From Mirror reports
PATTON — Cambria Heights bounced back from a season-opening loss with a statement victory, topping Marion Center, 39-7, in a game that was never close Friday.
Stephen Nelen ran for 120 yards on just eight carries and caught four passes for 62 yards. He also ran for two touchdowns.
Play of the game: Nelen opened the scoring on a 58-yard touchdown run that helped Cambria Heights regain its composure a week after a loss against Purchase Line.
Player of the game: Nelen, who scored the first two touchdowns of the game.
Unsung hero: Junior quarterback Isaac Weiland threw for 184 yards and completed 8-of-12 passes after he was just 8-of-18 with two interceptions against Purchase Line.
Most vital statistic: Heights outgained the Stingers, 393-231.
Cambria Heights coach Jarrod Lewis: “We challenged the team this week to get back to some physical play. As I said, we tell the players all the time that teams make their most improvements from the first week to the second week, and that was the case tonight.”
Making space: Heights ran the ball for 209 yards after having just 87 on the ground last week.
“Our offensive line took the brunt of the criticism last week,” Lewis said. “Some justified, some not so, and I like the way they responded tonight.”
Notable: Weiland also threw two touchdown passes, both to Garrett Jasper, who finished with a pair of catches and 70 yards. … Jaxxon Kline added a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs for the Highlanders. … Mason Plaskunak scored Marion Center’s lone touchdown on a 26-yard pass from Camden Rising.
Records: Cambria Heights (1-1); Marion Center (0-2).
Next week: Marion Center is at Northern Cambria, and Cambria Heights travels to Portage next Friday.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Marion Center 0 7 0 0 — 7
Cambria Heights 18 14 7 0 — 39
First Quarter
CH — S. Nelen 58 run (kick failed)
CH — S. Nelen 8 run (pass failed)
CH — Garrett Jasper 56 pass from Isaac Weiland (kick failed)
Second Quarter
CH — Jaxson Kline 1 run (Cameron Abrams kick)
MC — Mason Plaskunak 26 pass from Camden Rising (Josh Troup kick)
CH — Jasper 15 pass from Weiland (Abrams kick)
Third Quarter
CH — Kline 1 run (Abrams kick)
TEAM STATISTICS MC CH
First downs 15 12
Total yards 231 393
Rushing yards 124 209
Yards passing 107 184
Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 9-24-1 8-13-0
Punts-avg. 4-30.3 2-34
Fumbles-lost 1-0 2-1
Penalties-yards 1-5 3-30
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING–Marion Center, Bassa 14-52, Stewart 18-42, Rising 8-29, Plaskunak 3-1. Cambria Heights, S. Nelen 8-120, Kline 12-64, Eckenrode 2-16, Weimert 4-7, Wilkie 2-0, Mulraney 1-(-3), TEAM 1-(-1).
PASSING–Marion Center, Rising 8-24-1-107. Cambria Heights, Weiland 8-12-0-184, TEAM 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING–Marion Center, Stewart 4-43, Plaskunak 3-9, McCoy 1-5. Cambria Heights, S. Nelen 4-62, Jasper 2-70, Eckenrode 1-36, H. Nelen 1-15.