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HOMER CITY -- It wasn't the season that Portage had hoped for, and the campaign culminated for the Mustangs with a 41-6 loss to Homer-Center on Friday evening at Memorial Field.
Portage started 2-1, but limped to the finish line as the Mustangs fell in their final seven games with injuries adding up.
They did not have any answers for the Wildcat running game, which totaled for 322 yards as they had a 35-0 lead at halftime.
"They came out and punched us in the face," Portage coach Marty Slanoc said. "We knew they'd be tough up front. We knew they would be physical. They made the plays. We made some mistakes, and it turned ugly quick. But I give our kids credit. I'll miss these seniors. We just have to keep moving."
Play of the game: With Homer-Center leading 7-0 in the first quarter, the Wildcats partially blocked a punt that set them up for a drive starting at the Portage 16-yard line. Homer-Center scored on the next play.
Player of the game: Homer-Center quarterback Carson Arone only needed to pass the ball four times, but he did complete three of those passes. He mainly got the job done on the ground, going for 147 yards on 15 carries.
Unsung heroes: The Homer-Center punt return team was excellent. Not only did it block a punt in the first quarter, but it also returned a punt for a touchdown. Portage nearly took a safety on the play on a high snap in the back of the end zone, but got the punt off. The Wildcats' Codey Bell came up the field after setting up for a block and ended up returning the touchdown from 25 yards.
Most vital statistic: Portage had 144 yards of total offense and got its lone touchdown on a Dominic Berardinelli 88-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Without that run, the Mustangs would have only had 56 yards of total offense.
Homer-Center coach Greg Page: "We had a couple big plays on special teams -- the blocked punt, and then the other punt where our kid just reacted and that's a great football play. Those are the kinds of things you have to do to separate yourself in games like this.
"(Portage) was short-handed and they're very young, and you don't want to give them any hope and let them in the game. Our guys really took advantage of that tonight."
Coach Slanoc on having a better 2026 season: "We have to look at the team we just played. (Their record) was reversed last year. They were the team that was down and they went to work. Coach Page is a good coach. He got those guys going. They bought in."
Portage quarterback Easton Slanoc: "You just have to keep a positive attitude, have good vibes and have fun the last couple minutes of your career. It's hard knowing we're going out like this. I just wish these young guys the best of luck next season. They have to put the time in the weight room over the summer and come together as a team."
Notable: Easton Slanoc was noticeably banged up in the first half and did not play at all in the second half. Tyson Burkett was the Portage quarterback for the second half. ... Berardinelli finished with 101 yards on 10 carries.
Records: Portage (2-8); Homer-Center (7-3)
Next week: Portage's season is finished. Homer-Center will tentatively host Moshannon Valley in the first round of the District 6 Class 1A playoffs.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Portage 0 0 6 0 -- 6
Homer-Center 14 21 6 0 -- 41
First Quarter
HC--G. Cobaugh 3 run (Frazer kick), 8:43
HC--Arone 16 run (Frazer kick), 6:50
Second Quarter
HC--Arone 15 run (Frazer kick), 10:23
HC--Bell 25 punt return (Frazer kick), 5:32
HC--McAnulty 22 pass from Arone (Frazer kick), :54.3
Third Quarter
P--Berardinelli 88 run (run failed), 4:36
HC--G. Cobaugh 6 run (kick failed), 2:06
TEAM STATISTICS P HC
First downs 4 16
Total yards 144 322
Rushes-yards 30-137 42-273
Yards passing 7 49
Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 1-6-0 3-4-0
Punts-avg. 7-21.4 1-40
Fumbles-lost 2-1 2-1
Penalties-yards 2-14 3-20
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Portage, Berardinelli 10-101, Munyon 11-30, Shaffer 3-16, Walker 3-(-1), Ferrero 1-(-3), E. Slanoc 2-(-6). Homer-Center, Arone 15-147, G. Cobaugh 12-63, Frazer 1-27, Deyarmin 5-20, Turk 5-17, Henry 1-3, Harper 2-(-1), McDaniel 1-(-3).
PASSING--Portage, E. Slanoc 1-5-0-7; Burkett 0-1-0-0. Homer-Center, Arone 3-4-0-49.
RECEIVING--Portage, Bobolsky 1-7. Homer-Center, McAnulty 2-42, G. Cobaugh 1-7.