5 takeaways from Week 2 of Centre County high school football play
We’re two weeks into the high school football and all five local teams are officially in the win column.
Bellefonte bounced back from it Week 1 loss to Jersey Shore with a blowout victory over Huntingdon. State College kept it rolling with a close win over St. Augustine Prep, while Bald Eagle Area picked up its second win, handing Philipsburg-Osceola its first loss in the process. Penns Valley lost a nail-biter to Clearfield to fall into the loss column for the first time this season, rounding out the action for the five local teams.
Let’s look at a takeaway from each team this weekend.
1. Bellefonte cracks into the win column
The Red Raiders rebounded from an opening-night loss with a 47-3 victory over a Mountain League foe. They took down the Huntingon Bearcats at Rogers Stadium Friday night.
Senior running back C.J. Funk led Bellefonte with three rushing touchdowns, all from at least 35 yards out. He opened the scoring with a 36-yard touchdown run, then took another in from 84 yards out. His final touchdown was a 43-yard run.
His performance was crucial to getting the Red Raiders back on track. He’ll have another opportunity to have a big rushing performance when Bellefonte takes on Philipsburg-Osceola in Philipsburg at 7 p.m. Friday.
2. State College wins first game at South Track field
The State College Little Lions held their first game at the South Track field Friday night while Memorial Field is undergoing renovations, defeating St. Augustine Prep 20-17.
They scored all three touchdowns on the ground, with senior quarterback Brady Dorner opening the scoring, senior running back Isaiah Edwards closing it, and junior running back Dresyn Green scoring in between.
Green’s run was from 67 yards out, but wasn’t the first time he found the end zone. He had a long run early in the game that was called back by a block in the back penalty. His big-play ability was on full display in the game and will be important to State College’s offense this season. He and the Little Lions will take on Hollidaysburg Friday night at the South Track field at 7 p.m.
3. Bald Eagle Area stays unbeaten with road win
Bald Eagle Area earned its second win of the season on the road, defeating Philipsburg-Osceola 32-7 in Philipsburg Friday night. The Eagles used a strong pass rush to pressure P-O throughout the game. Their ability to get in the backfield frustrated the P-O offense and played a big role in holding the Mounties to seven points.
The Eagles have a big matchup next week when they play Penns Valley at home Friday night at 7 p.m.
4. Philipsburg-Osceola loses battle of unbeatens
The Mounties left the field Friday night with a loss to Bald Eagle Area, but with increased hope for the future.
The P-O defense played well, but turnovers by the offense kept putting it in disadvantageous positions. They forced multiple turnovers themselves, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap between themselves and the Eagles.
The Mounties will need their defense to stay strong next week when they take on Bellefonte at home at 7 p.m.
5. Penns Valley loses to Clearfield in shootout
The Penns Valley Rams lost a heartbreaker to Clearfield Friday night, giving up a 1-yard touchdown run with just seconds left in the game. The Rams were once again led by senior quarterback Aaron Tobias, who helped them put up 49 points on the Bison in the 56-49 loss.
They won’t have much time to dwell on the loss. Penns Valley will travel next week to take on Bald Eagle Area for a clash of two of the top teams in the Mountain League. The game will be played at 7 p.m. Friday night.
This story was originally published August 31, 2019 at 2:07 PM.
