Dunn and the Dragons: Central Senior Eager For Friday's Homecoming Clash Against Clearfield

Central High School Senior Jack Dunn isn’t surprised his Scarlet Dragons are undefeated through eight games this year.

After, last season, when he was part of the record-setting PIAA Class 3A semifinalist Dragons’ scout team, he was facing competition as tough as anything he’d see when he got to be a starter himself.

“It was fun practicing against them. There was no one better,” Dunn said energetically. “Iron sharpens iron.”

Dunn and the Dragons will get a test worthy of that preparation this week when they welcome East Section 1 champion Clearfield to the Roaring Spring Athletic Field for a big late-season Laurel Highlands Conference Clash.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

“So far, we’re undefeated. Obviously, we want to stay that way,” said Dunn, who has eight touchdown catches this year after only having two catches in 2022. “Clearfield’s a really good team, a respectable team. We’re excited to play them. It’s a big game. It’s our homecoming game. That means a lot.”

Win or lose, it appears Central will play Richland in the LHAC championship in Week 10 and then move into the playoffs. The 6-2 Bison will be a great and welcome upgrade over ordinary opposition for a Dragon team that is coming off a 35-point win against Bedford, only has a one game decided by one score on its resume’ and has not had any other contests decided by fewer than 13 points.

“We have a rivalry with Clearfield and they are probably the best team we have played so far,” Central coach Dave Baker said of the Bison, who upset Bald Eagle Area to win their section but are looking to rebound from a 35-28 loss at Richland last game. “It’s a gauge to where we are and where they are. Last year, we played them in an interdistrict playoff. It doesn’t mean we will again, but it’s a team we might see again.”

Dunn, Jacob Benton and Baron Dionis each caught touchdown passes from Eli Muthler last week, while Hunter Smith scored twice on the ground as Central reached the 40-point mark for the fifth time this season but the first time in four weeks.

Muthler surpassed 2,000 yards passing in the victory.

Defensively, the Dragons allowed just 99 yards as Smith got 2.5 tackles for loss and Kasey Imler registered a pair of sacks.

The dominant outcomes haven’t let the Scarlet Dragons satisfied, though. Dunn said the players are looking to tighten up their performance and this is just the kind of game they need to make them do it.

“We need to keep working better as a team,” Dunn said. “We have to not turn the ball over as much and be stronger with the ball. That could be a game-changer, as we’ve turned the ball over a lot recently. We need to be a selfless team.”

Both the Dragons and the Bison recently defeated Penns Valley by very similar scores 28-14 for Central and 35-7 for Clearfield. Clearfield’s other loss was a 22-13 setback against Forest Hills in Week 2.

The Bison are one of the most-balanced teams Central will encounter. Clearfield runs a little less than twice as much as it passes the ball, but big plays to the likes of standout receiver Carter Freeland (36 catches for 761 yards and seven touchdowns) have meant the Bison gain almost as many yards passing as rushing.

Will Domico quarterbacks Clearfield.

The Bison ground game also has two players who are almost dead even in rushing yards — Carter Chamerlain and Brady Collins enter the contest with 451 and 401 yards on the ground, respectively. Domico has more than 300, also.

“We’re not quite sure what exactly to expect from them,” Baker said.

Central won last year’s playoff encounter, 35-6, and has beaten Clearfield in the last two meetings. The Dragons, however, only have prevailed in five of 16 encounters with the Bison.

Like Dunn, Baker said he felt the chances of having a great year were strong going back to the preseason. Baker sees this game as an opportunity to keep improving as the competition gets tougher.

“We’re starting to run the ball a little bit better,” Baker said. “I think overall our team has been pretty balanced. Our defense has been good, our offense has been productive and our special teams, although it hasn’t been great, hasn’t hurt us at all.”