PIAA CLASS A West Middlesex swamped, 40-7

Clarion-Limestone ended the Big Reds season at 9-3.
By BILL ALBRIGHT
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
SHARON, Pa. -- Scoring early and often, Clarion-Limestone cruised to a 40-7 win over West Middlesex in the opening round of the PIAA football playoffs Friday at Tiger Stadium.
"Once you get to the playoffs, unless you win a state championship, your season ends with a loss," West Middlesex coach Rick Resatar said. "It is always tough to end your season with a loss, but that certainly doesn't take anything away from the way these kids played and the season they had."
Early mistakes
After six scoreless minutes to begin the game, the Lions took advantage of several West Middlesex (9-3) mistakes to tally 17 unanswered points in the next four-plus minutes.
A 71-yard touchdown run by Branden Huwar, a West Middlesex fumble that resulted in a 29-yard touchdown run by sophomore quarterback Hayden Johnston and a 23-yard field goal by Rocky Davis allowed the Lions to enjoy their 17-point lead at the end of the opening period.
"They scored, we fumbled the ball, they score again, they block our punt and then they kick a field goal," recalled Resatar. "That is a good football team over there. I had said before that I respect them, but that I wasn't impressed. After this, give credit where credit is due. That is a good football team and I am impressed."
Following the game, Clarion-Limestone coach John Kundick admitted the quick start was a surprise to him.
"I would be an idiot to tell you that it wasn't a surprise to me," said Kundick. "We were looking for a good, tight game, but things like that happen. They have a fine team and as it turned out, it was just our night."
Statistical leaders
Clarion-Limestone (12-0) featured a well-balanced attack in posting its win as Johnston rushed for 85 yards and passed for another 70. Huwar led all rushers with 128 yards and Ben Brooks chipped in with another 62 yards on the ground.
"One thing nice about these kids is that they do what they have to do," said Kundick. "At any given time, any one of them can take off and run with the ball. That is the neat thing about this whole team."
After scoring a pair of touchdowns on the ground in the opening period, the Lions went to the air to put two more scores on the board in the second period. Johnston hooked up with Brad Beggs for 29 yards and one score before Huwar took a 3-yard touchdown aerial from Johnston just before the end of the first half for a commanding 30-0 lead.
All season, the Big Reds have overcome deficits to turn losses into wins. However, this time the deficit was 30 points and only a miracle could have turned that around.
"I reminded the kids at halftime that we have been the comeback kids for the last four weeks, but this time, we really dug a deep hole and I don't know if we can come back from 30 down," said Resatar.
Takeaway, giveaway
"I asked them to give it a shot, but after we got a turnover, we turned the ball right back to them," he said. "When that happened, I could see a little bit of the wind come out of our sails."
The Big Reds scored their only points two minutes into the final period when quarterback Jake Buzard ran in from 7 yards for a touchdown.