JOHNSTOWN - Central Cambria's season came to an end Friday night at Johnstown's Point Stadium as Bishop McCort quarterback Zaine Tomkowski threw three touchdown passes to lead the Crimson Crushers to a 38-13 win over the Red Devils.
"It's been a roller coaster of a season," Central Cambria coach Sam Shutty said. "These guys went through a lot both on and off the field, we've had a lot of issues, but our seniors perservered and kept up their intensity until the end."
Central Cambria finished 2-8.
The Red Devils battled the playoff-bound Crushers (7-3) on even terms for the better part of the first half as Tomkowski's 13-yard touchdown pass to Spangler late in the first quarter was answered by Will Seymour's 9-yard scoring strike to Matthew Leary's with 7:05 remaining in the second quarter that tied it 7-7.
However, from that point on the Red Devil offense struggled as the Crushers eventually forced four Central Cambria turnovers.
"We couldn't establish anything after that one good drive," Shutty said. "They were too much for us up front."
Bishop McCort regained the lead on Tomkowski's 23-yard touchdown pass to Luke DiFrancesco at the 3:17 mark, and the Crushers then recovered a Red Devil fumble on the ensuing series.
Four plays later, DiFrancesco caught his second scoring pass from Tomkowski, a 28-yarder with 1:17 remaining in the half. Tomkowski finished 8-of-13 for 133 yards.
"Zaine Tomkowski made some big throws, and our receivers made some great plays to help us take control in the second quarter," Bishop McCort coach Kevin Sheridan said.
Bishop McCort managed to get the ball back at the Red Devil 38 in the final seconds following a short punt, and Spangler subsequently nailed a 39-yard field goal with one second left to put the Crushers up 25-7 at the break.
Spangler added two more field goals in the third quarter of 27 and 26 yards, and the final McCort touchdown came on Dustin Belskey's 5-yard run with 10:56 to play.
Central Cambria tallied one more score with just over five minutes left when Stephen Papuga took it in from 36 yards out on the first play following a Red Devil fumble recovery.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Central Cambria0 7 0 6 - 13
Bishop McCort7 18 6 7 - 38
First Quarter
BM-Spangler 13 pass from Tomkowski (Spangler kick), 1:15.
Second Quarter
CC-Leary 9 pass from Seymour (Crimmins kick), 7:05.
BM-DiFrancesco 23 pass from Tomkowski (Rugg pass from Tomkowski), 3:17.
BM-DiFrancesco 28 pass from Tomkowski, (Spangler kick).
BM-Spangler 39 FG, 0:01.
Third Quarter
BM-Spangler 27 FG, 5:12.
BM-Spangler 26 FG, 1:47.
Fourth Quarter
BM-Belskey 5 run (Pastorek kick), 10:56.
CC-Papuga 36 run (kick failed), 5:25.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Central Cambria-Gironda 5-21, Leary 1-(-1), Long 2-14, Seymour 6-10, Papuga 6-39, Bauer 2-4, Mazzarella 3-18, Myers 2-(-4), TEAM 1-(-18). Bishop McCort-Belskey 8-33, Tomkowski 3-2, Jackson 19-50, James 3-15, Rugg 1-10, Hutzell 4-4, Good 2-(-2), TEAM 1-(-10).
PASSING: Central Cambria-Seymour 7-15-1-87, Gironda 1-1-0-10, Long 0-1-0-0. Bishop McCort-Tomkowski 8-13-1-133
RECEIVING: Central Cambria-Shaffer 2-60, Long 1-10, Gironda 1-(-2), Myers 1-2, Leary 1-9, Papuga 1-14, Mazzarella 1-4. Bishop McCort-DiFrancesco 3-60, Siwy 2-32, Spangler 2-21, Jackson 1-20
INTERCEPTIONS-Central Cambria-Myers. Bishop McCort-Burgo.
TEAM STATISTICSCCBM
First Downs914
Rushing28-8341-102
Passing8-17-18-13-1
Passing Yards97133
Total Yards180235
Fumbles-lost5-34-2
Penalties10-1004-24
Punts5-282-32
