moved 80 yards in 11 plays, sparked by four Bezek completions totaling 35 yards that led to David O’Saben’s 8-yard touchdown run.

Bezek finished 16 of 41 for 154 yards and surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the year.

Bishop McCort completed the scoring early in the fourth on Ridge Phillips’s 2-yard run and Nash’s conversion reception.

McCort, which held the Red Devils to just 36 yards rushing, did not have to punt the ball one time in the game.

O’Saben was the leading rusher in the game for Central Cambria, totaling 53 yards on 13 carries.

The Red Devils will conclude the season Friday night when they host Westmont Hilltop. The Hilltoppers play today against Bishop Carroll.

Bishop McCort is at Penn Cambria next Friday. The Panthers lost to Somerset, 28-20.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Central Cambria    0  0    6 0 —   6

Bishop McCort    21 13 0 8 — 42

First quarter

BM–Cook 8 run (Miller kick), 10:45.

BM–Nash 23 pass from Cook (Miller kick), 3:40.

BM–Fleming 18 run (Miller kick), 0:50

Second quarter

BM–Nash 12 run (kick failed), 9:35.

BM–Nash 65 run (Miller kick), 5:04.

Third quarter

CC–O’Saben 8 run (kick failed), 4:33.

Fourth quarter

BM–Phillips 2 run (Nash pass from Cook), 11:56.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING:  Central Cambria–O’Saben 13-53, Bezek 4-minus 14, Bennett 2-11, Team 1-minus 14. Bishop McCort–Nash 9-166, Britt 5-74, Walters 6-32, Cook 2-10, Fleming 9-65, Phillips 6-27, Meier 2-11, Malcolm 1-13, Vamos 2-0.

PASSING:  Central Cambria–Bezek 16-41-1-154. Bishop McCort–Cook 2-2-0-24, Britt 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING:  Central Cambria–Bennett 4-28, Knopp 5-53, Davis 3-36, Gillen 3-26, O’Saben 1-11. Bishop McCort–Nash 1-23, Britt 1-1.

INTERCEPTIONS:  Central Cambria–none. Bishop McCort–Britt.

TEAM STATISTICS    CC    BM

First downs    15    17

Rushes-yards    20-36    40-398

Pass (comp.-att.-int.)    16-41-1    2-3-0

Yards passing    154    24

Total yards    190    422

Fumbles-lost    1-0    2-2

Penalties-yards    2-10    3-19

Punts-avg.     4-36    0-0

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