Bellefonte keeps game close against Central despite turnovers

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: September 18, 2020

Central Bellefonte

Central 6 6 8 6 – 26

Bellefonte 0 7 7 0 – 14

First quarter

C – Jeff Hoenstine 35-yard TD pass to Josh Beisinger(PAT failed), 8:55.

Second Quarter

C- Hoenstine 28-yard TD pass to Parker Gregg (Conversion failed), 1:01.

B – Ethan Rossman 2-yard run (Hayden Walker kick), :21.

Third Quarter

C – Hoenstine 27-yard TD pass to Devon Boyle (2-point conversion ),7:37

B – Rossman 60-yard TD pass to Dylan Dann (Walker kick),4:12.

Fourth Quarter

C – Hoenstine 1-yard run (Conversion failed), 5:15.

TEAM STATISTICS

C BEL

First Downs 16 13

Rushes-Yards 31-220 31-160

Comp-Att-Int 17-31 0 9-19 2

Passing Yards 189 138

Total Plays-Yards 409 298

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 4-3

Penalties-Yards 7-40 5-35

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: Central – Parker Gregg 13-98, Hunter Smith 8-32, Jeff Hoenstine 10-52. Bellefonte – Nic Capperelle 6-21, Ethan Rossman 12-53, Jalen Emel 7-58, Ryan Fitzgerald 4-7, Logan Houser 3-20, Clayton Wilson 1-1.

Passing: Central – Jeff Hoenstine 17-31 220. Bellefonte – Emel 1-1 6, Rossman 8-18 132.

Receiving: Central – Hunter Klotz 1-11, Gregg 3-45, Smith 6-37, Shalen Yingling 1-4, Josh Beisinger 1-35, Eli Lingenfelter 2-21, Ethan Eicher 1-5, Devon Boyles 2-47. Bellefonte – Capperelle 5-33, Emel 1-7, Nolan Weaver 1-29, Dylan Dann 1-60, Michael Henry 1-5.

Interceptions— Central 2, Bellefonte 0.

By Kenny Varner

BELLEFONTE – Despite a night that the Bellefonte football team had five turnovers, the Red Raiders stayed close before falling to the Central Dragons 26-14 Friday night in Mountain League action.

“We need to hold onto the ball. Turnovers have plagued us the past couple weeks. That’s probably where we need to start,” said Bellefonte coach Shanon Manning. “I think our effort was better tonight and our attention to detail was better. As far as the turnover battle I think we were minus five. It’s tough to beat any team when your down four or five turnovers, let alone a team the caliber of Central.”

Bellefonte was led by quarterback Ethan Rossman who rushed for 53 yards and threw for 132 on the night.

Running back Jalen Emel was the leading rusher for the Red Raiders, finishing with 58 yards.

The Dragons got a strong overall game from its quarterback Jeff Hoenstine who went 17-31 for 220 yards. He also rushed for 52 yards.

On defense, he finished with an interception.

Leading all rushers on the night was the running and receiving performance of Parker Gregg who rushed for 98 and picked up another 45 yards in receptions.

Coming out of the half leading 12-7, the Red Dragons defense forced a punt, giving the ball to its offense.

Much like its first drive of the game, the Dragons marched down the field on a 9-play, 71-yard drive that culminated in a Hoenstine to Devon Boyles hook up of 20-yards for the touchdown. The 2-point conversion was successful, upping the lead to 20-7 with 7:37 left in the third.

Bellefonte bounced back on its third possession of the third.

It took just four plays for the Red Raiders to find the end zone as Rossman fired a picture perfect pass to a speedy Dylan Dann for a 60-yard touchdown snag.

With the Ethan Walker PAT, the Red Raiders we’re back to within striking distance of the Dragons at 20-14.

But a late Bellefonte miscue gave Central some breathing room as they added a fourth quarter touchdown to give them some Insurance.

Again Hoenstine had a hand in the touchdown, this time he muscled it in from one yard away, upping it to a 26-14 margin.

That is where the score would stay as Bellefonte wasn’t able to get back on the boards.

Central started off the contest with the ball and some early momentum as they marched down the field 7-play drive that culminated on a Jeff Hoenstine to Josh Beisinger on a 35-yard TD hook up to take a 6-0 advantage.

The score would remain that way as the PAT attempt was unsuccessful.

Bellefonte’s defense started to settle in a kept the Dragons within the 20s as the first half was getting ready to close.

However, a fumble by Bellefonte on the insuring punt gave the ball back to Central with a little of three minutes left in the half.

Starting on the Red Raider 40, the Dragons went to the air, getting the ball to the 28.

But the Bellefonte forced the Dragons to a 4-and-15.

Hoenstine went back to pass and threw a pass to Gregg who was on a fly route for the touchdown, upping the lead to 12-0.

With two consecutive penalties on the PATs, the 2-point conversion was stopped by Bellefonte.

With about 55 ticks left on the first half clock,runningback Jalen Emel went right up the middle and then was off to the races for a 33-yard run to the 22-yard line.

On the following play, Capperelle muscled his way for four yards.

Bellefonte called time out and then Rossman went to the air and found a wide open Stephen Ivicic as he stretched out to the two.

One play later Bellefonte was on the board when Rossman called his own number scoring from two out.

After a successful PAT, the Red Raiders found itself just down by five as the two teams went into the half.

Bellefonte falls to 0-2 while Central remains a perfect 2-0.

The Red Raiders will be back in action next week against Clearfield on the road.