SMETHPORT — Maybe there is a football team from the Allegheny Mountain League North who can compete with those bullies from the South as Cameron County took control of the division with a 43-6 whipping of Smethport on Friday.
The Red Raiders’ massive offensive line that averaged 251 pounds per man helped the visitors from Emporium gain 320 total yards including 227 on the ground. Their defensive front was also impressive in holding the hosts to just 117 total yards.
“I’m extremely disappointed and this one hurts,” said Jim Berlin, Smethport head coach. “”We’re at home, it’s Senior Night and it’s a big game. We forgot to show up and we got dominated up front.”
With both teams coming into the crucial contest at 2-0 in the North, Cameron County opened a 7-0 lead when a 36-yard flea flicker from senior quarterback Keith Spehalski to Brandon Saline set up Rusty Setzer’s 8-yard touchdown run and Jack Karsten’s extra point with 9:17 left in the first quarter.
“We prepared for that stuff but we got caught out of position,” Berlin said of the trick play.
The Hubbers’ first-team offense then registered what would prove to be their longest drive of the night of 33 yards to the Red Raider 32 before a fourth-down sack by Bryan Boleen ended the march.
The combatants traded punts but Cameron County fumbled its chance and Adam Shunk pounced on the loose pigskin at the enemy 15.
Three plays later it was Shunk bobbing and weaving his way in from the 5 to put the Hubs on the board with 21 seconds showing. Karsten then used all of his 6-4, 328-pound frame to block the PAT attempt to keep it at 7-6.
“That was a short field and we got a score,” Berlin recalled. “We did some good things, but (Dustin) Zetwick was on his back most of the night and that’s on our guys up front.”
Highlighted by a 27-yard aerial from Spehalski to Saline, the Red Raiders (3-4, 3-0) drove 65 yards in 11 plays with Caleb Burnside plunging over from the 1. Austin Doud hauled in the 2-pointer from Spehalski to increase the margin to 15-6 with 7:12 left in the half.
Following a shanked 9-yard punt, Cameron drove home a dagger with a 2-yard TD run by Bernside and Karsten’s boot at the 55-second juncture for a 22-6 lead at the intermission. The key play of the 41-yard possession was a leaping grab by Erin Garrigan for a 20-yarder that provided a first-and-goal at the 9.
“That (touchdown) was a back-breaker,” Berlin tersely noted.
After Setzer had fielded the second-half kickoff at his 27 and carried it up to the 46, the Red Raiders methodically advanced to the end zone with Burnside plowing in from the 3 for a 29-6 disparity at the 7:40 mark.
Cameron’s Jason Smith recovered a fumble at the Smethport 35 on the very next snap, but the Hubs denied the opposition when Daniel Confair broke up a fourth-down pass in the end zone.
The Hubbers weren’t so fortunate later in the third when Garrigan drilled the QB and the ensuing fumble was recovered by Jacy Langley.
Three plays hence Setzer had his third TD of this brisk Oct. 10 for a 36-6 spread with 11:10 remaining.
“They (Red Raiders) are big up front and are a physical team,” Berlin stated. “Coach (Mike) Kunes is doing a good job with those guys and they deserved this one.”
Both second-string squads were inserted with 9:48 left and eventually Cameron County even captured the JV game 7-zip when freshman Jared Whiting raced 58 yards to paydirt with 1:12 showing.
While Cameron County hosts Coudersport on Friday, the Hubbers (3-4, 2-1) finish the regular season at Port Allegany and then visit Coudy the following Friday.
“We still have a chance for a winning record at 5-4,” Berlin declared.
“The South is loaded with playoff teams and all we can do is win out and see where that takes us.”
By Quarters
Cameron Co. 7 15 7 14— 43
Smethport 6 0 0 0 — 6
Team Statistics
First Downs: Cameron 12, Smethport 6; Rushing: Cameron 44-227, Smethport 21-58; Passing Cameron 4-8-93, Smethport 5-15-59; Total Yards: Cameron 320, Smethport 117; Penalties: Cameron 3-30, Smethport 4-30; Punts: Cameron 3-32.0, Smethport 5-30.0; Interceptions by: none; Fumbles/Lost: Cameron 1/1, Smethport 2/2.
