Sep 14, 2013 By Nick Cammuso for The 4 min read

COAL CENTER — California’s football team gave the champs a scare.

Class A powerhouse Clairton kept its vaunted win streak going on Friday, but host California didn’t make it easy in a hard-fought 32-7 loss.

Clairton, winners of four straight PIAA titles and a national-best 66 straight games, allowed its first points of the season against a game California squad and was held scoreless in the second quarter.

“I’m very proud of our effort. They kids came out and played for 48 minutes,” first-year California coach William “Bo” Teets said.

“They put up a fight. They were gutsy,” Clairton coach Tom Nola said of the Trojans.

California (0-3, 0-3) made things difficult for the Bears from the get-go.

Casey Zajicek pulled in a 58-yard pass on the game’s first play from scrimmage and the Trojans kept moving the ball, eventually scoring on Austin Hunter’s 7-yard quarterback keeper to grab the lead less than four minutes in.

It marked the first points given up all season by Clairton (3-0, 3-0), which outscored its first two opponents 76-0.

“I think we can play with anybody,” Teets said. “We just wanted to hit something early to give us some momentum. That drive kept our spirits where they needed to be.”

The Bears, however, answered quickly. Aaron Matthews’ 48-yard touchdown run along the left side cut the lead to 7-6 just 1:05 later, and Clairton added scores from James Hines (27-yard reception) and Harrison Dreher (35-yard fumble return on a backfield strip) soon after.

But the Trojans kept fighting, particularly on defense, where they stuffed Clairton on back-to-back drives in the second quarter. That span was highlighted by four tackles for losses, including a pair of sacks by Austin Wingo and Brad Timko for a combined minus-35 yards.

In all, Clairton had 143 yards of offense in the first half and just 12 on 14 plays in second quarter.

Whatever momentum the Trojans mustered, though, quickly fizzled.

Hunter had a 7-yard TD run called back due to an illegal shift late in the first half. And after the break, Demetri Clements recovered a fumble on Clairton’s first drive, but California gave it right back with a fumble of its own mere seconds later.

Ryan Williams hit Hines from 23 yards out on the next play. Hines’ second scoring catch of the night stretched the lead to 24-7.

“(Those are) things we still have to clean up and against a team like this, you can’t do that,” Teets said of the miscues. “It’s something we’ve got to keep working on.”

Clairton added a safety late in the quarter and scored again in the fourth on Ryan Williams’ 3-yard run with 5:01 remaining.

“This team is just as dangerous as any other Clairton team — they have play makers all around,” Teets said of the Bears, who graduated several Division I recruits and return just three seniors.

California was led by Hunter, who rushed for 83 yards and a score.

 

Black Hills Conference

Clairton     18-0-8-6 — 32

California   7-0-0-0 — 7

First Quarter

Cal: Austin Hunter 7 run (Devan Peterman kick), 8:26

Cl: Aaron Matthews 48 run (run failed), 7:21

Cl: James Hines 27 pass from Aaron Matthews (run failed), 2:10

Cl: Harrison Dreher 35 fumble return (run failed), 1:12

Third Quarter

Cl: Hines 23 pass from Ryan Williams (run failed), 9:43

Cl: Safety (tackle in end zone), 0:43

Fourth Quarter

Cl: Ryan Williams 3 run (run failed), 5:01