TIM WEIGHT/For the Express The Central Mountain football team huddles up before a home game against Shamokin on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, at Malinak Stadium.

SUNBURY — Central Mountain showed it has the toughness and resiliency to compete with teams on Friday in Week 6. While the Wildcats didn’t earn their first win of the year, Central Mountain battled Shikellamy tough in a close 14-7 loss.

The Braves took a 14-0 lead into the break. In the first quarter, Brody Rebuck found Thomas Pollock for a 22-yard strike with 8:01 to play to go ahead, 7-0. And just two minutes into the second quarter, Luke Keally had a 20-yard touchdown run to give the Braves a 14-0 lead.

But the Wildcats’ defense played outstanding from there. Central Mountain didn’t allow Shikellamy to increase its lead and kept battling until the end. In the third quarter, the Wildcats finally got onto the scoreboard.

With 5:04 to play in the third quarter, Alex Johnson found Dalton McDermott for a 19-yard touchdown strike and cut the deficit to 14-7. While the Wildcats didn’t tie the game in the final 17 minutes, they still battled and played hard until the final whistle to try to rally.

Shikellamy had 360 yards of offense, but Central Mountain didn’t allow big plays to let the game turn into a mercy-rule affair.

Rebuck ran for 98 yards on 18 carries, Luke Keally ran for 53 and a score on 13 and Tristan Smith had 50 yards on eight carries. Shikellamy gained 296 yards as a team on the ground.

The Wildcats struggled offensively, but stayed in the game until the end with just 76 yards of offense, 41 of which came on the ground.

Dalton McDermott led the Wildcats with 22 rushing yards and Alex Johnson finished 2 for 4 for 35 passing yards and a touchdown. Rebuck was 9 for 19 for 124 yards and a touchdown. Central Mountain also forced an interception on defense.