Local sports

Shore’s Anderson scores 3 TDs in win over Central Mountain

Jersey Shore's Owen Anderson found the end zone three ways Friday night as the Bulldogs finished a perfect 7-0 regular season.

Anderson hauled in a touchdown reception, ran for another score, and retuned a punt for six points in Jersey Shore's 21-9 victory over Central Mountain. It was the second meeting between the Bulldogs and Wildcats this season. Jersey Shore won the first earlier this fall 55-7.

Anderson's third touchdown of the night, a 37-yard punt return, proved to be the most significant as the touchdown stretched the Bulldogs' lead to 12 with 5 minutes, 43 seconds left in the game.

Central Mountain jumped on the scoreboard first in Friday night's rematch, Jersey Shore turned the ball over on downs, and the Wildcats were set up with solid field position.

Tyler Weaver connected on a 23-yard field goal to give the Wildcats an early 3-0 lead. The three points surrendered by the Bulldogs in the opening quarter were the first points allowed by Jersey Shore in the first quarter all season.

The Wildcats' lead did not last long as the Bulldogs marched down the field on the ensuing possession and scored the game's first touchdown. Anderson reeled in a 10-yard slant from Branden Wheary to put the Bulldogs ahead 7-3 with just over a minute remaining in the first quarter.

Wheary finished the game 13 of 27 passing for 220 yards and a touchdown.

Jersey Shore had an attempt at a field goal later in the first half, but the attempt was short.

The Bulldogs took a 7-3 lead into halftime.

Central Mountain regained the lead when junior running back Ryan Pentz took a sweep 61 yards for a touchdown. Pentz ran for a game-high 117 yards on 24 carries.

After Pentz put the Wildcats ahead, Jersey Shore's offense responded like it has done all season. Anderson scored his second touchdown of the night on a 2-yard rush.

The Wildcats converted two fourth downs on their next possession. Ultimately, Central Mountain's offense turned the ball over on downs when they were stopped on their third attempt on Jersey Shore's 36.

Central Mountain's defense, which held the Bulldogs to an impressive 35 yards rushing, forced a punt on Jersey Shore's next possession to give its offense the ball back.

The Wildcats then were forced to punt once again in the quarter, this time they were punting out of their own end zone. Anderson fielded the punt at Central Mountain's 37 and returned it for his third score of the night with 5:37 remaining in the game, giving the Bulldogs a 21-9 lead.

Jersey Shore forced another turnover on downs, and the Bulldogs held on for the 21-9 victory over the Wildcats.

The Wildcats' 12-point loss to the Bulldogs on Friday night was drastically better than Central Mountain's 48-point loss to Jersey Shore earlier this fall. Despite not coming out with a win, Central Mountain coach Jim Renninger said he is impressed with the improvements his team has made this season.

"I'm proud of our kids, they got better, they played their guts out, I mean that's a heck of a football team (Jersey Shore), they're very, very good, they're well coached, they do everything very well," Renninger said. "We had some opportunities if we would have made some plays here and there, it could have been a different outcome. I'm never happy about losing but I'm proud of the kids."

Central Mountain is making its first playoff appearance since 2012, the Wildcats are set to play Hollidaysburg on Saturday at Mansion Park in Altoona for the District 6 Class AAAAA championship.

The battle is scheduled for a 1 p.m. kick. The Wildcats last saw the Golden Tigers in 2019 when Hollidaysburg defeated Central Mountain, 41-19.

Renninger said his team is ready for the challenge.

"Hollidaysburg's a good football team, they've got some athletes," he said. "Their quarterback is a pretty talented kid, he does a lot of good things. I think it should be a heck of a game."

Jersey Shore 21, Central Mountain 9

Jersey Shore 7 0 7 7 -- 21

Central Mountain 3 0 6 0 -- 9   

First Quarter

CM--Tyler Weaver 23, field goal 2:34

JS--Owen Anderson 10 pass from Branden Wheary (kick), 1:28

Third Quarter

CM--Ryan Pentz 61 run, 3:39.

JS--Anderson 2 run (kick),0:57.

Fourth Quarter

JS--Anderson punt return 37 (5:43)

TEAM STATISTICS JS CM

First downs 9 15

Rushes-yards 18-35 38-249

Passing yards 220 61

Comp-att-int 13-27-0 10-23-1

Total yards 255 310

Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-0

Penalties-yards 7-30 5-25

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Jersey Shore--Cam Allison 7-22, Owen Anderson 5-4,1, Branden Wheary 3-6, Gabe Packer 1-1. Central Mountain--Ryan Pentz 24-117, 1, Micah Walizer 13-77, Brett Gerlach 1-1.

PASSING: Jersey Shore--Branden Wheary 13-27-220-1. Central Mountain--Brett Gerlach 10-23-61-0

RECEIVING: Jersey Shore--Anderson 5-98-1, Cayden Hess 4-85, Dalton Dugan 3-24, Brady Jordan 1-13. Central Mountain--Peyton Johnson 4-33, Nick Long 4-19, Pentz 1-5, Cayde McCloskey 1-4.

Records: Jersey Shore (7-0), Central Mountain (4-3).