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Central Mountain suffers loss at home to Williamsport in Week 3

By CHRIS MASSE 8 min read

MILL HALL--The quiet man brought the noise.

Cordoza Minor produced the sacks, the tackles for loss and hits which so often change games, too. Doing so helped keep Williamsport undefeated.

Minor looked unblockable at times Friday night, collecting three sacks, three tackles for loss and 10 tackles as Williamsport shook off a slow start and defeated Central Mountain, 34-10 at Don Malinak Stadium. Quarterback Tevin Williams totaled 311 yards with three touchdowns; Zion Hughes (86 yards) scored twice and the starting defense allowed just 92 yards against the pesky Wildcats, giving Williamsport its third straight 3-0 start.

"Cordoza is just one of those guys. He works every day," Hughes said. "He doesn’t say much, but he puts his head down and works and a lot of people feed off his energy. That inspired the other linemen and he got everyone fired up."

Minor produced a 1.21 jiga-watt jolt throughout the first half and his Reggie White impersonation kept Williamsport ahead from the start despite its offense starting slow.

During one freakish seven-play sequence, Minor generated three sacks and two tackles for loss. Central Mountain (0-3) had multiple first half scoring opportunities, but Minor’s virtuoso performance was a major reason the Millionaires allowed just three points and held a 12-3 halftime advantage.

"Cordoza was a monster. That’s a man," Williamsport coach Kevin Brown said. "He is a great player. I’m so glad he’s on our team."

Minor is sound of mind and body. The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder is a four-year starter along both the defensive and offensive lines. He showcased his offensive muscle on Williamsport’s second touchdown drive, driving a defender from the 12-yard line into the end zone on a 10-yard run which set up a Williams 2-yard score that made it, 12-3.

It’s lessons Minor has learned throughout his four years which are helping him start as strong as ever. And, Friday, his strength and intelligence overwhelmed Central Mountain.

"I feel like this is definitely the best year," Minor said. "I definitely did learn the previous three years but this year is definitely a big change with the coaching staff. I feel like I’m learning a lot more."

Combining the physical and the mental, Minor has taken big steps forward each of the past two seasons. He seems to be taking his biggest one yet and can give opponents fits as both a defensive end and tackle. Minor did just that against Central Mountain, producing sacks from both positions and decimating the offense whether charging through the middle or exploding off the edge.

His first sack ended Central Mountain’s second series near midfield. Following a muffed punt, Central Mountain took over at the Williamsport 20, but Minor quickly snuffed out that moment, dropping Cahle Fredericks for a 2-yard loss on the first play before recording his second sack a play later. He and linebacker Eli Weaver then ended the threat on fourth down, stopping Gavin Heverly for a 2-yard loss on fourth-and-four.

"He’s an animal. He’s amazing," Brown said. "If he’s not the best defensive lineman in the conference, he’s one of two."

"It (playing end and tackle) helps for sure. Once you go against a guy a few times, he starts to learn your pattern," Minor said. "Getting out and going from tackle to end, it switches it up and gives you a new guy to put some work in against. Then, when you go back inside, it’s like you know what he’s going to do, so you can work your moves because you’ve already learned his move set."

Williamsport learned it can lean on its defense Frdiday. The Millionaires looked like a video game offense the first two weeks, piling up more than 1,000 yards and 90 points. Eventually, the offensive pieces fell into place, especially in the second half, but it was the defense which stole the show throughout the first half.

Despite Central Mountain being inside the red zone three times, the Millionaires allowed just three points. The starters dominated the middle quarters and exited having allowed just 92 yards and those three points on 37 plays. Kason Ulmer collected a sack; Nick Dincher recovered a fumble, Logan Rose made seven tackles and freshman Mha’si Strickland five more.

It was a breakout performance from a unit which struggled the first two weeks, but which stepped up in a huge way when called upon against Central Mountain.

"It did feel nice. The first two games we started slow," Minor said. “They got big runs on us the first plays every time, but tonight we shut them out mostly."

Williamsport was a heavy favorite entering the game, but Central Mountain gave it quite a fight. The Wildcats have been competitive in every game this season and had their chances against Williamsport. The inability to cash in during the first half, however, loomed large when the Millionaire offense settled in during the second half.

Still, there were plenty of building blocks. Central Mountain held Williamsport to its fewest points and yards this season. Kole Corman played another spectacular game, unofficially making 17 tackles and becoming the program’s all-time tackle leader. Cade Watkins added a sack; Mason Temple recovered a fumble and Central Mountain forced four punts.

