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Two years after winless season, Chucks claim first district title since 1991 |
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Written by Frank Foreman
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Saturday, 14 November 2009 |
The 2009 Punxsutawney Chucks football team poses with its District IX Class AAA Championship plaque after defeating Clearfield Friday night at E.J. Mansell Stadium in DuBois, 34-28. Punxsy trailed 28-20 with 13 minutes left in the game before running off 14-straight points to knock off the reigning champion Bisons. (Photo by Dan Walk/The Punxsutawney Spirit)
DUBOIS — The Punxsutawney football team entered the 2009 season with one goal: To be a championship program.
Mission accomplished.
The Chucks used an impressive fourth-quarter scoring drive and a season-saving defensive stand against Clearfield with seconds remaining on the clock inside their own 20-yard line to defeat the Bisons, 34-28, to claim the 2009 District IX Class AAA Championship for the second time in school history Friday night in DuBois.
With the win, the Chucks will now compete in the play- in game of the PIAA playoffs next Friday against Schenley, which defeated Oliver 34-32 in the District VIII Championship game Friday. The time and location of the game have yet to be determined.
Friday night's championship game was a classic from start to finish. To say there were highlight reel plays on both sides of the ball doesn't do the game justice for the high level of play and excitement thrust throughout E.J. Mansell Stadium.
And for first-year head coach Alan Nichol, a former Punxsy player who was part of the school's last undefeated team, it was perfect.
"That sounds fantastic," Nichol said in response to his Chucks being called district champions for the first time since 1991. "Our goal has always been to win the game that week. I can't tell you how hard these guys have come out and worked. That's what the game of football is all about."
Punxsy showed its mettle on both sides of the ball late in the fourth quarter, with a go-ahead touchdown drive with just 1:41 left in the game, showcasing just how clutch the Chucks' offense can be when it counts the most.
Starting from its own 18-yard-line with 6:28 remaining in the fourth quarter, Punxsy began moving the ball down the field, with the combination of strong running by Braedon Pennington, Ben Blazavich and Brennan Niver keying the drive.
But it was a 2-yard one-handed catch by Blazavich that turned into a 40-yard run that made the difference, putting the Chucks at the Bisons' 26-yard line with 2:40 left in the game.
From there, Niver and Blazavich alternated for 9-yard rushes to put the ball inside the Clearfield 10-yard line. Another Niver run, this time for six yards, set the Chucks up with a second-and-goal from the 3-yard line.
On the ensuing play, Blazavich capped off the impressive drive with a 3-yard touchdown up the middle to make it 32-28 with 1:41 left in the game. The Chucks converted on the two-pointer to take a six-point lead.
While Blazavich's big play sparked the scoring drive, it was sophomore quarterback Logan Weaver's ability to create space, as well as a great effort by the offensive line that made the big play, as well as entire drive, possible.
"We have some talented players that work hard. Logan Weaver has kept his poise all year," Nichol said. "He made some big plays. The offensive line hung in there and found a way to get it down under some incredible pressure. The credit goes to the offensive line when you start moving the ball like that."
For Weaver, it was the play of the bodies up front that gave Punxsy a chance to take the lead late in the game.
"That was great. Our offensive line, they get all the credit," Weaver said. "They went at it all night. We wouldn't have been able to do anything without them."
With Punxsy taking its first lead since late in the second quarter, it was time for the Chucks' defense to rise to the occasion.
Following a short kickoff and good return, Clearfield took over at its own 40-yard-line with a 1:37 remaining.
Three straight completions by Clearfield quarterback Curtis Frye put the Bisons at Punxsy's 26-yard line. Two plays later, Frye found Trey Campman for a 9-yard strike to push Clearfield inside Punxsy's red zone with less than a minute remaining.
Frye missed on his next three pass attempts to set up fourth-and-10 at Punxsy's 18-yard line. Frye dropped back and found Campman on a slant near the 1-yard line, but upon caching the ball, he was decked by Pennington from the safety position. The ball was jarred loose, ending the drive and Clearfield's chances of a late rally.
On the hit, which appeared to be near the helmet of Campman, he was left motionless on the field, resulting in a 15-minute delay for the EMTs to place Campman on a stretcher and into an ambulance.
