By Paul Buriak
For the Mirror
EBENSBURG -- Central Cambria was locked in a battle with winless Greater Johnstown for the better part of three quarters on Friday night, with both squads plagued by turnovers and penalties.
However, the Red Devils came up with a pair of takeaways in the final two periods that were both converted into touchdowns, and that helped propel Central Cambria to a 20-0 triumph.
Play of the game: Central Cambria quarterback Hunter Pittsinger didn't complete a pass until 3:20 left in the third quarter, but his first connection was huge. After the Red Devils' Brayden Blasko recovered a Greater Johnstown fumble at the Trojan 36, Pittsinger found Grady Snyder open down the sideline for a score on the very next play that made it 14-0.
Player of the game: In addition to his touchdown catch, Snyder rushed for a game-high 77 yards and another score, while intercepting a pass from his safety position on defense that also set up his team's final touchdown.
Unsung hero: Central Cambria first-year senior defensive tackle Treyton Jacobs, who picked up a sack.
"He's a senior who just came out for football a few weeks ago and doesn't look like a defensive tackle," Red Devil coach Don Fyfe said. "But he's a super athlete who knows how to rush the passer, and he did a great job putting pressure on the quarterback."
Most vital statistic: Greater Johnstown committed five turnovers (four interceptions and a lost fumble), and also had nine penalties for 95 yards to kill several promising drives.
Fyfe: "We weren't clicking, but a lot of it was how well Johnstown played."
Johnstown coach Antwuan Reed: "Penalties and mistakes, our guys got to clean that up. We have to keep working and pushing through to turn that corner."
Snyder: "We started off slow and weren't looking too good, but we stepped it up in the second half, did what we had to do, and got it done."
Notable: Central Cambria junior Ian Estep picked off two Johnstown passes and also caught a 24-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter that put the contest firmly in his team's favor.
Records: Greater Johnstown (0-4); Central Cambria (3-1).
Next week: Greater Johnstown hosts Westmont Hilltop. Central Cambria hosts rival Penn Cambria with the Goal Post Trophy at stake.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Johnstown 0 0 0 0-- 0
Central Cambria 0 7 7 6--20
Second Quarter
CC--Snyder 9 run (Muldoon kick), 6:34.
Third Quarter
CC--Snyder 36 pass from Pittsinger (Muldoon kick), 3:20
Fourth Quarter
CC--Estep 24 pass from Pittsinger (run failed), 5:32.
TEAM STATISTICS J CC
First downs 17 9
Total Net Yards 195 217
Rushes-yards 34-83 39-150
Passing 112 67
Comp-Att-Int 14-34-4 3-5-0
Punts 2-33.0 6-36.5
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 2-2
Penalties-Yards 9-95 8-75
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Johnstown, Baxter 7-43, J. Reed 11-10, Durant 13-71, Matthews 1-minus 7, TEAM 2-minus 34. Central Cambria, Garzarelli 13-59, Snyder 20-77, A. Chappell 2-minus 5, Pittsinger 1-6, R. Chappell 2-17, Williams 1-minus 4.
PASSING--Johnstown, J. Reed 12-24-3-88, Matthews 2-10-1-24. Central Cambria, Pittsinger 3-5-0-67.
RECEIVING--Johnstown, Veney 4-46, Baxter 2-16, Keith 2-24, Durant 2-3, Z. Reed 3-16, Taylor 1-7. Central Cambria, Snyder 1-36, Estep 1-24, Garzarelli 1-7.