Gavin Heverly made a big impact as well. The senior receiver caught six passes for 69 yards and did all he could on special teams to give the offense scoring opportunities. There, he returned kickoffs 61 and 22 yards, while adding a 42-yard punt return.

Central Mountain had Williamsport on the ropes at times, but the Millionaires fought it off and landed haymakers throughout the second half. There were no big strategy moves at halftime; just an emphasis on focus and detail.

"One thing I told the team at halftime is as bad as you think we’re playing, we’re still winning. Don’t think this is the worst thing in the world. We could have the three and they could have the 12," Brown said. "It wasn’t an adjustment thing. It was just settle down and do what we’re supposed to do. We don’t have to try and be the greatest show on turf all the time.

"We try to set standards for ourselves and try to play to those standards. I think sometimes we get in our own way as far as trying to do too much instead of just doing what we’re supposed to do, but you live and learn and we have seven more chances to get it all worked out."

Williamsport worked out a lot during the second half, scoring touchdowns on three straight possessions to go up 34-3 and land the knockout blow. Williams closed the first third quarter scoring drive when he found Trey Damschroder (6 catches, 89 yards) for a 16-yard score in front of the left pylon.

The next series, Williams (16 of 23, 191 yards) went Barry Sanders again, a near repeat of a touchdown run against Hazleton a week earlier. This time, Central Mountain engulfed him on a fourth-and-four, but Williams (122 rushing yards) stepped up in the pocket. He then put on a fabulous juke move at the line of scrimmage which left the defender tackling air and went mostly untouched on a 32-yard score.

Early in the fourth quarter, Ulmer caught a 15-yard pass and Damschroder a 26-yarder, setting up Hughes for a seven-yard touchdown run. It was the fourth touchdown in two games for Hughes who is playing running back for the first time and who has gained 200 yards the past two games.

"The linemen do a great job and make it happen," Hughes said. "Running back is about patience and vision which is something I’ve always had playing the point guard spot or the quarterback spot. Once I got my feet wet; relying on my vision and my athletic ability made it easier for me."

Nothing will come easy for Williamsport as it enters the meat of its schedule starting next Friday against Shikellamy. But the Millionaires learned a lot against Central Mountain which can help them going forward.

Not every game is going to be a diamond. Good teams often separate themselves by winning when not at their best and maintaining their luster. That is what Williamsport did against Central Mountain. Now it’s about fixing the bad it saw at times, so Williamsport can continue producing good results.

"We’re playing like this against a team and we’re still winning but I feel like could have done way better," Minor said. "This is going to help realign ourselves to what our goals actually and how we’re going to get better."

Williamsport 34,

Central Mountain 10

Williamsport 6 6 14 8--34

Central Mtn. 0 3 0 7--10

First quarter

W--Zion Hughes 4 run (kick failed), 9:45

Second quarter

C--Cahle Fredericks 19-yard field goal, 12:00

W--Tevin Williams 2 run (run failed), 8:12

Third quarter

W--Williams 16 pass to Trey Damschroder (run failed), 4:06

W--Williams 32 run (Williams run), :15

Fourth quarter

W--Hughes 7 run (Williams pass to Delantae Haberstroh-Stotts), 8:49

C--Kole Corman 1 run (Fredericks kick), 4:29

TEAM STATISTICS

W CM

First downs 18 8

Rushes-yards 38-220 36-97

Passing yards 191 71

C-A-I 16-24-0 8-15-0

Total yards 411 168

Fumbles-lost 2-2 5-1

Penalties-yards 6-48 6-57

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Williamsport, Tevin Williams 11-122, 2 TD; Zion Hughes 20-86, 2 TD; Trey Damschroder 3-10; Za'Mire Hopkins 3-7; Mah'Si Strickland 1-(minus-5). Central Mountain, Kyle Everett 17-58; Royce King 1-21; Kole Corman 6-8, TD; Samir James 1-7; Seth Miller 2-6; Kai Fravel 1-4; Cahle Fredericks 6-3; Team 2-(minus-11).

PASSING: Williamsport, Williams 16-23-0, 191, TD; Jaivion Alston 0-1-0. Central Mountain, Everett 8-15-0, 71.

RECEIVING: Williamsport, Damschroder 6-89, TD; Jaylen Lilly 4-31; Kason Ulmer 3-47; Delantae Haberstroh-Stotts 2-16; Jaylen Williams 1-8. Central Mountain, Gavin Heverly 6-69; Mason Masorti 1-3; Maliahkai Fleisher 1-(-1).

SACKS: Williamsport, Cordoza Minor 3; Ulmer. Central Mountain, Cade Watkins 1.

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