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Huskies experience deja vu

MC falls at State College for second time

Sentinel photo by MIKE GOSS
Mifflin County’s Gage Scheaffer (6) scores a second-quarter touchdown Friday at Memorial Field in State College as Little Lions defender Collin Hubert (26) tries to make the tackle.

STATE COLLEGE — Mifflin County coach Scot Sechler summed up his football team’s game with State College by citing Penn State coach James Franklin’s response after his team’s loss to Ohio State earlier this season.

“We have a really good football team,” Sechler said. “We really do. They have an elite football team and that’s what we’re trying to get to.”

For the fifth straight season, and 10th time in the last 11 years, the Little Lions have captured either a district or regional title. On Friday night at Memorial Field, it was a District 6 Class 6A championship after a 42-7 victory over Mifflin County.

“It’s really hard — every day is hard,” coach Matt Lintal said of maintaining such a high standard, which has produced a district-best 17 overall crowns. “These kids are bought into the process, and they trust the process and know that it works.”

The Little Lions (10-1) will meet either McDowell or Allderdice, who meet at 7 p.m. today in Pittsburgh, in a PIAA subregional on Nov. 9 or 10. The winner of that game earns a spot in the state playoffs.

Sentinel photo by MIKE GOSS
State College receiver Keaton Ellis, left, hauls in a touchdown pass with one hand despite the coverage of Mifflin County’s Zachary Bickhart (4) during the first half Friday in State College.

Despite the long string of successful seasons, Friday night saw a new experience for the Little Lion players — District 6 medals hanging around every player’s neck. Previous recent seasons were regional titles, which do not earn medals.

“This feels great,” said running back Drysen Green, who had 14 carries for 215 yards and a touchdown. “I’ve never gotten one of these (medals). We’re just going to keep going through the playoffs.”

Green led an offense that produced 288 yards on the ground and 389 yards of total offense through rain most of the game. Quarterback Tommy Friberg was 9 of 12 passing for 92 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. His yardage total gives him 3,719 for his career to break Chris Ganter’s record as the program’s top passer.

Keaton Ellis caught two of the scoring strikes, Cohen Russell hauled in the other and Isaiah Edwards found the end zone twice, rushing for 74 yards on nine carries.

“They have a lot of playmakers,” Sechler said. “I thought we were in position a lot of times, we just couldn’t come up with tackles. Those guys are very elusive.”

The Huskies (6-5), who had won six straight entering the night, actually moved the ball well during much of the game. They racked up 343 total yards, with 235 on the ground led by 92 yards on 22 attempts by Gage Schaeffer, and 14 rushes for 73 yards by Nathan Poche. Schaeffer scored the team’s lone touchdown in the second quarter.

“They came in and had a good game plan,” Lintal said. “It took us a little while to get going. Credit to Mifflin County — they came in ready to play.”

Mifflin County had five other drives reach inside the State College 30-yard line that did not produce points.

“It’s obviously frustrating,” coach Scot Sechler said. “We were able to move the ball around pretty well, we just couldn’t capitalize on things.”

State College got on the board first with a Friberg-to-Ellis 11-yard connection to the corner of the end zone. Ellis and the Little Lions thought they had a score on the first play of that drive, when he raced 77 yards through several tackles to the end zone, but a holding penalty wiped out the play.

Early in the second quarter, Ellis made the catch of the night on a seven-yard fade pass, blanketed well by a Husky defender but turning around perfectly and making a one-handed catch.

“It ended up working out,” Ellis said of the play. “I’m happy with that.”

“Keaton’s special,” Lintal said. “Anything he does doesn’t surprise us. The sky’s the limit for that kid.”

Less than two minutes later, the Little Lions struck again with a 15-yard connection from Friberg to Russell. Just over three minutes after that, following a 70-yard Russell punt return, Edwards was in the end zone on a 20-yard run. Russell, however, was injured on the return and left the game.

Mifflin County finally got on the board with an impressive 91-yard drive, capped by a Schaeffer seven-yard run late in the first half.

Green found the end zone late in the third quarter, dancing along the sideline 31 yards for the score. He then set up another score early in the fourth with a 68-yard run, breaking one tackle after another before being dragged down at the 3, with Edwards trotting in on the next play.

The Huskies just didn’t have enough answers to wrap up the Little Lions.

“These guys never give up,” Sechler said. “That’s one ting we learned about them this year. We have a lot of heart, we don’t quit, we keep fighting and we’re going to use that going forward.”

State College 42, Mifflin County 7

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Mifflin County 0 7 0 0–7

State College 7 21 7 7–42

First Quarter

SC–Ellis 11 pass from Friberg (Renfrew kick), 2:46.

Second Quarter

SC–Ellis 7 pass from Friberg (Renfrew kick), 10:16.

SC–Russell 15 pass from Friberg (Renfrew kick), 8:23.

SC–Edwards 20 run (Renfrew kick), 5:15.

MC–Schaeffer 7 run (Xanthopolous kick), 1:41.

Third Quarter

SC–Green 31 run (Renfrew kick), 3:13.

Fourth Quarter

SC–Edwards 3 run (Renfrew kick), 10:31.

TEAM STATISTICS

MC SC

First downs 22 18

Total yards 343 389

Rushes-yards 55-235 28-288

Yards passing 108 108

Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 8-26-0 10-13-1

Punts-avg. 3-31 2-35.5

Fumbles-lost 0 0

Penalties-yards 8-59 8-81

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Schaeffer 22-92, Poche 14-73, Wright 11-40, Kibe 2-11, Henry 1-3, Capouillez 1-2, Snook 1-5, Hopkins 1-5, Fortson 1-3, Knepp 1-1. SC–Green 14-215, Edwards 8-74, Ellis 1-6, Guthoff 1-1, Howell 1-(-4), Friberg 2-(-4).

PASSING: MC–Wright 8-26-0-108; Friberg 9-12-1-92, Longenecker 1-1-0-9.

RECEIVING: MC–Ja. Jackson 3-29, Henry 2-35, Oburn 2-24, Ju.Jackson 1-20; SC–Ellis 3-27, Russell 2-26, Bullock 2-26, Edwards 1-9, Dorner 2-13.

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