Bisons stampede past Rams

Guy Cipriano

SPRING MILLS — A week to ponder a puzzling loss is difficult enough. Add three more days before hitting somebody else, and the wait can irritate any team.

For the CDT/Steve Manuel

Clearfield running back Derek Morgan, center, is corraled by Penns Valley defenders on Monday. Morgan rushed for 69 yards and a touchdown to help lead the Bisons to a 42-6 win over the Rams.

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Clearfield certainly resembled an agitated team during its 42-6 victory at Penns Valley on Monday.

The Bisons produced 257 first-half yards en route to taking a 35-0 halftime lead, a convincing sign they moped little after a confounding 34-21 home loss to Bald Eagle Area.

And Clearfield received plenty of time to mope.

The Rams (1-6) and Bisons (4-3) were scheduled to play last Friday, but once-in-a-century weather pushed the game to Monday. The moisture-free field benefited Clearfield, which rarely leaves its spread, shotgun formation.

“We wanted to rebound and get back on the winning side,” Clearfield coach Tim Janocko said. “I think we did that.”

Clearfield used different means than many expected to accomplish its goal.

Instead of attacking Penns Valley with his arm, sophomore quarterback Curtis Frye displayed his shifty side, gaining 101 yards on 13 first-half carries. Nearly a third of his carries resulted in touchdowns as Frye scored four times. Three of those runs, including a fourth-down plunge on the Bisons’ opening drive, originated from the 1-yard line.

Frye’s other touchdown run might not have been possible on a slick surface. Starting in his customary shotgun position, Frye took a snap, sprinted inside left, slipped around two diving defenders and juke-stepped past another for a 17-yard touchdown run to give Clearfield a 21-0 lead with 7:40 left in the second quarter.

“We executed some good plays,” Janocko said. “I thought our quarterback managed the game well. He’s going to continue to get better. He rebounded from last week. That was key.”

Frye, who completed 5 of 8 passes for 87 yards, was resting comfortably midway through the third quarter. Backup quarterback Tyler Woomer took the majority of the second-half snaps. The half included an eerie sight: Clearfield didn’t attempt a pass. The Bisons, who average more than 20 passes per game, attempted just four after their opening drive, thus compiling 282 rushing yards.

“It’s one of those things where you have to choose your battles,” Penns Valley coach Martin Tobias said. “We were geared up to stop the pass and they took advantage of the seams with their zone stretches and inside zone plays.”

Clearfield’s only scoring drive during the half included no gimmicks. The Bisons marched 78 yards on 11 plays in the third quarter, ending the drive on Beau Swales’ 10-yard touchdown run. Swales received the drive’s final eight carries. Derek Morgan, who rushed for 69 yards on 16 carries, scored Clearfield’s other touchdown on a 12-yard run in the second quarter.

For Penns Valley, which has lost five straight since defeating BEA, the game featured a familiar script. After starting the game with a three-and-out, the Ram defense forced two fourth-down situations on the Bisons’ opening drive. Clearfield converted both, with the first coming on Frye’s 25-yard completion over the middle to Trey Campman.

Penns Valley’s offense then placed considerable strain on the defense by accumulating just 184 total yards on 35 yards. The total includes Kody Bjalme’s 88-yard touchdown run with 7:13 remaining. The run helped Bjalme finish with 109 yards on nine carries.

The Rams fumbled seven times and lost three. They have lost eight fumbles during their past three games, a stretch where they have been outscored 107-12.

“There’s no question we made some mistakes whether it was an alignment or a couple of turnovers,” Tobias said. “There’s obviously a lot of things we just aren’t doing well.”

Both teams must now handle short weeks. Penns Valley meets Bellefonte on Friday, while Clearfield visits undefeated Central on Saturday.

Guy Cipriano can be reached at 231-4643.