5 takeaways from the 2nd week of postseason action for Centre County football teams
Centre County had two high school football teams in postseason action this week.
State College beat Williamsport, 17-14, to win the District 6 Class 6A championship and Bald Eagle lost to Forest Hills, 49-20, in the District 6 Class 2A football semifinals.
Here are five takeaways from Week 2 of Centre County’s postseason football play.
Bald Eagle Area’s defense just couldn’t contain Damon Crawley
The Forest Hills running back was everything and more for the Rangers’ victory effort. He had 21 carries for 269 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Crawley’s first touchdown was a 3-yard rush with 1:12 left in the first quarter. He struck again with 1:38 left in the first half on a 21-yard rush. He continued his dominance in the second half with three touchdowns in the third quarter on rushes of four yards, 23 yards and three yards.
Eagles have a lot to look forward to with Carson Nagle and Cam Watkins
The quarterback-wide receiver duo of freshman Carson Nagle and sophomore Camron Watkins has been fun to watch for onlookers of the program. The two connected for a 45-yard play to set up Bald Eagle on the Forest Hills 2-yard line and eventually resulted in a Trey Greene rushing touchdown from the one.
Jashaun Green is more than just a weapon, he’s a necessity
The State College wide receiver seemingly could break off a big play at any moment on Friday night’s 17-14 victory against Williamsport. He split his reps at running back, as well, rushing for a 31-yard touchdown in the first quarter to give State College a 7-0 lead. Lining up at wide receiver, Green carved up Williamsport with a number of first-down grabs.
It’s not just that he was a luxury on the field for the Little Lions, but he was essential to their game plan. They needed him to be at his best and to play running back to stretch the defense thin. Not to mention, he and Brady Bendik’s running style’s contrast one another. The outside rushing of Green along with the power runs of Bendik kept Williamsport’s defense gassed. The duo has the opportunity to continue causing problems for opposing defenses as the Little Lions advance in the playoffs.
Little Lions have a chance to cement themselves with another victory
While a state championship remains a lofty goal, State College has every opportunity to push itself past expectations this season. Dealing with injuries, followed by multiple quarterback changes and close losses, the Little Lions have still managed to win a District 6 Class 6A championship. The 6-5 Little Lions will have a tough task next week against 9-3 Delaware Valley in their sub-regional PIAA play-in game, but they have the chance to continue to push the program forward and mark 2021’s team down in history as fighters and champs in their own right.
State College’s offensive line played with physicality all night
There comes a time where the best teams will overpower their opponents. The best teams also tend to have the best offensive lines. State College’s offensive line is one of those units that will play as hard as possible and clear paths for their running backs. Green and Bendik both had rushing touchdowns on the night and they held quarterback Owen Yerka upright most of the game. Not too shabby for the rough and tumble group of big guys.
