Breaking News
Local sports

Mifflinburg defeats Central Mountain football behind huge second half

By ZACH POWELL 6 min read

MILL HALL- One of Central Mountain's achilles heels so far this season has been learning how to play with a lead and manage it. Central Mountain has had leads in two games earlier this season where it has found a way to come out on top, but the Wildcats weren't able to grasp its footing Friday once it lost control. Central Mountain let Mifflinburg back into the game after a six-point halftime lead, giving up 29 second-half points en route to a 43-33 home loss.

Central Mountain's strong, 20-point first half looked like it was on its way to a third consecutive win. But Mifflinburg had other plans. Visiting Wildcats quarterback Cole Reibsome led a pass-heavy team that completed an astounding 21-of-34 passes for 407 yards and four touchdowns including three third-quarter touchdowns that brought Mifflinburg back in the game.

"All week we prepped for a team that averages 50 throws per game so we knew they were going to be pass heavy. Anytime you run into a team like that you can stop them nine times but the tenth is going to be a big play. They were able to capitalize on that tonight like they have in the past...the big play moments really hit us," Central Mountain coach Travis Thompson said after the loss.

Many of those momentous plays worked for Central Mountain in the first half. WR Connor Foltz, who rushed for 67 yards, opened the second quarter with a 70-yard rush and later in the quarter came up with a 77-yard interception return for a touchdown.

It wasn't until the second half where the tide began to turn and favor Mifflinburg on the big plays where Central Mountain could not curate stops and Mifflinburg QB Reibsome continued throwing dart pass after dart pass that wounded Central Mountain's defense.

Mifflinburg's Reibsome had three third-quarter touchdowns alone, including two passes over 50 yards.

"We were able to move the ball in the first half," coach Thompson said. "Our line was dominating the line of scrimmage, Rocco (Serafini) was having a great time running. In the second half when we got into that quick score ball game back and forth with special team scores and long passes it got us out of our groove. We got out of our game plan, struggled a bit and doubt crept in."

Central Mountain got off to the start it was looking for when it picked up right where it left off in last week's overtime thrilling win over Shikellamy. The Wildcats forced a turnover-on-downs in the opening defensive sequence and Serafini, who managed a stellar 201-yard rushing performance, scored from one yard out to put Central Mountain ahead 1-0.

In the second quarter, Foltz's big plays dictated the flow of the game that favored Central Mountain. While Mifflinburg won the second quarter by one point, Central Mountain's defense held firm that solidified its 20-14 first half lead.

One tendency Central Mountain has been prone to is a flat third quarter coming out the half. Foltz made sure that didn't happen when he returned the opening kickoff just 13 seconds into the quarter. From that point on, the two teams exchanged touchdowns two touchdowns in a span of one minute, 48 seconds.

To end the quarter, Reibsome not only added his third touchdown of the quarter to spark the road team and give his team the lead on an 18-yard dime, Central Mountain's offense was nonexistent for 10 minutes dating back to Serafini's big 57-yard touchdown run.

"Limiting the big plays, we just had some coverage alignment issues," coach Thompson said about what he hoped had gone differently. "Hopefully we got those figured out."

Mifflinburg shut the door on Central Mountain in the fourth. While the home Wildcats had its chances down by just one point, Mifflinburg forced Central Mountain into a safety that gave it a three-point advantage.

On the next possession, Mifflinburg ran in one final touchdown and on its next defensive drive stopped Central Mountain running back Osten Lindsay on a possible momentum swinging fourth-and-1 play that could've given Central Mountain and its home crowd some hope. Instead, it closed a spectacular half and game for the visitors.

"It was definitely tough, it was a big play for them and it was a momentum shifter. If we get that play on fourth-and-1 then it's a different game. It was a good play on their part and crushing for us," coach Thompson said.

Central Mountain is a team that, for the most part, is still learning and growing. Two consecutive wins coming into Friday's game was an indicator that the team in Mill Hall is trending in the right direction, but this loss proves there's still more to learn.

Central Mountain is focused on learning from this game and flushing it to prepare for what's ahead.

"If we want to beat great teams then we have to play four quarters of football," coach Thompson concluded. "We're growing as a team, we're learning to win and next week is a new week."

Mifflinburg 43, Central Mountain 33.

M 014 20 9-43

CM 7 13 13 0-33

SCORING

First quarter

CM-Serafini 1 run (Jones kick), 8:45

Second quarter

CM-Foltz 70 run (kick missed), 11:05

M-Grodotzke 1 run (kick blocked), 7:49

CM-Foltz 77 INT return (Jones kick), 4:03

M-Reibsome 9 pass to Grodotzke (2-point conversion good), 2:18

Third quarter

CM-Foltz 85 kickoff return (Jones kick), 11:47

M-Reibsome 54 pass to Kyler Troup (Herrera kick), 10:12

CM-Serafini 57 run (2-point conversion no good), 10:26

M-Reibsome 18 pass to Troy Dressler (2-point conversion no good), 1:37

Fourth quarter

M-2-point safety, 6:06

M-Kiaden Kmett 1 run (Herrera kick), 4:41

TEAM STATISTICS

M CM

First downs 11 7

Rushes-yards 23-63 36-279

C-A-I 21-34-1 5-13-0

Passing yards 407 27

Total yards 470 306

Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0

Penalties-yards 2-15 7-70

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: CM-Rocco Serafini 27-201 yards, 2 TD; Connor Foltz 4-67 yards, 3 TD; Osten Lindsay 6-11 yards. M-Sean Grodotzke 13-30 yards; Radwil Susan 2-17 yards; Kaiden Kmett 6-16 yards, TD.

Passing: Reibsome 21-34, 407 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT; Tom Sprague 5-13, 27 yards.

Receiving: CM-Foltz 3-28 yards; Ashton Bennett 1-3 yards. M-Troy Dressler 8-104 yards; Sean Grodotzke 4-31 yards; Kyle Troup 5-90 yards; Jackson Griffith 3-76 yards.

Interceptions: M-Reibsome (Foltz INT)

Records: Central Mountain 2-2. Mifflinburg 3-1.

Starting at /week.