Punxsutawney is 0-4 against Central Clarion [Clarion/Clarion-Limestone/North Clarion] since September of 2020 but things could change on Friday. The Punxsutawney Chucks will square off against Central Clarion [Clarion/Clarion-Limestone/North Clarion] at 7:00 p.m. Punxsutawney is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 32.7 points per game this season.
Punxsutawney will head into Friday's matchup out to bounce back: they came back down to earth on Friday after soaring to a 49-point contest in their last game. They fell just short of Union/Allegheny-Clarion Valley by a score of 30-27. Despite 52 more yards than the , the Chucks couldn't convert that extra yardage to scores.
Despite the loss, Punxsutawney got top-tier performance from Jordan Rutan, who rushed for 244 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 15.3 yards per carry. Rutan showed off some serious burst, turning on the afterburners on one carry for 68 yards.
Even though they lost, Punxsutawney was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 267 rushing yards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Union/Allegheny-Clarion Valley only rushed for 168.
Punxsutawney didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Beau Thomas and Noah Kengersky.
Meanwhile, Central Clarion [Clarion/Clarion-Limestone/North Clarion] put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They took their game at home with ease, bagging a 63-0 win over Brockway. The result was nothing new for Central Clarion [Clarion/Clarion-Limestone/North Clarion], who have now won six matches by 43 points or more so far this season.
Jase Ferguson was his usual excellent self, throwing for 281 yards and six touchdowns, while also rushing for 83 yards and a touchdown on only eight carries. He is on a roll when it comes to passing touchdowns, as he's now passed for six or more in the last three games he's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Jesse Siwiecki, who picked up 125 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Central Clarion [Clarion/Clarion-Limestone/North Clarion] wouldn't let Brockway keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force two fumbles. Central Clarion [Clarion/Clarion-Limestone/North Clarion] can thank Brant Parker and Billy Kahle for forcing both of them.
Punxsutawney's defeat dropped their record down to 4-3. As for Central Clarion [Clarion/Clarion-Limestone/North Clarion], they pushed their record up to 7-0 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home.
Friday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Punxsutawney has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 215.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Central Clarion [Clarion/Clarion-Limestone/North Clarion] struggles in that department as they've been averaging 218.3. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Punxsutawney was taken down by Central Clarion [Clarion/Clarion-Limestone/North Clarion] 41-13 in their previous matchup back in September of 2023. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Ferguson, who threw for 279 yards and four touchdowns while picking up 12.7 yards per attempt, and also rushed for 97 yards on only 13 carries. Now that Punxsutawney knows the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