While being carted off the field, Campman motioned to the crowd with his left arm, signifying movement.
"He's going to be OK," Clearfield head coach Tim Janocko said following the game. "It's precautionary (to lay motionless). Any time we go out there, you want to make sure everything is OK."
Punxsy took over on downs, and Weaver kneeled on the ball to give the Chucks the hard-earned victory.
"It was a great game. Punxsutawney played a great football game," Janocko said. "Both teams played well, and big plays were made, and it was just a great high school football game."
While both teams were full of big plays, it was two huge defensive stops that may have ultimately made the difference in the Chucks' victory.
With Clearfield leading 14-12 midway through the third quarter and driving, Frye looked for Campman from 16 yards out when Weaver jumped up and picked off a pass in the end zone, resulting in a touchback for the Chucks.
The play ended the Clearfield threat, and kept the Bisons off the board at a crucial point in the game when Punxsy was in need of a momentum shift.
"We were in man (defense), and Devan (Neal) and I crossed, so Devan took my guy, and I naturally went back and took his," Weaver said. "He threw it up, and I went up and got it."
While the interception was a huge play at a big time, it was a another big stop by the Chucks' defense early in the game that proved to be just as important.
With Clearfield driving on its second possession of the game, the Bisons moved inside the Punxsy 5-yard line, setting up a first-and-goal situation. Four plays later, the Punxsy defense was celebrating a strong defensive stand after shutting down all of Clearfield's running attempts, and keeping the Bisons from scoring.
"Those were big plays. People were able to move the ball on us, but we're a bend-but-don't-break defense — sometimes," Nichol said. "We did come up with some big plays inside the 30."
For Janocko, those plays were the difference maker.
"That hurt," Janocko said. "When you're down there, you want to try and put points on the board. We didn't make some plays there, that's all."
The Chucks took an early lead after jumping out to one of the best starts of the season, highlighted by a long touchdown run by Weaver and a touchdown catch by Pennington.
On Punxsy's opening drive, it took just one play before Weaver scrambled and broke open a 52-yard touchdown run to make it 6-0 Punxsy with 10:14 left in the first quarter. The Chucks missed the extra point attempt.
Punxsy held on Clearfield's first drive of the game, and on its next possession, Weaver found Pennington for a 1-yard touchdown pass after a strong drive to make it 12-0 Punxsy after a failed two-point conversion.
The Bisons settled down, and in the second quarter, put together a long drive that was capped off by a quarterback sneak by Frye from one yard out to cut the Punxsy lead to 12-7 with 4:48 left in the first half.
On the Chucks' next possession, Niver fumbled, turning the ball over to Clearfield on its own 48-yard line. The Bisons worked the ball down the field with a combination of runs and passes, resulting in another quarterback sneak by Frye for a touchdown, giving Clearfield a 14-12 lead at halftime.
After Weaver's big interception shut down the Bisons' first drive of the second half, Punxsy handed the ball right back with a fumble on the snap. Clearfield took advantage, and seven plays into the ensuing drive, Derek Morgan rushed for a 3-yard touchdown to make it 21-12 in favor of the Bisons with 4:20 left in the third quarter.
But back came Punxsy, which answered in a big way on its next possession by an 11-yard touchdown pass from Weaver to Pennington to cut Clearfield's lead to 21-20 with 1:16 left in the third.
The Bisons appeared to take control of the game on their next possession, with Frye finding Campman for a 64-yard touchdown pass just two plays into the drive to make it 28-20 Bisons.
But once again, Punxsy rose to the challenge, answering with a 22-yard touchdown run by Niver off the left side to cut the Clearfield lead to 28-26 with 9:08 left in the game.
"We've been coming up strong in the second half all year long," Nichol said. "We've been able to overpower people and win some games that looked pretty bad in the first half. That's a credit to the hard work. We're a well-conditioned team, and we work very hard at that. I think that showed tonight."
For Punxsy, Weaver finished 6-for-9 through the air for 100 yards and two TDs. Blazavich rushed for 83 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown, while Niver finished with 92 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown.
While the victory was big in so many ways, the time for celebration isn't too long, as the Chucks will waste no time getting ready for next week's showdown.
"We're excited. We know we can win. We just have to put our heads to it and do it," Weaver said.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 16 November 2009 )
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