Details matter in Jays' latest defeat
SOUTH CENTRE TWP. — If Central Columbia coach Ky Seesholtz were told his offense gets to touch the ball first in each half and the Blue Jays score their first points in nearly a month, he'd likely sign up for that every time.
The details are in the contract, though, and one would hope he'd read those before signing it. The points came via a 39-yard Gus Bauman field goal after Mifflinburg scored seven unanswered touchdowns, and the offense touched the ball first after Landon Murray returned the opening kickoff 98 yards.
In the end, Mifflinburg's balanced attack came away with a 65-3 victory, ensuring it remained focused on the task at hand following a bitter loss to Southern Columbia the previous week.
"It's important after a loss, especially one that meant a lot to us, to respond the way that we did," Mifflinburg coach Cody Botts said. "They wanted this one this year and wanted to respond positively, and they did just that."
Did the Wildcats ever.
They seemingly did whatever they wanted in all three facets. Domination in special teams and four defensive takeaways, including interceptions by JP Marr and Cole Reibsome, set up Mifflinburg's offense on Central's side of the field in four of their six touchdown drives.
Two of those — 17- and 34-yard carries by Landon Moser — were over in two or fewer plays.
Even when the Wildcats were on their own side of the field, they showed they could strike that quickly as Murray was hit in stride, well ahead of the Blue Jays' secondary, for a 65-yard touchdown from Chad Martin.
The duo also capped off their longest scoring drive of the game — a seven-play, 67-yard drive — with a 7-yard scoring connection to start the second quarter.
Martin finished 5-for-5 passing with 109 yards and three TDs. Murray was responsible for three of those completions and all but 11 of those yards.
"The basics of football are tackling and blocking, and we just weren't able to execute that tonight," Central Columbia coach Ky Seesholtz said. "It's really about fundamentals that we've been working on, and we're on to next week. They're a great team and they're going to be contenders in districts and states."
The other two possessions beginning in Central's territory were more deliberate, each ending with touchdown passes. The first came in the opening frame with Martin finding tight end Brady Threet on a simple 1-yard in route.
Then, with the first half coming to a close, backup QB Brennen Snyder hit another tight end, Luke Brubaker, who used every inch of his body to hit the right pylon to give the Wildcats their eighth touchdown.
"We do a self-analysis of ourselves as an offensive staff, and every game we've been balanced, we've won," Botts said. "We need to continue to get back to that like we did tonight."
The running game also kept the chains moving all night for the Wildcats. Eight different kids carried the ball. Seth Hartman led the way with 69 yards while Hunter Bolick posted a 1-yard touchdown run for the team's final points, and Martin showed he could be a dual-threat QB, taking a busted play and turning it into a 17-yard touchdown by faking the Jays out on a false toss in the midst of his run.
The defense was also stout, holding the Jays to 28 total yards and two first downs. Central couldn't sustain anything, going 1-for-9 on third down. They were awarded great field position after the Wildcats went for it on fourth down and were turned away in Blue Jays' territory.
"Football is won in the trenches and we're not winning in the trenches or executing at a high level," Seesholtz said. "Once again, I give props to these guys. They went through a lot of adversity the last three years, and we have a bunch of new guys coming out. The inexperience shows."
After a three-and-out, that's when they turned to the Bauman for their first points since Sept. 12 against Danville.
"Gus Bauman is only a sophomore, and I remember when he came into the weight room. We got him kicking, and he will help us win games. It may not be now, but he will help us in the future," Seesholtz said. "There will be a time and place where he makes a huge play for us and helps us win a football game."
That didn't come on Friday, but Bauman did make a heads-up play as the snapped ball went over his head on a punt attempt. Instead of falling on it inside the 10-yard line, he punted it out of his own end zone for a safety.
It goes to show that playing the game, much like signing a contract, all comes down to the details.
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