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HUNTINGDON -- A jaw-dropping series of events late in the second quarter turned the momentum in Huntingdon's favor, and the Bearcats used it as a springboard to an eventual 49-19 mercy-rule victory over Central in a Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference matchup at War Vets Field Friday night.
Central trailed by just a point, 14-13, when sophomore quarterback Jesse Muthler -- playing his first game since sustaining a head injury in the Scarlet Dragons' Week 3 game against Tyrone -- hooked up on a pass pattern with speedy junior J.J. Moushlian on what appeared to be a 79-yard play that carried to the Huntingdon 5.
However, a holding penalty on Moushlian's long run pushed the ball all the way back to the Central 35, and the Dragons were forced to punt two plays later. A high snap on fourth down gave Huntingdon a first-and-goal at the Central 1 and Huntingdon senior Elliott Guisler proceeded to score on a 1-yard run with 26 seconds left in the first half, giving Huntingdon a 21-13 lead at intermission.
"Take away that punt snap, and who knows?'' asked Huntingdon coach Tim Lucko rhetorically. "That was a momentum swing to get that right before halftime, and the momentum carried on to the second half for us.''
Indeed, Huntingdon (5-1) monopolized the third quarter, scoring three straight touchdowns on runs of 3 and 16 yards by senior back Evan Edmiston, and a 62-yard scoring burst up the middle of the field by senior back Landon Erdman.
"We have to be ready to step up and make plays,'' said Central coach Jerry Albright, whose team dropped to 1-5 overall and in the conference. "Our punter said that he should have just taken a safety there, but that's a learning situation. That's what high school football is all about.''
Edmiston, who also scored on a 7-yard second-quarter run, rushed for 149 yards on 15 carries, while Erdman totaled 100 yards on nine carries.
"In the first half, we generally played at the level that we want to play at, but we imploded in the second half,'' Albright said.
Play of the game: Central's high punt snap.
Player of the game: Edmiston capped off Huntingdon's masterful 61-yard, 11-play drive to open the second half with his 3-yard TD run, then sprinted 46 yards after taking a direct snap on Huntingdon's next possession, paving the way for his 16-yard scoring run on the very next play.
Unsung hero: Muthler turned in a gutsy performance, completing 10 of 22 passes for 139 yards and touchdown throws of 19 yards to senior Carter Schenk and 15 yards to sophomore wideout Bentley Dickson, who made an acrobatic catch.
Most vital statistic: Huntingdon owned the third quarter, outscoring Central, 21-0. The Bearcats owned a significant 279-130 edge in rushing yardage, but Central picked up 227 yards through the air.
Lucko: "I thought our running game was very effective, and I was particularly proud of the effort the players put forth after halftime.''
Edmiston: "We ran well the whole game, and in the second half, we really picked it up. Same on defense -- we stepped up and made plays.''
Notable: Junior Kobe Carthen caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Elliott Guisler to open the scoring in the game, then intercepted a pass and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter ... Schenk, who caught four passes totaling 85 yards, scored the game's final touchdown on a 1-yard run, and Dickson made five catches for 46 yards ... Gavin Norris recovered a fumble for Huntingdon that paved the way for the Bearcats' first TD … On a night in which military veterans, law enforcement officers and other first responders were recognized before the game, the Huntingdon players wore camouflage uniforms to honor those who have served.
Records: Central (1-5); Huntingdon (5-1).
Next week: Central visits Penns Valley; Huntingdon visits Tyrone.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Central 7 6 0 6 -- 19
Huntingdon 7 14 21 7 -- 49
First Quarter
H--Carthen 12 pass from Guisler (Snare kick), 6:48.
C--Schenk 19 pass from Muthler (Marks kick), 1:04.
Second Quarter
H--Edmiston 7 run (Snare kick), 9:35.
C--Dickson 15 pass from Muthler (kick failed), 4:25.
H--Guisler 1 run (Snare kick), :26.
Third Quarter
H--Edmiston 3 run (Snare kick), 5:48.
H--Edmiston 16 run (Snare kick), 1:48.
H--Erdman 62 run (Snare kick), 0:00.
Fourth Quarter
H--Carthen 70 interception return (Snare kick), 9:39.
C--Schenk 1 run (pass failed), 1:17.
TEAM STATISTICS C H
First downs 18 13
Total yards 357 304
Rushes-yards 30-130 32-270
Yards passing 227 34
Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 14-27-1 3-4-0
Punts/avg. 2-30 1-48
Fumbles-lost 2-1 0-0
Penalties-yards 7-50 1-5
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Central, Musei 15-87, Schenk 8-26, Harbaugh 6-16, Muthler 3-1. Huntingdon, Edmiston 15-149, Erdman 9-100, Guisler 6-12, Dodson 1-9, E. Rivello 1-0.
PASSING--Central, Muthler 10-22-1-139, Schenk 3-4-0-47, Horn 1-1-0-41. Huntingdon, Guisler 3-4-0-34.
RECEIVING--Central, Dickson 5-46, Schenk 4-85, Harbaugh 2-51, Loucks 1-40, Harbaugh 1-4, Horn 1-1. Huntingdon, Dodson 2-22, Carthen 1-12.